Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 7, Episode 7 - The Squaw - full transcript

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

- Mr. Dillon?
- Hm?

Ain't that old
Hardiman Tate's boy?

Yeah, I believe it is.

Hello, Cully.

Are you, uh... you
looking for somebody?

Maybe.

You don't get into town
too often, do you, Cully?

Often enough.

Cully. If you're
looking for your pa,

you're headed in
the wrong direction.



He's over at the Long Branch.

Cully ain't none
too friendly, is he?

Pretty sour for a boy of 22.

Well, I guess he kind
of is like his ma was.

Sure don't take
after his daddy none.

He sure doesn't.

♪♪

I'm gonna sing a song.
I'm gonna sing a song!

- Nah!
- Yes, I'm gonna sing a song.

Now, you pay close
attention; here's how it goes.

♪ Shoo, shoo, shoo, rack-a-roo ♪

♪ Sklingle up a gun
stomp, a fill-a-poppa-too ♪

♪ Rash-ban in the Allegheny,
deedle-daddle-deegs ♪

♪ Slingle up a lingle, banjo ♪



♪ Rash-ban in the Allegheny ♪

♪ Deedle-daddle-deegs ♪

♪ Slingle up a lingle... ♪

♪ Banjo. ♪

There, that's the song.

That good?

Ain't that it?!

Ah, you sure are in good
voice tonight, Mr. Tate.

All I need's a
little inspiration.

Ain't that right, Miss Kitty?

I think you've had
about enough inspiration.

Oh, now, you don't
have to worry about me.

I never caused you
any trouble, did I, now,

- Miss Kitty?
- No, no, not since the last time

you came to town.

Now, I don't want
any broken furniture.

- No.
- And no broken heads.

No.

And no broken ribs.

No broken ribs?

Hey... wait a minute.

Something happened to my glass.

- Something happened to my glass!
- Well, sure, you drank it!

That won't do...
It's an empty glass!

I'm as thirsty as a range
steer in a dry water hole!

Ah, you sure do have a good time
when you come to town, Mr. Tate.

Well, why not? That's
what it's for, ain't it?

I've been stuck out in that

miserable little ranch
of mine more than

- a month this time.
- All alone?

Well, I might as well
be... Nobody there

but that funeral-faced
son of mine,

and he ain't much for
company, Cully ain't.

His ma was like that.

No, I can tell you it feels
good to laugh a little!

And sing! Hey! I'm
gonna sing again.

♪ Rash-ban in the Allegheny,
deedle-daddle-deegs ♪

♪ Slingle up a lingle, banjo. ♪

Give me a kiss.

♪ Banjo! ♪
You like that,

- then give me a kiss.
- Oh, now, Mr. Tate!

- Now, behave yourself!
- I don't care. I don't care.

Now, Mr. Tate, not out
here in front of everybody.

- Now, you behave yourself!
- I don't care.

Ooh, somebody's
gonna fight you, eh?

Cully.

What are you doing here?

I come to get you.

Well, I told you to
stay and watch things.

When you didn't
come home last night,

I figured I'd better
come and get you.

Look, boy...

I don't need nobody
to come and get me.

I'm your pa, I'm a grown man.

You better get that
through your head...

I can do what I blame please.

I won't have you making
a fool out of yourself

in front of the
whole town like this.

I can make a fool
of myself if I want,

and there's nothing
you can do about it.

Pa, it's a disgrace.

To me and to Ma.

I won't have it!

You don't know what
you're talking about.

Now, you just get on home.

- Not without you, I ain't.
- It's too late.

Now, come on here, you take this

and go on to the Dodge House,
get yourself a room with this.

No. No, we're
going home together,

if I have to drag you!

You gonna obey your father?

I ain't no child.

And you ain't so big
I still can't thrash you.

You don't think I know
what it's all about?

Now, look at you,
carrying on, drinking.

Pa, you just ain't no good.

- No good?
- You let go of me!

You hit your father?!

You hit your father!

Hardy!

I'm sorry, Marshal.

I won't make any more trouble.

Well, a barroom is no place to
settle a family argument, Hardy.

All right... come
on, let's go home.

You spoiled my fun
anyway, like you always do.

