The Misfits (1961) Movie Script
Young man, do you have the time?
I got six clocks, and none of them work.
- Twenty after nine.
- After?
It's twenty after, dear. Darlin'?
- Five minutes. What about you?
- I'm all set. I just ironed my sling.
- The lawyer said 9:30 sharp, darlin'.
- OK.
I hope you're not the miserly kind.
It's brand-new.
She ought to get
a very good price for it.
Is that the right mileage?
Twenty-three miles?
We only took two rides in it.
It's the darn men.
They run into her
just to start a conversation.
- Will you come up, Iz?
- Sure, dear.
Don't go by appearances. It's brand-new.
It was a divorce present
from her husband.
- They givin' presents for divorces now?
- Why not?
On the anniversary of our divorce,
my husband always sends me
one potted yellow rose,
and it'll be 19 years in July.
Course, he never
did pay me the alimony.
But I wouldn't wanna put a man out,
you know, if his heart's not in it.
- You break your arm in the car?
- No.
My last roomer,
the one before Mrs. Taber,
we celebrated her divorce,
and... I misbehaved.
I'm so sick and tired of myself.
- Will you go over my answers again?
- Sure, dear.
But don't worry, you'll do wonderfully.
Let's see. "Did your husband,
Mr. Raymond Taber,
act toward you with cruelty?"
Darlin'?
- Well, yes.
- Just say yes.
Yes.
"In what way did this cruelty
manifest itself?"
He persistently...
How does that go again?
"He persistently and cruelly ignored
my personal wishes and my rights,
and resorted on several occasions
to physical violence against me."
He persistently...
Oh, do I have to say that?
Why can't I just say he wasn't there?
He... You could touch him,
but he wasn't there.
If that was grounds for divorce,
there'd only be about
11 marriages left in the US.
Now just repeat after me.
- "He persistently...
- He persistently...
- They'll call in their estimate, ma'am.
- Those dents aren't my fault, you know.
I'll recommend
the best price I can, ma'am.
You can drive her now.
I've put in a new battery.
I'll never drive that car again.
Let's take a taxi.
I... I'll give you a lift
if you're leaving right away.
Swell. Two minutes. Iz, get dressed!
You gotta be my witness.
This'll be my 77th time
I've witnessed for a divorce.
- Two sevens, that's lucky, darlin'!
- Oh, Iz, I hope.
- Easy does it, now.
- Oh, you're a dear.
- Here we are.
- Thanks a lot. We've gotta go now.
If you're not goin'
back East right away,
I'd be glad to show you the county.
Beautiful country around here, you know.
Well, I don't know where I'll be,
but OK. Thanks again.
My name is Isabelle Steers.
Isabelle. Well, OK,
you come along, too.
That's a sweet afterthought!
You Reno men!
I can't memorize this.
It's not the way it was.
Just say it. It doesn't have to be true.
This isn't a quiz show,
it's only a court.
- I just got off the plane...
- I don't wanna hear anything.
Just give me five minutes.
After two years, five minutes...
You can't have me now,
so you want me, that's all.
Please, I'm not blaming you.
It's... I just don't believe
in the whole thing anymore.
Kid, I understand. I understand...
You don't understand.
You're not there, Raymond.
If I'm gonna be alone,
I wanna be by myself.
Go back. You're not gonna make me
feel sorry for you anymore.
Gay!
Wait up! I was just
goin' over to see ya!
Well, good luck now, Susan. I won't
forget you, you can be sure of that.
- I don't even know where to write you.
- General delivery. I'll get it.
Will you think about it? It's the
second-largest laundry in St. Louis.
I wouldn't wanna kid you.
I ain't cut out for business.
Well, will you think of me? Oh, Gay...
Oh, you know I will, honey. Goodbye.
Bye.
How're you doin', boy? Ready to
cut out of this town? 'Cause I am.
Well, I've been thinkin' about it.
- Which one was that?
- Susan. Swell sport, that woman.
I just met me a girl sweet enough
to eat, Gay. Fine-lookin' woman.
But when I think of all the useless
talkin' you gotta do, I get discouraged.
I tell you, I'm dyin'
for some fresh air.
And no people, male or female.
Why don't we take out to the mountains?
We could even do a little mustangin'.
I wanted to pile up about 500 this time.
- I need a new engine.
- That engine'll fly you anywhere.
Say, you've been two months
on this job. You'll get the habit.
I'll see you over at Harrah's later.
Let's talk about it.
Tom Dooley.
If you throw in your ring
you'll never get another divorce.
Go ahead, honey. Everybody does it.
More gold in that river
than there is in the Klondike.
- Did you do that?
- Who, me? No.
I lost my ring on my honeymoon.
- Let's get a drink.
- That's my girl.
Wait a minute, honey.
This machine loves me.
Never say die.
Scotch, I guess, on i... Yeah, on ice.
- Rye and water.
- Scotch on ice, rye and water.
Well, cheer up.
I will. I just hate
to fight with anybody.
When you win, you lose.
You know, in your heart.
Well, you're free. Maybe the trouble is
you're not used to it yet.
No, the trouble is I always
end up back where I started.
Never had anybody much.
And here I am.
Well, you had your mother, didn't you?
How do you have somebody
who disappears all the time?
They both weren't there. She'd go off
with a patient for three months, and...
You know how long
three months is to a kid.
Listen, don't leave. Settle here.
They got a school.
You could teach dancing.
One thing about this town, it's
always full of interesting strangers.
Oh, I'm sorry. What did I say? I...
I suddenly miss my mother.
Oh, isn't that the stupidest thing?
Iz, you're a fine woman. Practically the
only woman that's ever been my friend.
Well, drink up then.
Oh, isn't that the dearest dog?
Look how sweet he sits there.
Yeah. Dogs are nice.
Here. Puppy.
Hey, Dooley.
Hello. How'd you make out?
OK.
I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine. Gay...
Gay Langland, Mrs. Taber.
- Howdy do?
- And this is Mrs., uh...?
Steers. Isabelle Steers. One thing about
Reno men, they do remember the name.
- Why don't you boys sit down?
- Thank you. What're you girls drinkin'?
Whiskey. We're celebratin'
the jail burned down.
Mary, see if you can get
four doubles, will you?
Uh... you sure made
a big impression on my friend here.
And I can see why.
- You a mechanic, too?
- Him? He's a cowboy.
- How'd you know?
- I can smell, can't I?
- Hey, you can't smell cows on me.
- I smell the look on your face, cowboy.
But I love every miserable one of ya.
Course, you're all good for nothin',
as you know.
That may be.
But it's better than wages.
I suppose you'll be headin'
back East soon, Mrs. Taber?
I can't make up my mind.
I don't know yet what to do.
You don't have a business to run,
or a school to teach, or...?
Me? I never finished high school.
Well! That's real good news.
- You don't like educated women?
- They're all right.
Always wantin' to know
what you're thinkin', that's all.
Maybe they're trying to get to know you.
Did you ever get to know a man better
by askin' him questions?
- You mean he'd lie?
- Well, he might not.
And, then again, he just might.
How about it, Pilot?
We takin' off today?
You ever been outside Reno, Mrs. Taber?
I walked to the edge of town.
Doesn't look like much is out there.
Everything's there.
- Like what?
- The country.
- Well, what do you do with yourself?
- Just live.
- How do you just live?
- Well, you start by goin' to sleep.
You get up when you feel like it.
You scratch yourself. You fry some eggs.
You see what kind of a day it is.
You throw stones at a can and whistle.
I know what you mean.
I have an empty house in the country
just beyond Hawleyville.
It's all yours if you want some
peace and quiet before you go back.
- The last woman's gone?
- No kiddin'. I never offered it before.
Well, I wouldn't stay there.
But let's rent a car.
We could look at the country.
- Gay has a truck. You can have my car.
- Then you'll have to drive me back.
I don't mind.
Thanks, but I like
to feel I'm on my own.
- I'll rent a car. Where can I?
- Right now?
- Why not?
- OK. You sure don't waste time, do you?
I just gotta stop
by the garage and quit.
Hey, now, that's the boy.
No, Gay. This is mine.
Mmm. What is that beautiful smell?
Smells like green perfume.
- That's sage, darlin'.
- Oh, sure!
I never smelled it except in bottles.
Gee, it's beautiful here.
Look, dear girl, I think I better
tell you somethin' about cowboys.
- You really worry about me, don't you?
- Well, you're too believin'.
Cowboys are the last real men left,
and they're about as reliable
as jack rabbits.
Is anybody any different? Maybe
you're not supposed to believe people.
Maybe it's not even fair to them.
I couldn't hear what he said to her,
but it looked like she left him.
The husband.
She's kinda hard to figure out,
you know?
One minute she looks kinda dumb
and brand-new, like a kid,
and the next minute...
- She sure moves, though, don't she?
- Mmm. She's real prime.
- It isn't finished yet.
- It's weathertight. Come on in.
It's insulated.
Flush doors.
- This is the living room.
- Oh!
And this was gonna be another bedroom.
It's even nicer this way.
Here's a picture window.
Take a look at this view.
- Take a look at that.
- Gee. It goes on forever.
Fireplace.
- Brick.
- This is the kitchen.
- Gas refrigerator.
- It's nice.
And here's the bathroom. Ceramic tile.
Here's our... This was our bedroom.
My wife. She died here.
I'm... sorry.
She was due to have a baby. I was up
setting the capstone on the chimney...
..and she screamed...
..and that was that.
Couldn't you call a doctor?
She didn't seem to be that sick. Then
I got a flat. I didn't have a spare.
Everything just happened wrong.
It'll do that sometimes.
Yeah, I know. Uh, you couldn't
live here anymore, huh?
We knew each other
since we were seven years old, see?
You ought to find yourself another girl.
I don't know. Being with anybody else,
it seems impossible, you know?
She wasn't like any other women.
Stood behind me 100 percent,
uncomplaining as a tree.
Maybe that's what killed her.
I mean, a little complaining
helps sometimes, maybe.
Hey, Iz, isn't this
a beautiful place here?
Yeah. It'd be just perfect
if somebody'd bring in
that bottle of whiskey I bought.
- With my own money.
- Hey, that's right!
And bring that bag of groceries.
Maybe somebody wants a sandwich.
The glasses are in the kitchen,
Isabelle. I'm real tired.
No, you're just a cowboy, darlin'.
You fellas won't move
unless it's rainin' down your necks.
Too rough for you, Roslyn?
I don't mind that.
You should've seen his wife. She helped
pour cement and knocked in nails.
She was a real good sport.
Now she's dead because
he didn't have a spare tire.
Well, that's the way it goes.
It goes the other way too, though.
Don't forget that.
It's sure nice to see people in here.
Come on, let's have a drink.
I'll start the fridge.
It makes ice quick.
Ice? We gonna stay that long, Roslyn?
- I don't know.
- Oh, sure. Come on.
There's no better place to be. And you
couldn't find better company, either.
- All right.
- That's it, sport.
Turn on that ice, Guido. Let's get this
stuff a-flowin', make the desert bloom.
Well, flow it slow.
We only got one bottle.
There. Put that in your thoughts
and see how they come out.
Come on, sit down, everybody.
Let's get comfortable.
I'm sure glad you like this place.
