Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 5, Episode 33 - Gentleman's Disagreement - full transcript

♪♪ [theme]

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

[Chester clucking]

There you go... Just
take it right off the cob.

Gluk gluk gluk! Come on,
you big old ornery thing.

Gluk gluk gluk
gluk gluk gluk gluk.

Gluk gluk gluk gluk...
Oh... oh hi, Doc.

Come on. Gluk.

- Matt's not in there, huh?
- Gluk!

- No, he ain't in there.
- Where is he?

Well, he went out
into the country.



He won't be back
until tomorrow night.

- Country?
- Yeah.

Gluk.

Left you here, huh?

Ha. Well, it kind of
looks like it, don't it?

Gluk gluk gluk gluk.

Must be on a very
dangerous mission.

Why do you say that?

Well, he left you here, and I
know how he'd feel about that.

If I was on a dangerous
mission, in his shoes,

I'd certainly want to travel
light. I can tell you that.

Well, just for your
information, Doc,

it ain't dangerous at all. If it
was dangerous, I'd be there.

You could count on that.



I'd be there anyway,
only he told me to kind of...

stay here and look
out after things.

- He what?
- That's right.

He said to stay here and
keep an eye on things.

Them's his very
words, practically.

That's altogether different...
Altogether different.

Well, what's so
different about it?

Well, keep an eye on things.

I didn't think Matt would figure
that you could do much more

than keep an eye on things...
The chickens and everything.

Well, let me tell you
something, Doc...

I ain't quite as useless
as you might think I am.

I... there's...

There's things,
Doc, that I can do

that you ain't even dreamed of.

I... I got a lot more to do, I can
tell you, than just to sit around

and watch people going
up and down the street

or taking a buggy ride out
into the country somewhere

just to give some poor old
lady a couple of sugar pills.

I... I sure don't need
no old sawbones

to tell me what
good I am anyway.

Judge ye not, lest ye be judged.

Yeah.

Hey, you know, the
cook down at Delmonico's

said that he was having
antelope stew down there today,

and golly, I'd like to
get me some of that.

I hate to eat alone, though.

Gosh, I hate to
eat alone. I'll tell ya,

I might even be persuaded
to buy a couple of dinners

if I could get somebody to tag
along and keep me company.

All right. Let me tell you, Doc,

you just... you sure are the...

Antelope stew?

Yeah, I think I'll be
getting on down there.

Well, why don't we just get
on down there together, Doc?

Hold on there, Chester. For
heaven's sake, what's your hurry?

Well, it's been a long time since
I had any antelope stew, Doc.

Well, there'll be plenty
left when we get there.

- No need to worry about that.
- Wait.

Well, I'll swear.

[Doc] Well, what...
you were telling me...

I didn't think we were going to
see him again for a month or two,

the way you were talking.

Well, Doc, I can't imagine.

Well, what in thunder are
you doing in town here?

Chester's almost had me in
tears for the last 20 minutes

about how you were going
to be all alone on the prairie

suffering trials
and tribulations.

Well, sorry to disappoint you.

I just sent a wire from Fort
Dodge; took care of the whole thing.

- Oh.
- Where you going?

Right here... Delmonico's.

They're having some
antelope stew today.

- Join us, huh?
- No, I've already eaten, thanks.

- Well, Doc's buying.
- Well, not for the whole town.

Mind your own business.

Come on.

- I'll see you later.
- See you later, Mr. Dillon.

Matt! Matt, I'm so
glad I found you.

Jeanne.

- Matt, you've got to help me.
- What's wrong?

It's Ed Beaudry,
Matt. I just saw him.

Beaudry, here in Dodge?

He came out on
the morning train.

I thought maybe he'd
forgotten or he wouldn't find us.

Well, now just hold
on a minute, Jeanne.

Maybe he's not here
for the reason you think.

- Have you talked to him?
- He didn't see me,

but you know what he's here for...
To kill Bert like he swore he would.

And Bert never
did anything to him.

Well, he married you, Jeanne.

A woman has a right
to change her mind.

And I guess Beaudry
doesn't agree with you.

Only his pride was hurt.

Please help us.

All right, Jeanne.
I'll do what I can.

Now you go on
home and don't worry.

