Rawhide (1959–1965): Season 7, Episode 13 - The Meeting - full transcript

Brother, you know where
Cougar Run Canyon is?

See that peak over there with
the twin pines down to the right?

It's about, oh, half a
mile or so below that.

What have you got in
that bedroll, whiskey?

- Yeah, some.
- Get it up.

I don't mind giving you a drink.

Get going.

Move!

Ho! Let's go.

Yeah, them.

Get away from her, boy.
You ain't gonna get no tip.



[CHUCKLES]

That could've been
the Crown Brothers.

Looks like they're heading
for Cougar Run Canyon.

After 600 miles,
this better be worth it.

What you gonna do if it ain't?

Same as you. Turn around
and go back home 600 mile.

But I ain't going home poor.

Yeah, me neither. I
like this kind of life.

Hey, you, do you speak English?

Better than you, feller.

Well, then after you, brother.

Uh-uh.

What's your name?

They call me Joe. Joe Spanish.



Where you from, brother?

Albuquerque. Where you from?

North Platte, North Dakota.

Yeah? Where are you headed?

Where you headed?

- To meet some friends I got.
- Same as me.

Cougar Run Canyon?

Cougar Run Canyon.

Well,

let's go.

Right, brother.

But after you.

- Uh-uh. MAN: Forget it.

- Loy Slake. BOWIE: Howdy.

Howdy.

I want you to go back to
Oxford, that's the nearest town.

There's a man
there that we need.

Now, don't say anything
that'll give us away

and don't get in
a fight with him.

Just bring him
back in one piece.

Quiet and no trouble.

He's a trail boss.

You shouldn't have any
problems spotting him

with that beat-up hat of his.

We'll be waiting for you.

Don't feel too imposed
on. I gotta get one too.

You mean, someone's
telling you what to do?

You might say that, in
a manner of speaking.

You know, this is gonna
be bigger than I thought.

Let's go, Spanish.

MAN: Oh, sorry,
Joseph, not this time.

Hey, what do you mean, "Not
this time," you big cheapskate?

How come?

Gil Favor, you old renegade. Step
in here and stop talking so much.

- Good to see you, Brew, old friend.
- Sit down, sit down.

My, you look terrible.

One of these days you're gonna feel
successful enough to buy a decent hat.

What in the ever-loving
is wrong with that hat?

- I'm just about getting it broke in right.
- Heh, heh, heh.

- Gil, how have you been?
- Fine, fine, Brew.

What's this about you
going on the wagon?

Who said I...?
Oh, that. Nothing.

- How's Rowdy?
- Oh, that big dumb kid,

what are you gonna say about him
except he's healthy? And Phoebe?

Fine. Just fine. Off on a trip.

Hey, how about
that? Good. Where to?

And she's got the
kids with her too.

Soon as she returns we wanna
have you for dinner again. Thursday?

As long as she doesn't hawk
me about having a new hat.

Well, Gil, how about it? You
ready to sell to me at a huge loss?

Like always, why not?

- You know the market?
- You better believe I do.

Thirty-three dollars a head. Hm?

Uh, coffee?

What's this? You trying to soften
me up with coffee instead of booze?

Afraid so, Gil.

- I'm offering $24 a head.
- Oh, heh, heh.

At least you used to get me
schlagered up with good champagne

before you'd start
playing silly games.

How about it?

You are joking
me, ain't you, Brew?

No, not joking.

What is it, Brew?
Really in trouble?

Gil, I...

I have to make a
low offer on your herd.

And without any
advance this time.

I guess if you wanted me to know why,
you would have told me, so I won't ask.

Thanks, Gil.

I'm temporarily
short, that's all.

- I see.
- And I can't go higher than $24.

But there's no other
buyers, Gil. It's me or nothing.

No other buyers? How come?

Can't tell you.

All I know is I'm the only
buyer in the area at the moment.

And I'm a $24 buyer.

Brew, you know I'd
like to help you out,

but the owners back
in Texas won't go for it.

Just this once, Gil.

You really have to have the
deal on those terms, Brew?

Yep, I do.