Here's to Nevada, the "leave it" state.
- The what state?
- The "leave it" state.
You got money to gamble, leave it here.
A wife you wanna get rid of,
get rid of her here.
Extra atom bomb you don't need,
blow it up here.
Nobody will mind in the slightest.
The slogan of Nevada is "Anything goes,
but don't complain if it went."
- That's no lie.
- I even left my Southern accent here.
How come you never went back home?
You came here for a divorce, didn't you?
- I wasn't beautiful enough to go back.
- Oh, Isabelle.
No, that's true. Beauty's a help any
place, but in Virginia it's a necessity.
Why, you can't hardly
get a driver's license without it.
No, I love Nevada. You know, they don't
even have regular meal times here.
Never met so many people
didn't own a watch.
Might have two wives at the same time,
but no watch. Bless them all.
- How quiet it is here.
- Sweetest sound there is.
There's an Indian store about
five miles, if you wanna shop.
Groceries, everything.
If you wanna stay, that is.
Be glad to come by
and do your chores, if you like.
You know, he reminds me of that
cowboy friend I told you about.
Had one arm gone, but he was
more man with one arm
than any other man is with two.
Oh?
- I mean like cookin'.
- Oh!
No, I'm serious. He could take
a panful of chops, toss 'em,
and they all came down
on the other side.
Who is he? Maybe they know him.
Darlin', you can't
go lookin' for a man.
- What, did he take off?
- No, not exactly.
He just never came back.
- Andy Powell. You ever...?
- Sure! Called Andy Gump sometimes?
- That's him.
- You know where he is?
Saw him at the rodeo only last month.
- Maybe we could find him.
- Stop thinkin' you can change things.
But if there's something you can do...
I don't know what to do,
but if I knew, I'd do it.
Have you got a radio or a phonograph?
Maybe we'll have some music.
- There's no electricity.
- The car radio.
- Now who'd have thought of that?
- You always get an idea, don't you?
I'll go bring the car around.
Say, how about another drink
to keep that first one warm?
- I'd love it.
- I'm gonna make myself a sandwich.
- How about you folks?
- OK.
I hope you're gonna stay on here.
Any chance?
Why? What difference would it make?
Might make all the difference
in the world as time goes by.
- Like to dance?
- OK.
Thanks. Iz, give him another drink.
It's a wonderful house, Guido.
Hey, that's pretty good dancin', cowboy.
What are you doin'?
She used to teach dancin'.
You know? Before she was married.
- No kiddin'? In a dance hall?
- Uh-huh.
How about the landlord?
Move over, boy, huh?
Watch out for those pretty little feet.
She knows how to get out of the way.
Let's go.
Where'd you learn that, Pilot?
I never knew him to dance at all.
Look at old Pilot comin' out
from under a bushel!
Hey, you two ought to put on a show!
Come on, honey. This is a good one.
I haven't danced like this in years.
- Didn't your wife dance?
- Not like you. She had no gracefulness.
Why didn't you teach her to be graceful?
You can't learn that.
How do you know?
I mean, how do you know?
You see, she died, and
she didn't know how you can dance.
To a certain extent,
maybe you were strangers.
- I don't feel like discussing my wife.
- Don't be mad.
I only meant that if you loved her
you could've taught her anything.
Because... we're all dying, aren't we?
All the husbands and all the wives.
Every minute.
And we're not teaching each other
what we really know, are we?
Dum da-da... dum...
Guido, you're a nice man.
Smile.
Come on.
- Come on, Iz.
- I'm lookin' for your shoes, dear girl.
Watch out. There's no step!
We better get you home, girl.
You were worried about me. How sweet.
Just wanna keep you
all in one pretty piece.
- Would you have had a spare tire?
- Somebody'd better drive her.
Go ahead. I'll take the truck.
No, Iz, don't leave poor Guido alone.
Tom Dooley!
You're a real beautiful woman.
It's almost kind of an honor
sittin' next to you.
You just shine in my eyes.
That's my true feelin', Roslyn.
What makes you so sad?
I think you're the
saddest girl I ever met.
You're the first man that ever said
that. I'm usually told how happy I am.
That's because you make
a man feel happy.
I don't feel that way about you, Gay.
Well, don't get discouraged, girl.
You might.
Look, why don't you try it out here
for a while, see what happens?
You know, sometimes when
a person don't know what to do,
the best thing is to just stand still.
I'll guarantee you'll have something out
here you wouldn't find on every corner.
I, uh...
I may not amount to much in some ways,
but I am a good friend.
Thanks.
Let me take you back
and get your things.
Try it for a while, see what happens.
Ever hear the story
about the city man out in the country?
He sees this fella sittin' on his porch,
so he says "Mister,
could you tell me how I can get
back to town?" The fella says "No."
"Well, could you tell me how to get to
the post office?" The fella says "No."
"Well, do you know how to
get to the railroad station?" "No."
"Boy," he says, "you sure
don't know much, do you?"
The fella says "Nope. But I ain't lost."
Don't you have a home?
Sure. Never was a better one, either.
Where is it?
Right here.
Come on. I got a surprise for you.
You cooked breakfast. Here, let me.
No, no, no. You sit down
and enjoy yourself. Just this once.
- You do this often?
- Uh-uh. First time for me.
- Really and truly?
- Mmm-hmm.
Mmm. Smells delicious.
Hey, you really go all out, don't you?
Even the way you eat. I like that.
Women generally pick.
You like me, huh?
Birds must be brave to live out here.
At night, especially.
- Whereas they're so small, you know?
- Mmm-hmm.
You think I'm crazy.
I look that way
'cause I can't make you out.
- Why?
- I don't know.
You got children?
- I never wanted children with him.
- Oh.
Children are supposed to bring
you together, but what if they don't?
I've known of so-called
happily married couples.
One time, the wife was in the hospital,
to have the baby
and the husband was calling me up.
I mean, he was calling me.
They're still supposed to be
happily married.
I guess you believe in true love,
don't you?
I don't know, but they ought to invent
a way that you don't have children
unless you care for each other,
'cause kids know the difference.
I always knew the difference.
Listen, if you wanna go somewhere,
I don't mind being alone.
Do I look like I wanna leave?
I just want you to do
what you feel like.
You ain't kiddin'. Even when
you're kiddin', you ain't kiddin'.
No. It makes me feel peaceful.
You know, they come out here
from New York, Chicago, St Louis,
and find them a cowboy. Cowboys
are supposed to be dumb, you know.
So they tell 'em everything.
And they do everything.
Everything they couldn't do back home.
- It's pitiful.
- Why is it pitiful?
Cowboy's laughin' at 'em,
and they don't even know it.
It's nice to meet someone
who has respect for a man.
Did you ever think
of getting married again?
Yeah. I've thought about it
a lot of times. But never in daylight.
- You get lonesome for your children?
- Oh, I see 'em a couple times a year.
They come whenever I'm in a rodeo.
I'm a pretty good roper.
I get lonesome, sure.
My daughter is almost your size.
Uh... You size 12?
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah. So is she.
I bought her a dress
for Christmas. Size 12.
What happened?
Did you just stop loving your wife, Gay?
Well, I come home one night and she's
all wrapped up in a car with a fella.
Turned out to be an old friend.
A cousin of mine, as a matter of fact.
Oh. You never had any idea, huh?
No. You know, in those days I thought
you got married and that was it.
But nothin' is it. Not forever.
That's what I can't get
used to. Everything keeps changing.
I'll tell you this, though. I wouldn't
know how to say goodbye to you, Roslyn.
It surprises me.
There's a lot to be done
around this place.
- If we were gonna stay awhile.
- Let's go out in the sunshine. Come on.
Let's just live like you said in
the bar. I don't know where I am yet.
Hey! Couldn't we use that for a step?
Well, we just might at that.
- There you are.
- Let me try it.
It's perfect. I can go in...
and I can come out.
Go in... and I can come out.
Go in...
..and I can come out.
I can go in...
..and I can come out.
Guido!
What's he doing?
Might land.
There's a place back there.
Nah. I guess he's just sayin' hello.
- Here, have some lemonade.
- Oh, thanks.
- What does he do? Just fly around?
- Could be goin' for eagles.
Now and again ranchers
hire Guido to shoot eagles.
- Why?
- Well, they kill a lot of lambs.
He gets $50 a bird.
I never really saw anything grow before.
How tiny those seeds were. And yet they
know they're supposed to be lettuces.
You say the darnedest things.
You know that, don't you?
Everybody's busy in Chicago,
and here we are.
I love this whole state!
Hey... What have we here now?
Well... Just plain old rabbit!
I'm gonna get him.
It's just one lettuce.
Maybe he won't do it anymore.
No, ma'am! It's them or us! There won't
be a thing left inside of a week.
Couldn't you wait and see?
I can't stand to see anything killed.
Honey, it's only a rabbit.
But it doesn't know any better, does it?
Go on inside and let me handle this.
- I know you worked hard...
- You're darn right!
And I didn't do it
for some bug-eyed rabbit.
- Gay, please.
- Honey, will you go on inside now?
- And stop bein' silly?
- I'm not being silly.
You don't respect what I feel.
- And I don't care about the lettuce!
- I care about it!
And how about havin'
some respect for me?
Oh, Guido and Isabelle!
- Guido!
- Dear girl!
I thought I saw a passenger!
We never heard you land.
- My, you look thrivin'.
- Boy, am I in the right place?
Seen the vegetable garden?
Took Gay a week just to turn the soil.
Mowed the grass
and put in them flowers, too.
I got your windows unstuck.
Fireplace don't smoke now.
You must be a magician. All he ever did
for a woman was get out the ice cubes.
- Look, we have chairs. Come and sit.
- Let's show him the inside.
You know, I've moved this furniture
so many times, I'm gettin' long ears!
My, you look lovely. You've really
found yourself, haven't you?
Well, I... Oh, it's so nice to see you,
Isabelle. Look, we have a step.
How's your arm?
Well, it's still as weak
as a bird's wing.
Well, I never saw anything like it
in my life. It's magical.
Just hope you realize you finally
made contact with a real woman.
My dear girl!
Come, Guido. I wanna show you the rest.
I've changed a few things, though.
We've changed things around.
How do you like it?
Oh, don't look at those.
Gay just hung 'em up for a joke.
I put your picture
up in the living room.
Come on, let's have lots of drinks.
Come on.
Oh, it's so nice to have company.
I put your picture there.
Is that all right?
You don't have to keep it out.
Why, Guido, it's part of the house.
Besides, it's your house.
Oh, sit in the big chair.
This must've been your chair.
Matter of fact, it was.
- Isabelle. Put this under your arm.
- Thanks, dear girl.
I used to do all my studyin'
in this chair.
- When I was still ambitious.
- What did you study?
I was on my way to bein' a doctor.
Before the war.
Well, you never can tell.
Maybe you'll get ambitious again.
I'm gonna tell you somethin', Roslyn.
I spent four years in the war.
Did two tours, flew 50 missions.
Every time I came back to base
I started to design this house.
But somehow I could never
get it to look like my idea of it.
Now it almost does.
You just walk in,
a stranger out of nowhere,
and for the first time it all lights up.
And I'm sure you know why, too.
- Why?
- Because you have the gift for life.
