Decision at Sundown (1957) Movie Script
Driver!
Pull up here.
I said, pull up.
You, shotgun, stand up!
Throw me my rifle.
All right, boys, you can move out.
From now on,
we're going in different directions.
Well, git!
Morning, Bart. I was beginning to think
that coach was never gonna get here.
- Looks like it woke you up.
- Well, waiting makes a man sleepy.
I've been over in that hollow
since yesterday afternoon.
Kind of scared the coach
might pass me during the night.
The way he's traveling now, though,
he'd have been by here two days ago.
I'd have missed you altogether.
Rough as you look, though,
I can't say as I blame him.
Sam, you sure it's him?
Well, of course I'm sure.
There ain't a hundred Tate Kimbroughs.
There could be,
but I'm only interested in one.
Well, wait till you see him for yourself.
You'll know that's the one.
- He's a big man in Sundown?
- The biggest.
He's got that town in his fist
and he's squeezing it hard.
Ain't heard the folks complain much.
Guess they're all scared.
Glad to hear he's doing so well.
When a man's riding high,
the ground comes up
and hits him a lot harder when he falls.
Well, why don't you rest a little while?
You know I ain't had nothing to eat
since yesterday.
We could make a little fire and cook up...
We'll be eating when we get to Sundown.
- Today's not Sunday.
- Thursday.
What's all the commotion?
- Tate Kimbrough's getting married.
- Today? Why didn't you tell me?
Well, I didn't reckon it was important.
Sam, folks say the most important moment
in a man's life is when he gets married.
Well, I wouldn't know about that.
- There's a pretty good eating house down...
- Where's the barbershop?
Over there.
I'm not going to miss the most important
moment in Tate Kimbrough's life.
A man shouldn't go to a wedding
with stubble on his face.
A man shouldn't go to a wedding
on an empty belly neither.
Go ahead and fill it.
No reason for you to go,
stomach empty or full.
You'll have to come back
this afternoon, mister.
This is my last customer. I'm closing up.
I'll be open again at 2:00.
- What time's the big wedding today?
- In about half an hour.
Ain't you almost finished with him?
Shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes
to shave my whiskers.
I told you, mister, I'm closing up.
You wouldn't be going to a wedding
looking like this, would you, Mr. Barber?
- No, but...
- That's what I mean.
- I told you, I'm closing up.
- You told him three times.
You don't mind if I shave myself?
- Well, no. No, sir, I don't mind, not at all.
- Thanks.
Go ahead.
I take it you're good friends
of Mr. Kimbrough.
Do you?
Well, it looks like you've come a long way
to attend his wedding.
We've come a long way.
Mr. Kimbrough is a very lucky man.
He's marrying up
with Miss Lucy Summerton,
the finest and prettiest
young lady in Sundown.
Sounds like you think might highly of her.
Oh, yes, I certainly do.
Lady like that's making a big mistake
marrying a man
as rotten as Tate Kimbrough.
I guess you've figured out now
we ain't friends of Mr. Kimbrough's.
You shouldn't talk like that
about Mr. Kimbrough.
Thank you, Mr. Summerton.
Oh, Bart, Mr. Summerton here
is Lucy's papa.
Yeah?
That's a shame.
Good morning, Mr. Summerton.
- Good morning, Doctor.
- How is Lucy feeling today?
Both the Summertons are enjoying
excellent health, I am happy to say.
Well, I wasn't inquiring about her health.
Being a physician,
that should be your only concern.
Honey!
Ruby!
I was just watching Mr. Summerton ride
down the street in his fine buggy.
- Of course, you made sure that he saw you.
- He saw me.
I imagine he must be
a little upset having that
Bible-quoting justice of the peace
perform the ceremony,
instead of the Reverend Peterson.
It could just be that the reverend is
out of town on account of you and me.
Oh, Tate, you're making a mistake.
You'll still need me.
I never needed anybody.
Everybody's got to need somebody.
- You must think you need Lucy Summerton.
- I'm marrying Lucy because I love her.
You love me.
But you never married me.
Oh, it's different between you and me.
You know that.
Yes, I guess I know.
It would be embarrassing for Lucy
if you stayed in town.
I'm leaving Sundown tonight.
I wouldn't want to embarrass
Mrs. Kimbrough.
Honey, you really are something.
I have to change for the wedding.
You can't go to the wedding.
Now, listen to me, Tate.
I never crowded you.
You know I always thought
that someday you'd marry me.
I've given you more
than any woman should ever give a man.
Even though things haven't worked out
the way they should, I've got to be there.
To remind Lucy and her father
and everybody else in town about us?
That's not the reason.
I've got to be there for me, Tate.
Don't you understand? For me.
Maybe if I see you getting married,
it'll be easier for me to understand
that now you belong to somebody else.
Ruby,
do me one last favor, will you?
Don't sit in the front pew.
That sure is a good eating house
down there on the corner.
These horses need food more than we do.
Where's the stable?
Right down there a stretch.
Hey, Doc, come in here
and give me a hand, will you?
Yeah, sure.
We want to buy some feed
for our horses, mister.
You'll have to talk to Abe about that.
He's in here.
I ain't wore these boots in five years.
My feet must have growed some.
- Push.
- Oh, who are you?
We want to buy some feed for our horses.
- How many you got?
- Two.
Much obliged, Doc.
Give me 50 cents and help yourself.
I can't go to church smelling like a horse.
Try some of it. It's
real sweet-smelling stuff.
Yeah.
You figure on staying in Sundown
for any length of time?
We could.
You know, there's a lot of folks around here
that ain't interested in seeing you rebels.
The war is over.
I bet you still got plenty folks down in
Texas that thinks the war is still going on.
What makes you think we're from Texas?
From your talk,
I sure didn't think you was Yankees.
- Yeah.
- What brings you two fellas to Sundown?
- Tate Kimbrough.
- Oh, mighty fine fellow, Mr. Kimbrough.
Sure nice you got here
in time for his wedding.
Well, come on, Doc,
we'll walk over to the church together.
I'm not going.
Oh, sometimes you take things too serious.
- I don't think so.
- Well, it's up to you.
Something bothering you, mister?
Were you afraid that Mr. Kimbrough
wouldn't like it
if you weren't in time for his wedding?
Some folks around here figure
that Sundown doesn't need
any more of Tate Kimbrough's friends.
We ain't interested in what some folks
around here figure.
Sheriff, I was shaving Mr. Summerton
when those two men came into my shop.
One was a fellow I saw hanging around
town a couple of days ago,
the other one I never saw before.
Well, what about them?
Well, I don't like their looks,
especially the one I never saw before.
The nerve of him,
talking about Tate Kimbrough like he did.
I tell you, Sheriff, he's a bad one.
- Well, what are you going to do?
- Nothing he can do.
He ain't broke any laws.
- But he said that Tate Kimbrough...
- The stranger just stated an opinion.
Now, you can't arrest a man
for having an opinion, can you, Sheriff?
Good morning, gentlemen.
What'll you have?
You got anything to eat?
The restaurant's right down the street,
but it's closed.
Two whiskeys, then.
Your money's no good today, mister.
All the drinks are on Tate Kimbrough.
- We're paying for our drinks.
- There's no charge.
If you don't mind, we'd like to pay.
Give him back his money, Otis.
- That sign means what it says, mister.
- So do I, Sheriff.
Otis, make sure everybody's got a full glass.
The good health
of Mr. And Mrs. Tate Kimbrough.
Sheriff, I'd sure appreciate it
if you'd get my money out of there,
wipe it off and put it back on the bar.
Better hurry, Sheriff.
I don't think Mr. Kimbrough
would like you to miss his wedding.
Mister, if you're figuring
to stay on in Sundown,
you're making a big mistake.
Otis, the sheriff left you a messy job,
but my friend and I would like
these drinks before we leave.
That's all right, you go right ahead.
You paid for your drink.
Otis, I think I will have that drink.
On me.
- Doc!
- Hello, Ruby.
Do me a favor. Ride with me to the church.
- Well, I wasn't planning on going.
- Please.
All right, Ruby.
I sure never expected Morley Chase
and the C-Cross boys at the wedding.
Something wrong, Barber?
Oh, no, no, no, Mr. Chase. It's just that...
Just that what?
Well, none of us figured on seeing you here,
on account of you and Tate
ain't exactly friends.
Well, why not?
I'm no different than the rest of you boys.
You know we all feel
the same about the groom.
The day's full of surprises.
What's she doing with him?
Make way for Mr. Kimbrough.
Come on, now,
make way for Mr. Kimbrough.
All right, everybody, stand aside
and make way for the bridegroom.
- Good morning, Mr. Kimbrough.
- Good morning, Zeke.
All right, folks, everybody inside.
Men, leave your guns in the vestibule.
Good morning. Good morning.
I ain't never been to no wedding,
even yours.
- You stay here.
- Oh, Bart!
Dear brethren,
we are gathered together on this...
Sheriff, we shouldn't proceed with
the ceremony with you toting a gun.
- Your gun.
- Thank you.
Dear brethren, we're gathered here
together on this glorious day
to unite Lucy Summerton
and Tate Kimbrough in holy matrimony.
Oh, friends, before I begin the ceremony,
there's a question here that has to be asked.