Like your ma did.

Come on.

It's just a shame the way
that boy acts toward his father.

And Hardy was cutting
it pretty high, wasn't he?

Well, yeah, but it was harmless.

If that's all I had
to contend with,

this would be a good business.

Hardiman Tate's a
good man; he's all right.

Well, I'll tell you
something, that boy of his

is a real sour one.

Well, I think he's taken his
ma's death pretty hard, Chester.

- Well...
- 'Course he did.

You know, I-I think he needs
some friends his own age,

a girl, maybe.

'Course, it isn't any
of my business, no.

Cully, I don't know
what kind of boy you are.

I guess I never understood you

any more than I
understood your ma.

No, I ain't saying
anything against her.

Only she's been dead for
more than a year now, boy...

We've got to let her go.

You do.

I do.

What do you mean?

You're almost a man now.

Surely you must understand
how it is with a man.

- I understand, all right.
- All right, well,

I'm a man in my prime;
I ain't ready to die.

I got a lot of living to do yet.

With women like that, huh?

How can you compare her with Ma?

Yes, your ma was a
fine, upstanding woman,

there's just no doubt on that.

I couldn't hope to find
another one like her,

especially out here.

If I could, maybe I might
think of marrying again.

Would that be better?

Would that bother you less
if I was to get married again?

Uh, well, it'd be
decent, anyway.

Right. Maybe I'll
have to think on that.

Look around for
some decent woman.

Cully, it's gonna have
to be something like that,

'cause I ain't ready
to give up living yet.

- Matt?
- Hm?

Isn't that Cully Tate?

Yeah.

I ought to talk with him.

What for?

Well, the Holmes girls are
giving a party Friday night,

and they promised to be
nice to him if he'd come to it.

Well, I'll guarantee
you he won't come.

Well, he might. I
think the boy's lonely.

Kitty, let me tell
you something,

it never pays to try and
help people that don't want it.

Mm, well, I... well, it's
just that I hate to see

a boy like that so unhappy.

And besides, it
never hurts to ask.

Hello, Cully.

How's your pa?

Fine the last I seen.

Oh, he's not with you?

No, he's... went
down to the Nations.

Took some stock down to
the agency down in Darlington.

Oh?

He should be
back in a day or so.

He's been gone about ten days.

Uh... Cully, I, uh, I have
an invitation for you.

Invitation?

Mm-hmm. Uh, you know
the Holmes girls, don't you?

Seen 'em around.

Well, they're, um, they're
gonna have a party Friday night,

and it sounds like it's
gonna be an awful lot of fun,

and... well, they
asked me to invite you.

Well, I don't know them girls.

- I just seen 'em around.
- Well, they know you.

They wouldn't invite me.

Uh... but they have invited you.

They asked me to tell you.

Why you?

'Cause I'm a good
friend of theirs.

Well, I don't want anything
to do with them or you, either.

Hyah! Hyah!

Well...

- don't say I didn't, uh...
- Oh, uh, just never mind.

Never mind.

Hello, Cully.

Oh. You're back.

Yeah, I got back two hours ago.

Well, how are you, boy?

Everything's all right here.

Good. Well, I had a good trip.

- That's good.
- Yeah, I had a good trip, just fine.

Cully.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Well... yeah... I
done something, boy.

I just wanted to tell you
before you went in there.

What have you done?

Just what you said.

I mean... well, what
we talked about.

You know, like I said
how it is with a man...

and you said
how it'd be all right

if only, um... I
was to get married.

You didn't.

I done it, boy.

- Come on, I want you to meet her.
- How?

Uh... you were only
gone a few days.

It happened so quick.

It didn't take long.

Minute I saw her. Come on.

Where'd you find her?

Down there. Darlington.

She... she... works
for the agency?

She's a relative of the agent?

No. Well, not exactly.

She's a...

Cully... she's...

Cully.

Uh... she's...

An Indian.

Arapaho, yeah.

Her name's Natacea.

This is my boy, Cully.

I am happy to meet your son.

Well, say hello, Cully.

She's your new ma.

No.

He'll get over it.

Don't worry.

He'll get used to it.

♪♪

You finish work quick.

