Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 14, Episode 21 - The Long Night - full transcript

After surviving (barely) a bounty hunter's attempt to assassinate him, an outlaw tries to turn himself in to Matt Dillon. But Matt's out of town, and the bounty hunters' companions get to the outlaw first. They aren't so much interested in the outlaw as they are in killing Matt, so they take over the Long Branch and hold everyone hostage. They also get word out to a land baron whose wife the outlaw accidentally killed: come here and pick up the prisoner in return for your gunmen to waste the marshal. The land baron accepts the deal, but the outlaw's girlfriend shoots him as he's about to take the outlaw away. While Doc performs an emergency operation, the land baron's hirelings are torn between their promise to punish the outlaw and their revulsion at the bounty hunters' sadistic leader, who forces town drunk Louie Pheeters to crawl on his hands and knees the length of the saloon to get a drink (which he then refuses in a dramatic sequence). This episode's production number indicates it was actually filmed at the end of the previous season and held up for reasons unknown (it's shown in broadcast order in syndication).

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Rita! Rita!

Ben!

Turn down that lamp, will
you? I seen it from a mile away.

What's happened?
What took you so long?

My knotheaded horse,
he rolled over on me.

My leg, Rita. I don't
know if it's broke or not.

- Did they follow you?
- No, I lost them.

If we leave soon, we can
be out of Kansas by daylight.

Oh, I can't be riding hard,
Rita, leastways not for a while.

I've been waiting
over an hour for you.



Done real good losing
Guerin and them others.

Puts me in line for that
reward all by my ownself.

Leave him alone.

I figured following that piece of
calico there'd be the way to find you.

You'd never clear the holster.

You don't want me dead.

No, sir, I don't.

Squaw girl, you hand me that
gun. Come on, nice and easy.

No, sir, no, I don't
want you dead.

That reward Mr. Wade's
offering is for you alive.

But I figure he wouldn't mind
if you was carved on a little bit.

If you take me
back, he'll hang me.

That's what I hear.

But I also hear he took
you in, gave you a job.



And you went and killed his boy.

Over something as
raunchy as this breed.

Billy Wade had no right
doing me like he was.

Squaw girl, you ain't been spoke
to. Till you are, you keep shut.

He was no good!

- Let's go.
- There's no getting away from 'em.

Ben.

You ride to Dodge
and get Marshal Dillon.

- Marshal Dillon?
- Yeah. Facing that robbery charge

is better than being took
by Mr. Wade's hired guns.

Now go on, ride. Go on, Rita!

Oh, you awake are you?

Yeah.

Still early... sun
just barely up.

That a fact?

It's the best time of
day, though, Matthew.

You know, a fella's kind
of got things to hisself.

That so?

I didn't even hear
you come in last night.

Well, I was trying not
to wake you, Festus.

What time was it when you
got back from Cottonwood Falls?

Oh, it was only
around three o'clock.

Three o'clock?

Fiddle, your head ain't even
hardly hit your pillow, has it?

That's right, yeah.

And you got to ride clean
over to Cimarron today

to be a witness
on that killing trial?

Yeah, that's right.

The Attorney General
asked me to be there.

There's not much else I can do.

Well, Matthew, why
don't you stretch out

and catch yourself a
wink or two more of sleep.

It'll do you good with that
long ride facing you, and all that.

Marshal Dillon.

- Ma'am, you hadn't ought to bust...
- Where's the marshal?

- Right there behind you.
- What can I do for you, miss?

You want a man named Ben
Miller on a robbery charge.

Well, that's right.

Ben wants you to
come and bring him in.

Well, why doesn't
he come in himself?

Because he's hurt,
and they're after him.

- Who's after him?
- Henry Wade and half of Trego County.

He got into an argument with
Mr. Wade's son and killed him.

It was a fair fight, but
now they call it murder.

- Where is Ben?
- About a two hour ride from Dodge.

Oh, please, Marshal, please
come, before they find him.

He done killed Broker and
knocked out that window.

Rawlins, look
around in the back.

- Nothing back there!
- Well, he's got to go this way.

Come on, let's check
out here. Come on.

Oh!

There he goes! There! Come on!