I'll have a talk with Beaudry.

Thank you, Matt. I
knew you'd help me.

Thank you.

Let's set 'em up again.

You must be a mighty
rich man, Mr. Beaudry.

Yeah, I usually got a
couple I can wrap together.

Go ahead, drink up.

Ed Beaudry?

That's right, mister.

My name's Dillon.
I'm the marshal here.

I'd like to talk to
you for a minute.

Well, go ahead... talk.

Tulsa, suppose you move
on down the bar, huh?

Now wait just a minute, Marshal.
This man is a friend of mine.

Then you're not very particular
about your friends, are you?

Go on, move.

You came here to kill
Bert Wells, is that right?

- Did I?
- Don't try it.

If that's official,
what's the charge?

Murder.

The way I understand
the law around here,

murder is one thing

and callin' a man in a
fair fight is something else.

Well, Beaudry, I
am the law out here.

And to me, this
is not a fair fight.

Now Bert Wells has been
a blacksmith for two years.

He's not used to handling a gun.

You are, so I'm told.

So you're told?

I don't know
anybody around here.

Wait a minute... Dillon?

Matt Dillon, sure.

Jeannie's told me about you. You
knew her back in Louisville before...

Never mind about Jeannie.
Leave her out of this.

So it's not official,

just a personal
favor for an old friend,

and more than likely
a real close friend.

Jeannie always did
have a weakness for...

I'm sorry you did that, Marshal.

Now I'll have to kill you too.

I'm not a blacksmith, Beaudry.

I'll look you up before
I leave this town.

You'll be the second.

You kill Bert Wells, you
won't have to look me up.

- Bert.
- Oh, Matt, didn't notice you come in.

Bert, I've got
some news for you.

- Yeah?
- Ed Beaudry just came to town.

Beaudry?

Well, it was bound to
happen sooner or later.

- I'd better tell Jeanne.
- Jeanne already knows about it.

In fact, she saw him come
in on the train this morning.

She hadn't ought to
have fretted you about it.

It's not your problem.

Well... no, but
it's liable to be.

You know, sometimes a
personal grudge turns into a killing.

Maybe you've got the wrong man.

I got no personal grudge.

It takes two to
make a fight, Bert.

Just one looks
like in this case.

Now if Beaudry come
to town looking for a fight,

he'll force one. You know that.

- Not if I can stop him.
- How?

Well, I don't know yet.

Bert, look, why don't you
do this... Go on a hunting trip?

Go on out on the
prairie for a few days

and give me a chance to
see if I can think of something?

Would you do it,
Matt... Hide out?

Let somebody else
fight your battle?

Well, what I'd do has got
nothing to do with it, Bert.

[Jeanne] That's
beside the point, Bert.

It's Matt's job to enforce the law.
And there's a law against killing.

Now wait, Jeanne, there
hasn't been any killing yet.

And if you go
away, there won't be.

Do what Matt says.
Let him handle it.

Jeanne, a man can't run
away from a thing like this,

not and still call
himself a man.

But he can run away from a mad
dog, and that's what Ed Beaudry is.

Bert, he never had any
claim on me... never.

He thinks he did,

so it comes to the same thing.

Bert, no.

You got along without
that for two years, Bert.

I got no choice.

You mean you got no chance.

If you let Beaudry talk you into a
gunfight, he'll kill you for sure, Bert.

Maybe not. Where's he staying?

Well, I don't know. He's
probably over at the Dodge House.

Would you like to walk
over there with me?

If you'll take that gun off.

- Try talking first, you mean?
- Couldn't do any harm.

It's not likely to do much
good either, not with Beaudry.

Please, Bert, try it.

Let's go.

Matt, please take
good care of him.

I'll do my best.

- Not there either, huh?
- Nope.

Well, he's got to be
around here somewhere.

I ought to have had it out with him
back there in Kentucky five years ago,

but Jeanne thought it
was better just to leave.

She's too beautiful
to argue with, Matt.

Yeah, she'd take it pretty
hard if anything'd happen to you.

Well, life's always tough
on a woman, I guess.

You look out for
her, Matt, just in case.

I mean, well if...

All right, let me handle this.

Looks like I'll have to.