Oh!

Now there's work
to do a second time.

Come on, sit and eat.

Not hungry.

I said sit and eat.

It is good?

Mmm. Good.

As always.

I was afraid.

There is no more salt.

You ran out?

And other things, too.

You'll have to go in to town,
and get them from the store.

Cully will take
you this afternoon.

What? Me?

Well, I can't go with
the calving going on.

Yeah, but...
Cully will take you.

This afternoon.

♪♪

Whoa.

In there.

You will not go in with me?

I'll wait here.

You just tell them
Hardiman Tate sent you.

They'll know.

Well now, look's like the
redskins come to town.

Only this one here,

his skin don't look so red.

Do you suppose... I declare.

Could it be Cully Tate?

Why, sure, now, I almost forgot.

It's Cully Tate come to town

with his father's squaw.

Craig, you mind what you say.

I say something wrong, Cully?

Ain't that the squaw
your pa brung home?

Or is that one all your own?

You got one, too, Cully, huh?

You heard me.

Both of you squaw
men now, are you, huh?

Shut up!

Pretty soon now maybe
you'll be wearing feathers

and howling to the moon.

I told you to shut up!

'Course she ain't
bad looking, Cully.

Oh, let him alone, Craig.

If only you didn't have
to be a-feared of her

scalping you all the time.

Stop it!

You want to fight us all, Cully?

Why not start on me?

You're wearing a gun; I ain't.

Now, squaw man.

Get out of there.

Come on, come on.

Where you can get ahold of him.

Come on.

Somebody call the marshal.

Well, they worked
him over pretty good,

but he's gonna be all right.

Have any idea who did it?

No, they were gone
by the time we got there.

You gonna tell me
who they were, Cully?

It was all because of me.

Cully did not start it.

There're always people around

that are willing to
cause trouble, Cully.

The thing is not to
let them get to you.

Next time there
won't be no talking.

Next time I'll be wearing a gun.

Oh, no.

I don't like being
called squaw man.

Now, let me tell you something.

You start wearing a gun,

you're liable to really
find some trouble.

So far, it's nothing but talk.

You don't let it bother
you, it'll be forgotten.

Will it, Marshal?

Come.

Thank you.

I'm sure that boy is
heading for some trouble.

Yeah, I'm afraid
you're right, Doc.

There isn't much
I can do about it.

I don't know as I blame him,

but when Hardiman
Tate married that girl,

he sure stirred up something.

Well, Cully.

I'm surprised to see
you in a place like this

after last week.

I'm looking for
that fella, Craig.

You seen him?

I don't allow him in here.

He's probably down
at the Lady Gay.

By golly, I never seen
him wearing a gun before.

Um, maybe you better
tell Matt about this.

Yeah.

♪♪

Well, the redskins
are in town again, huh?

Craig,

I decided you're gonna
take back what you said.

Look at little Cully.

He's toting a gun.

He's getting to
be real grown up.

You heard me.

Now that was all in fun, Cully.

Can't you take a joke?

That wasn't no joke.

No?

Hit close to home, did it?

Must've been true then.

Ain't that so?

Craig, I'm warning you.

Now, you do like I tell you.

You take it back.

I take nothing back,

and I'm the one that's
warning you, Tate.

I can use this thing.

A lot better than
you can, I reckon.

So you don't scare me at all.

Squaw man.

Dog-eater.

Go on.

Draw, Cully.

Or go back to your squaw.

Cully.

I'll take your gun.

No.

Craig, you leave him
alone from now on.

Stay away from him
or you'll answer to me.

Now get out of here.

Let's go back to my office.
We're gonna have a talk.

Now what would you do, Marshal,

if you was called squaw man?

Cully, you know what
kind of a fella this Craig is.

Don't pay any attention to him.

How can I help it when
what he says is true?

Tell me something about
your father's wife, now.

Is there anything
wrong with her?

I mean, she seems like a
very decent person to me.

She's an Indian,
ain't that enough?

Cully, a good many men
have married Indians out here.

Some of those marriages
have worked out pretty good.

Any man who does that
deserves to be called squaw man.

Cully, your ma's been
dead for quite a while now.

I'm sure your pa
gets lonely out there.