You run us a good chase, boy.

I got to hand it to you, giving
it to Broker the way you did.

Yeah, with his own
toad-sticker, too.

- Turn me loose.
- Oh, no. We want to thank you.

Why Broker'd probably kept
that bounty money all to himself.

Hold it.

Drop the gun.

- Who the devil are you?
- United States Marshal.

Dillon.

Guerin, I thought they
gave you ten years.

I got time off for
good behavior, boy.

All right, let him go.

That bounty money's ours.
This man's wanted for murder.

Not by Henry Wade's authority.

Doesn't carry any
weight in my jurisdiction.

Now, let him go.

Mr. Wade wants to
hang me, Marshal.

You've been tried
and found guilty, boy.

In Henry Wade's court.
That means nothing here.

You railroaded me into jail

and now you're gonna take
that bounty money? That's mine.

I want you boys
to ride out of here.

I see you back here
again, I'll lock you up.

- Dillon, some day, I'll...
- Get moving.

Get the guns.

That was a nice piece of
change we just threw away.

I didn't throw nothing away.

The only time
Mr. Wade's gonna pay us

is when he's got Ben
in his hands, alive.

Rawlins, I want you
to ride to Trego County.

- What?
- And I want you to tell old man Wade

to get hisself into Dodge
by tomorrow morning

'cause I'm going to have Ben
Miller in there waiting for him.

You're taking Miller from
the Marshal in Dodge? How?

And I also want
you to tell Mr. Wade

to stuff his saddle bags
with about $10,000 cash.

Ten thousand? That's
twice what he was offering.

He'll pay it. Don't worry.

Now look, Guerin, if I
take Mr. Wade into Dodge

and we don't deliver, he's
gonna cut me in little pieces.

Boy, didn't I tell you just
now not to worry about it?

The only thing that's going to get
cut up into little pieces is that $10,000.

Now, you go on.

Come on.

Ben, I'll be sending you on to
Hays in the morning with Festus.

Right, Marshal.

How long will they keep
him in prison, Marshal?

I'm afraid I don't know, miss.

- Ben...
- Now, don't fret none, Rita.

Anything's better than what
Henry Wade had in mind.

Festus?

I'm sorry, Ben. All this
is on account of me.

That don't make no difference.

That Billy Wade and I
would've tangled one day.

Just glad it was over
something that counted.

Take care of yourself, hear?

- That sounds like goodbye.
- Well, it is.

I am going to Hays with you.

- What for?
- I am going to wait for you.

Now, you listen to me.

Not if you're going
to tell me to go away.

I'm gonna tell you this, Rita.

Now that Mr. Wade can't get
at me, he's bound to try for you.

He'll square things for Billy's
dying one way or another.

Now, you've got
to get out of here

and put as many miles
between you and him as you can.

I have been running from one thing
or another long as I can remember.

Now I have got
reason not to run.

That has never
happened to me before.

Evening, Miss Kitty.

- Louie.
- Hello, Louie.

Sam.

Was hoping for a little
nightcap, before turning in.

Well, you do look a
little under the weather.

Been a time or
two I felt better.

It's gonna be a long night.

Pour one for me, too, Sam.
I'll finish this in the morning.

Coming right up, Miss Kitty.

I'm awful obliged, Miss Kitty.

There's a fearsome
chill in the air tonight.

Like to go right through a man.

Be an early winter, most likely.

Yes'm, I was figuring
the same thing.

Oh, can I carry that
for you, Miss Kitty?

- Oh, there's no need for that, Louie.
- It'd be my pleasure.

Thank you. Lock
up, will you, Sam?

Yes, Ma'am.

I'm sorry, gents, we're
closed for the night.

Now, just a minute.

Nightcap always sends a man
to sleep with a warm stomach...

Sam!

He's taking himself a nap, Red.

Oh, Sam.

Well, you're not
gonna get very much.

Business hasn't been too good.

All clear up here, Guerin.
Ain't a sign of anybody.

- What's this all about?
- Get going.

Sam?

I'll be all right, Miss Kitty.

You're making a
mighty big mistake.

You figure so, huh?

Let me go.

Redheads' ways... I
always did like 'em.

