Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 4, Episode 11 - How to Kill a Friend - full transcript

Two gamblers find Matt incorruptible and attempt to intimidate him by hiring gunman Toque Morlan. The two are ironically unaware that Morlan was Matt's close friend until a long-ago attack by a mob left Morlan scarred and harboring a bitter grudge against lawmen.

starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

That sure took you long enough.

Yeah. Hotel's crowded.

Had to talk them out of a room.

Well, you got one, didn't you?

Yeah, sure, I did.

Well, let's get this stuff
upstairs.

I'm plumb wore out
with all this traveling around.

Wait a minute. You're forgetting
what we're here for, ain't you?

- Oh. Oh, yeah.
- Yeah?

Hey, you, kid,
come here a minute.



Yeah, mister, what do you want?

Want to earn yourself a dollar?

Well, sure.

What do I have to do?

There's a marshal in this town,
ain't there?

Sure, Marshal Dillon.

Will you go find him for me?

Tell him I want to see him.

Room number ten.

Tell him it's important.

I want to see him right away.

Okay, I'll hurry.

You just do that.

Thanks, mister.



Come on, Duggan.

Well, this sure ain't much
of a room you got us here, Ben.

Ain't much of a town,
if you ask me.

A little more dust out there,

you wouldn't be able
to see Dodge at all.

Well, that would be
an improvement.

Well, don't forget, Duggan,

that dust is raised
by our future clients.

Well, if we can ever get
things arranged,

maybe they'll be
our future clients.

It'll be all right.

It always has, hasn't it?

You sure got a short memory.

We didn't do so good
up in Deadwood, now, did we?

At least we didn't get shot.

It'll be better this time.

Well, I sure hope so.

Now, you let me handle this.

Now, why do you have
to handle every...

Shh.

You wanted to see me?

Yeah, Marshal, come on in.
Come on in.

I'm Ben Corder, Marshal.

This here's my partner,
Harry Duggan.

Proud to know you, Marshal.

- How do you do?
- Yeah.

Well, sit down, Marshal.
Make yourself at home.

No, thank you.

Won't you have a drink?

No, thanks.
The boy said it was urgent.

Yeah, well, I... I figured

we'd better have our little talk
in private.

You see, Marshal, um,
Harry and I are partners...

business partners...

and, um, whenever we come
to a new town like Dodge,

we, uh, like to get in touch
with whoever runs it,

and that way we figure
that there...

there won't be no
misunderstanding later on.

What is your business?

Well, we're gamblers.

Well, Dodge is an open town.

What do you want of me?

Well, you see, Marshal,
we make money gambling.

And, uh...

once in a while,
you know how it is,

a player will lose
a little money,

make a fuss about it.

Sometimes he might even go
to the law about it.

Mm-hmm.

And when he does,
he's usually been cheated.

Before he gets to the law,
there's usually been

another killing.

We make a lot of money
gambling, Marshal.

We just want you
to know in advance

you're going to get
your share of it.

That's all.

I see.

Now, let me tell you something,
both of you...

I don't know where you worked
your game before,

but it's not going
to work here.

I don't like gamblers.
I never did.

To me, they're nothing
but trouble.

If you're going to run a game
here, you run it straight

or you're out, both of you.

Well, now, Marshal,
that ain't very friendly.

Trying to bribe me
was one mistake.

You make another,
and you're through.

Oh.

You're one of them
hard-nosed lawmen, huh?

You're liable to find out,
mister.

Well, you sure handled that
just great, now, didn't you?

Just great.

Ah, don't be a fool, Duggan.

He's no better
than anybody else.

I got an idea we can persuade
him easy enough.

Yeah, how's that?

You'll see.

Chester?

Yeah.

Hey, I'm coming.

Oh, hi, Mr. Dillon.

Well, how's the prisoner
tonight?

Oh, he-he's fine, just fine.

He's just sleeping off
his drunk.

Oh, good.

I guess you can turn him loose
in the morning.

Uh, yeah, well, good, good.

Is everything quieted down now,
is it?

- Finally.
- Yeah?

Well, I-I just, uh,
just wondering about it.

Mm-hmm. Wondering about what?

Uh, well, Mr. Dillon, uh,

do we have anything to do,
uh, special tomorrow?

No, I don't think so.

Why?

Well, I-I just, uh...

uh, thought that, uh,
maybe we can take the day off.

You know, go fishing.

Of course, it-it don't really
matter none.

Well, I'd like to, Chester, but
I think I better stick around.

Oh. You expecting trouble?

Maybe.

But you go ahead.

- Take the day off
if you want to. - Oh, no.

Oh.

Heck, wouldn't be no fun alone.

Well, why don't you take
Doc with you?

He could sure use a day off.

Doc?

Well, I...

uh...

well, yeah, I-I-I could do that.

Well, it's getting
kind of late.

I think I'll head out of here
and get to bed.

I'll see you in the morning,
Chester.

Well, the-the...