He's not a young man anymore,

and there aren't too
many white women around.

He doesn't have much choice.

That's another thing, Marshal,

he's old enough
to be her father.

She's more my age than his.

That's not unusual
among the Indians.

The women accept that.

That ain't the worst either.

The whole thing's indecent.

They really married
only Indian style.

For a God-fearing man
that ain't nothing at all.

Well, if they both
accept it then...

He bought her,
Marshal, body and soul,

with some of the stock he
took down to the agency.

20 head, that's
what she cost him.

Maybe some, some
beads throwed in.

Well, that's customary
among the Indians

to give gifts to the family.
That's not buying her.

Oh, what would you call it, huh?

It ain't legal. It's slavery.

You can't take an Indian
woman off a reservation

without a civil ceremony.

What's the difference if
they're both happy about it?

What are you trying
to do? Tell me that he's

holding her against
her will out there?

Well, who's to say?

Who knows what she thinks?
Or him either for that matter?

I don't know what's
going on out there.

All right.

I'll go out and have
a talk with your pa.

Ain't gonna do no good.

He ain't gonna send her back.

Well, maybe I can talk him
into remarrying her in a church.

Think that'll help?

Might stop the talk. That's
what you're worried about.

Well, then what will help?

Nothing.

Can I have my gun back, Marshal?

All right.

But don't let me catch
you wearing it around town.

And stay away from that Craig.

Hello, Cully.

So you came anyway, huh?

I told you I would.
Is your pa here?

He's inside with her.

Go and talk to him if you want.

You wear that gun even when
you're chopping wood, huh?

Well, Marshal Dillon,

Chester, it's a
surprise. How are ya?

Good to see you, Hardy.

- Mr. Tate.
- That's out of your way.

Just passing by this way?
You picked the right time.

My wife's fixing a meal. I'll
have her put on a couple plates.

Well, no thanks. We can't stay.

As a matter of fact,
I rode out specially

just to talk to you, Hardy.

Cully, get himself in trouble?

Well, no, not trouble exactly.

That's it ain't it?

He's got so wild
and unruly lately,

I don't know what to
expect. And then that fight.

He oughtn't to let
the talk upset him.

Well, it's more
than just talk, Hardy.

Since his ma died the
boy and I just kinda...

drifted apart.

But we'll patch it up.

It's more than just drifting
apart, too, I'm afraid.

It's your wife.

That's between us,
Marshal. The family.

It ain't your business.
You keep out of it.

Believe me, I'd
like to keep out of it,

but that's a little bit
hard to do what with Cully

getting into trouble every
time he comes to town.

What do you want me to do?

Well, I'll tell you
one thing you can do

that'd solve a lot of
problems and make Cully

feel a lot better...

if you brought her into
town married her in a church.

We're already married, Marshal.

In the Arapaho way, yeah.

Sure, in the Arapaho way.

It's as good as any.

When you took her
off that reservation

you did it against the law.
You know that as well as I do.

Now legally I could send
her back to Darlington

anytime I want to.

Come inside, both of you.

I just want you to see how
she keeps this place up.

Golly, it sure does
look awful nice.

Even flowers, most of the time.

Natacea?

Natacea.

Come in, my dear.

This is my wife.

Natacea. Little Deer Woman.

This is Marshal Dillon
and Chester Good.

Nice to see you
again, Mrs. Tate.

Yes, I'm awful glad
to know you, ma'am.

I am glad, too.

Lucky for me they taught
her English at the agency.

I don't speak Arapaho.

But we're getting to know
each other little by little.

You come eat with us?

Oh, well, uh, thank you, ma'am.

I'm afraid we can't stay.

- I am good cook.
- Oh, well, it isn't that.

I'll bet you are, ma'am.

Mrs. Tate, um, I, uh,

well, I guess you like
living here and all?

Oh... everything is good.

Very good.

Yes, well, then you, uh,

you plan to stay here
with Mr. Tate and all?

I stay.

My husband.

I stay always.

Well, that's fine.
I'm sure you will.

All right, my dear.

Thanks.

You will come another time?

- We'd like that.
- You bet, you bet.

Good-bye, Mrs. Tate.