Well, I can't go that far,

but I'll split difference.

Twenty-eight dollars a head,
48 hours to exercise the option.

- Gil, sell me the herd low.
- Oh, Brew, I can't. Not at that price.

All right. Take it easy.

Look, I'll tell you what.

I can forgo my commission
and get that back anytime.

Ten percent from $28, that
brings it down to 25.20 a head.

But can't you come down
that extra dollar-twenty?

Brew...

If I hold out a hundred head
and sell them to the restaurants,

it might make up the difference.

Is that all right?

That's a deal.

- You want some coffee now?
- Coffee? Are you kidding?

I need a drink.

- Mr. Favor?
- That's right.

You got some beef for sale?

No, afraid not.

My name is Burnside and
this is my partner, Mr. Spry.

Howdy.

We come 50 miles, wanted
to offer you $32 a head.

Well, I'm sorry about that.

I'm afraid I've just sold them.

You think the man you just sold
to would like to make a profit?

Of course, he would. You
wanna buy the whole herd?

Indeed we do, Mr. Favor.
Where can we find him?

- Up at the hotel.
- Would you take us to him?

- Sure, why not?
- Well, good.

First, I wanna get my
contracts in my saddlebag.

Just take me a minute.

Mr. Favor, can you come over
and look at these contracts?

Now empty your gun.

Now, you're going with us.
Somebody wants to talk to you.

Oh, say, maybe we'd better
stop over at the hotel anyways.

Well, if I don't pay my
bill, they'll come looking...?

Don't you worry about your
bill, we'll pay it. Now, let's go.

Ho!

Dinner.

Say,

you'd be Bowie
Fiske, wouldn't you?

How'd you know?

Ugh. It finally come to me.

I hit a lot of towns, I have to kill
a lot of time in the post offices.

And your partner here is
probably Joe Spanish, huh?

I'll bet you got good
marks in school, Favor,

and the rest of the
kids couldn't stand you.

I was just wondering how come
two such famous desperados

felt the need to work together.

Who said we needed to, Favor?

Well, if you don't, how come you're
doing somebody else's dirty work?

Must be an awful big man, huh?

We'd better move out, Bowie.

Let's go. Come on.

Up. Everybody reach.

Hold it.

You let him carry a gun?

Now, how'd we do that?

Must've slipped our minds.

Mr. Favor, you know that
carrying a loaded gun is dangerous.

Pow!

[LAUGHING]

So's we could get him out of
town, we just let him look proper.

But he couldn't harm a fly.

So you're Favor, huh?

I'm Bolt Carson.

- Now, him, I never heard of.
- Ha, ha, ha.

You better take it easy, Favor.

This one's a master
with brass knuckles.

He's stupid but he fights good.

Well, you're supposed to be so
good with a knife, huh, Bowie?

Well, I'll fight you anytime.

Right now if you wanna.

Why don't you go beat up
on some old ladies, Bolt?

Now, go ahead, will you?

[DOOR CLOSES]

[DOOR OPENS]

Howdy.

The name's Favor. Gil Favor.

Gil Favor? The trail boss?

That's right.

What are you doing here?

- You know how come you're here?
- No, I don't.

Horace Denver.

I'm a trail boss too.

Though not as big or as
an important one as you are,

but I make a living at it.

Here, those swine came and
took me right away from my herd.

I had to leave over 700 head out
there with nothing but a 14-year-old boy.

I'm promising you, I'm gonna
see every one of them behind bars.

They're not gonna
get away with this.

Say, by any chance,

have you ever seen the men
before that brought you in here?

No.

You sure?

Sure, I'm sure. Why?

Hm.

Why, I said.

Nothing.

Favor, you're holding something
back, now, you speak up.

Look, first off, I would suggest
that you calm down, Mr. Denver.

Calm down? I thought I was
lucky when I found you in here.

I thought that you was a man who
is used to standing up for his rights.

I wonder if they
would've picked you up

if they realized they were
picking up a buzz saw.

That's not a straight
answer, Favor.

Mr. Denver,

do you realize that the young
man that brought you in here

goes by the name
of Malloy Slake?

