Comes a Horseman (1978) Movie Script
Why don't you sniff the wind
while you're at it?
Come on.
I guess I'm just itching to get there.
OK.
Let's go.
Hyah!
Ready... fire!
Ready... fire!
Half left... face!
Present... arms.
We was the lucky ones, Frank.
I thought we was gonna
come back that way.
Order... arms!
We're sure sorry about your boy.
Left... face!
- He gave his life for his country, Jake.
- Forward... march!
Mr Ewing.
Well, we need us a new fence.
Gotta get a gate.
We'll be all right.
Cabin ain't much, you know?
Well, imagine.
Weren't even supposed to be a cabin.
There ain't.
- Come on. Ho!
- Hyah, cattle!
Hyah! Yah! Come on, y'all.
You're sure right
about this place, Frank.
I ain't never seen such a pretty place.
Door was open.
Helped myself.
Always did have
the best water in the basin.
Saw the old clock was gone.
Suppose you sold it like you did
that land to them soldier boys.
Ain't you done enough to spite me?
Down to the two of us now.
Just us.
You should've married me.
We'd have had a child.
Be heir to it all.
The whole basin.
Ain't too late.
I gotta hand it to you.
You hung on longer than anybody else.
You put up a hell of a fight.
But it don't take no genius
to see it's your last year.
I don't wanna have to ruin you, Ella.
Jacob?
Do you mind some company?
I've got a call in to Claire.
Did you see this?
I think the Russians
are going to beat us into Berlin.
Neil...
by fall I'll have the Connors' place.
Do you really think
Ella's gonna go under?
You can bet on it.
Why don't you come back east with me
for a couple of weeks?
We'll go down to the place in Virginia
and do some fishing.
I wish your father had lived
to see this basin back together again.
I could never have rebuilt it
without his help.
Well, my father...
was a very generous man.
Cattle will cover this basin the way
buffalo did in my grandfather's time.
Sounds like that might take
a good deal of capital.
This is not a very good time
to talk about it,
but sometime soon I'd like
to sit down with you and talk about
the mineral rights to this valley.
Oil and cattle are not incompatible.
This is heartland. Cattle country.
That's the way it's going to stay.
That's probably Claire.
I'll get it.
Hello?
Yes, I did.
Hi, Claire.
I know it's late in New York,
I'm sorry to wake you,
but I wanted you to know
where things stand.
Who's that benefiting?
Oh well,
if it's the Belgian Red Cross, yes.
Bill's wife died
in a barroom fight
Now she keeps singing
morning till night
Ride around, kinda easy,
ride around kinda slow...
- You ever try a...
- Huh?
- I wish we had a piano or something.
- Yeah.
Ride around kinda slow
For the fiery and snuffy
are rarin' to go...
Think we got us a rooster, dude.
Hey, chickenshit GI!
Old Bill Jones
had two daughters and a song
One went to Denver,
the other went wrong
- Bill's wife died...
- Hey, chickenshit GI!
Just cos you kill a couple of Nips
don't mean you can come in here
and take over.
You hear what I said?
Hey! You wanna come on down here,
we can talk about it!
Why don't you come up here,
chickenshit?
All right, Billy. Billy!
Pay no attention to him.
He ain't gonna do nothing.
Weird folks around here.
Come on. Forget it. Have a drink.
Do anything
but pick up that harmonica again.
It's that soldier boy. Looks like
he took a bullet right in the chest.
Put him in the shed.
His partner's stone dead.
Emil Kroegh is lying up there
with a six-inch knife right in his belly.
Emil Kroegh would do anything for Ewing.
They feed in the coulees,
and they water in the draw
Their tails are all matted,
their backs are all raw
Bill Jones had a daughter,
Bill Jones had a song
One went to Denver,
the other went wrong
His wife,
she died in a poolroom fight
Still he keeps singing
from morning to night
Ride around, dogies,
ride around them slow
The fiery and snuffy are rarin' to go
Now when I die,
take my saddle from the wall
Put it on my pony
and lead him from the stall
Then tie us to his back
and a-head us to the west
We'll ride the range
in the land we love best
Ride around, little dogies,
ride around them slow
The fiery and snuffy are rarin' to go
Where's Billy? Where's Billy?
He's dead.
Oh, no.
Billy, my partner. Billy.
Billy.
I never should've sold you that land.
But I had no choice.
Please.
Please! Tell me who did this.
Name's Ewing.
You sit up, you can have that food.
I ain't gonna help you.
The more it hurts, the quicker
you're gonna get well and get out of here.
I ain't set up to be no hospital.
I left you some food
in that box over there.
It's mostly cans and dried stuff,
but you'll get by.
As soon as you're fit,
you're gonna be moving on.
You ought to know, old man,
this season's gonna hold
the worst work we ever done.
It's gonna be worse than last year.
You're free to pack it in
any time you want.
Baby sister,
each year I get a little less prime,
but I can still do my work.
You ought to know that.
They're saying it's my last year, Dodger.
They're saying
I'm gonna go under before fall.
Aw, they said that before,
if I remember right.
It's different.
This bank isn't gonna let me
just pay on the interest this year.
We're gonna need beeves
coming to over $12,000 by August.
Hell...
We didn't do 4,000 last year.
Well, we come close.
With all them broken bones of yours?
Well, there was a few accidents.
You had some, too.
You're a year older. You're brittler.
And your cows is older and tougher.
Hell, you've got cattle
ain't ever seen flat land.
You might as well be ranching
a bunch of mountain goats.
Hell, that'll ride him.
You know,
that deep water don't hurt,
but that idea of being drug off the cliff
will kind of get you.
- You can say no.
- Hell, no.
I made my choice.
Well, we got us one old man
and a banshee woman boss.
Feel like a fart in a wind storm. Giddup!
Goddamn!
Well, we lost 'em.
Flushin' cows out of this timber
is like trying to teach an elephant
to use a typewriter.
Howdy.
Hear a terrible thing happened to you.
I think I got the man
that did the shooting.
Oh, you did. He's dead.
Did you get the man that sent him?
You better get that son of a bitch
before I do.
His name... is Ewing.
Better tell him that.
He's the law.
The man you killed worked for me.
I'm Ewing.
Sorry your pard's dead.
Sorry all this had to happen,
but sometimes things just work out that way.
Now, we're disposed to give you the benefit
of the doubt when it comes to murder.
You take that and head someplace
where you've got a chance.
Whoa now, baby.
There you go.
Oh, yeah.
What's the matter with it?
Her mama's dead.
She get to nurse any?
I don't know.
I don't think so.
If it didn't, I don't imagine
you're gonna do her any good.
Nobody asked you.
Yeah. Attagirl.
You're gonna be all right.
Yeah.
Please don't watch me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll do it.
Since you're full able to get around
and fix a meal and all.
I figure you might as well just get going.
Here, I'll do it.
I told you I wasn't running no hospital
and this ain't a hotel either.
Just thought I'd give you a little hand.