Good-bye.

See what I mean?

She's everything
a man would want.

She seems like a
fine woman, Hardy.

Well, I never knew what it
meant to be happy before.

And I mean no disrespect
for Cully's mother.

I understand.

Hey, look, I... well,
I'm sorry I disturbed ya.

- No.
- I still think

it'd be a good idea if
you take her into town,

marry her in a church.

You think so?

Well, for one thing,

it'd mean she'd never have
to go back to the reservation.

I think it would ease
Cully's mind a good deal.

Well, sure.

Why not?

There's no real reason
why we shouldn't.

Tell you what, if
you'll arrange it,

how about next Friday, noon?

Fine. I'll talk to
Reverend Tucker.

Well, maybe we could, kind of,

fix up some kind of
little wedding party.

Well, by golly.

I think she'd like that.

Well, thank you
very much, Marshal.

Very much. Chester.

- Mr. Tate.
- Good-bye.

By golly, that was
a surprise, wasn't it?

Pretty little thing like that
and them so happy an all?

Wasn't like Cully
said at all, was it?

No, it sure wasn't.

Cully, you ain't dressed yet.

No, I ain't.

You won't even go with
us to the church, hmm?

I'd rather die.

All right.

Have it your way.

At least you might
hitch the buggy.

How can you do this?

How can you, huh?

I thought it's what you wanted.

You said it'd be better if
we were married in a church.

Send her back to
where she belongs.

Back to her dirty teepee.

I ain't even gonna argue.

All right.

Then keep her
here as your squaw,

but don't let her
be called Mrs. Tate,

not like my mother.

Cully, I'll always respect
your mother's memory,

but I can't live on memories.

Now you listen to me.

I won't try to justify
myself to you no more.

And I won't defend
Natacea, she don't need it.

But it's decided. It's my life.

It's her life.

It ain't yours.

All right.

But don't expect
me to be part of it.

Don't expect me to go
to the church with you.

Cully.

All right.

You don't have to
go if you don't want to.

I'm sorry to hurt you, boy,

but you're being
unreasonable about this.

Unreasonable?

Yes, unreasonable.

It seems to me maybe there
might be something more

than just grief for your mother.

I don't know what it is,
but I've had about enough.

You want me to leave? Get out?

Maybe that'd be best.

Maybe that's what's needed.

Maybe I should've
seen that before.

Pa...

You're old enough to
take care of yourself.

You've got a mind of
your own, that's certain

You'd send me away?

No, not send you, let you go.

It's you that said it.

You can stay here, son,

only if you can settle
your mind on this

and accept it.

Accept it, Cully, in every way.

I'll never accept it.

I'll stop it.

Now you're being a fool.

No, I'll stop it somehow.

I don't know how. I will.

Don't you try, Cully.

I warn you.

Don't you try.

I'll hitch the wagon myself.

Cully.

I look good?

Fine.

I don't know how to do.

Arapaho wedding I know, but...

You're real happy, ain't you?

Happy?

Yes, I'm very happy.

Sure, why not?

How many other
Indian girls got it so soft?

Rich man, nice home, everything.

You're not happy?

I'm jumping for joy.

I'm getting an
Indian for a mother.

But it ain't going to happen

'cause there ain't gonna be no
wedding, and I'll tell you why...

'cause I'm taking
you out of here

and back to Darlington
where you came from.

No.

Yeah, we're going to get
out of here, you and me.

We're going to get in that
buggy and get out of here.

- No, my husband will not let...
- Your husband ain't got nothing

to say about it 'cause
I ain't going to let him.

Now, you're going to tell
him to leave us alone or else.

- Now, come on.
- No!

- Yeah, come on, come on.
- No!

- Ow!
- Hardy!

Ow!

You shut up, or I'll kill you.

Um, uh... Don't cry, don't cry.

Look, I'm sorry, don't...
Please don't cry, I'm sorry.

Listen to me,
listen, listen to me.

You and me... we're
going to get away from him.

He's an old man.

He's an old man,
you'll forget him.

No...

You'll forget him, he's an
old man, you'll forget him.

Now, listen to me,
listen to me, please.

You don't understand.

Cully!