Is there any man here
who knows any reason
why these two dear people
should not be married?
If so, let him speak
or forever hold his peace.
- Lucy Summerton, do you take...
- Hold it!
Well, now, look here, everybody's welcome,
as long as they leave
their gun in the vestibule
and ain't got enough whiskey in them
to make them troublesome.
You said if anybody had any objection
to this wedding to speak up.
That's what I'm doing.
We're not interested, stranger.
Kimbrough, we never laid eyes
on each other before today,
and we're not strangers.
Think back to Sabine Pass
and a girl named Mary.
- I never heard of Sabine Pass.
- Lying ain't gonna help you none.
Swede, get that man out of here
so we can go on with our wedding.
Stay where you are.
You'd better leave town
if you want to stay in one piece.
I'll leave when I finish what I came for.
Well, whoever you are,
and whatever you came for,
you're not going to stop this wedding.
The name's Allison, Miss. Bart Allison.
If you marry this man,
you'll be a widow by sundown.
You, take this money down to the preacher.
Good gracious, what's this for?
Maybe I just done you out of a wedding fee,
so you can keep that money for
performing Kimbrough's funeral services.
You men sit down and stay quiet.
Wagon!
Around the corner.
You should have killed that fellow
when he passed us on the street,
instead of there in church.
I didn't kill him.
Then what is all the fuss about?
I just told him I was going to.
You just stood up there in church
and told Kimbrough
you was going to kill him.
- Bart, you must be plumb crazy.
- I'm doing this my own way, Sam.
For three years I've hunted Kimbrough,
but he didn't know it.
Before I settle with him,
I want him to know he's being hunted.
You ain't hunting him no more,
he's hunting you.
They're holed up in Abe's livery stable.
Now, don't worry, Tate,
they ain't going nowhere.
We got that whole stable covered,
front and back.
Seeing as how I'm your best man
and got the ring,
I figured I ought to get back
so's we could get on with the wedding.
You done the right thing, Sheriff.
Now, if everybody will get back inside,
we'll proceed with the ceremony.
You can't have a wedding without a bride.
Lucy!
Charlie, I expect you to have Lucy
back here at the church by 12:00.
I don't think we ought to go ahead
with this wedding
until this man Allison is behind bars.
Don't worry about him.
I should think you'd be worried about him.
He said he was going to kill you.
He's not going to kill me.
Allison's not the first man
that's had that thought in mind.
- It's more than just a thought with that one.
- I told you not to worry about him, Charlie.
I expect Lucy back here by 12:00.
I want you to get him now.
Tate, he won't come out,
and we can't get in there and get him
without somebody getting shot up.
I pay you and the boys real good, Swede.
If I didn't think a little gunplay
would come up from time to time,
you wouldn't be worth it.
He won't stay holed up forever.
As soon as he makes his move...
You haven't got forever.
I don't care how you do it.
You've got exactly one hour
to take care of Mr. Allison.
- I'll be at the hotel.
- I wouldn't pass by the stable on the way.
You're liable to not get there.
Tate, is there anything I can do?
How long has it been
since you've handled a gun?
Gracious. Not since the fracas up in Denver.
I don't like guns much.
That figures.
Well, Ruby, it looks like the wedding's
been called off, for a while anyway.
That fellow sure was a nervy cuss,
wasn't he, Doc?
Yeah. It's too bad he didn't use a little
common sense along with his nerve.
What do you mean?
Well, now he hasn't got a chance of
accomplishing what he came here for.
Herb, you and Pete get up
above that eating house.
Unless one of them shows his face,
you just keep shooting
at the window nearest Spanish
when he makes his move.
Allison, unless you and your partner
want to die in that stable,
you'll throw out your guns and come on out.
I ain't ready yet.
When I am, I'll be coming out
the same time my gun does.
If you don't come out, we're coming in.
You sure would be making a big mistake.
There ain't no way they can get at us
from the rear.
Bart!
That fellow seemed awful anxious
to come in here, so bring him in.
Where you going, Doc?
I left my satchel in here.
I figure I'm gonna need it.
Come on in.
Fix him up.
A lot of people hoped
this would be more serious, Spanish.
Including you, Doc?
When a man takes a hand in something
that's no concern of his,
he ain't usually so lucky.
Take your hand away.
Here, bite.
Stand up, Spanish.
Ain't it lucky you brought the iodine, Doc?
Now, you just go on about your business,
and tell everybody else to do the same.
This here thing's
between Kimbrough and me.
You had your chance to kill Tate.
You won't live long enough to get another.
Come on, Spanish.
You'd better move along, too, now, Doc.
Spanish is right, Allison.
It's a pity,
but when a man is bent on revenge,
he has a one-track mind.
He seldom accomplishes
what he sets out to do.
You sound like you wouldn't mind
seeing Kimbrough killed yourself, Doc.
No, I guess I wouldn't.
I don't believe in violence,
but maybe that's the only way Sundown
can get rid of Tate Kimbrough.
- What did he do to you?
- Never did anything to me, personally.
After the war,
I came out west to set up practice.
I fell in love with Sundown
the first time I saw it.
After I got to know the people,
I fell in love with them, too.
When Kimbrough came to town
a couple of years ago,
things changed, people changed.
I don't imagine I have to tell you how it
feels to see something you love destroyed.
- Who's Mary?
- She was Bart's wife.
You got what you came in here for. Now git.
Bart, when you told me to check Sundown
for a fella named Tate Kimbrough,
you didn't tell me you was aiming
to kill him because of Mary.
Now you know.
Yeah.
- I'm sorry I drove off and left you, Dad.
- I know you were terribly upset.
First that woman has the colossal gall
to show up at my wedding.
And then that beast of a man
interrupts the whole thing
and tells me that I'll be a widow
before the day's over.
I was there, dear, I know what happened.
And do you know
what happened in Sabine Pass?
- And about a woman named Mary?
- You know I don't.
Well, I haven't heard any shooting
for a few minutes.
Maybe that means they've gotten him.
No, he's holed up in the livery stable.
He won't come out
and nobody'll go in and get him.
Darling, Tate expects you to be
at the church at noon.
Will I tell him you'll be there?
Now, now, in spite of everything
that's happened,
I see no real reason why you shouldn't
go through with the wedding.
Lucy, I have to tell Tate something.
Well, when I've made up my mind
what I'm going to do, I'll tell him myself.
One shot at those Texans every half-hour
ain't getting us no place.
I bet Tate's really fuming
having his wedding held up like this.
Now you get this straight.
I pay you a notch higher than the rest,
so I expect more from you.
You pay for my services, Tate,
but you haven't got enough money
to buy my life.
A man can't storm that stable
without getting himself killed.
Spanish is still alive.
How about it, Spanish?
You willing to try again?
Not alone, but I'll try it again
if you'll side me, Swede.
Well, what about it, Swede?
Well, Spanish has never been too bright.
Maybe he doesn't mind
getting a belly full of lead, but I do.
Maybe he isn't too bright,
but it don't look like
- he scares as easy as you do.
- I'm not scared, Tate.
I'm just using good sense.
He's right, Tate. All you have to do is wait.
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
Well, I'm not going to wait.
So, Swede, stop telling me
how much sense you got
and start living up to that reputation
you've been bragging about.
Now, go on down there
and blast them out of that hole
and stop acting like a scared kid.
You know that last part
could go for you, too.
Maybe you're not scared enough
of the right people.
Well, if you're in such a hurry
to take care of them,
why don't you go tackle the job yourself?
Come in!
Tate, I don't...
- You don't what, Charlie?
- Well, I...
Yes, Charlie?
I doubt very much if Lucy
will go through with the wedding.
That is, at least until
this man Allison is...
There's no reason for Lucy
to concern herself about Allison.
But I think there is.
This "widow by sundown" thing
is hardly a happy thought
for a girl to have on her mind
when she's taking her marriage vows.
No, I don't suppose it is.
I don't think Allison can be feeling
quite as sure of himself
as he did when he sounded off
at the church.
He must realize he'll never
get out of that stable alive.
Now, if I was in his spot,
I'd jump at a chance
of riding out of this town in one piece.
- Wouldn't you, Charlie?
- I certainly would.
So you go on down
and give him that chance.
Me? Why me?
I don't want the rest of the town to think
that I'm willing to let him go
after that threat he made this morning.
Of course, Charlie, I couldn't go in
the stable and tell him myself.
I think you can understand that.
Well, of course, but how about Swede here?
Swede, go down and tell the boys
to hold that fire in case Allison agrees
to accept Mr. Summerton's offer.
Are you willing just to let him
ride out, Tate?
Sure.
- What's worrying you, Charlie?
- Well, I...
Well, this puts me in an awkward position.
Well, what about me?
A thing like this can start barreling,
start people talking.
Once Allison is out of the way
and Lucy and I are married,
the talking will taper down
and things will drop right back into normal.
We wouldn't want anything to change,
would we, Charlie?
No, no, I guess not.
You and I have always understood
one another, haven't we, Charlie?
Well, at least I've always understood you.
I'll speak to him.
Well, I'll be.
Next to Kimbrough, that's about the last
fella I'd figure on coming to pay us a visit.
Allison!
Mr. Allison, I'd like to speak to you.