I don't need a maid, don't need a cook.
You can get that kind of work in town.
I gotta go in tomorrow anyway.
I'll give you a lift.
Here. I made you these.
I don't need no chaps.
Hell, lady, they sure as hell
ain't gonna fit me.
It's a wonder you've got any flesh
on them legs at all
with them skunk skins you been wearing.
Uh...
I need... I need me a horse.
Think I could buy one?
- It'll cost you.
- Yes, ma'am, I did say I'd buy one.
I don't think there's nothing
I want from you for nothing.
There you go.
You should've chose a gentler horse.
You're too stove up for Parsons.
He'll break you just taking you to town.
Don't want you to fall off here and sue me.
I'll take the risk.
I meant what I said
about taking you to town.
Thank you.
I ain't going to town.
You ain't going back to that toilet
you call a cabin, are you?
Yes, ma'am.
Excuse me.
It seemed to me a person in your situation
might use an able-bodied man.
Thank you.
I guess I could use a hired hand.
Sorry, I ain't no hired hand.
I'll work with you,
but I sure as hell can't work for you.
You do owe me.
You owe me for the care
and the time you spent at my place.
- Excuse me?
- I said you do owe me.
You know, lady, you've got balls
the size of grapefruits.
All right.
I'll work for you a season.
You pay me any way you can at the end.
Except some of it's gotta be in stock.
Of course, any of mine we find,
you help me trap 'em.
It's a deal.
Back... Back.
Why don't you come on in?
I thought you might want
something to eat.
Thank you very much.
- There's no need to thank me.
- Guess I lost my head.
Excuse me,
can I use your sink here?
Help yourself.
You're working too hard.
You'll get yourself tore up.
You're not gonna be fit to work.
A few days ain't gonna hurt me,
but you get yourself stove up,
you might as well pack it in,
get yourself another boss,
cos I don't need no cripple.
The towel's under your hat.
I aim to get this drive done.
It's gonna be a long, hard pull.
You're gonna have to be fit.
Yep. Imagine I can handle it.
I don't count on miracles.
Don't mind me. I'm...
I always eat this way.
Er, do you mind if I do the same thing?
Suit yourself.
Excuse me.
Tragedies of Shakespeare.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know... I'm sorry.
It's my bills.
That's where I keep my bills.
Appropriate, ain't it?
That paint horse
is gonna make a nice calf horse.
Nice house.
I noticed you had a clean spot
on that wall over there.
Mm.
Used to be a clock.
Great-Grandad gave it
to my mom and dad for their wedding.
Like him, it was a noisy old thing.
Couldn't get a moment's peace.
Well, it sure is peaceful now.
Hyah! Hah!
I got the rest of them
corralled up near the high mesa.
And them broncs of yours
are the smartest I ever seen.
Took me three days,
but I got 'em all gathered.
Hello, Buck.
You got some damn fine horses
for this madness of yours, Ella.
- Got enough?
- I wouldn't be here if we didn't.
Enough if he works with us?
You think you're up to this?
The way he talks, he better be.
Well, you... you look all right.
I just hope you don't go bad on us
when we need you the most.
I try not to make a habit
of going bad on folks, old fella.
My name's Dodger, if you don't mind.
You got a place of your own.
Why do you want to throw in with us?
How did you get so old
being so damn nosy?
Uh... luck and brains, I guess.
You gonna answer the question?
You gonna give me a chew?
Well, you...
you sure picked a lulu.
Thank you.
Just don't take it all.
I think I got you figured.
- Let's get the gear.
- All right.
Hyah!
My pal was an honest young puncher
Honest and upright and true
But he turned to
a hard-shooting gunman
On account of a gal named Lou
He mixed in with evil compan...
Damn...
I've had this thing in hock so much,
the pawnbroker plays it better than I do.
Wish that son of a bitch was here.
You ever been married, Buck?
I don't imagine
I ever been that drunk. You?
No. I went with an old gal
for quite a while.
We was laying in bed one morning
and suddenly she sprung it on me.
She said, "Dodger, don't you think
it's about time that we was getting hitched?"
And I says, "Do you suppose
anybody'd have us?"
They'll stay by a man while he's winning
And laugh in his face at his fall
Ewing's moving his cattle
on your land.
He's gonna try to cross.
I believe you're on my land.
Take them around the long way,
we lose maybe two to four pounds apiece.
- This is the best way.
- Don't mean a damn to me.
I'll pay passage fees.
Imagine you will.
If you let him cross here,
he's gonna walk all over you.
This is a legal challenge.
I know what I'm talking about.
He tried to do this to my dad.
Let me tend to my business.
How many head you bringing?
Thousand.
He's pissing on you, Athearn.
Look like you're halfway through now.
Hyah! Hyah, hyah...!
Athearn.
Thanks.
Appreciate you helping out back there.
Think about working with me, Frank,
not against me.
The only thing I want you to appreciate
is I never want to see you or your cattle
on my land again.
Do you understand that?
Do you understand it?
Hello, Buck.
I'll be back for my things.
Well? What happened?
He was letting Ewing
run his cattle across his land.
Yeah?
I stampeded Ewing's cattle.
JW couldn't have split you two up any more
if he'd have used a broad axe on you.
Can't trust Athearn.
Yeah, he's kinda sneaky all right.
Always talking up like he does
and having common sense.
It's real bad business.
Sure did gather them cows
in a hurry, didn't you?
Oh yeah, we're just hell on wheels,
as you probably know.
Are you still looking for that dog to kick?
Damn, you're the one to jump in
when you don't know the right direction.
But you know, you gotta go back
quite a ways to make this all fit in.
- Guess I'm gonna have to hear this.
- Well, just the important part.
That's all that matters.
Well...
Well, JW Ewing and Tom Connors,
they was...
they was raised like brothers
instead of cousins.
Tom never would give in to JW.
He wouldn't budge one inch on the land,
and he raised Ella as a fighter.
He tried to make her a son
that he needed but he never did have.
She was weaned on war.
She never knew nothing else.
They got a word down in Texas.
Stargazer.
That's an old horse
that's had his bit jerked on real hard
whenever he'd slow up
or look down at the ground.
So to get away from that,
he'd hold his head up
and always kind of look at the sky.
That's Ella.
Something I can do for you?
This here's Ralph Cole.
Ewing has him round the place
to keep them windmills going
with that hot air of his, I think.
I'd sure like to know
why he's on the prowl.
- Emil Kroegh was my buddy.
- Ah.
You know, I understand
why they keep this old windbag around.
The only thing he's good for
is mending fences or sugar titting.
But I heard you were a real cowman.
Shit, you ain't nothing but a paper bat
that couldn't lick his upper lip.
Well, any horse's ass
that'd work for a woman,
he don't deserve nothing better
than road-apple pie.
I guess we know
how Ella's paying you off.
Damn.
Drink your beer, Dodger.
I'm sure sorry, fellas.
He'll cover it.
I say you oughtn't have done that.