- You're bothering me.
- Then ease off.

- You leave her be...
- Don't be a hero, swizzleguts.

- Leave her...
- I said don't be a hero.

Leave her alone.

For now.

What do you want here?

What do we want here?

We want a place
to sit down and wait.

Yeah, we've been doing a
heap of riding. We're tired.

We know you won't
mind if we, uh...

help ourselves
to your hospitality.

You're gonna mind when
Matt Dillon hears about this.

Matt Dillon's gonna
hear about it, honey.

A matter of fact, I got a mind

to tell Matt Dillon
about it myself.

You don't figure we're the kind of men
that keep secrets from the law, do you?

Oh me, oh my, no, we ain't.

- Red?
- No, thanks.

How about your friend?

- Have a drink?
- Well...

Oh, let me... let me
draw you just a touch.

You know, I can't
abide drinking alone.

And I can tell from looking,
you'd keep a man company

till the last bottle was
drained, wouldn't you?

Well, look at that.
That glass is dirty.

There, that's better, isn't it?

Here you go.

It's not all that bad a cut the lady's
got, Doc, but the bartender thought

- you ought to take a look at it.
- Mm-hm.

- She said for you not to fret none.
- She would.

With just the two of them there,
it was a lucky thing I came along

when I did, so that Sam
fella could stay with her.

Let's go.

Mister.

Mister, I'd be truly grateful

if you'd let me have a drink.

Is that so?

Just enough to shave the edge.

Do you think you
could hold a glass?

All I want is one.

Stop shaking! Stop it!

My old man was a swizzleguts.

Please.

There was nothing he wouldn't
do for a little scamper juice.

And he ended up selling himself
just as cheap as dog's meat.

Mister, I got to
have one. I need it.

Well then, what's your price?

Give him a drink.

- You tend to your nursing, Red.
- Now, you look here.

Shut your mouth and
get your hand off me,

I'll put you to
sleep in a second.

Kitty?

I lied, Doc. I... I apologize.

What's going on here?

Well, Doctor, you
might say it's a meeting

of the friends of
Marshal Dillon.

I want to make sure I've got
his attention when I talk to him.

I'm afraid you're in
for a disappointment.

- He's not in town.
- He what?

I said Matt
Dillon's not in town.

Did he take Ben Miller
to Hays City with him?

That's exactly where he went.

Well, I guess that fixes that.

Whatever you've got in mind's
going to have to wait, I guess.

Now, you wouldn't be playing
foxy-grandpa with me, would you?

I just said you'd have to wait.

All right.

- Come on.
- You're not going to take...

Get up.

- What are you doing?
- Don't worry about it, honey.

Keep an eye on them.

Well, that's a nickel you
owe me, Festus. Pay up.

Just hold your taters, now. I
ain't had a chance to study.

Well, any move you
make, I clean the board.

"Any move you make..."

You know, Burke, you got a way

of just getting in my craw
something fierce. You...

Evening, Sam. Is there
something I can do for you?

- Festus!
- Oh, golly look what I went and did.

Ain't that a shame?

You looking for
somebody, mister?

Yeah, I'm looking for somebody.

Festus, he's one of them
that's fixing to hang me.

Festus, I couldn't do nothing.

What is this?

Where's the Marshal?

I'm the onlyest law you're
dealing with in this town.

It appears that old sawbones
in the saloon was only half lying.

- Doc?
- A feisty old jack over there.

I got a couple of my men over
there keeping an eye on him.

Why don't you tell
them about it, barkeep.

They got Doc and
Louie and Miss Kitty.

What?

Don't get all riled
up about it, now.

Mister, you've
done did the riling.

You'd better tell me
where the Marshal is

or I'm liable to do
a lot more than that.

- He's in Cimarron.
- Burke, hush.

Oh, he's in Cimarron.
When will he be back?

Now, you looky here...

- I said when.
- First thing in the morning.

First thing in the morning.

I got an old friend coming
in from Trego County

first thing in the morning,
with a few of his riders.

And we're gonna do us a
little business here in town,

and then we're going to go
away. Leave you all alone.

You looky here.

I know about that friend of yours
from Trego County, that fella Wade.