Just coming over to
make a call on you, Wells.

I decided you had plenty of
time to come looking for me.

No reason to, Beaudry.

Well, most men would
consider they had reason

if somebody was in a local
saloon entertaining the boys

with their wife's history.

- You dirty...
- Hold it, Bert.

Now I told you once what'd happen,
Beaudry, if you kept pushing this thing.

Why don't you get
some sense in your head

and get out of town
while you're still alive?

I've been in a lot
of town, Marshal.

I left them all alive.

It's no use, Matt.
Thanks anyway.

Why ain't you
wearing a gun, Wells?

I will be the next
time I see you.

Good. I been hunting
you for five years,

and I got it all planned
what I'm gonna do to you.

Well, plans don't
always work out.

Well, you put a
gun on and we'll see.

I'll be in town this evening.

So will I. I'll be
waiting for you.

All right, you've said your
piece. Now get out of here.

You make a good
bodyguard, Marshal.

Too bad you can't ride
herd 24 hours a day.

See what it comes to, Matt?

Bert, stay away from him.
He's a gunman; you're not.

I'll think about it.

[piano playing]

- Matt.
- Doc.

- How are you?
- Well, I'm tired.

I've had me quite a day.

Lot of sick people, are there?

Oh, no, just having babies
all over western Kansas.

[laughs] Maybe you need a drink.

Maybe? I'm sure of it.

Clem.

Say, as your physician,

I'd say you look a
little wary yourself.

Well, I'd say that your diagnosis
is absolutely correct, Doctor.

Well, in that...

Thanks, Clem. In that case,

you just finish your beer
and let's turn in early, huh?

I'm afraid I can't do that, Doc.

As a matter of fact, I'd kind of appreciate
it if you'd stick around yourself.

Well, sure. But you
sound serious. Why?

Looks like Bert Wells is
gonna get himself killed.

What for?

Oh, one of those
old personal grudges.

Hasn't seen the fellow for years and
he shows up in town this morning...

Fellow by the
name of Ed Beaudry.

Well, then you
just... Just sit here

and wait for the survivor, huh?

Doc, I don't think either one
of them is going to survive.

What?

Beaudry's gonna
go and kill Bert Wells,

then he'll come looking for me.

Mr. Dillon,

they just found Ed Beaudry laying
in an alley down the block there.

Somebody done sneaked up
behind him and bashed his head in.

[chattering]

I didn't let nobody touch
nothing or get close to him,

- just like you told me, Chester.
- Thanks a lot, Pete.

Well, the gun's
still in his holster.

[Doc] He didn't
know what hit him.

And I don't either.

I went through his pockets,
Marshal. Didn't find nothing...

No money or nothing.

Well, guess there's no doubt
in nobody's mind who done it.

Well, not Bert Wells.

Bert... oh, he wouldn't do a thing
like that, would he, Mr. Dillon?

He had a mighty good reason to.

Come on.

[Doc] Well, you boys
bring him up to the office.

Hello, Bert.

Oh hello, Matt, Chester.

Planning to take a
little trip, are you?

Yeah. Yeah, I am.

Where you headed?

Well, Jeanne and I talked it
over, decided you were right.

I'm gonna take that
trip you suggested,

get out of town for a few days.

- Bert, why did you do it?
- Do what?

Look, if you had faced
him down in a gunfight,

the law couldn't have touched
you. Everything was on your side.

- But this way it's murder.
- What are you talking about?

I'm talking about Ed
Beaudry. We just found him.

You mean he's dead?

You oughta know.

You think I did it?

Well, you're wrong, Matt. I
went looking for Beaudry, yes,

but I didn't find him
so I come back here.

That's when Jeanne and I
decided that I should get out of town.

I didn't do it,
Matt. I swear it.

I gotta take you in,
Bert. I got no choice.

No choice.

That's what I
said this afternoon.

I'll take your gun.

Let's go.

I'd better tell Jeanne.

Chester will take
care of that. Come on.

Did you tell her?

Yeah, I told her.

She sure didn't
take it too good.

What'd she say?

Well, it wasn't what she said
so much as just how she acted.

I'll tell you one thing... She's
gonna be over here pretty quick.

You can count on that.
When she gets here,

I'd just as soon not be here
if it's all the same to you.