Look, you tell your boss
to stay clear of me.
Go on.
Didn't want you sneaking back
for your damn cattle.
I'm obliged.
Where'd you find 'em?
Ain't so hard if you know where to look.
How you doin'?
- Fine.
- Fine.
I can offer you a little water if you like.
We hid your cattle on you.
Figure it'd stretch more work out of you.
- Don't much matter.
- Yes, it does.
Ain't never cheated a man in my life.
Even had you stayed,
we would have given them back to you.
It's all right.
How about the water?
No.
I'm not gonna consider it a debt,
you taking a mouthful of water,
you understand?
Woman, what in the hell
is the matter with you?
Well, what the hell's
that supposed to mean?
It means, what in the hell
is the matter with you?
Why don't you just say what you gotta say
instead of that nonsense about these cattle?
You and the old man can't make it alone.
So you need me.
Well, I figure I need you, too.
Imagine I could make this
work here for a year,
but then I'd have to pack it in,
and I figure...
figure you do, too.
- Sure like to figure, don't you?
- Yes, ma'am. It helps.
Look, I don't want to take over your ranch,
you understand? But I, uh...
I'm not coming back as a hired hand.
I ain't never had no partner.
It's not real hard to figure out why.
For the season.
I guess I'll see you in the morning.
There's one more little thing.
I sure hate the way you say my name,
Athearn, I hate it.
Athearn.
Sounds like you're sneezing.
So I thought maybe we could call each other
by our first names, Frank and Ella.
How's that sound?
- All right.
- Ma'am?
- All right.
- All right what?
All right, Frank.
- Jesus.
- There you go.
See you in the morning.
Hyah! Hyah!
Hyah! Hyah...!
- This what this is for?
- No, by God!
Morning, Ella.
Can you spare a minute?
Come in.
This here's Virg Hoverton,
my banker, Frank.
Guess you know about Frank Athearn.
Good morning, Miss Connors.
Athearn.
Pleasure to meet you, Mr Athearn.
This is Neil Atkinson.
I'm sure you've heard of Atko Oil.
And this is George Bascomb,
his geologist.
Heard you were doing pretty good.
Still got a ways to go, though, huh?
I don't guess you come up here
to talk about that.
You got something to say,
why don't you just say it?
You know, Miss Connors,
the characteristics of this valley
are almost identical
to what we found
in other parts of the state
where there are already
substantial oil fields in production.
There could be a lot of wealth in here.
Unfortunately, we can't really pinpoint
the exact location of that structure
without a more complete seismic record.
What he means, Ella, is,
they want to test for oil.
I'm not stupid, Virg.
I also ain't interested.
You ought to know that by now.
Well, I understand that.
But have you given any thought
to what this means?
Well...
Hell, I imagine it means
you're gonna tear the earth apart.
You know, Ella, I admire you.
I've watched you and your father
give everything you had to this piece of land.
Now's your chance to make it pay.
I seen places where they drill for oil.
You better include my partner over there
in these dealings. He's got a mind of his own.
It's not just a question of a piece of land
or an oil company.
The war's gonna be over soon,
and we're gonna have a lot of building to do.
We're gonna need more energy
than we've ever needed before.
When it comes to land
over the needs of the people,
I think I'd have to take people anytime.
Boy, it sounds to me like
a bunch of speeches I heard
when they was trying to get me
to re-enlist in the army.
They sure don't seem
to have done a lot of good, do they?
I'm with the lady.
Got your answer, Virg.
You know, Ella,
you could lose this place overnight.
Miss Connors,
I think I know how you feel.
I've dealt with a lot of ranchers who feel
the same way you both do about the land.
Think it over.
Good luck with your roundup.
Be seeing you, Virg.
Hyah! Hyah!
I've been thinking.
Imagine there could be something
to what that Atkinson said, you know?
- What are you talking about?
- Well...
I mean, if you was to agree
and they was to find oil,
you'd have enough money,
you'd be set for life.
Then you'd be shed of Ewing's and of me,
all them things that bother you so much.
I see you don't always
look at both sides of things.
Ain't about to start now.
Guess you're not.
But I thought with all that oil money, hell,
you could buy you a nice house in the city.
Be a real fine lady. Real fine lady.
Drink champagne
and eat that there caviar.
Drink tea, you know,
with your pinkie up in the air.
Wear them nice little silk dresses
with them flowers all over it.
- Ain't that a pretty picture?
- Yes, ma'am. I think it is.
I knew she'd never let you oil people
piss on that land,
even if it meant losing it to me.
I don't think
she's gonna lose it to you, Jacob.
Virgil tells me she and Athearn
are rounding up enough cattle
to see them through another year.
Ella and that young cowboy
make quite a team.
I admire you, Jacob.
My father always said you were
one of the last of the great empire builders.
Your father understood.
My father was a rich man's son
who played with money.
But I'm not him.
Of all the money my father lent you,
you've never paid back a cent.
I'm not asking you for the money
you owe my family.
But I want to test for oil on this land.
When my people have had a chance
to study the findings, we'll talk again.
And what if I don't go along with you?
I know how much
this ranch means to you, Jacob.
I'd hate to see you lose it.
Goddamn!
Let me get my air.
Frank!
I just gotta get my air.
Get the truck.
Dammit!
Doc says your limbs
are gonna be fine, old man.
Gonna have to stay put for a while.
Hell, I ain't that sick.
Besides, we still got
a hell of a lot of work to do.
Well, we got us a bunch.
Man's trying to tell you
he's straight as a skeeter's peter
in the middle of the mating season.
I've been watching you
pretty close, Buck,
and I can tell you was taught
by old Joe Voss.
He's as good a cowboy as I ever met.
I figure you could cut
his trail any old day.
I never had his seam squirrels.
I always figured
that's what made him so fast.
He was the most cootie-laden critter
God ever put hair on.
But he was a cowboy.
I imagine.
Are you gonna give me a chew, Buck?
Hell, you bet.
All I got here is this Copenhagen.
Well, that's good enough.
Yeah, I thought it might be.
You save me a pinch, now.
Yeah.
I'm gonna go tend to the horses.
Ella?
You ought to know better than anyone,
I won't allow no lying under my roof...
except some of my own tall tales.
But I know and you know,
my roping and riding days is over.
Who's top dog, baby sister?
The one that fights the hardest.
No matter what you think,
your dad would be damn proud of you.
Whoa, son.
Steady.
My garden's dying.
It just needs a little water.
Windmill broke.
It's just an old machine.
God damn you, Ewing!
God damn your soul!
I imagine we got us
a big enough herd right now.
No sense getting hoggish
about the whole thing here.
Especially with the weather getting bad
as it is. It kind of spooks me.
We turned out them good bulls
and nice heifers.
You have a nice start for next year.
I guess what I'm saying is we could
just go with what we got, you know?
What do you think?
I slept with Ewing.
I slept with Ewing when I was a girl.
He was always watching me.