Then start!
I'd rather come inside.
I can hear you just fine from where you are.
You must realize
you men are trapped in there,
unless you forget that foolish threat
you made at the church.
- I ain't going to.
- Then you're a complete fool.
That ain't no way to talk to a man
who saved your daughter
from making an awful mistake.
I came down here to offer you a chance
to ride out of Sundown.
The sheriff is willing to let you leave town.
You mean Kimbrough's willing, don't you?
I can't much blame him.
You go on back and tell Kimbrough
we're staying.
Be reasonable, man.
Save your life and ride out of town.
You'll be better off than when you rode in.
How would we?
To be very blunt,
I'll make it worth your while.
How much?
Five hundred dollars.
That ain't very much money
for three years' work.
We've got a lot of traveling expenses
tied up in Kimbrough.
Hey, Bart, how do you like this father
offering money to save Kimbrough's skin,
so his daughter can marry up with him?
And Lucy always looked like
a pretty good-looking girl to me
to have her father going around
trying to buy her a husband.
I'm not trying
to buy my daughter a husband.
I don't know
what else you call it, Summerton.
Charlie!
Bart, I think you've done a fool thing.
After all that searching around,
it seems like you'd have been satisfied
to just kill him on sight.
- Even a rattler gives a warning.
- Oh, yeah?
Well, if they gave as much advance notice
as you're giving that Kimbrough,
rattlesnakes would be as out of date
as them dinosaurs.
What time do you figure it to be?
Sun's throwing a pretty good shadow now.
It must be nigh unto 2:00.
Oh, my old belly's growling
like a trapped bear.
Bart, I think you ought to have
snapped up Summerton's offer.
There ain't nothing to stop you
from taking him up on it, Sam.
Oh, well, we'll probably both be as dead
as a pulled beef by suppertime, anyway.
I sure ain't hankering to try
and argue my way
past old St. Peter on an empty stomach.
Allison, the offer still stands,
but it ain't going to much longer.
If you're smart, you'll ride out of town
while you got the chance.
Swede!
Hey, give me another drink, will you, Otis?
Me, too.
Oh, I wish those fellows would hurry up
and get out of there
so I could get in and get my other boots.
These things are killing me.
Hey, Doc, come get these things off of me,
will you?
Yeah, and you can send him
a bill for it, too, Doc.
That Swede is the shyest sheriff I ever saw.
Look at him, he's been doing nothing
but just stand there.
There's nothing keeping you from going
down there, Barber. You're not tied down.
It isn't any of my business.
Besides, I wouldn't want to do that, Tate.
If I went down and took care of those two,
I'd be showing up our sheriff.
Swede!
You still got your prayer book on you?
Sure do, Mr. Kimbrough.
I'm never without it.
Well, a saloon is no place for
a staunch citizen like you. Come on!
There something eating you, Doc?
No, nothing's bothering me, Morley.
This affair is no concern of mine.
After all that's happened,
Lucy needs time to think it over.
We've wasted too much time already.
The train pulls out of Silver Springs
tonight at 8:00.
Mr. And Mrs. Tate Kimbrough
are going to be on it.
I wouldn't count on that if I were you.
But I am counting on it, Charlie.
The only changes we're making in our plans
is getting married here
instead of the church.
Now, honey, hasn't this gone far enough?
When we decided to get married,
I didn't think it would be necessary for me
to chase after you anymore.
And come to think of it, Lucy,
it wasn't me did the chasing.
You don't have to remind me of that, Tate.
I'm really no different than Ruby, am I?
You must be.
I never asked Ruby to marry me.
And what about Mary?
I never asked her either.
You know, there are some girls
a man gets to know pretty well
without having to ask them anything.
How well did you get to know Mary?
Oh, well enough
never to consider marrying her.
Lucy, I never pretended to be a saint,
and you never tried to pass yourself off
as a wide-eyed innocent.
You know about Ruby and me and...
Tate, why does this man want to kill you?
Maybe it's because he doesn't
understand women the way that I do.
Lucy, I promise you,
when you wake up tomorrow morning,
you won't be a widow.
You'll be a very happy
and content Mrs. Tate Kimbrough.
- Now, forget all about this fellow.
- I can't, Tate.
- Afternoon, Lucy.
- May I come in?
Your Pa send you here?
Why should my father ask me to come here?
Well, he might have figured you'd have
a little better luck than he did.
- What are you talking about?
- Come on in.
Your Pa offered to pay us to leave town.
- I don't believe you.
- It's true.
Maybe your father's more interested in
having this wedding come off than you are.
Look, I'm marrying Tate Kimbrough
because I want to,
not because my father
or anyone else wants me to.
You're a stubborn gal.
I was hoping you'd stopped by to thank me.
Thank you for embarrassing me
in front of the whole town?
I did you a favor, Lucy, and it won't
take long to get over your embarrassment.
And how long do you think it'll take you
to get over the fact that Tate
once took a woman away from you?
I'd expect Kimbrough
to explain it to you that way.
Well, what other way is there to explain it?
Instead of putting all the blame on Tate,
why aren't you big enough to admit
that whatever happened was just as much,
and probably more,
your fault than anyone else's?
Just because your girl
liked the way Tate looked
doesn't give you the right to kill him.
I don't suppose he bothered to tell you
that that "girl" was my wife.
Well, does even that
give you the right to kill him?
Listen, when you're in love
the way you must have been,
the truth isn't an easy thing to face up to.
No man, including Tate Kimbrough,
can take another man's wife away from him
unless she wants to be taken.
So maybe you didn't lose anything
that was really very worthwhile.
Bart, I was just thinking...
- Well?
- That little girl had a point.
Did I hear you right?
If I'd known you was hunting Kimbrough
because of Mary,
I'd have tried to stop you from coming here.
Bart, I gotta tell you something about Mary.
She wasn't the girl you thought she was,
and Tate Kimbrough,
he wasn't the first man...
Sheriff, that offer of yours still go?
It's about time
you started showing some sense.
- Does it or don't it still go?
- It does.
- Then my partner's coming out.
- I'm staying.
- Get your horse, Sam, and get moving.
- I ain't leaving, Bart.
I told you to get moving.
I won't need my horse just to go
across the street to get something to eat.
I'm going to that restaurant
and then I'm coming back.
Hold it!
Drop your gun belt.
Anybody home here?
Pancho, Jose,
Guadalupe, Maria!
Maureen.
Maureen.
I was gonna have some enchiladas, but
maybe I'd better make it Irish stew, huh?
Well, you can have anything you want.
Well, bring me eggs, then. Lots of them.
Maureen.
I think you made a mistake
trusting the sheriff, Sam.
Oh, I've made a lot of mistakes
in my time, Doc.
One more ain't gonna hurt much.
What happened between you
and your friend?
I got this from trying to tell him the truth.
Sometimes the truth can be mighty painful.
Yeah, anyway,
maybe you can't convince a man like him
about something
he just don't want to know about.
You knew Mary?
- Here, this ought to hold you for a while.
- Oh, fine, fine.
I don't know whether to gulp it right down
or just let it sit there and admire it.
Well, I always figured I could go for a man
as uncertain as him.
Looks like it's been a long time between.
You want some more coffee?
- You did know Mary.
- I knew her.
Maybe I should say I knew more about her.
Well, she was no wife for Bart Allison, Doc,
or no other man.
Beautiful, though,
beautiful as the springtime, but wild.
The way I figure it,
Kimbrough must have been
one of the last fellows
she got a hankering for.
Anyway, about a week before Bart got back
from fighting the war,
she killed herself.
On account of the way she was,
I guess that's all she could do.
So now Allison's taking out
all of his hate on one man?
He don't figure there was ever anybody else.
Doc, I'm going back over there
and tell Bart about this whole mess
if I have to hit him over the head
and tie him up.
There ain't no more men like Bart Allison.
I ain't gonna let them kill him
over the likes of Mary.
I don't think they're gonna
let you back in there.
Sure they will. We'll get on our horses
and we'll ride out of this town
and maybe he can start living
like a man's supposed to.
What man knows
how a life should really be lived?
Well, he'll know.
He'll know as soon as he gets the memory
of that woman out of his craw. He'll know.
- The food's on me, Sam.
- Thanks, Doc.
You keep that coffee hot, honey.
I'll be back one of these days.
Texas!
Where are you heading?
I ain't about to walk back to Texas.
No objection to me getting my horse?
- No, go ahead.
- Thanks.
You better get away from there, Doc,
before you get hurt.
Doc, Doc, you've gotta tell Bart.
Mary was no good.
How can y'all stand around doing nothing
when a man's been murdered
right before your eyes?
Shut up, Doc!
Swede! Swede Hansen, I'm gonna take you,
and when I do,
you're gonna see me coming.
I'll be waiting for you, Allison.
And he won't be coming alone!
Doc, go on up the street
and join the rest of your fine citizens.
Allison! Sam wanted you...
What he wanted
don't make no difference now.
Well, if you'd listen
to me, I think it might.
I ain't listening no more.
Where I come from, a lawman don't shoot
an unarmed man in the back,
and when he gives his word,
you can count on it.
There's liable to be some more shooting,
so everybody off the street.