You mean, that was Malloy Slake?

Yeah.

I thought he was doing 20 years.

So did I.

I let myself think I was being
brought here to pay for a crossing toll.

This ain't no crossing toll.

Oh, that, it isn't.

Hey, did they search you
when they brought you here?

- Uh... No.
- Me neither.

So it ain't no robbery either.

I'm afraid you're
right, Mr. Denver.

Afraid I'm right? Then you
think it's something worse.

Mr. Denver,

I don't know why we're here.

But I do know that these
are very dangerous men.

And it seems to me

that it would be the smart thing
for you to take it easy for a while.

Frightened.

The great Gil Favor, frightened.

I would prefer to think of it as
being discreet. Very discreet.

There is something very
big going on here, it seems.

And it seems like we're not big
enough to fight it at the moment.

Favor, you disappoint me.

I just wonder who's behind it.

It's gotta be somebody
bigger than Malloy Slake.

And I can't even imagine
who that might be.

Now, I heard them mention
the name of Rian Powers.

[HORSES GALLOPING]

That could be the
Crown Brothers.

You sure?

I've seen their picture in
the paper a couple of times.

MAN 1: He sent us ahead. We're
to say that he'll be here momentarily,

and to see that
everything's prepared.

SLAKE: Don't you think he
might be tired after that long ride?

MAN 1: Are you Loy
Slake? SLAKE: That's right.

Hey, you're right. That's
the biggest outlaw in America.

MAN 1: You ever
seen him? SLAKE: No.

MAN 1: I don't think
he'll worry about a rest.

Did you get the gold?

SLAKE: Yeah, I had
somebody get it. MAN 1: Good.

Sounds like a bank job.

[DOORKNOB RATTLES]

I'm Harley Lear.

Each of these small sacks
contains about $3,000 in gold.

If you want us to smuggle,
the answer, flat-out, is no.

Argumentative, isn't he?

No, we don't want you to
smuggle it. We want you to accept it.

By "we" I don't mean
us. I mean Rian Powers.

Rian Powers wants
you to accept it.

And who is Rian Powers?

MAN 2: You, you
must be Loy Slake.

Well, I had no idea the
deadliest man in America

would look so
boyish, so unweary.

That is Rian Powers.

Excuse me.

MAN 2: Well, it wasn't easy.

It wasn't easy getting
this conglomeration

of the most-wanted
men in the U.S. together.

Well, now, which is which?

Never mind, we'll
have time for that.

All I have to say is if you're
wanted, I can't figure out why.

You are, without a doubt,
the most repulsive, meanest,

ugliest-looking bunch
of scum I've ever seen.

And who'd want that is
more than I can understand.

You couldn't look
any worse if you tried.

[LAUGHING]

Well, that is Rian Powers.

LEAR: He's in there, Rian.

Shake hands with Rian Powers.

Horseflesh and toilet
water, what a smell.

POWERS: Come on
now, Favor. Shake hands.

The exchanging of
a grip means nothing,

except to seal an
agreement, that is.

And we don't have any
agreements, now, do we?

[POWERS CHUCKLES]

All we did was shake hands,
man to man, without any obligation.

Still no obligation.

Nothing to be afraid
of, Harley. Leave it open.

I wouldn't touch his
money with a ten-foot pole.

I wouldn't do that, Mr. Denver.

- Why not?
- Well, if for no other reason,

let's just say it
seems sort of wasteful.

You sell out fast, don't you?

I'll hang on to it for you.

You change your mind, you
want it back, just let me know.

Loy, you sure
brought me a dandy.

Well, I'm just
trying to do my part.

- What's his name?
- Horace Denver.

Hm.

And he's real argumentative?

- Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's a real bobcat.
- That's good.

Hey, tell me something.
What do you want with him?

He's part of my plan, Slake.
You'll find out when the time comes.

Now, bring Gil Favor to me.

Harley.

I want everyone outside.

How do you size up Favor?

He's just what we want.

Is he going to need influencing?

- I expect so.
- I'm distressed to hear that, Rian.

Harley, if you have any more of these
adolescent remorses, you can leave.