I was forbid to go near him,
but he was always watching me and...
I'd come home from school
or I'd be out working the herd,
out by myself somewhere.
He'd be there just looking at me
and waiting.
Never said nothing, just...
just watching me and waiting.
And he had me.
My dad won a law case against him
over the land.
One night me and Dodger
and my dad were eating supper and he...
rode up yelling
for my dad to come outside.
I stood right next to my dad on the porch.
Ewing told him every damn thing we did.
My dad looked at me to tell him
it wasn't true. I couldn't do it.
Just broke him. Just broke him.
I hate him.
I hate him.
You know, it's gonna be, uh...
nearly impossible for the two of us
to drive that herd down the hill,
so I was thinking, well,
we ought to hire some hands
to help us get them
from here down to the ranch,
then from, uh...
you know, from the ranch to wherever the hell
it is we're gonna sell 'em.
I was just thinking I ought to go into town
and hire us some help.
Thought maybe I'd go tomorrow.
What do you think?
Hmm?
Yeah.
- How was your trip?
- It was a little rough.
There was turbulence in the mountains.
Mr Ewing, these are all records of the
seismic shooting we've done on your ranch.
We completely covered your land,
all the way to Ella Connors' property line.
The only place where it would be
economically feasible for us to drill a test
would be somewhere in here.
Now, that's on the Connors' ranch
and she's not gonna let us drill there.
But there's another possibility.
We could drill diagonally under her land,
from the edge of the creek
at this point on your property.
Now, we wouldn't have to put
any hardware at all on her land.
- It'd probably be easy to get her permission.
- Thank you, George.
You can leave the reports here.
Thank you.
Now what are you going to do?
Wait her out,
and hope, like you do,
that she'll go under.
That could take quite a while.
Yeah, it could.
In the meantime,
what do I do to protect my interests
from you?
If you could stop me, you would.
The only way to protect myself
is to have the Ewing ranch in my name.
I've gone over the whole situation.
With whom?
With Hoverton. With the bank.
You talked to Hoverton
about taking over my ranch?
Well, you don't own the bank, Jacob.
There was a time.
I'll make it as easy as I can for you.
We'll behave as if you were still
the owner of the ranch.
If you were in my position and you thought
there was a chance for oil in this valley,
wouldn't you protect yourself
by taking it over?
If you were me, what would you do?
I'd squeeze so hard
your nuts would fall off.
Hey, Neil, you don't have to leave.
Might as well make yourself at home.
Hell, the house is as good as yours now.
Tell me, Neil.
When you retire me...
are you gonna give me a gold watch?
JW.
Sit down, boys.
I understand
Ella and that soldier boy
have rounded up enough cattle
to hang on for another year.
You hadn't ought
to worry about that, JW.
Just because they've got them penned
sure don't mean
that they're gonna stay penned.
They could be stopped...
real easy.
Ever since there have been Ewings,
there's been Blockers and Coles
at their side.
Through everything.
Nesters. Rustlers. All our enemies.
When I was a boy,
I saw a bulldog take a bull by the nose
and wrestle him to the ground.
The dog bit too hard
and the bull
stomped that dog to death.
Well, boys...
we got a whole pack of dogs to deal with.
Hyah! Hyah...!
Hyah! Hup! Hyah!
Hyah! Hyah...!
Imagine you'd like to try
one of them?
Think you might like
to take your jacket off?
Now, let's do the Texas Star.
Bow to your partner,
then bow to your corner.
Now swing your partner,
to the left, whirl. Hey!
I think I'd better get started. I want
to get into those hills before it gets dark.
Julie, pack up some chow for Mr Atkinson.
- It's all taken care of, JW.
- Good.
Julie...
I think you ought to know we'll both be working
for Mr Atkinson from now on.
Is that a fact?
I surely do appreciate you not saying anything
to anyone about taking over, Neil.
You'll see, Jacob,
everything is gonna work out just fine.
- Into the centre, let's hear you yell.
- Whoa!
Good stock, but a bit old.
I suspect a mite on the tough side.
You won't find better beef,
and you know it.
You should have sold 'em
a long time ago.
We talking should-haves and what-ifs
or we talking cattle?
I don't image you'll need a pencil
to give us a price or nothin'.
I like to make things official.
- You call that a price?
- I do.
You only have about 40 good head
in that whole herd.
Most of those cows' heads are sore
from being tied to the trees.
Army ain't buying anymore.
Everybody knows
the war is coming to an end.
I think five cents is a good price.
Well, I think, uh...
there'll be other buyers.
How about five and a half cents?
How about...
us thanking you for your time?
It's been a long trip. We appreciate it.
Now we'll just say goodbye.
Six cents and we do business.
I'm only doing that now
because I've known Ella so long.
That include delivery
or we gotta bring 'em in?
- No, you deliver.
- No, um...
We deliver,
I imagine we need another penny.
We're doing the work and all,
and weight loss...
Got to get another penny.
She was tough in the old days.
But the two of you is just plum awful.
OK. Seven cents.
And that's as high
as I'm going to go now.
Is that a deal?
Deal.
Yeah, right.
Congratulations. You're sure getting
this place back on its feet again.
Yeah.
I'll see you in town with them, then.
And don't be watering them just before
you get to town to add a little extra weight.
So long, Ellie.
So long, Cliff.
Imagine!
Sit down, Virgil.
Thanks, JW.
It was sad about Neil.
Yes, it is.
I understand, er...
you're going over to Ella's later on
to pick up payment on her note.
Well... yes, I am.
Gonna celebrate?
Like you and Neil did
when you talked about taking me over?
Now, JW,
it wasn't anything like that at all.
I had no choice in the matter.
Oh, I figure you did, Virgil.
JW, I have to tell you, I have
Neil's instructions regarding the ranch.
Oh? Neil left instructions...
to you?
Well, yes.
I have to put the takeover
in the works.
But you don't have to worry, JW.
He left specific instructions that you were
to still run the ranch, at a good salary.
The ranch will still bear the Ewing name.
You're gonna be well taken care of, JW.
I hate to be the one to do this.
But you have to look at it
from my position, JW.
You see, my first responsibility
is to the bank.
You're talking to me about the bank?
My grandpa built that bank.
Well, I know that, JW.
Well, you might, since you were the one
who came whining to us for money
when the bank was failing in '29.
We never failed you, Virgil.
Trusted you...
and you sold us out.
Guess I've gotta rank you
with a dog, Virgil.
Sit down.
Big day for you, ain't it?
Cattle to market.
Debts about to be paid.
New man in your life.
You'd best get out of here, JW.
I never wanted it to happen this way,
but you left me no choice.
I'm gonna give you one more chance.
You don't give nothing.
If you want my land,
you're gonna have to kill me.
That's the way it's always been for you.
One of us had to kill the other.
No.
I just wanted to be left in peace
to work my land.
Whatever happens now,
you've brought it on yourself.
You're not gonna get away with it,
you know that.
Hoverton's on his way out here.