If we're only just going to be spectators
to the next killing,
we might as well go inside
and wait with the others.
Their consciences will rest easier
if they don't see what happens to Allison.
Doc, if you'd been tending bar
as long as I have,
you wouldn't expect so much
out of the human race.
Hey, Otis, come on in here
and start pouring some more whiskey.
Another one.
This is still a saloon, Morley.
How about joining me in a drink?
I don't want another drink.
How about you joining me,
Mr. Justice of the Peace?
Oh, good gracious, no. No, I haven't
touched a drop of whiskey in years.
Is that a fact?
The gospel truth. Isn't that right, Otis?
You never fooled anyone, Zaron,
so why don't you drink out in the open,
the way a man's supposed to?
Hey, come back here!
Leave him alone! Let him go!
You had no call to do that.
We all knew that Zaron was a drinking man.
I figured it was about time
we let him know that we know.
Did you see the old hypocrite's face
when I broke his whiskey bottle?
He claims he's gonna be
a real preacher someday.
I'll bet he'll never dare get back
in that pulpit again, even for a wedding.
Do you all think that's really funny?
What's the matter with you, Doc?
Why should Zaron be the only man forced
to see himself the way he really is?
Why, if we all faced up to the truth,
our heads would be hanging lower
than his is right now.
I don't know how you figure that.
We all heard our fine sheriff offer to let
those two men ride out of town unharmed
if they'd come out without their guns.
If they'd come out without their guns.
We all saw what happened.
You know dang well
he ain't our sheriff, Doc.
He's Kimbrough's sheriff.
But he should be ours, Abe.
This is our town.
We're responsible for everything good
and everything bad that happens in it.
Kimbrough couldn't have changed Sundown
if we hadn't helped him.
I ain't never helped Kimbrough.
We've all helped him,
haven't we, Mr. Morley?
By doing nothing, just like we're doing now.
Sure, Spanish and the sheriff
pulled the triggers that killed that Texan,
but we're all guilty,
just as guilty as they are.
And unless we do something about it,
there's another killing coming up.
You're sure keeping me waiting
a long time, Allison.
There isn't anyone here
who hasn't lost something
since Tate Kimbrough came to town.
If we let this chance pass
without doing anything,
I doubt that we'll ever get back
what we've lost.
I hadn't noticed Mr. Summerton
had lost anything, Doc.
He's done pretty well
the last couple of years.
Perhaps you hadn't noticed it,
but I've lost more than anyone else.
I lost my self-respect.
Where are you going, Lucy?
What's going on in here?
I don't know, Tate,
but whatever it is, I like it.
It wouldn't surprise me, Doc,
if you weren't stirring things up a bit.
I've certainly been trying.
I'd stop if I were you.
You know, Mr. Morley,
I think Allison deserves a better chance
than his partner got.
What do you think?
I think you're right, Doc.
You're just as right as rain.
Old Charlie Summerton ain't
the only one that lost his self-respect,
but I aim to do something
about getting mine back.
Now, I always figured
that our sheriff was a coward
unless he had all the odds going for him.
So, if it's all right with my boys,
we'll go over there
and just even them odds up a little.
I've been waiting for two years
for something like this to happen.
Looks like maybe Allison's coming to town
was all we needed
to get us back on the right track.
All right, up! Up!
Throw it out.
Drop 'em!
And the belts!
Looks to me, Morley,
like you and your C-Cross boys
are going out of your way to make trouble.
Maybe so, but we just got to figuring
that a man's got to draw the line someplace
if he's going to go on living with himself.
And that's just what we're doing.
Now, Sheriff, if you want that Texan,
you're going to have to take him
all by yourself.
Interfering with the law
is a pretty serious offense, Morley.
Your boys ain't lawmen.
The fact is,
they was pretty decent ranch hands
till Kimbrough put his brand on them.
Now, go ahead, do your duty.
Jack, give the sheriff back his gun.
Maybe we'd best get back inside.
Looks like there's gonna be
some more shooting.
Swede, Sam never had a chance
to use his gun, and you won't either.
Start walking.
Doc!
Let me see. Come on, let's have a look at it.
Looks like I'm going to have to go over
to that hotel and pry Kimbrough loose.
In half an hour this hand will be so
swollen, you won't be able to use it.
Go over there and sit down.
By that time I'll be finished
what I came here for.
Allison, I want you to listen to me.
Sam thought more of you
than anyone else in the world.
That's why he wouldn't hurt you.
Sam never hurt anybody in his life.
On account of me, he's dead.
It should have been me,
but you can't change things by wishing.
- He only wanted...
- Or by talking.
And there's some things
you can't change with bullets.
It looks like you're
doing your job real good,
so don't spoil it
by some of your philosophizing.
Doc, if it just so happens
I ain't able to bury Sam,
I'd appreciate it if you'd take care of it.
- I'll take care of it, Bart.
- Thanks.
Tate, you're going to be next.
- How can you find anything to laugh about?
- It's really very funny.
Funny?
Yeah, that a woman like Mary Allison
can cause all this commotion.
Take me with you?
- I can't.
- Please.
I'm not going anyplace.
Tate, you can't meet him in a gunfight.
He'll kill you.
Or I'll kill him.
It's sure going to be one way or the other.
But it doesn't have to be that way
if you left town.
I'm staying. I've got a lot of
time and effort in this town.
I had everything my way
until Allison came along.
Things aren't going to be the way
you want them any longer, Tate.
They're not afraid of you anymore.
Don't you understand?
You've lost everything.
Once Allison is taken care of,
things will slip right back into place.
How can they?
You've lost people like Spanish and Swede.
There's no one left to help you.
The world's full of people
like Spanish and Swede.
I've just got to get by Allison.
I'll replace them easy enough.
- Please don't try to shoot it out with him.
- I've got to.
Why?
Survival to most people means
just staying alive.
To me it means more than that.
There's nothing more important
than staying alive.
Ruby, I haven't got time
to argue the point with you.
Well, I'd better start showing my face.
It wouldn't do to have people think
that Tate Kimbrough was afraid.
But you are afraid.
But nobody's going to know about it
but me and you.
Why did you take the sign down, Otis?
- Well, the way things was going, I figured...
- Put it back up there!
Looks like there's a lot of changes
going on today, Tate.
I never saw you carrying a gun before.
I don't like using a gun,
but I can if I have to.
We all figured that you'd leave town
before you'd face up to Allison
without your boys standing by
to help you out.
You mean, that's what
you were hoping I'd do, don't you?
That's right.
Probably Allison don't know it,
but he's done this town a lot of good
since he come here.
And I'd just hate to see you get lucky
and beat him at the draw.
Well, if I do get lucky,
you'll find out that things haven't changed
as much as you think.
But that's where you're wrong,
'cause no matter what happens
between you and Allison,
you're finished in Sundown.
We'll see, Morley. We'll see.
"Vengeance is mine," saith the Lord.
If you could get that message over
to Allison, you'd save me a lot of trouble.
No more, Otis.
If you're not going to drink anymore,
why don't you go on outside
and get things over with?
I'm in no hurry.
No hurry at all.
Mr. Allison, you were right.
You did do me a big favor.
I came here to help you.
You said I ought to thank you
for stopping the wedding.
Well, you were right about that.
But you're wrong about
going down there now.
Tate's already lost everything.
The town, the power he had,
me, if he really ever wanted me.
Don't you see?
If you go out there and try to kill him...
Lucy, now you just stay here inside
with Doc,
where you belong.
Zaron, your cup finally runneth over.
I guess I can't keep Mr. Allison
waiting any longer.
Thanks, Otis.
Go tell Otis to pour you a drink.
Allison, is this what you've been waiting
three years for?
Oh, Tate! Tate!
I had to do it to you.
Couldn't let him kill you.
Get up, Kimbrough, and pick up your gun.
Haven't you had enough hate for one day?
If you killed Tate and 300 more,
you still couldn't change things.
You were married, but you never had a wife.
Do you hear me? You never had a wife.
How can you get revenge
for something you never had?
Get up, Kimbrough.
Stay out of this, Doc.
I can't, Allison.
Sam said he hoped you'd start living
the way a man should live.
The only way you can do that
is to know the truth.
He tried to live long enough to tell you.
You just heard it from Ruby.
I heard it from Sam.
You're gonna need some patching up
before you leave town.
Lucy, get my satchel.
Otis, this is a day for a celebration.
Oh, boys, come on back in here
and I'll buy drinks for everybody.
Fill Mr. Allison's glass up first.
I'll pour my drinks myself
and pay for my drinks myself.
But, Allison,
you've done this town a big service.
We feel that we...
Well, there certainly was no call to do that.
You're an ungrateful cuss, Allison.
If it wasn't for Morley here, you
wouldn't be standing drinking that whiskey.
Where I come from,
folks don't celebrate or have a big to-do
when a man acts
the way a man's supposed to act.
Morley, if you'd remembered you were a man
before Swede and Spanish
shot Sam in the back,
I'd have joined your celebration.
Sorry. I wish I had remembered sooner.
John, we just can't let him ride away.
If it wasn't for him...
Yes, he changed things
for everybody in town.
But, unfortunately,
there's nothing we can do for him.
I'll tell you one thing.
None of us will ever forget the day
that Bart Allison spent in Sundown.