Can you get the light, Chester?

Do you see anybody?

No.

Sounded like a rifle shot,
though.

Probably one of those alleys
across the street.

You know, he just darn near
killed you.

Yeah.

But I'll tell you one thing...

they were a mighty poor shot
if they were trying to kill me.

Well, what do you mean?

Well, standing in the light
the way I was,

they'd have to have been blind

- to miss me.
- Yeah.

Could be they were just
trying to scare me.

Show me how they treat the law
where they come from.

Well, who in the world would
have done a thing like that?

Those two gamblers

I told you about...
Corder and Duggan.

There's no way
of being sure, though.

Well, are you going
to try and find them?

They're probably gone by now.

But I'm going to circle around
there and take a look anyway.

I'm going out the back way.

Well...

I'll see you later.

Hello, Kitty.

Hello, Matt. Sit down.

You want a drink?

No. No, thanks. Not now.

Chester was here earlier.

He had a drink.

Oh, well, yeah,
Chester's got the habit.

Oh?

I mean, when he can afford it.

He told me about you
getting shot at last night.

Yeah. Well, at least
I didn't get hit.

You might have.

Especially a man with a rifle.

Yeah.

I tell you, Kitty,
I sure don't like

to get shot at from ambush.

I'd a whole lot rather
do my fighting out in the open.

Well, I can't blame you
for that.

As long as you got
to fight at all.

Well, I didn't say
I liked fighting, you know.

Oh, I know, Matt, I know.

What do you want me to do,
be a bartender?

I'll give you a job.

Well, uh, maybe
I'll take you up on it.

It's always open.

Who's this?

Oh, uh, they're, uh, gamblers,
among other things.

Hello.

How do?

Right pretty girl.

Something I can do for you?

You know, Marshal, you sure do
make it hard to be friends.

I do, huh?

Yes, sir, by golly.

All I wanted to say was I heard
you got shot at last night.

So?

I'm sorry it happened,
that's all.

Mm-hmm.

No, sir.

I sure don't envy a man
who has to be a marshal.

Mighty dangerous spot to be in.

Besides, the pay
isn't too good, is it?

What do you think
I ought to do, now, quit?

No, no, no, no.

That ain't necessary.

No, if you was smart, you'd be
able to live right here,

make plenty of money

and run a lot less chances

of getting killed, too.

I wasn't sure it was you,
mister, but I am now.

What are you talking about?

There's a stage leaving Dodge
in an hour.

You and your partner here
are going to be on it.

Oh, no, you don't.

No, we got our new game all
set up for the Lady Gay tonight.

Give me your gun, Corder.

Now, wait a minute, Marshal.
You can't do this.

Hey, just a minute now, Marshal.

I ain't done nothing.

Well, I'll give you something
to do, then.

What's that?

Pick your partner up here.

The both of you are leaving town
on the next stage.

Now, just a minute, Marshal.

You're overstepping
your authority.

Get going.

All right. Come on.

We're going. We're going.

But I ain't sure
we won't be back.

And that's how we left Sedalia,

and they said to us,
"Don't ever come back anymore."

Go ahead, Toque, drink up, huh?

One's my limit.

Hmm?

Oh.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Here he is. This is him.

We come back, Marshal.

Only this time,
we brought a man with us

to look after our interests.

You won't buffalo him so easy.

Hello, Toque.

You really the marshal here?

Didn't they tell you?

Oh, no, no,
they didn't mention any names.

What are you talking about, huh?

What is this?

Toque and I are old friends.

We've been through quite a lot
together, haven't we, Toque?

Yeah, yeah. Too much.

You remember?

Yeah, I remember.

How long you been a marshal?

Quite a while.

I never figured lawmen for much.

A lot of people don't, Toque.

Like your friends here.

I'd like to talk
to Mr. Morlan alone.

You men move down the bar.

Oh, no, you don't.

Move.

So, this is your profession now,
huh, Toque?

Gunman.

I gamble a little.

How'd you get started
at it, Toque?

Well, you see, I don't like
people very much anymore.

Not after what happened
in Silver City.

And especially,
I don't like marshals.

We were hardly more
than kids then.

Yeah, but that didn't
keep that mob

from beating us half to death.

They thought we were horse
thieves. They were wrong.

We told them that.

Yeah.

I haven't seen you
since then, Matt.

I've changed.

I guess you have.

You're carrying a pretty big
grudge against the law.

There was a lawman with them
that night at Silver City.

You didn't hear
about that lawman.

I don't want to hear about it.

I don't want to hear anything
more about any of it.

So just don't talk about it.

It's too bad you're a marshal.

You plan to go through
with it then, huh?

Yeah, I never walk out
on a fight.

And, uh, supposing
I won't fight you?

Well, that's all right.
I get paid anyway.

But you have to leave Dodge.

You think I'd do that?

No.

Toque, we used to be friends.

I'll give you 24 hours
to think about it.

Well, you see,
that gives you 24 hours.