The rest of us, we're just lookin' for
a place to hide and watch it all go by.
Amen.
Here's to your life, Roslyn.
I hope it goes on forever.
And yours. And yours, Isabelle.
And Gay. Gay did all the work, you know.
Yeah. And the rabbits
are sure enjoyin' it, too.
Can you break away from this paradise
long enough to do a little mustangin'?
Mustangin'? Now you're sayin' somethin'.
You been up in the mountains?
Took a quick look earlier this mornin'.
I spotted 15 horses.
That's not too bad.
Boy, I'd sure like
to get my hands on a rope again.
- What do you say?
- I will never understand cowboys.
All crazy about animals, and the
minute they got nothin' else to do,
they run up in the mountains
and bother those poor wild horses.
- Shame on you!
- Horses?
Sure. Nevada mustang. Used
to ship 'em all over the United States.
Not many left.
We'd have to pick up another man.
Dayton Rodeo's on today. We ought to
be able to pick up a fella there.
That's an idea.
Hey, you never saw a rodeo.
Oh, you gotta see a rodeo!
- I'd love to. Will you come, too?
- I'm all set.
I'll get dressed up.
Let's have some fun!
That's a girl. Go right now.
Honey, when you smile
it's like the sun comin' up.
Boy, I'd like to have stopped off home
and get cleaned up.
- Why? You look nice. Doesn't he?
- Lots better than some I've known.
You're a mass of compliments, Isabelle.
Hey, Gay, stop. That guy next
to the phone booth. What's his name?
You worked the Stinson Rodeo with him.
- Perce Howland?
- Gay Langland! You old buzzard, you!
What are you doin'
sittin' out here, fella?
Well, I hitched a ride
down to the Dayton Rodeo,
but this fella changed his mind
and just left me settin' here.
Roslyn, this is Perce Howland.
Well, old Gay's sure comin' up
in the world. How do, ma'am?
This is Isabelle.
Oh, excuse me. I got a call in for home,
but they keep puttin' me in to Wyoming.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Ma? This is Perce.
Yeah, I'm OK. No. I was in Colorado.
I'm in Nevada now.
Just won me a bull ride.
Yeah.
Yeah, a pretty good rodeo.
A hundred dollars.
Ma, I was gonna buy you
a birthday present with it,
but I was comin' out of my boots.
No, Ma, I haven't been
in hospital since I talked to you.
I just bought some boots.
Ma, what would I wanna get married for?
I just bought me...
Hey, you know what? On top of purse
money, I won me a nice silver buckle.
Yeah. Got a buckin' horse on it and
my entire name written out underneath.
You proud?
Oh, no, no. My face is fine. It's all
healed up. It's just as good as new.
You would, too, recognize me.
Oh, OK, operator. Ma, listen.
Say hello to Frieda for me, will you?
And to Victoria.
Yeah, and to Uncle George.
OK, say hello to him, too.
No, no, Ma. It just
slipped my mind, that's all.
Well, OK, I'm sayin' it now.
Ma, you married him, I didn't.
So say hello to him.
Oh, is that...? Listen, maybe
I'll call you at Christmas time.
OK.
Hello? Hello?
God bless you, too.
I just know you'll
take me to that rodeo.
Sure. You entered?
Well, I aim to be,
if I can get me a ride to town.
And, uh, if I can raise $10
for the entrance.
But I just spent my last
$2 in that phone booth.
Boy, I'm real equipped, ain't I?
Say, how'd you like to do some
mustangin'? We need a third man.
You still fly that DC-6
and seven eighths?
It's a lot safer than buckin' horses.
- There are still mustangs around here?
- I spotted 15 this morning.
There might be a lot more, though.
Well, I don't know. What do you expect
to get out of it? Of 15 horses?
I mean, like, if there was
a thousand or more...
But goin' all the way up there for 15,
it kinda hits me sideways.
- Better than wages, ain't it?
- Oh, anything's better than wages.
I tell you what.
We'll drive you to the rodeo,
put up the ten for the entrance.
You come along tomorrow
and help us run some mustang.
All right. You get me
a good bottle of whiskey
- to keep me primed for the rodeo.
- Just wait right here.
You, uh... you an old friend of Gay's?
Pretty old.
I broke my arm twice,
no, three times, in the same place.
And you don't do that fakin' a fall.
You know what some of these riders do?
They just drop off and lay there
like they was stone-dead.
Not me, boy. I don't fake nothin'.
Right, Gay?
That's right.
You're just a natural-born fool.
It's wonderful to be that way.
I know what you mean.
I used to dance in places,
and everybody thought I was crazy.
I mean, I really tried.
People don't know the difference.
Oh, she'd try.
I can just see her tryin'.
What kind of dancin' do you do?
Oh, interpretive dancing.
You know, nightclubs and... That's all.
I was in a nightclub once
in Kansas City called The Naked Truth.
And they wasn't kiddin'!
Dayton comin' up.
Hey, Joe! Hi, Joe!
Hey, Bengie! Hey!
Hi, you old heathen, you!
- Hey, gimme.
- Hiya, Perce.
Oh, there's Franklin.
Boy, does he hate his wife.
Hey, Franklin, how's your wife?
Man, there are a lot of good men here.
I sure hope I drew me a good horse.
Just come out in one piece now,
'cause you gotta go mustangin' tomorrow.
- Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
- Sure.
- How about you, sinner?
- Oh, I got no money yet.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Frank, Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
You just caught me at the bar next door.
That'll learn you to stay put.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary...
Come on, I'll buy you a drink.
Excuse me, cousin.
There ain't many of us left now.
No. Things are tough all over, pop.
Come on, son. Give me a great big glass
of soda pop for my grandson, Lester.
I gotta hold onto him tight,
otherwise he'll run off to school.
Hey, wait till I show you this.
Here is the goldarnedest contraption
that anybody ever seen.
You gotta hit the ball.
- You catch what I mean?
- I can do it. Let me try.
I'll bet you $2 you can't hit it
ten times in a row.
Wait. I'll take that bet.
- Go on. Go on.
- I can do ten, I think.
Here's the paddle. Gangway,
gangway, everybody. Got a bet on.
..2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 30...
..5, 6, 7, 8, 9...
Here, do it while the spirit's in you.
- Here, here. What's the trouble?
- He put his hand on her.
- That right, fella?
- I didn't mean nothin' by it.
What's goin' on?
You lookin' for a fight?
All right, all right.
Let's get to the rodeo.
Here. It's the kid's.
Isabelle, come on.
Lester! Where'd you get the money?
A-ha-ha!
One hundred...
One hundred and forty-five bucks!
- Hello, gold mine.
- That girl can do anything.
I'd marry you.
Thanks for saying it,
but you don't have to do that.
Don't shake that thing at me!
I'm still payin' for this broken arm.
Charles!
It's in the middle of your pretty eyes.
You're looking for the light, sinner.
I know you, and I love you
for your life of pain and sin.
Give it to the only one
who loves you in your lonely desert.
She ain't sinned that much.
We're going to fence off the graveyard.
Keep these cowboys from pasturing
their horses on the graves.
Sweetheart, you've gone and helped
our dead to rest in peace.
Go reborn.
Who do you think is here, dear girl?
Who do you think is here?
- Who?
- My husband.
Oh, Iz! I'm so happy.
I never was so surprised.
They're here on their vacation.
- His wife?
- Clara.
You've heard me speak about her.
She's my oldest friend,
and she's sweeter than ever.
She must be, to make you
so glad to see her.
Charles never would've
stayed married to me.
I even lost the vacuum cleaner once.
They still haven't found it.
Well, we gotta get this boy on a horse.
I'll be around,
but I can't go mustangin'.
They're gonna stay
at my house for a week.
- Good luck, boy. So long.
- Oh, Isabelle...
Jim Palem in the saddle,
now ready to go on Polka Dot, gate one.
Here he comes.
- I didn't know it was that dangerous!
- That's the way they want it.
Look. See that strap they've taken off?
That's what makes 'em buck.
That grabs 'em where they don't like it.
That's not fair!
Well, you wouldn't
have a rodeo otherwise.
Then they shouldn't have a rodeo.
Lester, what are you tryin' to do?!
Don't break it, Grandpa.
Don't get mad about it.
Come on, Lester.
- I hope you're sober.
- Man, I've won buckets of money
in towns I couldn't remember the name.
Hey, there she is.
I mean, there they are.
Gay, I wouldn't, uh...
I wouldn't wanna move in on you.
- Unless, of course, you wouldn't mind.
- Boy, I'd mind.
The next rider is Perce Howland
of Black River, Wyoming.
- California, not Wyoming.
- Ready, boy?
- Outside.
- Open the gate!
Come on, Perce!
Perce! Perce!
- Thanks, Jim.
- OK.
- Where's... Where's my hat, Pa?
- You got it on, Perce.
- You're bleeding!
- Frieda! I'm all right.
She ain't your sister.
Looks like you've been messing around
with the wrong end of the horse.
- Are you a doctor?
- Doctor? I don't want a doctor.
Hold it, boy. I'm no doctor.
I'll just clean you up.
- Isn't there a doctor?
- Not for 60 miles. He ain't bad hurt.
How do you know?
Let's take him. Come with me.
Now don't start running things, Roslyn.
- I don't understand. He's your friend.
- You're all right, ain't you, Perce?
- Perce, you all right?
- Did I make the whistle?
Almost, boy. You done good, though.
That old horse,
he sure was rank, wasn't he?
Oh, he was a real killer! You done good.
- Leave him. He'll get up.
- Next event is the Brahma bull riding.
Oh. That's me.
No, not yet.
You got a couple of minutes.
What for?
He's got a bull to ride.
Walk around a bit.
- Guido, he's not going in there again?
- I guess he wants to ride that bull.
Just let him walk it off, Roz.
Why are you doing it? Take the money
we won in the bar. You helped me win it.
Come on, take it. It's over $100.
You don't have to go back in there.
I'm pretty good ridin' bulls.
I want you to watch me, Roslyn.
- But why are you doing it?
- I put in for it. I entered.
- Stop him!
- How can I?
They don't mind getting busted up.
- Perce!
- You don't know what you're saying!
Perce, here's your prize!
- OK, boy, you want it?
- Hell, yes!
We still have some real men in the West.
Back again, this time on a Brahma bull,
the cowboy from Black Hills,
Colorado, Perce Howland.
Come on, honey.
We're gonna have some drinks.
Is he unconscious still?
Probably, but it ain't noticeable. He's
arguing with the judge about who won.
You still mad at me?
I don't understand.
People dying, and people just
standing around. Don't you care?
I just went in for that boy
with a wild bull runnin' loose.
- I'm lucky to be sittin' here myself!
- You did? You did?
Well, I just thought I could
get him out, so I did, that's all.
But what if he'd died?
It would be terrible!
Honey, we all gotta go sometime.
Dyin' is as natural as livin'.
- A man afraid to die is afraid to live.
- Roz? Did you see me?
You were wonderful. Get in the back.
We're taking you to a hospital.
- Oh, no. We're gonna have some fun.
- Yeah, sure. Come on.
- How do you feel?
- How do I feel?
Like I was kicked by a bull.
He was somethin', wasn't he?
Oh, I want no part of that bull,
except on a plate, medium rare.
- Come on.