Cully!

You get out now before
I lay hands on you.

I got a gun here, I'll use it.

Now, don't you touch me.

You get out or I'll kill
you with my bare hands.

I'll stop it.

- You'll see, I-I'll go to town.
- Cully, you hear me?

I said get out.

- Cully.
- Don't touch me.

Cully, I'm warning you.

Get your hands off my gun.

You hear me, Cully?

Getting kind of late.
What do you think?

Ah, I don't know, Doc.

Seems like, if they were
coming, they'd be here.

Mr. Dillon.

By golly, you ought to see it.

Now, I'm telling you this
is really something to see.

You know Mrs. Tucker
the minister's wife?

She has baked the most
beautiful cake that I ever seen.

Can't have a wedding
without a cake, you know.

That's right, but there are
two other elements, you know.

- What?
- You got to have a bride and groom.

Well, heavens, I know that.

- Well, they're not here yet.
- They ain't?

Marshal.

- Hello, Reverend.
- How much longer

do you think they might be?

Well, I don't know, Reverend,

they said they'd
be here by noon.

Well, then, it seems
at least possible

that something's
happened to 'em.

People don't just not
show up for the wedding.

Well, they, they could have
changed their minds, I suppose.

About a wedding?

Chester, maybe you
and I had better just take

a ride out there
and look around.

We'll be back.

Mr. Dillon, ain't
that, that Cully?

Well, it sure looks like him.

Cully!

Chester, you follow
him, I'll cut over this way.

Yes, sir.

♪♪

Whoa, whoa.

Well... what's going on, Cully?

What are you running for?

Oh.

I didn't know it
was you, Marshal.

I thought it was road agents.

What are those scratches
all over your face?

She made 'em, Marshal.

Yeah, she made
'em after I found 'em.

She tried to kill me af...
after she killed my pa.

Killed your pa?

She killed him...
That Indian woman.

I was riding in to tell you.

If you were
riding in to tell me,

you were headed in
the wrong direction.

Oh... Marshal, it's, it's
just got me all upset.

- I...
- Uh-huh.

Got you so upset, you even
put a bedroll on your saddle, huh?

Well, I-I didn't want
to go back there.

She was trying to
kill me, I tell you.

Uh, she had my gun.

That's what she
used to kill Pa with.

How'd she get your gun?

Well, I don't know, I, I guess
she stole it from my room.

How come you're still
wearing the holster?

I don't know how she got it.

I heard a shot
and I run in there,

and there's my pa
laying there dead...

and I wrestled
with her for the gun,

and, and then she
scratched my face.

Let's get back there.

Marshal, I don't
want to go back there.

I'll, I'll meet you in town.

She wants to kill me.

Cully, get mounted.

♪♪

In there, Marshal,
in the bedroom.

Cully.

Where was he?

He was laying
right there, Marshal.

What is it, Mr. Dillon?

It's blood.

Let's look around.

Mr. Dillon, what do you think?

Yeah, let's check outside.

Come on, Cully.

Well, let's look
around out here.

What in the world?

It's the Arapaho
death song, Chester.

Look at that.

She's giving him a
regular Indian tree burial.

Mrs. Tate.

Dead.

My husband... dead.

Chester, have you got
something to wrap this with?

Here.

Dead... my husband.

You.

Cully!

Mrs. Tate, Mrs. Tate.

Cully!

Hold it.

All right, Mrs. Tate...

I want you to tell me something.

Did you kill your husband?

Chester, tie that off, will you?

I told you, Marshal,
she wants to kill me.

Tell me something, Cully.

If she had your gun, why
didn't she just shoot you

instead of scratching
your face up like that?

Now, go on, tell me the truth.

You killed your
father, didn't you?

No.

No, she, she did it.

A young girl like that
married to an old man.

Well, she hated him.

An Arapaho woman doesn't
mourn for a man she hates, Cully.

If she hadn't have loved him,

she wouldn't have cut off
two fingers to mourn him.

That's the Arapaho way.

I only meant to...

show him she was no good.

Show him how wrong he was.

That's all I meant to do.

Whatever you
meant to do, Cully...

it doesn't matter much anymore.

It's too late.

Let's go.