Frank!
Cut the rope on my hands.
while you're at it?
Come on.
I guess I'm just itching to get there.
OK.
Let's go.
Hyah!
Ready... fire!
Ready... fire!
Half left... face!
Present... arms.
We was the lucky ones, Frank.
I thought we was gonna
come back that way.
Order... arms!
We're sure sorry about your boy.
Left... face!
- He gave his life for his country, Jake.
- Forward... march!
Mr Ewing.
Well, we need us a new fence.
Gotta get a gate.
We'll be all right.
Cabin ain't much, you know?
Well, imagine.
Weren't even supposed to be a cabin.
There ain't.
- Come on. Ho!
- Hyah, cattle!
Hyah! Yah! Come on, y'all.
You're sure right
about this place, Frank.
I ain't never seen such a pretty place.
Door was open.
Helped myself.
Always did have
the best water in the basin.
Saw the old clock was gone.
Suppose you sold it like you did
that land to them soldier boys.
Ain't you done enough to spite me?
Down to the two of us now.
Just us.
You should've married me.
We'd have had a child.
Be heir to it all.
The whole basin.
Ain't too late.
I gotta hand it to you.
You hung on longer than anybody else.
You put up a hell of a fight.
But it don't take no genius
to see it's your last year.
I don't wanna have to ruin you, Ella.
Jacob?
Do you mind some company?
I've got a call in to Claire.
Did you see this?
I think the Russians
are going to beat us into Berlin.
Neil...
by fall I'll have the Connors' place.
Do you really think
Ella's gonna go under?
You can bet on it.
Why don't you come back east with me
for a couple of weeks?
We'll go down to the place in Virginia
and do some fishing.
I wish your father had lived
to see this basin back together again.
I could never have rebuilt it
without his help.
Well, my father...
was a very generous man.
Cattle will cover this basin the way
buffalo did in my grandfather's time.
Sounds like that might take
a good deal of capital.
This is not a very good time
to talk about it,
but sometime soon I'd like
to sit down with you and talk about
the mineral rights to this valley.
Oil and cattle are not incompatible.
This is heartland. Cattle country.
That's the way it's going to stay.
That's probably Claire.
I'll get it.
Hello?
Yes, I did.
Hi, Claire.
I know it's late in New York,
I'm sorry to wake you,
but I wanted you to know
where things stand.
Who's that benefiting?
Oh well,
if it's the Belgian Red Cross, yes.
Bill's wife died
in a barroom fight
Now she keeps singing
morning till night
Ride around, kinda easy,
ride around kinda slow...
- You ever try a...
- Huh?
- I wish we had a piano or something.
- Yeah.
Ride around kinda slow
For the fiery and snuffy
are rarin' to go...
Think we got us a rooster, dude.
Hey, chickenshit GI!
Old Bill Jones
had two daughters and a song
One went to Denver,
the other went wrong
- Bill's wife died...
- Hey, chickenshit GI!
Just cos you kill a couple of Nips
don't mean you can come in here
and take over.
You hear what I said?
Hey! You wanna come on down here,
we can talk about it!
Why don't you come up here,
chickenshit?
All right, Billy. Billy!
Pay no attention to him.
He ain't gonna do nothing.
Weird folks around here.
Come on. Forget it. Have a drink.
Do anything
but pick up that harmonica again.
It's that soldier boy. Looks like
he took a bullet right in the chest.
Put him in the shed.
His partner's stone dead.
Emil Kroegh is lying up there
with a six-inch knife right in his belly.
Emil Kroegh would do anything for Ewing.
They feed in the coulees,
and they water in the draw
Their tails are all matted,
their backs are all raw
Bill Jones had a daughter,
Bill Jones had a song
One went to Denver,
the other went wrong
His wife,
she died in a poolroom fight
Still he keeps singing
from morning to night
Ride around, dogies,
ride around them slow
The fiery and snuffy are rarin' to go
Now when I die,
take my saddle from the wall
Put it on my pony
and lead him from the stall
Then tie us to his back
and a-head us to the west
We'll ride the range
in the land we love best
Ride around, little dogies,
ride around them slow
The fiery and snuffy are rarin' to go
Where's Billy? Where's Billy?
He's dead.
Oh, no.
Billy, my partner. Billy.
Billy.
I never should've sold you that land.
But I had no choice.
Please.
Please! Tell me who did this.
Name's Ewing.
You sit up, you can have that food.
I ain't gonna help you.
The more it hurts, the quicker
you're gonna get well and get out of here.
I ain't set up to be no hospital.
I left you some food
in that box over there.
It's mostly cans and dried stuff,
but you'll get by.
As soon as you're fit,
you're gonna be moving on.
You ought to know, old man,
this season's gonna hold
the worst work we ever done.
It's gonna be worse than last year.
You're free to pack it in
any time you want.
Baby sister,
each year I get a little less prime,
but I can still do my work.
You ought to know that.
They're saying it's my last year, Dodger.
They're saying
I'm gonna go under before fall.
Aw, they said that before,
if I remember right.
It's different.
This bank isn't gonna let me
just pay on the interest this year.
We're gonna need beeves
coming to over $12,000 by August.
Hell...
We didn't do 4,000 last year.
Well, we come close.
With all them broken bones of yours?
Well, there was a few accidents.
You had some, too.
You're a year older. You're brittler.
And your cows is older and tougher.
Hell, you've got cattle
ain't ever seen flat land.
You might as well be ranching
a bunch of mountain goats.
Hell, that'll ride him.
You know,
that deep water don't hurt,
but that idea of being drug off the cliff
will kind of get you.
- You can say no.
- Hell, no.
I made my choice.
Well, we got us one old man
and a banshee woman boss.
Feel like a fart in a wind storm. Giddup!
Goddamn!
Well, we lost 'em.
Flushin' cows out of this timber
is like trying to teach an elephant
to use a typewriter.
Howdy.
Hear a terrible thing happened to you.
I think I got the man
that did the shooting.
Oh, you did. He's dead.
Did you get the man that sent him?
You better get that son of a bitch
before I do.
His name... is Ewing.
Better tell him that.
He's the law.
The man you killed worked for me.
I'm Ewing.
Sorry your pard's dead.
Sorry all this had to happen,
but sometimes things just work out that way.
Now, we're disposed to give you the benefit
of the doubt when it comes to murder.
You take that and head someplace
where you've got a chance.
Whoa now, baby.
There you go.
Oh, yeah.
What's the matter with it?
Her mama's dead.
She get to nurse any?
I don't know.
I don't think so.
If it didn't, I don't imagine
you're gonna do her any good.
Nobody asked you.
Yeah. Attagirl.
You're gonna be all right.
Yeah.
Please don't watch me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll do it.
Since you're full able to get around
and fix a meal and all.
I figure you might as well just get going.
Here, I'll do it.
I told you I wasn't running no hospital
and this ain't a hotel either.
Just thought I'd give you a little hand.
I don't need a maid, don't need a cook.