Him and his riders and
you have chomped off

a whole lot more than
you're gonna be able to chew.

Well, we're just gonna
see about that, aren't we?

Huh?

In the meantime, if I was you,

I'd stay clear of that
saloon over yonder,

'less you'd like to see your
friends get roughed up a little bit.

And I mean the Doc and
that red-headed woman.

You're holding
Doc and Miss Kitty.

You got a reason for that?

I got a reason.

Well, if you're here
on account of him,

why ain't you telling
me to turn him loose?

'Cause he'll set just as
good right there in that cell

as he will over in the saloon.

Now, barkeep. You
and I are gonna leave,

and you ain't gonna
move till I tell you to.

Now.

See you later.

He sure is powerful
anxious, ain't he?

Not only figuring that Matthew would
be here, but wanting him to be here.

But why?

Burke, if you was to take a
prisoner away from Matthew Dillon

and then you was to go to work
and sell that prisoner to somebody

that was a fixing to kill
him, how far do you think

you'd get with Matthew
alive and kicking?

You mean he wants
to kill Mr. Dillon?

It's the onlyest reason I can
think of for the way he's acting.

Well, it's been tried before,
and Marshal's still around.

Yeah.

But how many times has it been tried
with a gun pointed at Miss Kitty's head?

Festus, you're right,
the town's been cut off.

Yeah, they busted
the telegraph batteries.

- What are we gonna do about it?
- I say we should ride toward Cimarron,

stop the Marshal, tell him he's
wanted in Jetmore, Spearville...

- anything so he won't come here.
- That ain't gonna work, Burke.

You can't let him ride into an
ambush. That's just what this is.

Listen to me. Will
you listen to me?

Now Matthew's a United States
Marshal and he's got to know.

Besides if anything was to
happen to Miss Kitty or ol' Doc,

and he thought we
tried to trick him, why...

- I wouldn't want to be a part of that.
- Well, I wouldn't either.

Besides that, he's the onlyest one
that knows what we ought to do about it.

Well, we've got to do something.

Well, we can warn him.

Newly, you hit that
Cimarron Trail and I don't care

if you wear out a horse or two,

you let Matthew know
what's happening here.

Yes, sir. I'll have him
back here by sunup.

- Go to it.
- Festus, we can't just sit here.

Onlyest thing we
can't do, Burke,

is to make trouble for Doc
and Miss Kitty right now.

- That's what we can't do.
- Well, what are you gonna do?

Right now, I ain't got
me the foggiest idea.

It's all going to be
over come morning.

Let me tell you
something, mister.

Matt Dillon makes
one awful bad enemy.

Doctor, let me
tell you something.

Matt Dillon sent me
to prison for ten years.

And this morning he jerked
$10,000 out of my hand.

Now, when I get through
with your Marshal Dillon,

he ain't going to make
a bad enemy to nobody.

Please!

Please.

You don't understand!

I'm gonna come apart right
down the middle of my soul!

- I'm going to come apart!
- Louie. Louie. Louie, hold on.

Why don't you give him a drink?
Why do you want to torture...

Red, you had better
remind this man

that I don't need him
alive to get what I'm after.

Doc?

Now, you get over
there and sit down. Now.

Mace, you get over there
and keep an eye on him.

Let it go.

Let it go!

You rheumy-eyed sot.

Now.

I'd like to know just how
bad you'd really like that drink.

It ain't only wantin', mister.

It's needin'.

Well, what about it?

Just a... little.

Just need enough so I could...

could... I asked you a question.

What do you want from me?

I want to know how bad you
want that snake medicine?

My old man'd crawl on his knees

to the devil and back
to get hisself a drink.

I'm begging you.

Oh? You're begging me?

All right.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

See that corner over there?

Now, you get down
on your knees...

and you crawl all the
way across to that corner

and touch the wall,

and then crawl all the way back.

And then, Mr. Guerin
will let you have that drink.

- What?
- You heard me.

Mister, don't make me do that.

If you want the drink
bad enough, you'll crawl.

Please.

Crawl.

Leave him be.

You speaking up for this
rum-pot, are you, Red?

Leave him be.

I said to crawl.