Pull up here.
I said, pull up.
You, shotgun, stand up!
Throw me my rifle.
All right, boys, you can move out.
From now on,
we're going in different directions.
Well, git!
Morning, Bart. I was beginning to think
that coach was never gonna get here.
- Looks like it woke you up.
- Well, waiting makes a man sleepy.
I've been over in that hollow
since yesterday afternoon.
Kind of scared the coach
might pass me during the night.
The way he's traveling now, though,
he'd have been by here two days ago.
I'd have missed you altogether.
Rough as you look, though,
I can't say as I blame him.
Sam, you sure it's him?
Well, of course I'm sure.
There ain't a hundred Tate Kimbroughs.
There could be,
but I'm only interested in one.
Well, wait till you see him for yourself.
You'll know that's the one.
- He's a big man in Sundown?
- The biggest.
He's got that town in his fist
and he's squeezing it hard.
Ain't heard the folks complain much.
Guess they're all scared.
Glad to hear he's doing so well.
When a man's riding high,
the ground comes up
and hits him a lot harder when he falls.
Well, why don't you rest a little while?
You know I ain't had nothing to eat
since yesterday.
We could make a little fire and cook up...
We'll be eating when we get to Sundown.
- Today's not Sunday.
- Thursday.
What's all the commotion?
- Tate Kimbrough's getting married.
- Today? Why didn't you tell me?
Well, I didn't reckon it was important.
Sam, folks say the most important moment
in a man's life is when he gets married.
Well, I wouldn't know about that.
- There's a pretty good eating house down...
- Where's the barbershop?
Over there.
I'm not going to miss the most important
moment in Tate Kimbrough's life.
A man shouldn't go to a wedding
with stubble on his face.
A man shouldn't go to a wedding
on an empty belly neither.
Go ahead and fill it.
No reason for you to go,
stomach empty or full.
You'll have to come back
this afternoon, mister.
This is my last customer. I'm closing up.
I'll be open again at 2:00.
- What time's the big wedding today?
- In about half an hour.
Ain't you almost finished with him?
Shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes
to shave my whiskers.
I told you, mister, I'm closing up.
You wouldn't be going to a wedding
looking like this, would you, Mr. Barber?
- No, but...
- That's what I mean.
- I told you, I'm closing up.
- You told him three times.
You don't mind if I shave myself?
- Well, no. No, sir, I don't mind, not at all.
- Thanks.
Go ahead.
I take it you're good friends
of Mr. Kimbrough.
Do you?
Well, it looks like you've come a long way
to attend his wedding.
We've come a long way.
Mr. Kimbrough is a very lucky man.
He's marrying up
with Miss Lucy Summerton,
the finest and prettiest
young lady in Sundown.
Sounds like you think might highly of her.
Oh, yes, I certainly do.
Lady like that's making a big mistake
marrying a man
as rotten as Tate Kimbrough.
I guess you've figured out now
we ain't friends of Mr. Kimbrough's.
You shouldn't talk like that
about Mr. Kimbrough.
Thank you, Mr. Summerton.
Oh, Bart, Mr. Summerton here
is Lucy's papa.
Yeah?
That's a shame.
Good morning, Mr. Summerton.
- Good morning, Doctor.
- How is Lucy feeling today?
Both the Summertons are enjoying
excellent health, I am happy to say.
Well, I wasn't inquiring about her health.
Being a physician,
that should be your only concern.
Honey!
Ruby!
I was just watching Mr. Summerton ride
down the street in his fine buggy.
- Of course, you made sure that he saw you.
- He saw me.
I imagine he must be
a little upset having that
Bible-quoting justice of the peace
perform the ceremony,
instead of the Reverend Peterson.
It could just be that the reverend is
out of town on account of you and me.
Oh, Tate, you're making a mistake.
You'll still need me.
I never needed anybody.
Everybody's got to need somebody.
- You must think you need Lucy Summerton.
- I'm marrying Lucy because I love her.
You love me.
But you never married me.
Oh, it's different between you and me.
You know that.
Yes, I guess I know.
It would be embarrassing for Lucy
if you stayed in town.
I'm leaving Sundown tonight.
I wouldn't want to embarrass
Mrs. Kimbrough.
Honey, you really are something.
I have to change for the wedding.
You can't go to the wedding.
Now, listen to me, Tate.
I never crowded you.
You know I always thought
that someday you'd marry me.
I've given you more
than any woman should ever give a man.
Even though things haven't worked out
the way they should, I've got to be there.
To remind Lucy and her father
and everybody else in town about us?
That's not the reason.
I've got to be there for me, Tate.
Don't you understand? For me.
Maybe if I see you getting married,
it'll be easier for me to understand
that now you belong to somebody else.
Ruby,
do me one last favor, will you?
Don't sit in the front pew.
That sure is a good eating house
down there on the corner.
These horses need food more than we do.
Where's the stable?
Right down there a stretch.
Hey, Doc, come in here
and give me a hand, will you?
Yeah, sure.
We want to buy some feed
for our horses, mister.
You'll have to talk to Abe about that.
He's in here.
I ain't wore these boots in five years.
My feet must have growed some.
- Push.
- Oh, who are you?
We want to buy some feed for our horses.
- How many you got?
- Two.
Much obliged, Doc.
Give me 50 cents and help yourself.
I can't go to church smelling like a horse.
Try some of it. It's
real sweet-smelling stuff.
Yeah.
You figure on staying in Sundown
for any length of time?
We could.
You know, there's a lot of folks around here
that ain't interested in seeing you rebels.
The war is over.
I bet you still got plenty folks down in
Texas that thinks the war is still going on.
What makes you think we're from Texas?
From your talk,
I sure didn't think you was Yankees.
- Yeah.
- What brings you two fellas to Sundown?
- Tate Kimbrough.
- Oh, mighty fine fellow, Mr. Kimbrough.
Sure nice you got here
in time for his wedding.
Well, come on, Doc,
we'll walk over to the church together.
I'm not going.
Oh, sometimes you take things too serious.
- I don't think so.
- Well, it's up to you.
Something bothering you, mister?
Were you afraid that Mr. Kimbrough
wouldn't like it
if you weren't in time for his wedding?
Some folks around here figure
that Sundown doesn't need
any more of Tate Kimbrough's friends.
We ain't interested in what some folks
around here figure.
Sheriff, I was shaving Mr. Summerton
when those two men came into my shop.
One was a fellow I saw hanging around
town a couple of days ago,
the other one I never saw before.
Well, what about them?
Well, I don't like their looks,
especially the one I never saw before.
The nerve of him,
talking about Tate Kimbrough like he did.
I tell you, Sheriff, he's a bad one.
- Well, what are you going to do?
- Nothing he can do.
He ain't broke any laws.
- But he said that Tate Kimbrough...
- The stranger just stated an opinion.
Now, you can't arrest a man
for having an opinion, can you, Sheriff?
Good morning, gentlemen.
What'll you have?
You got anything to eat?
The restaurant's right down the street,
but it's closed.
Two whiskeys, then.
Your money's no good today, mister.
All the drinks are on Tate Kimbrough.
- We're paying for our drinks.
- There's no charge.
If you don't mind, we'd like to pay.
Give him back his money, Otis.
- That sign means what it says, mister.
- So do I, Sheriff.
Otis, make sure everybody's got a full glass.
The good health
of Mr. And Mrs. Tate Kimbrough.
Sheriff, I'd sure appreciate it
if you'd get my money out of there,
wipe it off and put it back on the bar.
Better hurry, Sheriff.
I don't think Mr. Kimbrough
would like you to miss his wedding.
Mister, if you're figuring
to stay on in Sundown,
you're making a big mistake.
Otis, the sheriff left you a messy job,
but my friend and I would like
these drinks before we leave.
That's all right, you go right ahead.
You paid for your drink.
Otis, I think I will have that drink.
On me.
- Doc!
- Hello, Ruby.
Do me a favor. Ride with me to the church.
- Well, I wasn't planning on going.
- Please.
All right, Ruby.
I sure never expected Morley Chase
and the C-Cross boys at the wedding.
Something wrong, Barber?
Oh, no, no, no, Mr. Chase. It's just that...
Just that what?
Well, none of us figured on seeing you here,
on account of you and Tate
ain't exactly friends.
Well, why not?
I'm no different than the rest of you boys.
You know we all feel
the same about the groom.
The day's full of surprises.
What's she doing with him?
Make way for Mr. Kimbrough.
Come on, now,
make way for Mr. Kimbrough.
All right, everybody, stand aside
and make way for the bridegroom.
- Good morning, Mr. Kimbrough.
- Good morning, Zeke.
All right, folks, everybody inside.
Men, leave your guns in the vestibule.
Good morning. Good morning.
I ain't never been to no wedding,
even yours.
- You stay here.
- Oh, Bart!
Dear brethren,
we are gathered together on this...
Sheriff, we shouldn't proceed with
the ceremony with you toting a gun.
- Your gun.
- Thank you.
Dear brethren, we're gathered here
together on this glorious day
to unite Lucy Summerton
and Tate Kimbrough in holy matrimony.
Oh, friends, before I begin the ceremony,
there's a question here that has to be asked.