I can't be concerned
with what you think.

There is much too much to do.

I'm sure you'll want
to meet everyone.

By now you have a good idea of the
caliber of men we've brought together.

And purely for the purpose,
I might add, of meeting you.

Gentlemen, Mr. Favor.

Probably the best cattle
boss in the United States,

and therefore, in the world.

Meet Loy Slake.
Young, eager, cool.

You've heard of him.

He's wanted everywhere,
but we've got him.

Myer Trask, a man who's never
known fear and never known love.

A dangerous foe.

Jasper Roe and Copper Roberts.

They'll take anything in the
Southwest that isn't bolted down

and then sell it for
liquor and riotous living.

Bowie Fiske and Joe Spanish
I believe you know already.

Bolt Carson, Culey
Addison, you met on the trail.

Two renowned almost as much
as Loy Slake, the Crown Brothers.

Mason Crown, Wilson Crown.

They've probably had their hands on
as much gold as the men in the mint.

They haven't got a
cent to show for it.

Their loss is our gain.

One newly callused fellow who
rode 800 miles just to meet you,

Harley Lear, my left-hand man,
who keeps track of my many plans.

And lastly but not
leastly, Levi Windsor,

a member of the
underworld in good standing

and our contact with them.

It's a full life.

A full life.

Now, go get your roommate.

We're going to have a little
meeting in the living room.

To prevent any
misunderstanding at this meeting,

put all your guns over here.

I guess we're about to
get the long-awaited word.

I'm not so sure I wanna hear it.

Now, look, a show
of independence

is not gonna help at
this time, Mr. Denver.

Is that so?

And it's not gonna help any
more after we hear their plans.

Now, just play the
waiting game for a while.

You know, that big
fine reputation of yours

is just so much
hogwash, isn't it?

Were you just making a
deal with Rian Powers?

I was just being
interviewed like you was.

Interviewed? Now, what makes
you think I was being interviewed?

- You gone loco?
- Huh.

So the man lied to me.

What did you expect?

Look, whatever happens, do
me one thing. Just sit tight for now.

I don't like this anymore
than you do, believe me.

MAN 1: Six months?
MAN 2: That's right.

[CHATTERING]

MAN 3: I ain't gonna
wait too much longer.

MAN 4: What's he doing here?

All right.

You men are being organized

into the first cross-country,
cross-industry group

of financial wizards
in the United States.

- I'll tell you what I mean.
MAN 5: I'm no wizard.

We are taking over the
beef industry, gentlemen,

from top to bottom.

All the way from hoofed
cattle on up to restaurants.

We can do this because beef is the
only industry that turns on one man,

the trail boss.

If we can control the
cattle under his command,

then that industry is ours.

Think about that.

We are going to organize
the trail bosses, all of them.

They'll be forced to
deal with our people,

acting as buyers
at prices we set.

And once we have
that cattle under control,

we will control all prices,

all the way from the railhead
on up to the restaurants.

MAN 6: Sounds great.
Let's do it. MAN 7: Yeah.

One major trail boss

setting the pattern
by selling to our men

will cause others to
follow and fall in line.

They'll have to.

Now, one reason will be

that there won't be any
other place for them to go to.

And we have you outlaws helping
us, preventing the old buyers

from re-establishing new
avenues of commerce.

Well, that's all there is
to it. It's as simple as that.

All we have to do is do it and
keep others from doing it too.

I don't think we'll run
into much resistance.

[MEN CHUCKLING]

How about you, Mr. Denver?
Does this appeal to you?

Wouldn't you like to be rich
instead of puny, like you are?

- No, I wouldn't...
- Easy, Denver, easy.

What you're proposing
is an evil, vicious scheme.

It'll destroy the meat
business as we know it.

And I, for one, want
no part of it, now or ever.

And I'll do everything
in my power

to prevent you taking
the cattle business over.

Do I make myself clear?

Perfectly, Mr. Denver.

Well, Mr. Favor,

how do you like the
way we get things done?

Are you impressed?

Oh, I was impressed, all right.

I'd venture to say
that we all were.