- I can't stand this.
- Whoa!

Doctor, you had better
hope that this man does crawl.

Go ahead.

Like my Aunt Tory used to say,
there ain't no one part of a wheel

that stays on the
top all the time.

What?

Leastwise, not till the buggy
comes to a stop, there ain't.

Festus, what are
you talking about?

Huh?

Oh, Burke, I want you to go
down yonder to the Dodge House

- and get that girl Rita, Ben's woman...
- Yeah, but what for?

Well, it's gonna be daylight
here before too long,

and if Matthew ain't
back by then, why...

Well, never mind, just go get
her and bring her on back here.

All right.

Yes, I know what
Mr. Wade looks like.

Why?

Well, I want you and Burke here

to go out to the north end
of town and watch for him.

When you see him
coming, let me know.

There will be no trouble
in recognizing him.

He'll be coming with every
one of his ranch hands.

- Are you figuring on talking to him?
- Well, I'm gonna try to.

When he figures out
what it's liable to cost him

to stir up a ruckus
here in Dodge, why...

It will do no good.

He'd burn down this
town and everybody in it

if he thought he'd be getting
the one who killed Billy.

Believe me.

I know him.

Well, I want you two to
get on out yonder anyhow.

It's the onlyest thing
I can think of to do.

Well, go on, get started, Burke.

Hurry up with that coffee, Red.

- Hey, Red.
- Oh, get out of my way.

No, let's go talk somewhere.

- Leave her alone, Mace.
- Just get out of my way.

- What's it to you?
- I said leave her alone!

Let go of me!

We won't be needing
her before long anyway.

Now, give me the coffee.
And go over there and sit down.

Let her go by.

What are you laughing at?

Why, I thought you
was a lady's man.

Like she was some
high-toney school marm.

- Well, don't yip at me.
- You settle with Dillon.

Then her and me, we're
gonna even things right out.

After I settle with Marshal Dillon,
I don't care what happens to her.

You're gonna have
quite a name, Guerin.

"The Man Who
Stopped Matt Dillon."

Now, that's something.

We'll celebrate down in
Mexico when we get our $10,000.

It's gonna be
daylight pretty soon.

Well, means it's time
to go get Ben Miller.

Come on, open it up.

Don't. They're gonna hang me.

Ain't nothing I can
do about it, Ben.

I said to open it up.

Get over by the door.

You, too.

You listen to me, you knothead.

Alaska, Mexico, China, I'm gonna
get a hold of you one of these days.

Keep on talking, boy.

If I'm not back there in one
minute your friends are gonna die.

Now, open the door.

Diggs! Mace!

All right, everybody, get up and
walk over to that table back there.

Come on.

Not you, swizzleguts.
You come with me.

Nothing yet.

He will not be able to
stop them from killing Ben.

What?

The Deputy... what can he do?

I don't know.

The safety of four people...

his friends... against
the life of one man.

Ben is going to die
for trying to help me.

Well, I guess all
we can do is hope

Newly gets back with
Marshal Dillon in time.

It's him. It's Mr. Wade.

Wade's riding up
Bridge Street right now.

There's better than a
dozen men with him.

Much obliged, Burke, you go on
home now and stay out of sight.

- Hear me?
- Yeah.

Hold up.

- You Henry Wade?
- I am.

Name's Festus Haggen, right
now I'm the law in Dodge City.

- Where's Dillon?
- He ain't here.

- All right, out of my way.
- Whoa, back.

I want to talk to you.

I got nothing to say to you.

All right then, I'll do the
talking and you listen.

That prisoner you
came here to buy,

he's a federal prisoner and
he was took from me by force.

Now you start to ride
out of this town with him,

and the United States government's
going to get on you like ugly on a ape.

I'll guarantee you they will.

You let me tell you something.

I'm not taking a
federal prisoner.

I'm taking a murderer that's been
tracked down by a bounty hunter.

Ben Miller killed my son.

He's been tried and found
guilty and he's gonna hang.

Mr. Wade!

I got your man in here.

Rawlins, lock up that
deputy in the jail over there.

Let's go.

- Did you bring the money?
- I got it.

Let's go inside.

Take him over there.