Is there any man here
who knows any reason
why these two dear people
should not be married?
If so, let him speak
or forever hold his peace.
- Lucy Summerton, do you take...
- Hold it!
Well, now, look here, everybody's welcome,
as long as they leave
their gun in the vestibule
and ain't got enough whiskey in them
to make them troublesome.
You said if anybody had any objection
to this wedding to speak up.
That's what I'm doing.
We're not interested, stranger.
Kimbrough, we never laid eyes
on each other before today,
and we're not strangers.
Think back to Sabine Pass
and a girl named Mary.
- I never heard of Sabine Pass.
- Lying ain't gonna help you none.
Swede, get that man out of here
so we can go on with our wedding.
Stay where you are.
You'd better leave town
if you want to stay in one piece.
I'll leave when I finish what I came for.
Well, whoever you are,
and whatever you came for,
you're not going to stop this wedding.
The name's Allison, Miss. Bart Allison.
If you marry this man,
you'll be a widow by sundown.
You, take this money down to the preacher.
Good gracious, what's this for?
Maybe I just done you out of a wedding fee,
so you can keep that money for
performing Kimbrough's funeral services.
You men sit down and stay quiet.
Wagon!
Around the corner.
You should have killed that fellow
when he passed us on the street,
instead of there in church.
I didn't kill him.
Then what is all the fuss about?
I just told him I was going to.
You just stood up there in church
and told Kimbrough
you was going to kill him.
- Bart, you must be plumb crazy.
- I'm doing this my own way, Sam.
For three years I've hunted Kimbrough,
but he didn't know it.
Before I settle with him,
I want him to know he's being hunted.
You ain't hunting him no more,
he's hunting you.
They're holed up in Abe's livery stable.
Now, don't worry, Tate,
they ain't going nowhere.
We got that whole stable covered,
front and back.
Seeing as how I'm your best man
and got the ring,
I figured I ought to get back
so's we could get on with the wedding.
You done the right thing, Sheriff.
Now, if everybody will get back inside,
we'll proceed with the ceremony.
You can't have a wedding without a bride.
Lucy!
Charlie, I expect you to have Lucy
back here at the church by 12:00.
I don't think we ought to go ahead
with this wedding
until this man Allison is behind bars.
Don't worry about him.
I should think you'd be worried about him.
He said he was going to kill you.
He's not going to kill me.
Allison's not the first man
that's had that thought in mind.
- It's more than just a thought with that one.
- I told you not to worry about him, Charlie.
I expect Lucy back here by 12:00.
I want you to get him now.
Tate, he won't come out,
and we can't get in there and get him
without somebody getting shot up.
I pay you and the boys real good, Swede.
If I didn't think a little gunplay
would come up from time to time,
you wouldn't be worth it.
He won't stay holed up forever.
As soon as he makes his move...
You haven't got forever.
I don't care how you do it.
You've got exactly one hour
to take care of Mr. Allison.
- I'll be at the hotel.
- I wouldn't pass by the stable on the way.
You're liable to not get there.
Tate, is there anything I can do?
How long has it been
since you've handled a gun?
Gracious. Not since the fracas up in Denver.
I don't like guns much.
That figures.
Well, Ruby, it looks like the wedding's
been called off, for a while anyway.
That fellow sure was a nervy cuss,
wasn't he, Doc?
Yeah. It's too bad he didn't use a little
common sense along with his nerve.
What do you mean?
Well, now he hasn't got a chance of
accomplishing what he came here for.
Herb, you and Pete get up
above that eating house.
Unless one of them shows his face,
you just keep shooting
at the window nearest Spanish
when he makes his move.
Allison, unless you and your partner
want to die in that stable,
you'll throw out your guns and come on out.
I ain't ready yet.
When I am, I'll be coming out
the same time my gun does.
If you don't come out, we're coming in.
You sure would be making a big mistake.
There ain't no way they can get at us
from the rear.
Bart!
That fellow seemed awful anxious
to come in here, so bring him in.
Where you going, Doc?
I left my satchel in here.
I figure I'm gonna need it.
Come on in.
Fix him up.
A lot of people hoped
this would be more serious, Spanish.
Including you, Doc?
When a man takes a hand in something
that's no concern of his,
he ain't usually so lucky.
Take your hand away.
Here, bite.
Stand up, Spanish.
Ain't it lucky you brought the iodine, Doc?
Now, you just go on about your business,
and tell everybody else to do the same.
This here thing's
between Kimbrough and me.
You had your chance to kill Tate.
You won't live long enough to get another.
Come on, Spanish.
You'd better move along, too, now, Doc.
Spanish is right, Allison.
It's a pity,
but when a man is bent on revenge,
he has a one-track mind.
He seldom accomplishes
what he sets out to do.
You sound like you wouldn't mind
seeing Kimbrough killed yourself, Doc.
No, I guess I wouldn't.
I don't believe in violence,
but maybe that's the only way Sundown
can get rid of Tate Kimbrough.
- What did he do to you?
- Never did anything to me, personally.
After the war,
I came out west to set up practice.
I fell in love with Sundown
the first time I saw it.
After I got to know the people,
I fell in love with them, too.
When Kimbrough came to town
a couple of years ago,
things changed, people changed.
I don't imagine I have to tell you how it
feels to see something you love destroyed.
- Who's Mary?
- She was Bart's wife.
You got what you came in here for. Now git.
Bart, when you told me to check Sundown
for a fella named Tate Kimbrough,
you didn't tell me you was aiming
to kill him because of Mary.
Now you know.
Yeah.
- I'm sorry I drove off and left you, Dad.
- I know you were terribly upset.
First that woman has the colossal gall
to show up at my wedding.
And then that beast of a man
interrupts the whole thing
and tells me that I'll be a widow
before the day's over.
I was there, dear, I know what happened.
And do you know
what happened in Sabine Pass?
- And about a woman named Mary?
- You know I don't.
Well, I haven't heard any shooting
for a few minutes.
Maybe that means they've gotten him.
No, he's holed up in the livery stable.
He won't come out
and nobody'll go in and get him.
Darling, Tate expects you to be
at the church at noon.
Will I tell him you'll be there?
Now, now, in spite of everything
that's happened,
I see no real reason why you shouldn't
go through with the wedding.
Lucy, I have to tell Tate something.
Well, when I've made up my mind
what I'm going to do, I'll tell him myself.
One shot at those Texans every half-hour
ain't getting us no place.
I bet Tate's really fuming
having his wedding held up like this.
Now you get this straight.
I pay you a notch higher than the rest,
so I expect more from you.
You pay for my services, Tate,
but you haven't got enough money
to buy my life.
A man can't storm that stable
without getting himself killed.
Spanish is still alive.
How about it, Spanish?
You willing to try again?
Not alone, but I'll try it again
if you'll side me, Swede.
Well, what about it, Swede?
Well, Spanish has never been too bright.
Maybe he doesn't mind
getting a belly full of lead, but I do.
Maybe he isn't too bright,
but it don't look like
- he scares as easy as you do.
- I'm not scared, Tate.
I'm just using good sense.
He's right, Tate. All you have to do is wait.
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
Well, I'm not going to wait.
So, Swede, stop telling me
how much sense you got
and start living up to that reputation
you've been bragging about.
Now, go on down there
and blast them out of that hole
and stop acting like a scared kid.
You know that last part
could go for you, too.
Maybe you're not scared enough
of the right people.
Well, if you're in such a hurry
to take care of them,
why don't you go tackle the job yourself?
Come in!
Tate, I don't...
- You don't what, Charlie?
- Well, I...
Yes, Charlie?
I doubt very much if Lucy
will go through with the wedding.
That is, at least until
this man Allison is...
There's no reason for Lucy
to concern herself about Allison.
But I think there is.
This "widow by sundown" thing
is hardly a happy thought
for a girl to have on her mind
when she's taking her marriage vows.
No, I don't suppose it is.
I don't think Allison can be feeling
quite as sure of himself
as he did when he sounded off
at the church.
He must realize he'll never
get out of that stable alive.
Now, if I was in his spot,
I'd jump at a chance
of riding out of this town in one piece.
- Wouldn't you, Charlie?
- I certainly would.
So you go on down
and give him that chance.
Me? Why me?
I don't want the rest of the town to think
that I'm willing to let him go
after that threat he made this morning.
Of course, Charlie, I couldn't go in
the stable and tell him myself.
I think you can understand that.
Well, of course, but how about Swede here?
Swede, go down and tell the boys
to hold that fire in case Allison agrees
to accept Mr. Summerton's offer.
Are you willing just to let him
ride out, Tate?
Sure.
- What's worrying you, Charlie?
- Well, I...
Well, this puts me in an awkward position.
Well, what about me?
A thing like this can start barreling,
start people talking.
Once Allison is out of the way
and Lucy and I are married,
the talking will taper down
and things will drop right back into normal.
We wouldn't want anything to change,
would we, Charlie?
No, no, I guess not.
You and I have always understood
one another, haven't we, Charlie?
Well, at least I've always understood you.
I'll speak to him.
Well, I'll be.
Next to Kimbrough, that's about the last
fella I'd figure on coming to pay us a visit.
Allison!
Mr. Allison, I'd like to speak to you.
Then start!