Then I take it we can count
on you for your help and advice.

I'll do everything I can.

Good, I was hoping
you'd say that.

You won't be sorry,
Favor. None of us will.

We're all going to
be very rich from this.

And we're all going
to be very good friends.

- Have a seat, señor.
- No.

What's the matter?

You one of us, or ain't you?

I don't feel like sitting down,
is that all right with you?

No, it ain't all right with me, and
it ain't all right with them either.

Thank you for the seat.

That's better.

Yesterday a churchgoer,
today an outlaw.

How's that for a colorful
career on the range? Ha, ha, ha.

Spanish,

stop acting so ludicrous.

Mr. Favor.

Well, are you ready?

Ready? Ready for what?

I don't like seeing
you on edge, Favor.

You're not having second
thoughts about anything, are you?

I told you I'd help you and I will.
Now, what more do you want?

Look, Favor, you don't have
to sit over there with those men

if you don't want to.

I want you to think of yourself
as an executive in this operation,

not a handyman
like these others.

Well, thank you
for the promotion.

Set up the table where I told
you and bring the buyer out.

We've gotta close
this fast and nail Favor.

- He's getting jumpy.
- Right.

- You shouldn't let it get to you, Favor.
- Oh, that?

You looking to be friendly?

We're gonna be working together.

I just hope under
better conditions.

Yeah. Yeah, I hope so.

I don't like
unnecessary killing.

Oh?

Favor, over here.

Sit down. Sit down, my friend.

We're going to have some
pleasure by doing a little business,

making our first money together,

and under the eyes
of all these witnesses.

Now, you just sign here.

Now, this says you
sell one of your herd

to one of our buyers
for $24 a head.

But I can't do that.

This line here.

I've already got an
option out on my herd.

Options don't mean a thing.

Might be some legal repercussions.
You wouldn't want that.

There won't be any
legal repercussions.

Now sign, Favor.

Sign it. It's all right.

Hello, Gil.

Hello, Brew.

Thank you. Witness.

Everyone inside.

It's time for Mr. Favor's
lecture to begin.

Here's how it works.

There are only three trails that
have cattle on them at the moment,

each has a large herd.

The Santa Fe, the Jones and
Plummer and the Chisholm.

Tie up these herds, plus mine,

and you control the four major herds
in America that are ready for market.

Some 8-to 10,000
head of prime beef,

which can swing the
market any way you want to.

Two days before these
herds reach their destination,

a buyer, one of
our men, naturally,

will arrive and start negotiating
for the sale of the herd.

The trail boss will sell to him

because somehow or other
no other buyers will show up.

If by any chance the trail boss
becomes suspicious or hostile,

another buyer will be
brought into the picture.

The two men will get
angry with each other

and start competing in price,
each trying to outbid the other.

That should pretty well
cinch it and convince him.

But we shouldn't get greedy
and start out at too low a price.

To keep it realistic, we
should start out gradually.

One last thing.

The most important thing is

to convince a trail boss
that you are on the level.

Best way to do that
is be on the level.

If you can honestly say that the
Favor herd has been sold to you,

then the other trail
bosses will sell to you too.

And the next group of buyers going
out will be able to say just exactly that.

And that is why I have been asked
to come here, to set the pattern.

Right.

Any questions?

Yeah.

What if prices are real low
and there's no market for beef?

That's just the situation
we're looking for.

When there's an
extra supply of beef,

we'll buy real cheap
and keep it off the market.

After the prices have
gone up, we'll make a killing.

We'll have all the big companies,
including the railroads, begging.

Anything else?

You men can go.

You'll get your instructions tonight
and ride out first thing in the morning.

I'm impressed.

I don't mind telling you
I misjudged that man.

Under that hat he
wears, there's a real brain.

You're going to be
a great asset, Favor.

I'm afraid there's a little bit
of a liability under this hat too.

You see, I want a
piece of the action too.

- A what?
- That's right.

You want me so bad, pay me.

And if I don't?

I guess you could kill me,

but, you see, I'm single, owe no ties,
and so I haven't got too much to lose.