Go on, get out.

All right, Miller. Let's go.

Mr. Wade, one more thing.

I got one more piece of business
here, and a man who's paid

as much money for revenge
as you have ought not to mind it.

Well?

I got a little business
left here in town.

I'm gonna kill me a Marshal.

Then my friends and me here,

we're gonna ride out of
town with you and your men.

You're gonna what?

We're gonna ride out of
town with you and your men.

That ought not to
bother you too much.

I didn't have any part of taking
a federal prisoner out of jail.

I sure am not gonna have any
part at killing a federal marshal.

Ah, Mr. Wade.

Askins. Hoppy. Keever.

You got yourself
into this town, Guerin.

You get yourself out.

Let's go, Miller.

Let's go.

No.

No!

- Mr. Wade...
- You got to hear it, Guerin?

All right, I'll tell you again.

If I'd a saw what
you knuckleheads...

- Shut up!
- Oh, hush up, yourself.

I'll tear you up like a towel.

Hold it right there.

Just give me a reason, mister.

- Matthew!
- Get the keys.

Now, get in there.

See how you feel about it.

I sure made a mess
out of things, Matthew.

That's all right,
Festus. We'll set it right.

All right, you go in the
side of the Long Branch,

you take the front
and I'll go in the back.

Just save that Guerin for me.

You gotta understand
about Billy and me and...

Get out!

Mr. Wade, now look, that was
a fair fight with Billy and me.

He was interfering
with Rita... Ow!

Boss!

- Rita!
- Wade!

Boss? Mr. Wade!

- He's dead.
- No, he ain't. He's still breathing.

- There's a doctor in there.
- Get him inside, boys.

Get her in, too.

You keep your hands off of her!

Now, wait, you told
my boys to stay outside.

Where's the doctor?

- How bad is it, Doc?
- Well, how in thunder can I tell yet?

You see to it that your
men stay here until I leave...

and I'll give you 500 dollars.

Mr. Wade said no, it's no.

Mr. Wade is in no position
to say anything right now.

Long as he's
alive, he's the boss.

Hand me my bag. I'll need a
basin and a bottle of whiskey.

Guerin, let's get out of here.

You just keep them people away
from the rest of these cowboys.

Well, what good's that gonna
do? And what do you think

these yahoos are gonna do
when we gun down the marshal?

I'm the one who wants
Marshal Dillon. Me.

And if Wade dies, we'll get rid of
these cowboys in a big hurry, don't worry.

And what if Doc
pulls him through?

Well, I would say right
now, that's a mighty big if.

He don't look so good.

Just shut up and
get out of here.

- Hey, Mace.
- What?

- You see that boy down there?
- Which one?

The one just turned his head
away like we didn't see him.

- Yeah.
- Go get him. Bring him here.

Go on.

Hey, kid.

Sure been a lot of excitement
around here tonight, hasn't there?

Yeah, yeah. Fella there
wants to talk to you.

Listen, Guerin, let's take that
money and clear out of here.

No.

Sit down.

I ain't taking no
more orders from you.

I told you to shut
up and sit down!

Guerin. Hold it.

- Just simmer down.
- I'll take your gun.

What are you doing?
Take care of him.

He's been dead since
you brought him in here.

Doc, you all right?

All you men working for Wade,
get these bodies out of here.

And when you're through, ride
out of Dodge and keep on riding.

Newly, get him
over and lock him up.

Yes, sir.

Festus, take Ben
to jail, will you?

What about the girl, Matthew?

Well, she'll have
to stand trial.

I'll tell you, take her
over to Ma Smalley's.

It's all right, Rita.
It's all over now.

Ben, Rita. Let's go.

How are you, Miss Kitty?

Matt, I didn't think you
were ever gonna get here.

Say um... This saloon
been open all right?

Yeah, of course it has.

Well, you know there's
an ordinance against that.

Well, yeah, I know there
is, but you see, um...

I have a real big influence
with the marshal in this town.

- That a fact?
- That's a fact, cowboy.

Why don't you come on over
to the bar and have a drink,

and I'll, uh... I'll show
you how it works.

Stay tuned for scenes
from next week's Gunsmoke.