- Is he all right?
Sure. In two weeks he won't
remember this. Or you, either.
Why don't you give your sympathy
where it's appreciated?
Where's that?
Hey, you guys, come on!
I feel funny. I feel like...
What was in the injection that man gave
to me? I... I see the prettiest stars.
I never seen stars before.
You ever see stars before, Gay?
It's like that bull had
the whole Milky Way in its hoof.
Hey, Bill? Bill?
Whiskey for eight people, huh?
OK!
Hey, was that you
crying in the ambulance?
- Was that her, Gay?
- Sure was.
I certainly want to thank you.
Oh, now... Here's to my buddy,
old, elderly Gay.
Gay's not old.
And to old, elderly Pilot
and his five-dollar, elderly airplane.
And... to my friend Roslyn.
- Well, we're all buddies now, right?
- That's right.
Then what are you lookin'
so mad at me for, buddy?
Hey...
Uh, is it all right
if we have this dance together?
Sure. Roslyn, why don't you
dance with Perce?
OK.
Nothin' like being young, is there, Gay?
No, that's right.
But you know what they say. There's
some keeps gettin' younger all the time.
What's eatin' you?
Just my life.
This is the way my father used to do it.
Oh!
- What's the matter?
- It's all right.
Come on, let's go out and see the world.
I... better sit down.
- Do you mind?
- No.
- Damn that bull.
- Don't say anything. Just be still.
Gay's a pretty great fella, isn't he?
Yes.
You know, I can't figure you,
floatin' around out here like this.
You belong to Gay?
I don't know where I belong.
I don't like to see the way
they grind up women out here.
Although I guess
a lot of them don't mind, do they?
Some do.
Don't you let them grind you up. Hear?
How come you got
such trust in your eyes?
- I do?
- Like you was just born.
- Oh, no.
- Was you really cryin' for me before?
You were hurt. Didn't anyone
ever cry for you before?
No. No stranger.
Last... April 12th,
I was kicked so bad,
I was out all day and all night.
And I was with my girlfriend
and my two buddies.
I haven't seen her
and I haven't seen them since.
They left you? Alone?
Can I ask you something?
I mean, I don't have anybody, uh...
you know what I mean,
that I could talk to.
And I don't know how you should do...
What do you mean?
Well, see, this is the first year
that I've been floatin' around.
I'm not like Gay and Pilot.
I got a pretty good home.
I mean, I had a good home.
One day...
..my father, we was out back, and...
..boom, like that, it happened.
Down he went.
Some damn fool hunters.
- They killed him?
- Mmm-hmm.
And then she changed.
- Who is "she"?
- My mother.
She used... She used to be so dignified.
She'd walk next to him like a saint.
Well, pretty soon this man
starts comin' around, and...
Well, she changed.
Three months, they got married.
Well, OK.
But I said to her,
"Ma, look. You better
get a paper from this Mr. Blackwell,
because I'm the oldest, and you know
Papa wanted me to have this ranch."
So you know what happens?
On their wedding night
he turns around and offers me wages.
- On my father's place.
- What did she say?
Say?
I don't think she heard.
It's like she hardly
remembers me anymore.
I don't know. It's hard to explain.
It's like she's changed altogether.
So what I want to know... What I want to
know is... who do you depend on? Who?
I don't know.
Maybe all there really is
is just the next thing.
The next thing that happens.
Maybe you're not supposed to
remember anybody's promises.
You could count on mine.
I trust you, Roslyn.
- I think I love you.
- Oh, no. You don't know me.
I don't care. Roz... Oh!
That damn bull!
Roslyn? Roslyn?
Here we are.
Come on, now.
I want you to meet my kids.
- Your kids are here?
- Yeah. They come to the rodeo.
I ain't seen 'em in a year.
Oh, you ought to see the welcome
they give me, nearly knocked me over!
- That great?
- I'm so glad for you, Gay.
She's gonna be 19. She got so pretty.
They just happen to be here for
the rodeo. Both of 'em. That great?
Where are they?
Where are who?
My kids. I told 'em I'd be back
in a minute. You heard me tell 'em.
They went outside.
Outside.
Gaylord! Gaylord!
Rosemary! Gaylord!
- Gaylord!
- Gaylord! Here's your father!
Gaylord! I know you hear me!
Where you gone to?
I told you I'd be right back!
- You come here now!
- You'll probably find him at home.
Gaylord! You come here now!
I know you hear me!
Rosemary! I know you hear me!
You come here now!
Oh, Gay! They'll be
looking for you, I'm sure.
They probably thought you left.
Oh, poor Gay! Poor Gay!
Aren't you going too fast? Please, huh?
Don't worry, kid.
I never kill anybody I know.
A fella smashed up my best girlfriend.
She was beautiful, with black hair.
- Please, Guido.
- Say... Say hello to me, Roslyn.
Hello, Guido. Please, huh?
We're all blind bombardiers, Roslyn.
We kill people we never even saw.
I bombed nine cities.
I sure must've broken a lot of dishes,
but I never saw them.
You know, think of all the puppy dogs
and mail carriers...
..and eyeglasses that must've gone up.
Boy, you know,
droppin' a bomb is like tellin' a lie.
Makes everything so quiet.
Pretty soon you don't hear anything,
you don't see anything.
Not even your wife.
Now the difference is that I see you.
You're the first one I ever really saw.
Please, Guido, don't kill us!
How do you get to know somebody, kid?
I can't make a landing,
and I can't get up to God, either.
Help me.
I never said "help me" in my life.
I don't know anybody.
So how do I land, honey?
Will you give me a little time? Say yes.
At least say, "Hello, Guido."
Yes, Guido. Hello, Guido.
Hello, Roslyn.
Huh? Huh?
OK. OK. I'll drive.
- Gay, we're here.
- Where?
Huh? OK.
Guido, I'm so sorry. Guido?
I'm sorry.
Won't you hurt your hand? It's so dark.
Guido, look how dark it is.
It's all dark.
Hey! Hey! What in the hell
are you stompin' the flowers for?
You busted all the damn heliotropes!
Look at that. Look at that now.
What in the hell good is that?
- He's just trying to fix the house.
- What call has he got to fix the house?
- He's only trying to say hello.
- Hello.
What's goin' on?
Who's doin' that?
Hey, who's done this? Who done this?
- Don't take it off!
- Take it off me! What is it?
- Don't take it off.
- Take it off! What is it?
It's your bandage. Stop tangling it.
- Bandage? What for, a bandage?
- For your head.
- Who tied this on me?
- The ambulance did.
You leave me
at a disadvantage all night?
- No.
- Huh? Was it you, Gay?
Was it you, Gay?
Oh!
- Who did that?
- Gay, come over here.
- You leave me at a disadvantage?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Who did that to me?
Where are we? What are you doin'?
Leave me alone.
Where are we goin'?
What is this blasted place?
What is this place? Where are we?
This is my house. Or it's Guido's.
Well, it's a house, anyway.
No. No, Ma, Ma, don't, don't.
Gay?
Come on, Gay.
I wish you'd met Gaylord and Rosemary.
If I had a new kid
I'd know just how to be with him.
Just how to do...
Oh, I wasted those kids.
I didn't know nothin'.
No. I'm sure they love you, Gay.
Would you ever want a kid... with me?
Let me turn off the light in the car.
You get some sleep.
I don't wanna sleep.
I asked you a question.
Did I ask you to
turn the lights out in the car?
What are you runnin' away from
all the time?
I wouldn't wash the windows
for my wife, even.
Painted the fireplace,
planted them damn heliotropes...
What are they doin' here? What do you
keep bringin' them around for?
- Gay, I didn't bring 'em here.
- Where are you at?
I don't know where you're at.
Gay, I'm with you. I'm here with you.
What if someday suddenly you turn
around and you don't like me anymore?
Like before, when Perce got hurt,
you started to give me a look.
I know that look, and it scares me, Gay.
I couldn't be with strangers anymore.
Honey, honey!
I got a little mad, that's all.
That don't mean I didn't like you.
Didn't your papa ever spank you, then
pick you up and give you a big kiss?
He did, didn't he?
He was never there long enough.
And strangers spanked me for keeps.
Oh, Gay! Love me, love me!
We made up now. OK?
Yeah, OK. OK.
Let's get some sleep.
Yeah. Yeah, we'll make out.
I'll farm. Run some cattle, maybe.
I'm a pretty good man, Roslyn.
Best man you'll ever see.
I'll show you tomorrow,
up in the mountains.
Not many can keep up with old Gay.
You wait and see.
Help.
- Why is the dog shivering?
- He'll do that up here.
That star... That star is so far away...
..that by the time the light from it
reaches us here on Earth,
it might not even be up there anymore.
Boy, you sure know a lot,
don't you, Pilot?
Astronomy is in all the library books,
Perce. Nothin' to it but readin'.
- Still, it's wonderful to know things.
- Knowin' things don't matter much.
You got somethin' a lot more important.
- What?
- You care.
Whatever happens to anybody,
it happens to you.
You're really hooked into the
whole thing, Roslyn. It's a blessing.
People say I'm just nervous.
If it weren't for the
nervous people in the world,
we'd all still be eating each other.
I don't know about you educated people,
but us ignorant folk gotta hit the sack.
- Why is the dog trembling?
- Got a whiff of the horses, I guess.
- They must be close by, Guido.
- Baby... Baby...
- Keep quiet, you fool!
- Oh, don't, Gay. He couldn't help it.
Have the horses ever kicked him?
It's not the horses
he's afraid of. It's us.
What are you talkin' about? I never
mistreated that dog, and you know it.
It's only common sense, Gay.
He knows there's wild animals up there.
Dogs were wild too, once.
He's just remembering when.
He's been up here enough times
to know what will happen.
He's just scared
he's gonna end up dead, too.
Uh, come on, honey. Keep yourself
nice and warm here by the fire.
You kill them?
No, no. We, uh...
sell 'em to the dealer.
He kills them?
Well, they're chicken-feed horses.
You know, turn 'em into dog food.
Like you buy in the store
for the dog and the cat.
Well, I thought you knew that.
Everybody knows that.
Maybe you better sleep on the truck, in
case something comes crawlin' around.
Get some sleep now. Come on.
Honey...
Honey, I just round 'em up
and sell 'em to the dealer. Always have.
There's no need to look at me that way.
You're lookin' at me
like I was a stranger. Honey!
I thought they were used
for riding, or for...
Well, sure, they used to be.
Well, like Christmas presents for kids,
'cause they're small horses, you see?
But kids ride motor scooters now.
They're real strong horses, though.
Little as they are.
They bred to 'em for stamina.
Mustang blood pulled
all the ploughs in the West.
They couldn't have settled here unless
somebody caught mustang for 'em.
Somehow it all got changed around.
I'm doin' the same thing I always did.
It's just that they changed it around.
But you know what you're doing
isn't right, don't you? You know that.
If I didn't do it, somebody else would.
I don't care about the others.
You've bought food for my dog.
What did you think was in it?
I don't wanna hear it.
Nothin' can live unless somethin' dies.
Oh, stop!
Roslyn, we never kidded, you and I.
Now, I don't want to lose you.
But you gotta help me a bit,
'cause I can't put on that
this is all as bad as you make it.