I'd rather come inside.
I can hear you just fine from where you are.
You must realize
you men are trapped in there,
unless you forget that foolish threat
you made at the church.
- I ain't going to.
- Then you're a complete fool.
That ain't no way to talk to a man
who saved your daughter
from making an awful mistake.
I came down here to offer you a chance
to ride out of Sundown.
The sheriff is willing to let you leave town.
You mean Kimbrough's willing, don't you?
I can't much blame him.
You go on back and tell Kimbrough
we're staying.
Be reasonable, man.
Save your life and ride out of town.
You'll be better off than when you rode in.
How would we?
To be very blunt,
I'll make it worth your while.
How much?
Five hundred dollars.
That ain't very much money
for three years' work.
We've got a lot of traveling expenses
tied up in Kimbrough.
Hey, Bart, how do you like this father
offering money to save Kimbrough's skin,
so his daughter can marry up with him?
And Lucy always looked like
a pretty good-looking girl to me
to have her father going around
trying to buy her a husband.
I'm not trying
to buy my daughter a husband.
I don't know
what else you call it, Summerton.
Charlie!
Bart, I think you've done a fool thing.
After all that searching around,
it seems like you'd have been satisfied
to just kill him on sight.
- Even a rattler gives a warning.
- Oh, yeah?
Well, if they gave as much advance notice
as you're giving that Kimbrough,
rattlesnakes would be as out of date
as them dinosaurs.
What time do you figure it to be?
Sun's throwing a pretty good shadow now.
It must be nigh unto 2:00.
Oh, my old belly's growling
like a trapped bear.
Bart, I think you ought to have
snapped up Summerton's offer.
There ain't nothing to stop you
from taking him up on it, Sam.
Oh, well, we'll probably both be as dead
as a pulled beef by suppertime, anyway.
I sure ain't hankering to try
and argue my way
past old St. Peter on an empty stomach.
Allison, the offer still stands,
but it ain't going to much longer.
If you're smart, you'll ride out of town
while you got the chance.
Swede!
Hey, give me another drink, will you, Otis?
Me, too.
Oh, I wish those fellows would hurry up
and get out of there
so I could get in and get my other boots.
These things are killing me.
Hey, Doc, come get these things off of me,
will you?
Yeah, and you can send him
a bill for it, too, Doc.
That Swede is the shyest sheriff I ever saw.
Look at him, he's been doing nothing
but just stand there.
There's nothing keeping you from going
down there, Barber. You're not tied down.
It isn't any of my business.
Besides, I wouldn't want to do that, Tate.
If I went down and took care of those two,
I'd be showing up our sheriff.
Swede!
You still got your prayer book on you?
Sure do, Mr. Kimbrough.
I'm never without it.
Well, a saloon is no place for
a staunch citizen like you. Come on!
There something eating you, Doc?
No, nothing's bothering me, Morley.
This affair is no concern of mine.
After all that's happened,
Lucy needs time to think it over.
We've wasted too much time already.
The train pulls out of Silver Springs
tonight at 8:00.
Mr. And Mrs. Tate Kimbrough
are going to be on it.
I wouldn't count on that if I were you.
But I am counting on it, Charlie.
The only changes we're making in our plans
is getting married here
instead of the church.
Now, honey, hasn't this gone far enough?
When we decided to get married,
I didn't think it would be necessary for me
to chase after you anymore.
And come to think of it, Lucy,
it wasn't me did the chasing.
You don't have to remind me of that, Tate.
I'm really no different than Ruby, am I?
You must be.
I never asked Ruby to marry me.
And what about Mary?
I never asked her either.
You know, there are some girls
a man gets to know pretty well
without having to ask them anything.
How well did you get to know Mary?
Oh, well enough
never to consider marrying her.
Lucy, I never pretended to be a saint,
and you never tried to pass yourself off
as a wide-eyed innocent.
You know about Ruby and me and...
Tate, why does this man want to kill you?
Maybe it's because he doesn't
understand women the way that I do.
Lucy, I promise you,
when you wake up tomorrow morning,
you won't be a widow.
You'll be a very happy
and content Mrs. Tate Kimbrough.
- Now, forget all about this fellow.
- I can't, Tate.
- Afternoon, Lucy.
- May I come in?
Your Pa send you here?
Why should my father ask me to come here?
Well, he might have figured you'd have
a little better luck than he did.
- What are you talking about?
- Come on in.
Your Pa offered to pay us to leave town.
- I don't believe you.
- It's true.
Maybe your father's more interested in
having this wedding come off than you are.
Look, I'm marrying Tate Kimbrough
because I want to,
not because my father
or anyone else wants me to.
You're a stubborn gal.
I was hoping you'd stopped by to thank me.
Thank you for embarrassing me
in front of the whole town?
I did you a favor, Lucy, and it won't
take long to get over your embarrassment.
And how long do you think it'll take you
to get over the fact that Tate
once took a woman away from you?
I'd expect Kimbrough
to explain it to you that way.
Well, what other way is there to explain it?
Instead of putting all the blame on Tate,
why aren't you big enough to admit
that whatever happened was just as much,
and probably more,
your fault than anyone else's?
Just because your girl
liked the way Tate looked
doesn't give you the right to kill him.
I don't suppose he bothered to tell you
that that "girl" was my wife.
Well, does even that
give you the right to kill him?
Listen, when you're in love
the way you must have been,
the truth isn't an easy thing to face up to.
No man, including Tate Kimbrough,
can take another man's wife away from him
unless she wants to be taken.
So maybe you didn't lose anything
that was really very worthwhile.
Bart, I was just thinking...
- Well?
- That little girl had a point.
Did I hear you right?
If I'd known you was hunting Kimbrough
because of Mary,
I'd have tried to stop you from coming here.
Bart, I gotta tell you something about Mary.
She wasn't the girl you thought she was,
and Tate Kimbrough,
he wasn't the first man...
Sheriff, that offer of yours still go?
It's about time
you started showing some sense.
- Does it or don't it still go?
- It does.
- Then my partner's coming out.
- I'm staying.
- Get your horse, Sam, and get moving.
- I ain't leaving, Bart.
I told you to get moving.
I won't need my horse just to go
across the street to get something to eat.
I'm going to that restaurant
and then I'm coming back.
Hold it!
Drop your gun belt.
Anybody home here?
Pancho, Jose,
Guadalupe, Maria!
Maureen.
Maureen.
I was gonna have some enchiladas, but
maybe I'd better make it Irish stew, huh?
Well, you can have anything you want.
Well, bring me eggs, then. Lots of them.
Maureen.
I think you made a mistake
trusting the sheriff, Sam.
Oh, I've made a lot of mistakes
in my time, Doc.
One more ain't gonna hurt much.
What happened between you
and your friend?
I got this from trying to tell him the truth.
Sometimes the truth can be mighty painful.
Yeah, anyway,
maybe you can't convince a man like him
about something
he just don't want to know about.
You knew Mary?
- Here, this ought to hold you for a while.
- Oh, fine, fine.
I don't know whether to gulp it right down
or just let it sit there and admire it.
Well, I always figured I could go for a man
as uncertain as him.
Looks like it's been a long time between.
You want some more coffee?
- You did know Mary.
- I knew her.
Maybe I should say I knew more about her.
Well, she was no wife for Bart Allison, Doc,
or no other man.
Beautiful, though,
beautiful as the springtime, but wild.
The way I figure it,
Kimbrough must have been
one of the last fellows
she got a hankering for.
Anyway, about a week before Bart got back
from fighting the war,
she killed herself.
On account of the way she was,
I guess that's all she could do.
So now Allison's taking out
all of his hate on one man?
He don't figure there was ever anybody else.
Doc, I'm going back over there
and tell Bart about this whole mess
if I have to hit him over the head
and tie him up.
There ain't no more men like Bart Allison.
I ain't gonna let them kill him
over the likes of Mary.
I don't think they're gonna
let you back in there.
Sure they will. We'll get on our horses
and we'll ride out of this town
and maybe he can start living
like a man's supposed to.
What man knows
how a life should really be lived?
Well, he'll know.
He'll know as soon as he gets the memory
of that woman out of his craw. He'll know.
- The food's on me, Sam.
- Thanks, Doc.
You keep that coffee hot, honey.
I'll be back one of these days.
Texas!
Where are you heading?
I ain't about to walk back to Texas.
No objection to me getting my horse?
- No, go ahead.
- Thanks.
You better get away from there, Doc,
before you get hurt.
Doc, Doc, you've gotta tell Bart.
Mary was no good.
How can y'all stand around doing nothing
when a man's been murdered
right before your eyes?
Shut up, Doc!
Swede! Swede Hansen, I'm gonna take you,
and when I do,
you're gonna see me coming.
I'll be waiting for you, Allison.
And he won't be coming alone!
Doc, go on up the street
and join the rest of your fine citizens.
Allison! Sam wanted you...
What he wanted
don't make no difference now.
Well, if you'd listen
to me, I think it might.
I ain't listening no more.
Where I come from, a lawman don't shoot
an unarmed man in the back,
and when he gives his word,
you can count on it.
There's liable to be some more shooting,
so everybody off the street.
If we're only just going to be spectators
to the next killing,
we might as well go inside
and wait with the others.
