Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 20, Episode 1 - Matt Dillon Must Die - full transcript

Matt is trapped at a mountain cabin occupied by murderous Abraham Wakefield and his sons. The embittered Wakefield detests lawmen because of his wife's killing years earlier, and he decides that it would be sporting for him, his sons, and their vicious dog to hunt the Marshal like an animal in the bitter cold.

With Milburn Stone as Doc...

Ken Curtis as Festus...

Buck Taylor as Newly...

And starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

Pa!

Pa!

Where are ya?

Pa, you in there?

Pa!

The man's gonna kill me, Pa.

Jacob, Abel, Isaac, Esau.



Come outta there, Wakefield.

Don't make me come in after ya.

We've done his eyes blue
and his skin fair, just like yours.

And he was took
away on his birthday.

Just like you.

I'm gonna have to kill him.

I'm sorry about
your boy, Wakefield.

But he robbed the bank in Dodge.

He shot the teller, he killed one
man and wounded two others.

Now, I didn't mean to kill him

but he didn't leave
me much choice.

How'd you know my name?

You mean to tell me you don't
know there's wanted posters

on you and these boys of
yours all over Kansas Territory?



We're regular
scares ain't we, Pa?

Them things we did
to those poor people.

You know, we ought to be shot.

Shot.

One of us was.

Today.

Wakefield, if what I
understand is true,

you and these boys of yours
have burned homesteads

all the way from
here to the Dakotas.

You've killed 40, 50 people.

Can you tell me why?

You mean you got all
of them posters of us...

and you don't even
know why we done it?

No.

Maybe you think I go out killin'

for the mortal pleasure of it.

'Cause I ain't
right in the head.

Maybe.

Well, before you die
you're gonna know.

I done it for her.

Because they killed my lady.

Them righteous, psalm-singin'
hypocrites that come out here

to squat on the land and
try to bend every livin' thing

to their way of doin'.

Well, I showed 'em I don't bend.

And I'm gonna go on a'showin'
'em tell every last one of 'em

felt the wrath of
Abraham Wakefield.

My lady loved me.

She was a queen
and she loved me.

Me, a poor dirt farmer, and
she took me to be her man.

There ain't no cold or
loneliness nowheres to match

that what's in my soul since
they took her away from me.

Who's they?

You did!

You and all your kind.

You mean law men?

That's what they
call themselves.

Vigilantes they was.

One black day 20 or
30 of them blood-lusters

was chasin' a rustler.

They finally run him
to ground at my place.

My lady was there all alone.

The man they's chasin'
tried to use her to buy 'em off.

I come up just as they's
burnin' my house down

to get him out.

I heard her
screamin', screamin'.

I tried to get to her
but I couldn't, I couldn't.

And when they
seen what they done,

they shot me and
left me for dead

so there wouldn't be no witness.

But I didn't die.

And I ain't gonna die
till I've killed 100 of 'em

for every one of 'em
that killed my lady.

Wakefield, you can't
blame everybody

for the acts of a few.

The law's the worst.

Because they didn't do nothin'.

Nothin'.

What killed my lady
was law-abidin' citizens.

Fresh-scrubbed and church-goin'.

They hired the law and paid it,

then they looked the other way

when it come to
justice bein' done.

So, I'm my own justice.

Now, the law is after me for
doin' what they shoulda done.

You let 'em put that up on a
poster and show everybody

Abraham Wakefield's
paid 'em all back

for what they done to his lady.

And now you...

you done killed one of my boys.

It wasn't me that killed
him, Wakefield, you did.

Now you're leadin' these
boys down the same path,

can't you see that?

You say you've suffered a lot.

Well you've taken it
out on a lot of people

that didn't have anything
to do with your wife's dying.

Where's the justice in that?

In my gun, mister.

- Pa.
- Kill him, Pa.

What're you waitin' for, Pa?

- He's a stinkin' law man.
- You kill him.

Yeah.

Pa.

He ain't gonna die that quick...

or that easy.

I'm gonna give him the rest
of the night to think about it.

Tie him up and get to bed.

Not you.

You're gonna help
with the killin' tomorrow.

It's a lot easier to put a bullet
between the eyes of a stranger

than it is somebody you know.

So, you get to know
him, talk with him.

I'm gonna make a
Wakefield outta you yet,

or I'm gonna see you dead.

Why... you doin' this to me, Pa?

Because you're a weaklin'.

Your mother pained plenty to
bring you into this here world.

Almost died.

I ain't gonna see you
pukin' on her grave

like some baby that
can't hold down his milk.