All I know is everything else is wages.
I hunt these horses to keep myself free.
So I'm a free man.
That's why you liked me, isn't it?
- I liked you because you were kind.
- I haven't changed.
- Yes. This changes it.
- Honey, a kind man can kill.
No. He can't.
Well, maybe you have to take
the bad with the good,
else you'll be runnin'
for the rest of your life.
What is there to stop for?
You're just like everybody else.
Yeah, sure. Maybe we're all alike.
Includin' you.
We start out doin' somethin',
meanin' no harm,
somethin' naturally in us to do.
But somewhere along the line it gets
changed around into somethin' bad.
Like dancin' in a nightclub.
You started out just wantin' to dance.
But little by little
it turns out that people
ain't interested in how good you danced.
They're gawkin' at you with
somethin' different in their minds.
And they turn it sour, don't they?
I could have looked
down my nose at you too.
Showin' yourself off in a nightclub
for so much a night.
But I took my hat off to you,
'cause I know the difference.
This... This is how I dance, Roslyn.
And if they make somethin' else
out of it, well, I can't run the world,
anymore than you could.
You took your hat off to me?
You mean that, don't you, Gay?
Good night.
Shame on you, you old fool.
I can fly her back in the morning,
if you want me to.
I was wonderin' how
she agreed to come out here.
She's got a lot of right,
when you think about it.
It don't make too much sense
for 15 horses.
Don't worry yourselves about her.
She's comin' along fine.
You be quiet now.
Everybody's showin' off.
OK, OK, Perce. Hold it, hold it.
Come on, Perce, give me a hand here.
Look, Gay. He's not snapping anymore.
Yeah, things generally
look different in the morning.
Try and chase 'em
down the old mine road.
- OK, Gay, I'm ready.
- How do you want her?
That way.
Boy, that's some jacket.
Pretty breezy, though, isn't it?
Been on a lot of missions in this thing.
I wouldn't take $100 for it.
It's bulletproof.
I wish you were comin' along with me.
You'd see some real flyin'.
Probably never see this again
in history, you know.
- OK, Gay.
- Switch off?
Throttle closed, switch off.
Turn your partner, boy. Do-si-do.
- Once more, con amore!
- Here we go.
Contact.
That lousy car gas!
All right, try it again.
Contact.
It's like a dream.
I seen a picture of the moon once.
Looked just like this.
- You want up?
- Yes.
He'll drive the horses out of that pass.
Who owns this land?
Government, probably.
Might as well call it God's country.
- You see anything?
- Uh-uh.
How quiet it is. You can hear
your skin against your clothes.
You're lookin' real good, honey. What
do you say we go into Reno tonight?
OK.
I forgot to tell you
something last night.
Cow outfits use the pasture up here.
They shoot mustang
and leave 'em for the buzzards.
'Cause they eat all the good feed.
You know that, don't you, Perce?
- Huh? Yeah, I know that.
- Why didn't you say so?
I just said so.
They're nothin' but misfit horses.
I wish you'd been here in the old days.
I seen 'em pour out of those passes
400, 500 at a time.
We'd build a corral
and funnel 'em into it.
Some of 'em were real beautiful animals.
Made sweet ridin' horses.
- I wish I'd been here then.
- I hear something.
- What?
- Engine, sounds like.
- Where?
- Out there.
No, it's too soon.
He wouldn't be in the pass yet.
- Listen. I hear him.
- There he is!
Gay, look!
I'd have seen him,
but I didn't expect him so soon.
Oh, I seen him glinting against the sun.
That's what it was.
What's that?
He fired a shot.
Hey, you got good eyes, old boy.
Uh-oh. Here they come.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
I guess he'll go back for the rest now.
Let me have a look.
- You see the rest yet?
- No.
Six. It looks like a stallion
and four mares.
- And a little colt.
- You sure?
Yeah. A spring foal.
Yeah. It's a colt all right, Gay.
Want a look?
Maybe it's cooler in the truck.
It's all right. She's gonna make it.
You said there'd be fifteen.
There are only six.
Ah, probably lost a few. That'll happen.
It don't make much sense for six,
does it?
Six is six. Better than wages, ain't it?
I said it's better than wages, ain't it?
Sure. Anything's better than wages.
Perce, I know a place about 100 miles
northeast, Thighbone Mountain.
Must be at least 500 head in there.
I never bothered with 'em
'cause it's tough to get 'em out.
- You have to horseback in.
- I don't know, Gay.
To tell you the truth, I don't
even know about rodeos anymore.
Boy, I'm beginnin'
to smell wages all over you.
Sure wish my old man hadn't died.
When you get through wishin',
all there is is a man's work.
And there ain't much of that left.
Come on, give me a hand with this drum.
Come on, Perce,
let's get these stakes in.
Come on, Dooley.
Come on, dog. Here, Dooley.
Come on, Perce.
Let's go, boy!
You grab hold now.
We're gonna do a lot of fast turning.
Throw again, Perce!
Get that horse, cowboy.
That's the way!
Attaboy, Gay!
Get that horse!
Attaboy, Gay!
- Well, here's the big chief.
- What?
The stallion.
Get that horse, cowboy.
That's the way.
We'll tie 'em up now, and open their
nooses so they won't choke overnight.
Overnight?
The dealer'll
pick 'em up in the morning.
Perce?
- Were those his mares?
- Uh-huh.
Was that his colt?
Perce, get in here.
- Gay, why are you killing him?
- Stand aside, honey.
- OK, you won! All right, you've won!
- Let go of that rope! Get outta here!
- Gay, darling...
- Pull him! Choke him down, Guido!
- Get off me, Roslyn.
- Stop it!
- Roslyn!
- Shut up and pull that horse down!
Come on! One, two... Go!
Well, I guess comin' up here
for the first time like her,
there might not seem much sense to it,
for only five horses.
Not knowin' how it used to be.
I never thought of it, but I guess
the fewer you kill, the worse it looks.
What do you say
we give her these horses?
How much do you want for 'em?
I'll pay you.
I'll give you $200. Is that enough?
- Let's get in the truck.
- Gay, you was about to give 'em to her.
I did think of it,
but I sell to dealers only.
'Cause all they're
lookin' to buy is a horse.
- I didn't mean to insult you, Gay.
- No insult.
I'm just wonderin' who you think
you've been talkin' to since we met.
Brother, what a day.
I nearly hit a mountain back there.
Cylinder cut out
at the bottom of a dive.
Squirtin' oil.
Boy, that's the closest
I ever come, I tell ya.
Listen, do you want me to stop this?
I know how you feel, Roslyn.
I never liked this part myself.
Truthfully, the only part
I enjoyed is the flying.
You want me to stop it?
- You would?
- You're through with Gay now, right?
Well, tell me. He doesn't know what
you're all about. He'll never know.
Tell me, Roslyn. I been waitin'.
I'm goin' out of my mind with waitin'.
Come back with me. Give me a week,
two weeks. Let me show you what I am.
Tell me, Roslyn.
Give me a reason and I'll stop it.
There'll be hell to pay,
but give me a reason and I'll do it.
A reason?
You, a sensitive fellow.
So sad for his wife.
Crying about the bombs you dropped
and the people you killed.
You have to get something to be human?
You never felt anything
for anybody in your life.
All you know is the sad words.
You could blow up the world, and
all you'd feel is sorry for yourself!
- She's an old one.
- Fifteen if she's a day.
She wouldn't last through the winter.
We'll tie down the other three
on the way back.
- What do you think this mare'll weigh?
- About 600 pounds, I guess.
- Must be about 400 on that brown, huh?
- Just about, yeah.
Must be about 800 on the stallion.
A little lighter.
About 1900, 2000 pounds.
How does that all come out?
Well, six cents a pound,
be about $110, $120.
- How do you wanna cut it up?
- Any way you like.
- I'll take 50 for myself and the plane.
- OK.
I ought to have about 40
for the truck and me.
That leaves 25 for you, Perce.
That all right?
Perce!
No. You fellas take it.
I just came along for the ride anyway.
Horse killers!
Killers! Murderers!
You're liars! All of you, liars!
You're only happy
when you can see something die!
Why don't you kill yourselves
and be happy?!
You and your God's country! Freedom!
I pity you! You're three
dear, sweet, dead men!
She's crazy. They're all crazy.
You try not to believe it
because you need them. She's crazy.
You struggle, you build, you try,
you turn yourself inside out for 'em.
But it's never enough.
So they put the spurs to you.
I know. I got the marks.
I know this racket.
I just forgot
what I knew for a little while.
Butchers! Murderers!
I pity you! You're three dead men!
Hold this light for me, will you?
Buck up, boy.
Before you know it you'll be
up to your neck in dames again.
I just been thinkin'.
I don't know how we got so stupid.
The world is full of mountains.
Montana, Colorado, Canada, even Mexico.
Where there's mountains,
there's horses.
Probably we could clean 'em all out
till we're too weak to walk.
We'd work a while and...
I could even sell my house.
I don't know what I've been
keepin' it for anyway.
Put everything into a good plane.
We'll get this thing
on a business basis.
For instance, we ought to water
those horses before we weigh 'em in.
Put 50 pounds on just these five
if we let 'em drink.
- We just been foolin' around.
- I wanna get out of here. Come on.
No. With a good plane you could
fly into Reno from anywhere.
Check into the Mapes,
have a good time, and off we go again.
Boy, we wouldn't need anybody.
I tell you...
Why don't you shut up, Guido?
Just shut up, huh?
- Do you want me to turn 'em loose?
- No. There'd just be a fight.
I'll meet you at the dealer's.
We'll get his winch truck.
Don't spin the prop
till I check the switch.
- Switch off?
- Switch off. Throttle closed.
Contact.
Gay!
Go home. Go.
Help him, Perce.
He don't want no help.
Gay?
You held him.
I'm proud of ya, boy. You held him.
We'll get them all back tomorrow.
Just get your wind back now.
Get your wind back.
Don't worry, we're not through here.
We're only gettin' started.
We don't need anybody in the world.
You know that now, don't you?
What are you doin'?
What in the hell you catch him for?
Don't want nobody makin' up
my mind for me, that's all.
Damn 'em all!
They changed it. Changed it all around.
Smeared it all over with blood.
Well, I'm finished with it.
It's... It's like ropin' a dream now.
Just gotta find another way
to be alive, that's all.
If there is one anymore.
Perce, cut that mare loose
for me, will you?
Sure.
Drive you back, if you want.
Um, I'm pleased to have met you, Roslyn.
Don't get hurt anymore, will you, Perce?
See you around, Guido.
Where'll you be?
Polishin' windshields?
Makin' change in a supermarket?
Try the Laundromat! They need
a fella there to load the machines!
Gay!
I'll leave tomorrow. OK?
I bless you, girl.
Gay, if there could be
one person in the world,
a child who could be brave
from the beginning...
I was scared to when you asked me.
But I'm not so much now. Are you?
No.
How do you find
your way back in the dark?
Just head for that big star straight on.
The highway's under it.
It'll take us right home.
I got six clocks, and none of them work.
- Twenty after nine.
- After?
It's twenty after, dear. Darlin'?
- Five minutes. What about you?
- I'm all set. I just ironed my sling.
- The lawyer said 9:30 sharp, darlin'.