You ought to have seen the
look that come over her face.

Mmm, I'd just as soon
not be here myself, but...

Well, I guess I'd better get out

and get some chips
for the fire, Mr. Dillon.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Jeanne.

He didn't do it. You
know he didn't do it.

Jeanne, I'm afraid that's not
up to me to decide anymore.

- It's up to the court now.
- It's up to a court now?

And they'll say he's guilty because
it's the easiest way to settle things.

Jeanne, he'll get a
fair trial, I promise you.

Fair trial? You
know better than that.

Matt, please help us.

Let Bert go.

We can be out of here in the
morning before anybody knows about it.

Please, Matt.

Jeanne, there's
nothing I can do for you.

I know I... I said I'd help you

and I'd like to, but
I'm a lawman, Jeanne.

It's out of my hands now.

Matt.

Now don't be a fool, Jeanne.

Let Bert go.

Put that gun down.

Don't try to stop us, Matt.

I'm warning you, I'll shoot.

No you won't, Jeanne.

Jeanne, you wouldn't shoot that
gun and you know you wouldn't.

Now give it to me.

Go on.

[sobbing]

Why would you
try a thing like that?

I don't know, Matt.

I'm half out of my
mind. I don't know.

Life gets so mixed up sometimes.

Come on.

Come on, sit down.

Matt? Oh, Mrs. Wells.

I just came from the
Long Branch, Matt,

and well, there's quite
a crowd over there.

Is something wrong?

No, no, not yet. But...

well, why don't you just kind of
mosey over there and listen in?

- There's a little ugly talk going on.
- Ugly talk?

- Well...
- It's about Bert, isn't it?

Fair trial.

He's already been tried,
convicted and sentenced

in the Long Branch saloon.

Jeanne, whatever's going
on in the Long Branch,

I can handle it. I told you that
Bert would get a fair trial and he will.

You stay here with Doc.

I'm sure glad to see you.
They're in a nasty mood.

You'd better be
careful, Marshal.

Clem, I'm the carefulest
man you ever saw.

[Man] What kind of law
do we got in this town?

Let somebody sneak up behind a
man and murder him in cold blood?

I don't know, Tulsa.
Suppose you tell me.

Pushing somebody around
don't prove nothing, Marshal.

Then what does to you?

Seeing that friend of yours
hung... That might prove something.

That might prove that the law is the
same for everybody, if you want to know.

The law is up to
the courts, Tulsa.

The court goes right
along with you, Marshal.

Everybody knows that.

We ain't gonna stand for it.

What are you planning to do?

You'll find out in due time,
Marshal. You'll find out plenty.

Clem,

who's been buying
the drinks around here?

Tulsa has.

You're getting to be a pretty
free spender, aren't you?

I never saw you buy
drinks for anybody before.

My money's good, Marshal, if
that's what you're worrying about.

You never had $5.00 before.
Where'd you get that money?

It's my business where I got it.

I asked you a question.

I won it in a poker game.

When?

Last week when
that trail herd was in.

- Where was the game?
- I don't remember.

No. Well, maybe
you'll remember this:

Ed Beaudry was in here this morning
spending a lot of money around you.

He had a pretty big bankroll.

We found his body a few minutes ago.
He didn't have any money on him at all.

Just what are you
getting at, Marshal?

You're under arrest.
You're going to jail.

What for? You
think I robbed him?

You're under arrest for murder.

That's a lie. I
didn't kill nobody.

Let's go.

[gunshot]

All right, it's all over with,
boys. Get on out of here

and take him with you.

Well, there goes the
killer of Ed Beaudry.

You mean Bert is...

Chester, I think maybe Bert's
getting a little tired of that jail cell.

Maybe you ought to go over
there and turn him loose, huh?

Yes sir.

Maybe Jeanne'd
like to go with you.

Doc, I could use a nightcap.
I don't know about you.

- Got any rye whiskey left, Clem?
- You bet I have.

Will you tell me something?

How in thunder did
you know it was Tulsa?

I didn't, Doc.

I just pushed him a little.
He did the rest all by himself.

Just pure luck, huh?

You're the luckiest
man I ever saw.

Not as lucky as Bert Wells.