You can get that kind of work in town.
I gotta go in tomorrow anyway.
I'll give you a lift.
Here. I made you these.
I don't need no chaps.
Hell, lady, they sure as hell
ain't gonna fit me.
It's a wonder you've got any flesh
on them legs at all
with them skunk skins you been wearing.
Uh...
I need... I need me a horse.
Think I could buy one?
- It'll cost you.
- Yes, ma'am, I did say I'd buy one.
I don't think there's nothing
I want from you for nothing.
There you go.
You should've chose a gentler horse.
You're too stove up for Parsons.
He'll break you just taking you to town.
Don't want you to fall off here and sue me.
I'll take the risk.
I meant what I said
about taking you to town.
Thank you.
I ain't going to town.
You ain't going back to that toilet
you call a cabin, are you?
Yes, ma'am.
Excuse me.
It seemed to me a person in your situation
might use an able-bodied man.
Thank you.
I guess I could use a hired hand.
Sorry, I ain't no hired hand.
I'll work with you,
but I sure as hell can't work for you.
You do owe me.
You owe me for the care
and the time you spent at my place.
- Excuse me?
- I said you do owe me.
You know, lady, you've got balls
the size of grapefruits.
All right.
I'll work for you a season.
You pay me any way you can at the end.
Except some of it's gotta be in stock.
Of course, any of mine we find,
you help me trap 'em.
It's a deal.
Back... Back.
Why don't you come on in?
I thought you might want
something to eat.
Thank you very much.
- There's no need to thank me.
- Guess I lost my head.
Excuse me,
can I use your sink here?
Help yourself.
You're working too hard.
You'll get yourself tore up.
You're not gonna be fit to work.
A few days ain't gonna hurt me,
but you get yourself stove up,
you might as well pack it in,
get yourself another boss,
cos I don't need no cripple.
The towel's under your hat.
I aim to get this drive done.
It's gonna be a long, hard pull.
You're gonna have to be fit.
Yep. Imagine I can handle it.
I don't count on miracles.
Don't mind me. I'm...
I always eat this way.
Er, do you mind if I do the same thing?
Suit yourself.
Excuse me.
Tragedies of Shakespeare.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know... I'm sorry.
It's my bills.
That's where I keep my bills.
Appropriate, ain't it?
That paint horse
is gonna make a nice calf horse.
Nice house.
I noticed you had a clean spot
on that wall over there.
Mm.
Used to be a clock.
Great-Grandad gave it
to my mom and dad for their wedding.
Like him, it was a noisy old thing.
Couldn't get a moment's peace.
Well, it sure is peaceful now.
Hyah! Hah!
I got the rest of them
corralled up near the high mesa.
And them broncs of yours
are the smartest I ever seen.
Took me three days,
but I got 'em all gathered.
Hello, Buck.
You got some damn fine horses
for this madness of yours, Ella.
- Got enough?
- I wouldn't be here if we didn't.
Enough if he works with us?
You think you're up to this?
The way he talks, he better be.
Well, you... you look all right.
I just hope you don't go bad on us
when we need you the most.
I try not to make a habit
of going bad on folks, old fella.
My name's Dodger, if you don't mind.
You got a place of your own.
Why do you want to throw in with us?
How did you get so old
being so damn nosy?
Uh... luck and brains, I guess.
You gonna answer the question?
You gonna give me a chew?
Well, you...
you sure picked a lulu.
Thank you.
Just don't take it all.
I think I got you figured.
- Let's get the gear.
- All right.
Hyah!
My pal was an honest young puncher
Honest and upright and true
But he turned to
a hard-shooting gunman
On account of a gal named Lou
He mixed in with evil compan...
Damn...
I've had this thing in hock so much,
the pawnbroker plays it better than I do.
Wish that son of a bitch was here.
You ever been married, Buck?
I don't imagine
I ever been that drunk. You?
No. I went with an old gal
for quite a while.
We was laying in bed one morning
and suddenly she sprung it on me.
She said, "Dodger, don't you think
it's about time that we was getting hitched?"
And I says, "Do you suppose
anybody'd have us?"
They'll stay by a man while he's winning
And laugh in his face at his fall
Ewing's moving his cattle
on your land.
He's gonna try to cross.
I believe you're on my land.
Take them around the long way,
we lose maybe two to four pounds apiece.
- This is the best way.
- Don't mean a damn to me.
I'll pay passage fees.
Imagine you will.
If you let him cross here,
he's gonna walk all over you.
This is a legal challenge.
I know what I'm talking about.
He tried to do this to my dad.
Let me tend to my business.
How many head you bringing?
Thousand.
He's pissing on you, Athearn.
Look like you're halfway through now.
Hyah! Hyah, hyah...!
Athearn.
Thanks.
Appreciate you helping out back there.
Think about working with me, Frank,
not against me.
The only thing I want you to appreciate
is I never want to see you or your cattle
on my land again.
Do you understand that?
Do you understand it?
Hello, Buck.
I'll be back for my things.
Well? What happened?
He was letting Ewing
run his cattle across his land.
Yeah?
I stampeded Ewing's cattle.
JW couldn't have split you two up any more
if he'd have used a broad axe on you.
Can't trust Athearn.
Yeah, he's kinda sneaky all right.
Always talking up like he does
and having common sense.
It's real bad business.
Sure did gather them cows
in a hurry, didn't you?
Oh yeah, we're just hell on wheels,
as you probably know.
Are you still looking for that dog to kick?
Damn, you're the one to jump in
when you don't know the right direction.
But you know, you gotta go back
quite a ways to make this all fit in.
- Guess I'm gonna have to hear this.
- Well, just the important part.
That's all that matters.
Well...
Well, JW Ewing and Tom Connors,
they was...
they was raised like brothers
instead of cousins.
Tom never would give in to JW.
He wouldn't budge one inch on the land,
and he raised Ella as a fighter.
He tried to make her a son
that he needed but he never did have.
She was weaned on war.
She never knew nothing else.
They got a word down in Texas.
Stargazer.
That's an old horse
that's had his bit jerked on real hard
whenever he'd slow up
or look down at the ground.
So to get away from that,
he'd hold his head up
and always kind of look at the sky.
That's Ella.
Something I can do for you?
This here's Ralph Cole.
Ewing has him round the place
to keep them windmills going
with that hot air of his, I think.
I'd sure like to know
why he's on the prowl.
- Emil Kroegh was my buddy.
- Ah.
You know, I understand
why they keep this old windbag around.
The only thing he's good for
is mending fences or sugar titting.
But I heard you were a real cowman.
Shit, you ain't nothing but a paper bat
that couldn't lick his upper lip.
Well, any horse's ass
that'd work for a woman,
he don't deserve nothing better
than road-apple pie.
I guess we know
how Ella's paying you off.
Damn.
Drink your beer, Dodger.
I'm sure sorry, fellas.
He'll cover it.
I say you oughtn't have done that.
Look, you tell your boss
to stay clear of me.