- OK.
I hope you're not the miserly kind.
It's brand-new.
She ought to get
a very good price for it.
Is that the right mileage?
Twenty-three miles?
We only took two rides in it.
It's the darn men.
They run into her
just to start a conversation.
- Will you come up, Iz?
- Sure, dear.
Don't go by appearances. It's brand-new.
It was a divorce present
from her husband.
- They givin' presents for divorces now?
- Why not?
On the anniversary of our divorce,
my husband always sends me
one potted yellow rose,
and it'll be 19 years in July.
Course, he never
did pay me the alimony.
But I wouldn't wanna put a man out,
you know, if his heart's not in it.
- You break your arm in the car?
- No.
My last roomer,
the one before Mrs. Taber,
we celebrated her divorce,
and... I misbehaved.
I'm so sick and tired of myself.
- Will you go over my answers again?
- Sure, dear.
But don't worry, you'll do wonderfully.
Let's see. "Did your husband,
Mr. Raymond Taber,
act toward you with cruelty?"
Darlin'?
- Well, yes.
- Just say yes.
Yes.
"In what way did this cruelty
manifest itself?"
He persistently...
How does that go again?
"He persistently and cruelly ignored
my personal wishes and my rights,
and resorted on several occasions
to physical violence against me."
He persistently...
Oh, do I have to say that?
Why can't I just say he wasn't there?
He... You could touch him,
but he wasn't there.
If that was grounds for divorce,
there'd only be about
11 marriages left in the US.
Now just repeat after me.
- "He persistently...
- He persistently...
- They'll call in their estimate, ma'am.
- Those dents aren't my fault, you know.
I'll recommend
the best price I can, ma'am.
You can drive her now.
I've put in a new battery.
I'll never drive that car again.
Let's take a taxi.
I... I'll give you a lift
if you're leaving right away.
Swell. Two minutes. Iz, get dressed!
You gotta be my witness.
This'll be my 77th time
I've witnessed for a divorce.
- Two sevens, that's lucky, darlin'!
- Oh, Iz, I hope.
- Easy does it, now.
- Oh, you're a dear.
- Here we are.
- Thanks a lot. We've gotta go now.
If you're not goin'
back East right away,
I'd be glad to show you the county.
Beautiful country around here, you know.
Well, I don't know where I'll be,
but OK. Thanks again.
My name is Isabelle Steers.
Isabelle. Well, OK,
you come along, too.
That's a sweet afterthought!
You Reno men!
I can't memorize this.
It's not the way it was.
Just say it. It doesn't have to be true.
This isn't a quiz show,
it's only a court.
- I just got off the plane...
- I don't wanna hear anything.
Just give me five minutes.
After two years, five minutes...
You can't have me now,
so you want me, that's all.
Please, I'm not blaming you.
It's... I just don't believe
in the whole thing anymore.
Kid, I understand. I understand...
You don't understand.
You're not there, Raymond.
If I'm gonna be alone,
I wanna be by myself.
Go back. You're not gonna make me
feel sorry for you anymore.
Gay!
Wait up! I was just
goin' over to see ya!
Well, good luck now, Susan. I won't
forget you, you can be sure of that.
- I don't even know where to write you.
- General delivery. I'll get it.
Will you think about it? It's the
second-largest laundry in St. Louis.
I wouldn't wanna kid you.
I ain't cut out for business.
Well, will you think of me? Oh, Gay...
Oh, you know I will, honey. Goodbye.
Bye.
How're you doin', boy? Ready to
cut out of this town? 'Cause I am.
Well, I've been thinkin' about it.
- Which one was that?
- Susan. Swell sport, that woman.
I just met me a girl sweet enough
to eat, Gay. Fine-lookin' woman.
But when I think of all the useless
talkin' you gotta do, I get discouraged.
I tell you, I'm dyin'
for some fresh air.
And no people, male or female.
Why don't we take out to the mountains?
We could even do a little mustangin'.
I wanted to pile up about 500 this time.
- I need a new engine.
- That engine'll fly you anywhere.
Say, you've been two months
on this job. You'll get the habit.
I'll see you over at Harrah's later.
Let's talk about it.
Tom Dooley.
If you throw in your ring
you'll never get another divorce.
Go ahead, honey. Everybody does it.
More gold in that river
than there is in the Klondike.
- Did you do that?
- Who, me? No.
I lost my ring on my honeymoon.
- Let's get a drink.
- That's my girl.
Wait a minute, honey.
This machine loves me.
Never say die.
Scotch, I guess, on i... Yeah, on ice.
- Rye and water.
- Scotch on ice, rye and water.
Well, cheer up.
I will. I just hate
to fight with anybody.
When you win, you lose.
You know, in your heart.
Well, you're free. Maybe the trouble is
you're not used to it yet.
No, the trouble is I always
end up back where I started.
Never had anybody much.
And here I am.
Well, you had your mother, didn't you?
How do you have somebody
who disappears all the time?
They both weren't there. She'd go off
with a patient for three months, and...
You know how long
three months is to a kid.
Listen, don't leave. Settle here.
They got a school.
You could teach dancing.
One thing about this town, it's
always full of interesting strangers.
Oh, I'm sorry. What did I say? I...
I suddenly miss my mother.
Oh, isn't that the stupidest thing?
Iz, you're a fine woman. Practically the
only woman that's ever been my friend.
Well, drink up then.
Oh, isn't that the dearest dog?
Look how sweet he sits there.
Yeah. Dogs are nice.
Here. Puppy.
Hey, Dooley.
Hello. How'd you make out?
OK.
I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine. Gay...
Gay Langland, Mrs. Taber.
- Howdy do?
- And this is Mrs., uh...?
Steers. Isabelle Steers. One thing about
Reno men, they do remember the name.
- Why don't you boys sit down?
- Thank you. What're you girls drinkin'?
Whiskey. We're celebratin'
the jail burned down.
Mary, see if you can get
four doubles, will you?
Uh... you sure made
a big impression on my friend here.
And I can see why.
- You a mechanic, too?
- Him? He's a cowboy.
- How'd you know?
- I can smell, can't I?
- Hey, you can't smell cows on me.
- I smell the look on your face, cowboy.
But I love every miserable one of ya.
Course, you're all good for nothin',
as you know.
That may be.
But it's better than wages.
I suppose you'll be headin'
back East soon, Mrs. Taber?
I can't make up my mind.
I don't know yet what to do.
You don't have a business to run,
or a school to teach, or...?
Me? I never finished high school.
Well! That's real good news.
- You don't like educated women?
- They're all right.
Always wantin' to know
what you're thinkin', that's all.
Maybe they're trying to get to know you.
Did you ever get to know a man better
by askin' him questions?
- You mean he'd lie?
- Well, he might not.
And, then again, he just might.
How about it, Pilot?
We takin' off today?
You ever been outside Reno, Mrs. Taber?
I walked to the edge of town.
Doesn't look like much is out there.
Everything's there.
- Like what?
- The country.
- Well, what do you do with yourself?
- Just live.
- How do you just live?
- Well, you start by goin' to sleep.
You get up when you feel like it.
You scratch yourself. You fry some eggs.
You see what kind of a day it is.
You throw stones at a can and whistle.
I know what you mean.
I have an empty house in the country
just beyond Hawleyville.
It's all yours if you want some
peace and quiet before you go back.
- The last woman's gone?
- No kiddin'. I never offered it before.
Well, I wouldn't stay there.
But let's rent a car.
We could look at the country.
- Gay has a truck. You can have my car.
- Then you'll have to drive me back.
I don't mind.
Thanks, but I like
to feel I'm on my own.
- I'll rent a car. Where can I?
- Right now?
- Why not?
- OK. You sure don't waste time, do you?
I just gotta stop
by the garage and quit.
Hey, now, that's the boy.
No, Gay. This is mine.
Mmm. What is that beautiful smell?
Smells like green perfume.
- That's sage, darlin'.
- Oh, sure!
I never smelled it except in bottles.
Gee, it's beautiful here.
Look, dear girl, I think I better
tell you somethin' about cowboys.
- You really worry about me, don't you?
- Well, you're too believin'.
Cowboys are the last real men left,
and they're about as reliable
as jack rabbits.
Is anybody any different? Maybe
you're not supposed to believe people.
Maybe it's not even fair to them.
I couldn't hear what he said to her,
but it looked like she left him.
The husband.
She's kinda hard to figure out,
you know?
One minute she looks kinda dumb
and brand-new, like a kid,
and the next minute...
- She sure moves, though, don't she?
- Mmm. She's real prime.
- It isn't finished yet.
- It's weathertight. Come on in.
It's insulated.
Flush doors.
- This is the living room.
- Oh!
And this was gonna be another bedroom.
It's even nicer this way.
Here's a picture window.
Take a look at this view.
- Take a look at that.
- Gee. It goes on forever.
Fireplace.
- Brick.
- This is the kitchen.
- Gas refrigerator.
- It's nice.
And here's the bathroom. Ceramic tile.
Here's our... This was our bedroom.
My wife. She died here.
I'm... sorry.
She was due to have a baby. I was up
setting the capstone on the chimney...
..and she screamed...
..and that was that.
Couldn't you call a doctor?
She didn't seem to be that sick. Then
I got a flat. I didn't have a spare.
Everything just happened wrong.
It'll do that sometimes.
Yeah, I know. Uh, you couldn't
live here anymore, huh?
We knew each other
since we were seven years old, see?
You ought to find yourself another girl.
I don't know. Being with anybody else,
it seems impossible, you know?
She wasn't like any other women.
Stood behind me 100 percent,
uncomplaining as a tree.
Maybe that's what killed her.
I mean, a little complaining
helps sometimes, maybe.
Hey, Iz, isn't this
a beautiful place here?
Yeah. It'd be just perfect
if somebody'd bring in
that bottle of whiskey I bought.
- With my own money.
- Hey, that's right!
And bring that bag of groceries.
Maybe somebody wants a sandwich.
The glasses are in the kitchen,
Isabelle. I'm real tired.
No, you're just a cowboy, darlin'.
You fellas won't move
unless it's rainin' down your necks.
Too rough for you, Roslyn?
I don't mind that.
You should've seen his wife. She helped
pour cement and knocked in nails.
She was a real good sport.
Now she's dead because
he didn't have a spare tire.
Well, that's the way it goes.
It goes the other way too, though.
Don't forget that.
It's sure nice to see people in here.
Come on, let's have a drink.
I'll start the fridge.
It makes ice quick.
Ice? We gonna stay that long, Roslyn?
- I don't know.
- Oh, sure. Come on.
There's no better place to be. And you
couldn't find better company, either.
- All right.
- That's it, sport.
Turn on that ice, Guido. Let's get this
stuff a-flowin', make the desert bloom.
Well, flow it slow.
We only got one bottle.
There. Put that in your thoughts
and see how they come out.
Come on, sit down, everybody.
Let's get comfortable.
I'm sure glad you like this place.
Here's to Nevada, the "leave it" state.
- The what state?
- The "leave it" state.
You got money to gamble, leave it here.
A wife you wanna get rid of,
get rid of her here.
Extra atom bomb you don't need,
blow it up here.
Nobody will mind in the slightest.
The slogan of Nevada is "Anything goes,
but don't complain if it went."