But you with your
little scheme do,

and I figure that gives me a
pretty good bargaining position.

I like a hard-headed
businessman.

Good.

Then why don't we send him on
his way and thrash out the details?

Get rid of Brew?

Well, there's no sense
for anybody else to know

just how much you're
gonna be taken for.

You heard the man, get going.

Bring Mr. Brewster's
horse out front.

Goodbye, Brewster.

And remember, be very careful
about the way you handle things.

Well, you can forget the
big smile now, Mr. Powers.

I wasn't fooling. I think this is
a pretty good chance for me.

I'll want 5 percent.

Two percent and it's a deal.

I've just run out of
any helpful information.

Four percent.

Good, for a start.

Next year, another
3 and a half percent.

- We'll see.
- Oh, I'll want it in writing.

Why in writing?

Well, now, that's the way all
the big moguls do it, ain't it?

- Well, all right.
- Good. Harley?

Mr. Powers will want you to
write out a little note to me,

and I'll wanna have
it read to all the men

so that they know who
has the say-so when buying.

Favor,

you're getting a little
power-mad, aren't you?

Well, don't we all?

All right, everybody inside. Joe
Spanish, Fiske, Culey, come on.

Mr. Powers wants to talk to you.

Spare a few minutes.

As a matter of fact, I
want you men to know

that I'm giving Favor a
percentage of the profits.

SLAKE: How much?
POWERS: How much?

Four.

He'll start at 4.

We'll see how things
go, if they go well,

the next year he'll get more.

In the meantime, he'll be in charge of
all the selling and buying of the cattle.

You'll take all your
orders directly from him,

and me on occasion.

In the meantime, all we can do
is fortify our plans and go ahead

and hope they work out.

[HORSE GALLOPING]

[GRUNTING]

Where's Favor?

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOTS CONTINUE]

I had to go along, Gil.
They threatened my family.

I had to play a waiting
game, same as you.

They gonna be all right?

I managed to get
them out of town.

But I had to play along,
hoping it wouldn't be found out.

- Waiting game's a bad game, isn't it?
- The worst.

- One consolation, though.
- What's that?

Word of this ever gets out,

it'll set us up as being two of
the best cattlemen in the business.

Why else you think Phoebe
would want you for dinner?

Oh, yeah. That's
on Thursday night.

I'd kind of like to make
that if we're still alive.

- You'll be alive.
- What makes you so sure?

Well, you got to be.

I owe you money, you
won't let yourself get killed.

You got a point there,
Brew. Got a point.

Go on outside. Go on
outside and get those guns.

Did you hear what I said? Go
on out and get those weapons.

SLAKE: You go,
Powers. It was your idea.

[GUNSHOT]

We'll all go out together.
There's only two out there.

I said, you go.

Now, look, there's a half
dozen rifles on those horses.

When I go out the front door,
you go out the side window.

They can't cover both.

- Bowie.
- All right.

[GUNSHOTS]

Spanish, go do it.

Hold it, Brew.

Powers?

Go ahead, strap it on.

- It won't fit. FAVOR:
Then try it like it is.

Watch it, Gil.

SLAKE: Come over here, Favor.

Look, Loy, I don't blame you for being
sore about me messing up the deal,

but let me explain
something first.

Very good, Slake.
Let him have it.

Tell me something, Harley.

Were you for or against the
murder of Horace Denver?

I was against it,
you know I was.

All right, then shut
up, you understand?

It never would've
worked anyways.

It just would've forced
him to import foreign beef.

I don't wanna hear anything more
about the cattle business, Favor.

Robbing trains is
a good simple life.

All right, let's
get out of here.

Now, that's careless
of me. The gold.

Oh, yeah.

If I was the good-hearted outlaw
that you read about in the newspapers,

why, I'd probably leave the gold
with you for Denver's wife and the child.

But I'm not. I'm heartless.

Well, I guess we can
work out as partners.

Why not?

But after you, brother.

[JOE CHUCKLES]

Huh.

I just got the feeling the ride
back might be a little lonesome.

Get them up! Move them out!

[COWS MOOING AND
COWBOYS YELLING]