Go on.
Didn't want you sneaking back
for your damn cattle.
I'm obliged.
Where'd you find 'em?
Ain't so hard if you know where to look.
How you doin'?
- Fine.
- Fine.
I can offer you a little water if you like.
We hid your cattle on you.
Figure it'd stretch more work out of you.
- Don't much matter.
- Yes, it does.
Ain't never cheated a man in my life.
Even had you stayed,
we would have given them back to you.
It's all right.
How about the water?
No.
I'm not gonna consider it a debt,
you taking a mouthful of water,
you understand?
Woman, what in the hell
is the matter with you?
Well, what the hell's
that supposed to mean?
It means, what in the hell
is the matter with you?
Why don't you just say what you gotta say
instead of that nonsense about these cattle?
You and the old man can't make it alone.
So you need me.
Well, I figure I need you, too.
Imagine I could make this
work here for a year,
but then I'd have to pack it in,
and I figure...
figure you do, too.
- Sure like to figure, don't you?
- Yes, ma'am. It helps.
Look, I don't want to take over your ranch,
you understand? But I, uh...
I'm not coming back as a hired hand.
I ain't never had no partner.
It's not real hard to figure out why.
For the season.
I guess I'll see you in the morning.
There's one more little thing.
I sure hate the way you say my name,
Athearn, I hate it.
Athearn.
Sounds like you're sneezing.
So I thought maybe we could call each other
by our first names, Frank and Ella.
How's that sound?
- All right.
- Ma'am?
- All right.
- All right what?
All right, Frank.
- Jesus.
- There you go.
See you in the morning.
Hyah! Hyah!
Hyah! Hyah...!
- This what this is for?
- No, by God!
Morning, Ella.
Can you spare a minute?
Come in.
This here's Virg Hoverton,
my banker, Frank.
Guess you know about Frank Athearn.
Good morning, Miss Connors.
Athearn.
Pleasure to meet you, Mr Athearn.
This is Neil Atkinson.
I'm sure you've heard of Atko Oil.
And this is George Bascomb,
his geologist.
Heard you were doing pretty good.
Still got a ways to go, though, huh?
I don't guess you come up here
to talk about that.
You got something to say,
why don't you just say it?
You know, Miss Connors,
the characteristics of this valley
are almost identical
to what we found
in other parts of the state
where there are already
substantial oil fields in production.
There could be a lot of wealth in here.
Unfortunately, we can't really pinpoint
the exact location of that structure
without a more complete seismic record.
What he means, Ella, is,
they want to test for oil.
I'm not stupid, Virg.
I also ain't interested.
You ought to know that by now.
Well, I understand that.
But have you given any thought
to what this means?
Well...
Hell, I imagine it means
you're gonna tear the earth apart.
You know, Ella, I admire you.
I've watched you and your father
give everything you had to this piece of land.
Now's your chance to make it pay.
I seen places where they drill for oil.
You better include my partner over there
in these dealings. He's got a mind of his own.
It's not just a question of a piece of land
or an oil company.
The war's gonna be over soon,
and we're gonna have a lot of building to do.
We're gonna need more energy
than we've ever needed before.
When it comes to land
over the needs of the people,
I think I'd have to take people anytime.
Boy, it sounds to me like
a bunch of speeches I heard
when they was trying to get me
to re-enlist in the army.
They sure don't seem
to have done a lot of good, do they?
I'm with the lady.
Got your answer, Virg.
You know, Ella,
you could lose this place overnight.
Miss Connors,
I think I know how you feel.
I've dealt with a lot of ranchers who feel
the same way you both do about the land.
Think it over.
Good luck with your roundup.
Be seeing you, Virg.
Hyah! Hyah!
I've been thinking.
Imagine there could be something
to what that Atkinson said, you know?
- What are you talking about?
- Well...
I mean, if you was to agree
and they was to find oil,
you'd have enough money,
you'd be set for life.
Then you'd be shed of Ewing's and of me,
all them things that bother you so much.
I see you don't always
look at both sides of things.
Ain't about to start now.
Guess you're not.
But I thought with all that oil money, hell,
you could buy you a nice house in the city.
Be a real fine lady. Real fine lady.
Drink champagne
and eat that there caviar.
Drink tea, you know,
with your pinkie up in the air.
Wear them nice little silk dresses
with them flowers all over it.
- Ain't that a pretty picture?
- Yes, ma'am. I think it is.
I knew she'd never let you oil people
piss on that land,
even if it meant losing it to me.
I don't think
she's gonna lose it to you, Jacob.
Virgil tells me she and Athearn
are rounding up enough cattle
to see them through another year.
Ella and that young cowboy
make quite a team.
I admire you, Jacob.
My father always said you were
one of the last of the great empire builders.
Your father understood.
My father was a rich man's son
who played with money.
But I'm not him.
Of all the money my father lent you,
you've never paid back a cent.
I'm not asking you for the money
you owe my family.
But I want to test for oil on this land.
When my people have had a chance
to study the findings, we'll talk again.
And what if I don't go along with you?
I know how much
this ranch means to you, Jacob.
I'd hate to see you lose it.
Goddamn!
Let me get my air.
Frank!
I just gotta get my air.
Get the truck.
Dammit!
Doc says your limbs
are gonna be fine, old man.
Gonna have to stay put for a while.
Hell, I ain't that sick.
Besides, we still got
a hell of a lot of work to do.
Well, we got us a bunch.
Man's trying to tell you
he's straight as a skeeter's peter
in the middle of the mating season.
I've been watching you
pretty close, Buck,
and I can tell you was taught
by old Joe Voss.
He's as good a cowboy as I ever met.
I figure you could cut
his trail any old day.
I never had his seam squirrels.
I always figured
that's what made him so fast.
He was the most cootie-laden critter
God ever put hair on.
But he was a cowboy.
I imagine.
Are you gonna give me a chew, Buck?
Hell, you bet.
All I got here is this Copenhagen.
Well, that's good enough.
Yeah, I thought it might be.
You save me a pinch, now.
Yeah.
I'm gonna go tend to the horses.
Ella?
You ought to know better than anyone,
I won't allow no lying under my roof...
except some of my own tall tales.
But I know and you know,
my roping and riding days is over.
Who's top dog, baby sister?
The one that fights the hardest.
No matter what you think,
your dad would be damn proud of you.
Whoa, son.
Steady.
My garden's dying.
It just needs a little water.
Windmill broke.
It's just an old machine.
God damn you, Ewing!
God damn your soul!
I imagine we got us
a big enough herd right now.
No sense getting hoggish
about the whole thing here.
Especially with the weather getting bad
as it is. It kind of spooks me.
We turned out them good bulls
and nice heifers.
You have a nice start for next year.
I guess what I'm saying is we could
just go with what we got, you know?
What do you think?
I slept with Ewing.
I slept with Ewing when I was a girl.
He was always watching me.
I was forbid to go near him,
but he was always watching me and...