I won't have it.

I won't have no flesh of
mine protectin' the likes of him.

Protectin' them that
killed my woman.

You hearin' me boy?

Yes, Pa.

Law man...

don't you get no funny
ideas about runnin'.

Shilo here will have
you laid out for the grave

before you get
halfway to the door.

No, I don't think the
marshal here believes, Pa.

He's a regular Doubtin' Thomas.

Ah now, we don't like
folks to call our daddy a liar,

especially a badge.

Ain't no call for this, Esau.

Shut your mouth...

before I shut it for you.

Now, it ain't the marshal's
fault he don't know.

He just never been showed.

Shilo...

Show him, Shilo.

Back, Shilo.

You know, I think we
might just have ourselves

a believer here.

What do you think,
brother Jacob?

Well, sleep tight, marshal.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Watch him.

You tie him up.

Quiet, Shilo.

Why do I get the feeling you
don't belong in this family?

I belong.

I just don't like
killin', that's all.

Uh huh, yet you ride
out with your father

when he gets in his head
it's time for another massacre.

Sometimes, when I
don't wanna get beat.

I never did like killin'.

I seen my fill of it.

But I ain't put a
hole in nobody yet.

Ma's dead.

Ain't all the killin'
in the world's

gonna bring her back.

Pa...

He's gone crazy.

All he thinks about is the next
time he rides down off this mountain

to take vengeance on
the hypocrisy on the world.

Worshiped her more'n God.

Still does.

They was dirt poor but
he worked for five years,

mornin' till night, and
seven days a week,

to save enough money so's
he could buy her that dress

and have her
painted by a real artist.

Keeps her bedroom
locked all the time.

What's in it?

Somethin' that means more'n
all the gold in the world to him,

Mama's things.

Her bed, her dresser, clothes.

Brought it all
from the old place,

set 'em up here after she died.

Everything belonged to
her that didn't burn's in there.

Sometimes he goes
in there for a whole day.

Sometimes two.

And he, he kept talkin' to
her like she was still alive.

I can remember when my...

Pa was the most
gentle man livin'.

I don't even know him no more.

Then why do you stay?

The man's my pa.

I still love him.

I gotta.

Sometimes I watch him
when he's quiet to sleep.

He looks just like he
used to, quiet and fine.

For a moment I pretend
everything's like it was before.

Then he wakes up, achin'
and painin' and plottin'.

Then wantin' to cry and
set a torch to the world.

Laban was a good boy.

He honored his father and
done right by his blessed mother.

Died a soldier of righteousness,

his sword lifted agin them

that struck down
your honor and mine.

See that he rests
with kings. Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Come on, put your
muscle up on the table,

you dirt-mouth dung-pusher.

Time to see what kinda
stuff you're made of.

Has a little spice,
don't ya think?

Now I don't want
you goin' soft on me

in the middle of this
game and givin' up.

I'm gonna put that pig
sticker through your hand.

But I don't wanna do it
without a fight now, do ya hear?

If you had any sand
you'd put one over there.

Isaac.

Now, I don't wanna put no
yella in your grip, law man,

but there ain't nobody ain't
never beat me at this game.

You sure talk a lot.

Come on, Esau.

Atta boy, get him Esau, get him.

Atta boy.

Go ahead, come on,
Esau, you can get him.

Atta boy.

Atta boy, get him in there.

Whoo, get him.

Esau, come on Esau, get him.

Don't give up, Esau.

I rode all the way to Ashland

to get this mirror
for you, remember?

I like to see you sit
here and brush your hair

until it shines
like rubbed wood.

You always told
me it was just for me.

But, sometimes I
figured maybe Ezra,

or some of them
handsome young bucks

we see at the barn raisings.

Well, you just let me catch
you makin' eyes at 'em.

Annabel, I love
you more than life.

No.

It ain't me.

I's young.

Young I was and handsome.

No.

Don't give up, Esau.

Come on, Esau,
don't give up, come on.

Don't be a fool,
Wakefield, give it up.

Huh uh, not till that blade's
stickin' through your hand.

Come on, Esau.

What on earth's goin' on, Isaac?

Well he's run that knife
though Esau's hand, Pa.

Get him, Pa, or I will.

I said put it down.

Pa, we told you what he done.

Looks like you won
fair and square to me.

You sidin' with him?

Don't you never
say that to me again.

Esau didn't mean no spite, Pa.

Us Wakefields
is fair and square.

Well, ain't we?

- Yes sir.
- Sure.