Their consciences will rest easier
if they don't see what happens to Allison.
Doc, if you'd been tending bar
as long as I have,
you wouldn't expect so much
out of the human race.
Hey, Otis, come on in here
and start pouring some more whiskey.
Another one.
This is still a saloon, Morley.
How about joining me in a drink?
I don't want another drink.
How about you joining me,
Mr. Justice of the Peace?
Oh, good gracious, no. No, I haven't
touched a drop of whiskey in years.
Is that a fact?
The gospel truth. Isn't that right, Otis?
You never fooled anyone, Zaron,
so why don't you drink out in the open,
the way a man's supposed to?
Hey, come back here!
Leave him alone! Let him go!
You had no call to do that.
We all knew that Zaron was a drinking man.
I figured it was about time
we let him know that we know.
Did you see the old hypocrite's face
when I broke his whiskey bottle?
He claims he's gonna be
a real preacher someday.
I'll bet he'll never dare get back
in that pulpit again, even for a wedding.
Do you all think that's really funny?
What's the matter with you, Doc?
Why should Zaron be the only man forced
to see himself the way he really is?
Why, if we all faced up to the truth,
our heads would be hanging lower
than his is right now.
I don't know how you figure that.
We all heard our fine sheriff offer to let
those two men ride out of town unharmed
if they'd come out without their guns.
If they'd come out without their guns.
We all saw what happened.
You know dang well
he ain't our sheriff, Doc.
He's Kimbrough's sheriff.
But he should be ours, Abe.
This is our town.
We're responsible for everything good
and everything bad that happens in it.
Kimbrough couldn't have changed Sundown
if we hadn't helped him.
I ain't never helped Kimbrough.
We've all helped him,
haven't we, Mr. Morley?
By doing nothing, just like we're doing now.
Sure, Spanish and the sheriff
pulled the triggers that killed that Texan,
but we're all guilty,
just as guilty as they are.
And unless we do something about it,
there's another killing coming up.
You're sure keeping me waiting
a long time, Allison.
There isn't anyone here
who hasn't lost something
since Tate Kimbrough came to town.
If we let this chance pass
without doing anything,
I doubt that we'll ever get back
what we've lost.
I hadn't noticed Mr. Summerton
had lost anything, Doc.
He's done pretty well
the last couple of years.
Perhaps you hadn't noticed it,
but I've lost more than anyone else.
I lost my self-respect.
Where are you going, Lucy?
What's going on in here?
I don't know, Tate,
but whatever it is, I like it.
It wouldn't surprise me, Doc,
if you weren't stirring things up a bit.
I've certainly been trying.
I'd stop if I were you.
You know, Mr. Morley,
I think Allison deserves a better chance
than his partner got.
What do you think?
I think you're right, Doc.
You're just as right as rain.
Old Charlie Summerton ain't
the only one that lost his self-respect,
but I aim to do something
about getting mine back.
Now, I always figured
that our sheriff was a coward
unless he had all the odds going for him.
So, if it's all right with my boys,
we'll go over there
and just even them odds up a little.
I've been waiting for two years
for something like this to happen.
Looks like maybe Allison's coming to town
was all we needed
to get us back on the right track.
All right, up! Up!
Throw it out.
Drop 'em!
And the belts!
Looks to me, Morley,
like you and your C-Cross boys
are going out of your way to make trouble.
Maybe so, but we just got to figuring
that a man's got to draw the line someplace
if he's going to go on living with himself.
And that's just what we're doing.
Now, Sheriff, if you want that Texan,
you're going to have to take him
all by yourself.
Interfering with the law
is a pretty serious offense, Morley.
Your boys ain't lawmen.
The fact is,
they was pretty decent ranch hands
till Kimbrough put his brand on them.
Now, go ahead, do your duty.
Jack, give the sheriff back his gun.
Maybe we'd best get back inside.
Looks like there's gonna be
some more shooting.
Swede, Sam never had a chance
to use his gun, and you won't either.
Start walking.
Doc!
Let me see. Come on, let's have a look at it.
Looks like I'm going to have to go over
to that hotel and pry Kimbrough loose.
In half an hour this hand will be so
swollen, you won't be able to use it.
Go over there and sit down.
By that time I'll be finished
what I came here for.
Allison, I want you to listen to me.
Sam thought more of you
than anyone else in the world.
That's why he wouldn't hurt you.
Sam never hurt anybody in his life.
On account of me, he's dead.
It should have been me,
but you can't change things by wishing.
- He only wanted...
- Or by talking.
And there's some things
you can't change with bullets.
It looks like you're
doing your job real good,
so don't spoil it
by some of your philosophizing.
Doc, if it just so happens
I ain't able to bury Sam,
I'd appreciate it if you'd take care of it.
- I'll take care of it, Bart.
- Thanks.
Tate, you're going to be next.
- How can you find anything to laugh about?
- It's really very funny.
Funny?
Yeah, that a woman like Mary Allison
can cause all this commotion.
Take me with you?
- I can't.
- Please.
I'm not going anyplace.
Tate, you can't meet him in a gunfight.
He'll kill you.
Or I'll kill him.
It's sure going to be one way or the other.
But it doesn't have to be that way
if you left town.
I'm staying. I've got a lot of
time and effort in this town.
I had everything my way
until Allison came along.
Things aren't going to be the way
you want them any longer, Tate.
They're not afraid of you anymore.
Don't you understand?
You've lost everything.
Once Allison is taken care of,
things will slip right back into place.
How can they?
You've lost people like Spanish and Swede.
There's no one left to help you.
The world's full of people
like Spanish and Swede.
I've just got to get by Allison.
I'll replace them easy enough.
- Please don't try to shoot it out with him.
- I've got to.
Why?
Survival to most people means
just staying alive.
To me it means more than that.
There's nothing more important
than staying alive.
Ruby, I haven't got time
to argue the point with you.
Well, I'd better start showing my face.
It wouldn't do to have people think
that Tate Kimbrough was afraid.
But you are afraid.
But nobody's going to know about it
but me and you.
Why did you take the sign down, Otis?
- Well, the way things was going, I figured...
- Put it back up there!
Looks like there's a lot of changes
going on today, Tate.
I never saw you carrying a gun before.
I don't like using a gun,
but I can if I have to.
We all figured that you'd leave town
before you'd face up to Allison
without your boys standing by
to help you out.
You mean, that's what
you were hoping I'd do, don't you?
That's right.
Probably Allison don't know it,
but he's done this town a lot of good
since he come here.
And I'd just hate to see you get lucky
and beat him at the draw.
Well, if I do get lucky,
you'll find out that things haven't changed
as much as you think.
But that's where you're wrong,
'cause no matter what happens
between you and Allison,
you're finished in Sundown.
We'll see, Morley. We'll see.
"Vengeance is mine," saith the Lord.
If you could get that message over
to Allison, you'd save me a lot of trouble.
No more, Otis.
If you're not going to drink anymore,
why don't you go on outside
and get things over with?
I'm in no hurry.
No hurry at all.
Mr. Allison, you were right.
You did do me a big favor.
I came here to help you.
You said I ought to thank you
for stopping the wedding.
Well, you were right about that.
But you're wrong about
going down there now.
Tate's already lost everything.
The town, the power he had,
me, if he really ever wanted me.
Don't you see?
If you go out there and try to kill him...
Lucy, now you just stay here inside
with Doc,
where you belong.
Zaron, your cup finally runneth over.
I guess I can't keep Mr. Allison
waiting any longer.
Thanks, Otis.
Go tell Otis to pour you a drink.
Allison, is this what you've been waiting
three years for?
Oh, Tate! Tate!
I had to do it to you.
Couldn't let him kill you.
Get up, Kimbrough, and pick up your gun.
Haven't you had enough hate for one day?
If you killed Tate and 300 more,
you still couldn't change things.
You were married, but you never had a wife.
Do you hear me? You never had a wife.
How can you get revenge
for something you never had?
Get up, Kimbrough.
Stay out of this, Doc.
I can't, Allison.
Sam said he hoped you'd start living
the way a man should live.
The only way you can do that
is to know the truth.
He tried to live long enough to tell you.
You just heard it from Ruby.
I heard it from Sam.
You're gonna need some patching up
before you leave town.
Lucy, get my satchel.
Otis, this is a day for a celebration.
Oh, boys, come on back in here
and I'll buy drinks for everybody.
Fill Mr. Allison's glass up first.
I'll pour my drinks myself
and pay for my drinks myself.
But, Allison,
you've done this town a big service.
We feel that we...
Well, there certainly was no call to do that.
You're an ungrateful cuss, Allison.
If it wasn't for Morley here, you
wouldn't be standing drinking that whiskey.
Where I come from,
folks don't celebrate or have a big to-do
when a man acts
the way a man's supposed to act.
Morley, if you'd remembered you were a man
before Swede and Spanish
shot Sam in the back,
I'd have joined your celebration.
Sorry. I wish I had remembered sooner.
John, we just can't let him ride away.
If it wasn't for him...
Yes, he changed things
for everybody in town.
But, unfortunately,
there's nothing we can do for him.
I'll tell you one thing.
None of us will ever forget the day
that Bart Allison spent in Sundown.