- That's no lie.
- I even left my Southern accent here.
How come you never went back home?
You came here for a divorce, didn't you?
- I wasn't beautiful enough to go back.
- Oh, Isabelle.
No, that's true. Beauty's a help any
place, but in Virginia it's a necessity.
Why, you can't hardly
get a driver's license without it.
No, I love Nevada. You know, they don't
even have regular meal times here.
Never met so many people
didn't own a watch.
Might have two wives at the same time,
but no watch. Bless them all.
- How quiet it is here.
- Sweetest sound there is.
There's an Indian store about
five miles, if you wanna shop.
Groceries, everything.
If you wanna stay, that is.
Be glad to come by
and do your chores, if you like.
You know, he reminds me of that
cowboy friend I told you about.
Had one arm gone, but he was
more man with one arm
than any other man is with two.
Oh?
- I mean like cookin'.
- Oh!
No, I'm serious. He could take
a panful of chops, toss 'em,
and they all came down
on the other side.
Who is he? Maybe they know him.
Darlin', you can't
go lookin' for a man.
- What, did he take off?
- No, not exactly.
He just never came back.
- Andy Powell. You ever...?
- Sure! Called Andy Gump sometimes?
- That's him.
- You know where he is?
Saw him at the rodeo only last month.
- Maybe we could find him.
- Stop thinkin' you can change things.
But if there's something you can do...
I don't know what to do,
but if I knew, I'd do it.
Have you got a radio or a phonograph?
Maybe we'll have some music.
- There's no electricity.
- The car radio.
- Now who'd have thought of that?
- You always get an idea, don't you?
I'll go bring the car around.
Say, how about another drink
to keep that first one warm?
- I'd love it.
- I'm gonna make myself a sandwich.
- How about you folks?
- OK.
I hope you're gonna stay on here.
Any chance?
Why? What difference would it make?
Might make all the difference
in the world as time goes by.
- Like to dance?
- OK.
Thanks. Iz, give him another drink.
It's a wonderful house, Guido.
Hey, that's pretty good dancin', cowboy.
What are you doin'?
She used to teach dancin'.
You know? Before she was married.
- No kiddin'? In a dance hall?
- Uh-huh.
How about the landlord?
Move over, boy, huh?
Watch out for those pretty little feet.
She knows how to get out of the way.
Let's go.
Where'd you learn that, Pilot?
I never knew him to dance at all.
Look at old Pilot comin' out
from under a bushel!
Hey, you two ought to put on a show!
Come on, honey. This is a good one.
I haven't danced like this in years.
- Didn't your wife dance?
- Not like you. She had no gracefulness.
Why didn't you teach her to be graceful?
You can't learn that.
How do you know?
I mean, how do you know?
You see, she died, and
she didn't know how you can dance.
To a certain extent,
maybe you were strangers.
- I don't feel like discussing my wife.
- Don't be mad.
I only meant that if you loved her
you could've taught her anything.
Because... we're all dying, aren't we?
All the husbands and all the wives.
Every minute.
And we're not teaching each other
what we really know, are we?
Dum da-da... dum...
Guido, you're a nice man.
Smile.
Come on.
- Come on, Iz.
- I'm lookin' for your shoes, dear girl.
Watch out. There's no step!
We better get you home, girl.
You were worried about me. How sweet.
Just wanna keep you
all in one pretty piece.
- Would you have had a spare tire?
- Somebody'd better drive her.
Go ahead. I'll take the truck.
No, Iz, don't leave poor Guido alone.
Tom Dooley!
You're a real beautiful woman.
It's almost kind of an honor
sittin' next to you.
You just shine in my eyes.
That's my true feelin', Roslyn.
What makes you so sad?
I think you're the
saddest girl I ever met.
You're the first man that ever said
that. I'm usually told how happy I am.
That's because you make
a man feel happy.
I don't feel that way about you, Gay.
Well, don't get discouraged, girl.
You might.
Look, why don't you try it out here
for a while, see what happens?
You know, sometimes when
a person don't know what to do,
the best thing is to just stand still.
I'll guarantee you'll have something out
here you wouldn't find on every corner.
I, uh...
I may not amount to much in some ways,
but I am a good friend.
Thanks.
Let me take you back
and get your things.
Try it for a while, see what happens.
Ever hear the story
about the city man out in the country?
He sees this fella sittin' on his porch,
so he says "Mister,
could you tell me how I can get
back to town?" The fella says "No."
"Well, could you tell me how to get to
the post office?" The fella says "No."
"Well, do you know how to
get to the railroad station?" "No."
"Boy," he says, "you sure
don't know much, do you?"
The fella says "Nope. But I ain't lost."
Don't you have a home?
Sure. Never was a better one, either.
Where is it?
Right here.
Come on. I got a surprise for you.
You cooked breakfast. Here, let me.
No, no, no. You sit down
and enjoy yourself. Just this once.
- You do this often?
- Uh-uh. First time for me.
- Really and truly?
- Mmm-hmm.
Mmm. Smells delicious.
Hey, you really go all out, don't you?
Even the way you eat. I like that.
Women generally pick.
You like me, huh?
Birds must be brave to live out here.
At night, especially.
- Whereas they're so small, you know?
- Mmm-hmm.
You think I'm crazy.
I look that way
'cause I can't make you out.
- Why?
- I don't know.
You got children?
- I never wanted children with him.
- Oh.
Children are supposed to bring
you together, but what if they don't?
I've known of so-called
happily married couples.
One time, the wife was in the hospital,
to have the baby
and the husband was calling me up.
I mean, he was calling me.
They're still supposed to be
happily married.
I guess you believe in true love,
don't you?
I don't know, but they ought to invent
a way that you don't have children
unless you care for each other,
'cause kids know the difference.
I always knew the difference.
Listen, if you wanna go somewhere,
I don't mind being alone.
Do I look like I wanna leave?
I just want you to do
what you feel like.
You ain't kiddin'. Even when
you're kiddin', you ain't kiddin'.
No. It makes me feel peaceful.
You know, they come out here
from New York, Chicago, St Louis,
and find them a cowboy. Cowboys
are supposed to be dumb, you know.
So they tell 'em everything.
And they do everything.
Everything they couldn't do back home.
- It's pitiful.
- Why is it pitiful?
Cowboy's laughin' at 'em,
and they don't even know it.
It's nice to meet someone
who has respect for a man.
Did you ever think
of getting married again?
Yeah. I've thought about it
a lot of times. But never in daylight.
- You get lonesome for your children?
- Oh, I see 'em a couple times a year.
They come whenever I'm in a rodeo.
I'm a pretty good roper.
I get lonesome, sure.
My daughter is almost your size.
Uh... You size 12?
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah. So is she.
I bought her a dress
for Christmas. Size 12.
What happened?
Did you just stop loving your wife, Gay?
Well, I come home one night and she's
all wrapped up in a car with a fella.
Turned out to be an old friend.
A cousin of mine, as a matter of fact.
Oh. You never had any idea, huh?
No. You know, in those days I thought
you got married and that was it.
But nothin' is it. Not forever.
That's what I can't get
used to. Everything keeps changing.
I'll tell you this, though. I wouldn't
know how to say goodbye to you, Roslyn.
It surprises me.
There's a lot to be done
around this place.
- If we were gonna stay awhile.
- Let's go out in the sunshine. Come on.
Let's just live like you said in
the bar. I don't know where I am yet.
Hey! Couldn't we use that for a step?
Well, we just might at that.
- There you are.
- Let me try it.
It's perfect. I can go in...
and I can come out.
Go in... and I can come out.
Go in...
..and I can come out.
I can go in...
..and I can come out.
Guido!
What's he doing?
Might land.
There's a place back there.
Nah. I guess he's just sayin' hello.
- Here, have some lemonade.
- Oh, thanks.
- What does he do? Just fly around?
- Could be goin' for eagles.
Now and again ranchers
hire Guido to shoot eagles.
- Why?
- Well, they kill a lot of lambs.
He gets $50 a bird.
I never really saw anything grow before.
How tiny those seeds were. And yet they
know they're supposed to be lettuces.
You say the darnedest things.
You know that, don't you?
Everybody's busy in Chicago,
and here we are.
I love this whole state!
Hey... What have we here now?
Well... Just plain old rabbit!
I'm gonna get him.
It's just one lettuce.
Maybe he won't do it anymore.
No, ma'am! It's them or us! There won't
be a thing left inside of a week.
Couldn't you wait and see?
I can't stand to see anything killed.
Honey, it's only a rabbit.
But it doesn't know any better, does it?
Go on inside and let me handle this.
- I know you worked hard...
- You're darn right!
And I didn't do it
for some bug-eyed rabbit.
- Gay, please.
- Honey, will you go on inside now?
- And stop bein' silly?
- I'm not being silly.
You don't respect what I feel.
- And I don't care about the lettuce!
- I care about it!
And how about havin'
some respect for me?
Oh, Guido and Isabelle!
- Guido!
- Dear girl!
I thought I saw a passenger!
We never heard you land.
- My, you look thrivin'.
- Boy, am I in the right place?
Seen the vegetable garden?
Took Gay a week just to turn the soil.
Mowed the grass
and put in them flowers, too.
I got your windows unstuck.
Fireplace don't smoke now.
You must be a magician. All he ever did
for a woman was get out the ice cubes.
- Look, we have chairs. Come and sit.
- Let's show him the inside.
You know, I've moved this furniture
so many times, I'm gettin' long ears!
My, you look lovely. You've really
found yourself, haven't you?
Well, I... Oh, it's so nice to see you,
Isabelle. Look, we have a step.
How's your arm?
Well, it's still as weak
as a bird's wing.
Well, I never saw anything like it
in my life. It's magical.
Just hope you realize you finally
made contact with a real woman.
My dear girl!
Come, Guido. I wanna show you the rest.
I've changed a few things, though.
We've changed things around.
How do you like it?
Oh, don't look at those.
Gay just hung 'em up for a joke.
I put your picture
up in the living room.
Come on, let's have lots of drinks.
Come on.
Oh, it's so nice to have company.
I put your picture there.
Is that all right?
You don't have to keep it out.
Why, Guido, it's part of the house.
Besides, it's your house.
Oh, sit in the big chair.
This must've been your chair.
Matter of fact, it was.
- Isabelle. Put this under your arm.
- Thanks, dear girl.
I used to do all my studyin'
in this chair.
- When I was still ambitious.
- What did you study?
I was on my way to bein' a doctor.
Before the war.
Well, you never can tell.
Maybe you'll get ambitious again.
I'm gonna tell you somethin', Roslyn.
I spent four years in the war.
Did two tours, flew 50 missions.
Every time I came back to base
I started to design this house.
But somehow I could never
get it to look like my idea of it.
Now it almost does.
You just walk in,
a stranger out of nowhere,
and for the first time it all lights up.
And I'm sure you know why, too.
- Why?
- Because you have the gift for life.
The rest of us, we're just lookin' for
a place to hide and watch it all go by.
Amen.
Here's to your life, Roslyn.
I hope it goes on forever.
And yours. And yours, Isabelle.
And Gay. Gay did all the work, you know.
Yeah. And the rabbits
are sure enjoyin' it, too.
Can you break away from this paradise
long enough to do a little mustangin'?