'Cause it doesn't matter to me.

What does matter to you, Toque?
Money?

Well, it adds to the pleasure.

The pleasure?

Yeah.

You're not Matt Dillon.

You're a U.S. marshal.

I'm wasting my time
talking to you.

You've gone bad.

Maybe, but I'm a pretty good
gun hand.

Are you?

Mm-hmm.

Now, you can let them
run their game here

or you can quit.

24 hours, Toque.

Hello, Chester.

Oh, Mr. Dillon, I thought
you was asleep there, maybe.

No. Just been lying here
thinking.

Well, I didn't mean
to disturb you.

Oh, that's all right.

But I was just over
at the Lady Gay there.

Uh, you know
that Corder and Duggan?

Yeah.

Well, looks like they're going
to start their game tonight.

Hmm?

After 6:00, I take it.

Well, that was the time that
the 24 hours is up, ain't it?

Yeah.

If Toque Morlan holds
to what he said.

Mr. Dillon, ain't there
no way in the world

that you can stop him?

I've been trying to think
of a way, Chester.

Well, if there's anything
I can't stand,

it's a paid gunman.

I just... I got no use
for somebody

that can be bought for money.

It's like selling their soul.

You know, the funny thing is,

there was a time when
Toque Morlan couldn't be bought.

He's really changed.

- Well, he...
- Did you say

he's over there
at the Lady Gay with them?

No, no. Uh, just Corder
and Duggan is over there.

Somebody told me that Toque
was over at the Long Branch.

You know, I'm going
to try something.

What?

Something to keep a couple
of one-time friends

from killing each other.

Not that I got much use
for Toque Morlan anymore,

but I just hope I'm not the one
that has to kill him.

See you later.

Here we are.

What are you doing
this for, Kitty?

Why'd you ask me to come over
and sit down here?

Well, I just wanted you
to have a drink with me is all.

You want another?

No, thanks. That's my limit.

Especially today.

Oh, yeah, sure.

You haven't answered
my question, Kitty.

Well, all right.

Matt told me about you and him
being taken by that mob

in Silver City years ago.

He told me the whole story.

Did he?

There was a lawman... a sheriff...
that tried to help that mob

that night, wasn't there?

Now, wait a minute, Toque.

You just listen to me.

You were wrong.

The sheriff wasn't trying
to help them.

He was trying to stop them.

Matt found out later
the next day after you'd gone,

but the mob killed that sheriff.

Hmm. Matt tell you
to tell me this?

No.

But I do know he tried
to tell you himself yesterday

and you wouldn't listen.

You think he's lying, don't you?

I've never known
Matt Dillon to lie...

and neither have you.

Thanks for the drink, Kitty.

I'd like to talk to you, Toque.

Seems like I've had quite a bit
of talk today.

I'll be at the, uh, bar, Matt.

All right, Kitty.

How much they paying you
to get rid of me?

$500.

All right,
suppose I pay you the $500?

What for?

To shoot them?

You know better than that.

Yeah, I guess I do.

Well?

Look, Matt, I can be
bought on to a job,

but I can't be bought off.

Make me look like a coward.

No more than it would me
for offering it to you.

Mm-hmm.

You got about three hours.

Yeah.

Hey, Toque.

We was wondering where you were.

It's just about time, ain't it?

It's durn near 6:00.

Yeah, we're anxious
to get that game started.

Got everything
all set up in here.

I'd hate to see all the suckers
in this town

walking around with our money

still in their pockets.

You can keep your money.

What money?

The money you were going
to give me.

What are you talking about?

I'm quitting.

Now, you can't quit.

You must be scared.

You calling me a coward?

Why don't you fight him?

Yeah...

you're scared of him.

Not bad at all.

- Watch where you're going!
- Here, now.

Hey, what's the matter with you?

All right, move along.

- Come on, Pete.
- Wait a minute.

Go ahead, mister, draw.

...Pete was armed.

He wasn't wearing a gun!

Marshal! Marshal!

Marshal!

Marshal.

Marshal, he killed Pete.

Didn't even have a gun on him.

He just shot him down
for no reason.

You kill this man, Toque?

I thought he was going
for a gun.

You kind of thought wrong,
didn't you?

Well, I didn't know.

I... Look, Matt, I've never
shot an unarmed man.

You're going to have to stand
trial for this, Toque.

You mean, you're going
to put me in jail?

I got no choice.

I'm not going to jail.

You know that.

Don't do it, Toque.

I'm not going to jail, Matt.

You're going to jail
whether you like it or not.

It's the law.

No, I ain't.

Not never.

Give me your gun, Toque.

No, Matt.

You hurt me bad, Matt.

You know the funny thing?

I was coming to tell you that
I wasn't going to fight you.

That I quit.

I changed my mind.

Changed it too late,
didn't you, Toque?

Yeah, but I...

Here it is.

You know something?

I don't care.

Not no more.

Get out of Dodge.