Fair and square.

Just what you gettin' at, Pa?

You're a sportin' lot.

Well, I just been a'thinkin',

wouldn't hardly be
sportin' just to shoot him

and not give him a
chance to defend hisself.

That wouldn't be
sportin', would it?

Well, would it?

Wh-what're you sayin', Pa?

I'm sayin' we give him
a head start on foot.

He's got a forest and a
whole mountain to hide in.

And one hour to do it.

Then us and Shilo'll
go lookin' for him.

You call that fair odds, do ya?

Good'n fair for a scum
who killed my boy.

Don't look so grim.

Just think, this time tomorrow

all your worldly
cares'll be over.

Less'n of course you manage
to stay away from us longer.

What happens if I do?

I told ya, I'm a sportin' man.

If by the grace of the
devil this time tomorrow

you're still alive,
I'll leave ya be.

You got my word on it.

I don't like it, Pa.

You will when
we start a'trackin'.

Pa, what happens
if he gets away?

Shilo can smell a law
man 50 miles away.

Our friend here'll be lucky
to get three or four miles

afore we start
a'lookin' for him.

We'll bag him and be
back here afore supper.

Get your coat off, the
dog'll need a scent.

He's gonna freeze out there, Pa.

He ain't gonna
have time to freeze,

he's gonna be to busy runnin'.

I told you to get that coat off.

What's the real reason
for this, Wakefield?

I told ya, I don't want
ya dyin' quick or easy.

I want you to have time
to run like Laban did.

I want you to have time to
feel your bones freezing stiff.

I want you to
have time to suffer.

Then I'm gonna kill ya.

Time.

Let's go get us a badge.

Let's get outta here.
Come on, Shilo.

Now we're gonna do
right by Laban today.

Or your flesh'll on you
like clothes on a line.

There ain't nobody down there.

He backtracked, Pa.

Get up.

Pa, tracks goin' out this way.

Kinda artful, ain't he?

Give Shilo a sniff of his coat,

he'll find him quick enough.

To quick. Our big friend
ain't run long enough yet.

Come on.

No, Pa.

What do ya mean? We'll
find him soon enough.

That's right, we.

Well it's gotta be me, just me.

What're you talkin' about?

He shamed me this mornin'.

And I gotta kill him, me.

He killed Laban.

Laban belonged to all of us.

We all got a share in his hide.

But it's gotta be me.

You come back here,
boy, you hear me?

I'll give you the lash.

I'll give you the lash.

Looks like you
just ran outta room.

Come on, big man, or
are you too weighted down

by all that yella?

I'ma make you pay.

Think you can do
the job yourself?

Ah now, this ain't no game.

- Esau bagged him.
- Maybe.

Esau, Esau where are ya?

What'd you let him kill ya for?

Why'd ya let him do it to ya?

- Go bring me that coat.
- Yes, Pa.

Here, Pa.

Law man, kill.

Law man, kill.

Kill!

Just when's Pa
comin' back to himself?

How should I know?

If he's in a memory mog,

there ain't nothin' gonna
bring him back till he gets his fill.

Well, we can't just
stand around here

with our hands in our pockets.

If that badge killed
Shilo, he'd get clean away.

How could he kill Shilo?

We found Esau's gun on him.

Yeah, we didn't find his knife.

Even if he had Esau's knife

he still ain't no
match for that hound.

Then where's the dog?

What if he did kill
Shilo, just what if he did?

It'd take him a long time to
climb down off this mountain.

We could still track him down.

Not if he gets back
to our place first.

He's got a horse up
there or do ya forget?

He'd ride outta here and
come back with a whole legion.

Pa.

Pa!

You stay here with Pa, ya hear?

As soon as he
comes back to himself

you tell him we
went off trackin'.

You tell him we waited
here as long as we could.

Don't want him to think
we was anxious to claim

no glory for ourselves,
he'd beat us ragged.

Don't give him no chance

to get no contrary
notions in his head, either.

All the talk in this world
won't change his thinkin'.

You hear me, brother?

Let's get outta here.

If I get lashed you're gonna get
a bullet from my gun, you hear?

Hee-yaw.

Heyaw.

Shilo musta ripped him good.

There's blood
all over the place.

He ain't no ordinary man.

He was no ordinary man.

He's only a half of one now.

He ain't goin' nowhere.

Well, let's see to it
he don't. Come on.

Pa's gonna fix us good,
you know that, don't ya?

Well, if you think I'm
gonna let him get away,

you're crazier than a coon.