I'd come home from school
or I'd be out working the herd,
out by myself somewhere.
He'd be there just looking at me
and waiting.
Never said nothing, just...
just watching me and waiting.
And he had me.
My dad won a law case against him
over the land.
One night me and Dodger
and my dad were eating supper and he...
rode up yelling
for my dad to come outside.
I stood right next to my dad on the porch.
Ewing told him every damn thing we did.
My dad looked at me to tell him
it wasn't true. I couldn't do it.
Just broke him. Just broke him.
I hate him.
I hate him.
You know, it's gonna be, uh...
nearly impossible for the two of us
to drive that herd down the hill,
so I was thinking, well,
we ought to hire some hands
to help us get them
from here down to the ranch,
then from, uh...
you know, from the ranch to wherever the hell
it is we're gonna sell 'em.
I was just thinking I ought to go into town
and hire us some help.
Thought maybe I'd go tomorrow.
What do you think?
Hmm?
Yeah.
- How was your trip?
- It was a little rough.
There was turbulence in the mountains.
Mr Ewing, these are all records of the
seismic shooting we've done on your ranch.
We completely covered your land,
all the way to Ella Connors' property line.
The only place where it would be
economically feasible for us to drill a test
would be somewhere in here.
Now, that's on the Connors' ranch
and she's not gonna let us drill there.
But there's another possibility.
We could drill diagonally under her land,
from the edge of the creek
at this point on your property.
Now, we wouldn't have to put
any hardware at all on her land.
- It'd probably be easy to get her permission.
- Thank you, George.
You can leave the reports here.
Thank you.
Now what are you going to do?
Wait her out,
and hope, like you do,
that she'll go under.
That could take quite a while.
Yeah, it could.
In the meantime,
what do I do to protect my interests
from you?
If you could stop me, you would.
The only way to protect myself
is to have the Ewing ranch in my name.
I've gone over the whole situation.
With whom?
With Hoverton. With the bank.
You talked to Hoverton
about taking over my ranch?
Well, you don't own the bank, Jacob.
There was a time.
I'll make it as easy as I can for you.
We'll behave as if you were still
the owner of the ranch.
If you were in my position and you thought
there was a chance for oil in this valley,
wouldn't you protect yourself
by taking it over?
If you were me, what would you do?
I'd squeeze so hard
your nuts would fall off.
Hey, Neil, you don't have to leave.
Might as well make yourself at home.
Hell, the house is as good as yours now.
Tell me, Neil.
When you retire me...
are you gonna give me a gold watch?
JW.
Sit down, boys.
I understand
Ella and that soldier boy
have rounded up enough cattle
to hang on for another year.
You hadn't ought
to worry about that, JW.
Just because they've got them penned
sure don't mean
that they're gonna stay penned.
They could be stopped...
real easy.
Ever since there have been Ewings,
there's been Blockers and Coles
at their side.
Through everything.
Nesters. Rustlers. All our enemies.
When I was a boy,
I saw a bulldog take a bull by the nose
and wrestle him to the ground.
The dog bit too hard
and the bull
stomped that dog to death.
Well, boys...
we got a whole pack of dogs to deal with.
Hyah! Hyah...!
Hyah! Hup! Hyah!
Hyah! Hyah...!
Imagine you'd like to try
one of them?
Think you might like
to take your jacket off?
Now, let's do the Texas Star.
Bow to your partner,
then bow to your corner.
Now swing your partner,
to the left, whirl. Hey!
I think I'd better get started. I want
to get into those hills before it gets dark.
Julie, pack up some chow for Mr Atkinson.
- It's all taken care of, JW.
- Good.
Julie...
I think you ought to know we'll both be working
for Mr Atkinson from now on.
Is that a fact?
I surely do appreciate you not saying anything
to anyone about taking over, Neil.
You'll see, Jacob,
everything is gonna work out just fine.
- Into the centre, let's hear you yell.
- Whoa!
Good stock, but a bit old.
I suspect a mite on the tough side.
You won't find better beef,
and you know it.
You should have sold 'em
a long time ago.
We talking should-haves and what-ifs
or we talking cattle?
I don't image you'll need a pencil
to give us a price or nothin'.
I like to make things official.
- You call that a price?
- I do.
You only have about 40 good head
in that whole herd.
Most of those cows' heads are sore
from being tied to the trees.
Army ain't buying anymore.
Everybody knows
the war is coming to an end.
I think five cents is a good price.
Well, I think, uh...
there'll be other buyers.
How about five and a half cents?
How about...
us thanking you for your time?
It's been a long trip. We appreciate it.
Now we'll just say goodbye.
Six cents and we do business.
I'm only doing that now
because I've known Ella so long.
That include delivery
or we gotta bring 'em in?
- No, you deliver.
- No, um...
We deliver,
I imagine we need another penny.
We're doing the work and all,
and weight loss...
Got to get another penny.
She was tough in the old days.
But the two of you is just plum awful.
OK. Seven cents.
And that's as high
as I'm going to go now.
Is that a deal?
Deal.
Yeah, right.
Congratulations. You're sure getting
this place back on its feet again.
Yeah.
I'll see you in town with them, then.
And don't be watering them just before
you get to town to add a little extra weight.
So long, Ellie.
So long, Cliff.
Imagine!
Sit down, Virgil.
Thanks, JW.
It was sad about Neil.
Yes, it is.
I understand, er...
you're going over to Ella's later on
to pick up payment on her note.
Well... yes, I am.
Gonna celebrate?
Like you and Neil did
when you talked about taking me over?
Now, JW,
it wasn't anything like that at all.
I had no choice in the matter.
Oh, I figure you did, Virgil.
JW, I have to tell you, I have
Neil's instructions regarding the ranch.
Oh? Neil left instructions...
to you?
Well, yes.
I have to put the takeover
in the works.
But you don't have to worry, JW.
He left specific instructions that you were
to still run the ranch, at a good salary.
The ranch will still bear the Ewing name.
You're gonna be well taken care of, JW.
I hate to be the one to do this.
But you have to look at it
from my position, JW.
You see, my first responsibility
is to the bank.
You're talking to me about the bank?
My grandpa built that bank.
Well, I know that, JW.
Well, you might, since you were the one
who came whining to us for money
when the bank was failing in '29.
We never failed you, Virgil.
Trusted you...
and you sold us out.
Guess I've gotta rank you
with a dog, Virgil.
Sit down.
Big day for you, ain't it?
Cattle to market.
Debts about to be paid.
New man in your life.
You'd best get out of here, JW.
I never wanted it to happen this way,
but you left me no choice.
I'm gonna give you one more chance.
You don't give nothing.
If you want my land,
you're gonna have to kill me.
That's the way it's always been for you.
One of us had to kill the other.
No.
I just wanted to be left in peace
to work my land.
Whatever happens now,
you've brought it on yourself.
You're not gonna get away with it,
you know that.
Hoverton's on his way out here.
Frank!
Cut the rope on my hands.