I know Pa'd be
real pleased with us

if he knowed we let
him suffer to the end.

- What're you sayin'?
- I'm sayin' let the marshal be.

Let him suffer.

He ain't goin' nowhere.

If that wound Shilo give him
don't stop him, the night will.

He can't find our
place in the dark.

With all them clouds in the sky,

he won't even have
a moon to work by.

Not to mention the
fact that by mornin'

he'll be froze stiff as a post.

All right, let's start a
fire afore we freeze over.

We can pick up his
trail at the first light.

I hope we find him in time.

Maybe we can even
keep him alive long enough

for Pa to catch up so's he
can have a hand in the glory.

I know that'd please him.

You're afraid of him, ain't ya?

Afraid of who?

Pa.

Ain't you?

Gonna help me
start a fire, or ain't ya?

Why couldn't things
have been different, Pa?

Why couldn't ya just have
buried Mama and lived on with

a piece of the grace she
spent her lifetime givin' ya?

That woulda pleased her more'n,

more'n what's become
of you and the rest of us.

Woulda showed her
more than you buildin'

half a dozen
graveyards in her name.

What're we doin' here?

Where's Isaac, Abel?

We gotta get after that law man.

You was into yourself again, Pa.

Isaac and Abel
rode out after him.

Rode out without me?

I'll beat 'em to death.

Pa, they just didn't want
him to get away, that's all.

Shilo got him, didn't he?

Shilo!

- Where is he?
- He didn't get back yet.

Probably with Isaac and Abel.

Then why ain't they back?

I don't know.

Pa, you can't find
nobody in this black.

It'll be dawn in a few hours.

Be plenty of time, then.

Looks like he held up here.

How'd he start a fire?

He can't be hurt as
bad as we thought.

Esau had matches on him.

And his coat, he weren't wearin'
no coat when we found him.

There's no show of blood
goin' off with the rest of him.

He ain't as crippled
as we thought he was

and he's headin'
straight for our place.

Should've tracked
him down last night

but you wanted to leave him be.

Leave him suffer, you said.

Well it's us that's
gonna suffer if'n we let

him slip through our fingers.

We got horses, ain't we?

He don't, we'll get him.

You're a'scared of Pa
too, ain't ya brother?

There's a darkness
hanging over me, Annabel.

And a cold wind
a-blowin' on my dreams.

The enemies are
lurin' our boys away,

killin' them off so's I
don't have no family left

to help me hold a
sword over your grave.

Pa, you all right?

I'm gonna have to be terrible
hard on Abel and Isaac, Annabel.

Gonna have to put
the lash across them

before they all get killed.

There ain't nothin' left of you.

What is it?

Looks like we got him.

- What're you doin'?
- It's Pa.

We got the law man, Pa!

He's up there on that hill.

We was waitin' for you, Pa.

Pa.

Your run off.

No Pa.

You run off.

Laban run off agin my orders.

Run off and got himself killed.

Pa, what're you
talkin' about Pa?

Esau run off agin my
orders and he died for it.

And your mama's
a'standin' over there

weepin' on their graves.

You ain't makin' no sense, Pa.

And you two run off.

We didn't run off.

You coulda got
yourselves killed.

We didn't.

We didn't.

And how do I tell your
mama you's dead too?

Jacob told you why
we left, didn't he Pa?

We waited as long
as we could, Papa.

I told your mama I's
gonna be turrible hard on ya

and I am.

I'm gonna cut the
meat of your bones.

I'm gonna learn you so's
you won't never grieve

your blessed mama again.

You can't Pa, you'll kill 'em.

You're too far outta yourself.

Pa, please.

You're talkin' crazy, Pa.

You've gone crazy.

I won't let you do it, I won't.

I'm gonna learn ya
to be good soldiers,

an army of the righteous.

And I'm gonna learn ya
so's ya don't never forget.

Don't you raise your
hand against me!

What're ya doin', Pa?

Pa!

Pa!

Don't you run away from me!

Go ahead, Papa.

Kill me too, Papa.

Go ahead, Papa,
pull the trigger!

Kill me like you
did the rest of us!

You done it Papa, you, you...

Oh, Pa.

I was right, Jacob.

It was to happen.

Where's your pa?

I'm gonna have to take him in.

Give him a few more
minutes with my...

To himself.

Take care of him, marshal.

He can't hurt nobody no more.

I won't hang him, Jacob.

He'll be looked after.

Goodbye, Pa.

Goodbye, Jacob.

Stay tuned for exciting scenes

from our next Gunsmoke.