Mustangin'? Now you're sayin' somethin'.
You been up in the mountains?
Took a quick look earlier this mornin'.
I spotted 15 horses.
That's not too bad.
Boy, I'd sure like
to get my hands on a rope again.
- What do you say?
- I will never understand cowboys.
All crazy about animals, and the
minute they got nothin' else to do,
they run up in the mountains
and bother those poor wild horses.
- Shame on you!
- Horses?
Sure. Nevada mustang. Used
to ship 'em all over the United States.
Not many left.
We'd have to pick up another man.
Dayton Rodeo's on today. We ought to
be able to pick up a fella there.
That's an idea.
Hey, you never saw a rodeo.
Oh, you gotta see a rodeo!
- I'd love to. Will you come, too?
- I'm all set.
I'll get dressed up.
Let's have some fun!
That's a girl. Go right now.
Honey, when you smile
it's like the sun comin' up.
Boy, I'd like to have stopped off home
and get cleaned up.
- Why? You look nice. Doesn't he?
- Lots better than some I've known.
You're a mass of compliments, Isabelle.
Hey, Gay, stop. That guy next
to the phone booth. What's his name?
You worked the Stinson Rodeo with him.
- Perce Howland?
- Gay Langland! You old buzzard, you!
What are you doin'
sittin' out here, fella?
Well, I hitched a ride
down to the Dayton Rodeo,
but this fella changed his mind
and just left me settin' here.
Roslyn, this is Perce Howland.
Well, old Gay's sure comin' up
in the world. How do, ma'am?
This is Isabelle.
Oh, excuse me. I got a call in for home,
but they keep puttin' me in to Wyoming.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Ma? This is Perce.
Yeah, I'm OK. No. I was in Colorado.
I'm in Nevada now.
Just won me a bull ride.
Yeah.
Yeah, a pretty good rodeo.
A hundred dollars.
Ma, I was gonna buy you
a birthday present with it,
but I was comin' out of my boots.
No, Ma, I haven't been
in hospital since I talked to you.
I just bought some boots.
Ma, what would I wanna get married for?
I just bought me...
Hey, you know what? On top of purse
money, I won me a nice silver buckle.
Yeah. Got a buckin' horse on it and
my entire name written out underneath.
You proud?
Oh, no, no. My face is fine. It's all
healed up. It's just as good as new.
You would, too, recognize me.
Oh, OK, operator. Ma, listen.
Say hello to Frieda for me, will you?
And to Victoria.
Yeah, and to Uncle George.
OK, say hello to him, too.
No, no, Ma. It just
slipped my mind, that's all.
Well, OK, I'm sayin' it now.
Ma, you married him, I didn't.
So say hello to him.
Oh, is that...? Listen, maybe
I'll call you at Christmas time.
OK.
Hello? Hello?
God bless you, too.
I just know you'll
take me to that rodeo.
Sure. You entered?
Well, I aim to be,
if I can get me a ride to town.
And, uh, if I can raise $10
for the entrance.
But I just spent my last
$2 in that phone booth.
Boy, I'm real equipped, ain't I?
Say, how'd you like to do some
mustangin'? We need a third man.
You still fly that DC-6
and seven eighths?
It's a lot safer than buckin' horses.
- There are still mustangs around here?
- I spotted 15 this morning.
There might be a lot more, though.
Well, I don't know. What do you expect
to get out of it? Of 15 horses?
I mean, like, if there was
a thousand or more...
But goin' all the way up there for 15,
it kinda hits me sideways.
- Better than wages, ain't it?
- Oh, anything's better than wages.
I tell you what.
We'll drive you to the rodeo,
put up the ten for the entrance.
You come along tomorrow
and help us run some mustang.
All right. You get me
a good bottle of whiskey
- to keep me primed for the rodeo.
- Just wait right here.
You, uh... you an old friend of Gay's?
Pretty old.
I broke my arm twice,
no, three times, in the same place.
And you don't do that fakin' a fall.
You know what some of these riders do?
They just drop off and lay there
like they was stone-dead.
Not me, boy. I don't fake nothin'.
Right, Gay?
That's right.
You're just a natural-born fool.
It's wonderful to be that way.
I know what you mean.
I used to dance in places,
and everybody thought I was crazy.
I mean, I really tried.
People don't know the difference.
Oh, she'd try.
I can just see her tryin'.
What kind of dancin' do you do?
Oh, interpretive dancing.
You know, nightclubs and... That's all.
I was in a nightclub once
in Kansas City called The Naked Truth.
And they wasn't kiddin'!
Dayton comin' up.
Hey, Joe! Hi, Joe!
Hey, Bengie! Hey!
Hi, you old heathen, you!
- Hey, gimme.
- Hiya, Perce.
Oh, there's Franklin.
Boy, does he hate his wife.
Hey, Franklin, how's your wife?
Man, there are a lot of good men here.
I sure hope I drew me a good horse.
Just come out in one piece now,
'cause you gotta go mustangin' tomorrow.
- Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
- Sure.
- How about you, sinner?
- Oh, I got no money yet.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Frank, Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
You just caught me at the bar next door.
That'll learn you to stay put.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary.
Church Ladies' Auxiliary...
Come on, I'll buy you a drink.
Excuse me, cousin.
There ain't many of us left now.
No. Things are tough all over, pop.
Come on, son. Give me a great big glass
of soda pop for my grandson, Lester.
I gotta hold onto him tight,
otherwise he'll run off to school.
Hey, wait till I show you this.
Here is the goldarnedest contraption
that anybody ever seen.
You gotta hit the ball.
- You catch what I mean?
- I can do it. Let me try.
I'll bet you $2 you can't hit it
ten times in a row.
Wait. I'll take that bet.
- Go on. Go on.
- I can do ten, I think.
Here's the paddle. Gangway,
gangway, everybody. Got a bet on.
..2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 30...
..5, 6, 7, 8, 9...
Here, do it while the spirit's in you.
- Here, here. What's the trouble?
- He put his hand on her.
- That right, fella?
- I didn't mean nothin' by it.
What's goin' on?
You lookin' for a fight?
All right, all right.
Let's get to the rodeo.
Here. It's the kid's.
Isabelle, come on.
Lester! Where'd you get the money?
A-ha-ha!
One hundred...
One hundred and forty-five bucks!
- Hello, gold mine.
- That girl can do anything.
I'd marry you.
Thanks for saying it,
but you don't have to do that.
Don't shake that thing at me!
I'm still payin' for this broken arm.
Charles!
It's in the middle of your pretty eyes.
You're looking for the light, sinner.
I know you, and I love you
for your life of pain and sin.
Give it to the only one
who loves you in your lonely desert.
She ain't sinned that much.
We're going to fence off the graveyard.
Keep these cowboys from pasturing
their horses on the graves.
Sweetheart, you've gone and helped
our dead to rest in peace.
Go reborn.
Who do you think is here, dear girl?
Who do you think is here?
- Who?
- My husband.
Oh, Iz! I'm so happy.
I never was so surprised.
They're here on their vacation.
- His wife?
- Clara.
You've heard me speak about her.
She's my oldest friend,
and she's sweeter than ever.
She must be, to make you
so glad to see her.
Charles never would've
stayed married to me.
I even lost the vacuum cleaner once.
They still haven't found it.
Well, we gotta get this boy on a horse.
I'll be around,
but I can't go mustangin'.
They're gonna stay
at my house for a week.
- Good luck, boy. So long.
- Oh, Isabelle...
Jim Palem in the saddle,
now ready to go on Polka Dot, gate one.
Here he comes.
- I didn't know it was that dangerous!
- That's the way they want it.
Look. See that strap they've taken off?
That's what makes 'em buck.
That grabs 'em where they don't like it.
That's not fair!
Well, you wouldn't
have a rodeo otherwise.
Then they shouldn't have a rodeo.
Lester, what are you tryin' to do?!
Don't break it, Grandpa.
Don't get mad about it.
Come on, Lester.
- I hope you're sober.
- Man, I've won buckets of money
in towns I couldn't remember the name.
Hey, there she is.
I mean, there they are.
Gay, I wouldn't, uh...
I wouldn't wanna move in on you.
- Unless, of course, you wouldn't mind.
- Boy, I'd mind.
The next rider is Perce Howland
of Black River, Wyoming.
- California, not Wyoming.
- Ready, boy?
- Outside.
- Open the gate!
Come on, Perce!
Perce! Perce!
- Thanks, Jim.
- OK.
- Where's... Where's my hat, Pa?
- You got it on, Perce.
- You're bleeding!
- Frieda! I'm all right.
She ain't your sister.
Looks like you've been messing around
with the wrong end of the horse.
- Are you a doctor?
- Doctor? I don't want a doctor.
Hold it, boy. I'm no doctor.
I'll just clean you up.
- Isn't there a doctor?
- Not for 60 miles. He ain't bad hurt.
How do you know?
Let's take him. Come with me.
Now don't start running things, Roslyn.
- I don't understand. He's your friend.
- You're all right, ain't you, Perce?
- Perce, you all right?
- Did I make the whistle?
Almost, boy. You done good, though.
That old horse,
he sure was rank, wasn't he?
Oh, he was a real killer! You done good.
- Leave him. He'll get up.
- Next event is the Brahma bull riding.
Oh. That's me.
No, not yet.
You got a couple of minutes.
What for?
He's got a bull to ride.
Walk around a bit.
- Guido, he's not going in there again?
- I guess he wants to ride that bull.
Just let him walk it off, Roz.
Why are you doing it? Take the money
we won in the bar. You helped me win it.
Come on, take it. It's over $100.
You don't have to go back in there.
I'm pretty good ridin' bulls.
I want you to watch me, Roslyn.
- But why are you doing it?
- I put in for it. I entered.
- Stop him!
- How can I?
They don't mind getting busted up.
- Perce!
- You don't know what you're saying!
Perce, here's your prize!
- OK, boy, you want it?
- Hell, yes!
We still have some real men in the West.
Back again, this time on a Brahma bull,
the cowboy from Black Hills,
Colorado, Perce Howland.
Come on, honey.
We're gonna have some drinks.
Is he unconscious still?
Probably, but it ain't noticeable. He's
arguing with the judge about who won.
You still mad at me?
I don't understand.
People dying, and people just
standing around. Don't you care?
I just went in for that boy
with a wild bull runnin' loose.
- I'm lucky to be sittin' here myself!
- You did? You did?
Well, I just thought I could
get him out, so I did, that's all.
But what if he'd died?
It would be terrible!
Honey, we all gotta go sometime.
Dyin' is as natural as livin'.
- A man afraid to die is afraid to live.
- Roz? Did you see me?
You were wonderful. Get in the back.
We're taking you to a hospital.
- Oh, no. We're gonna have some fun.
- Yeah, sure. Come on.
- How do you feel?
- How do I feel?
Like I was kicked by a bull.
He was somethin', wasn't he?
Oh, I want no part of that bull,
except on a plate, medium rare.
- Come on.
- Is he all right?
Sure. In two weeks he won't
remember this. Or you, either.
Why don't you give your sympathy
where it's appreciated?
Where's that?
Hey, you guys, come on!
I feel funny. I feel like...
What was in the injection that man gave
to me? I... I see the prettiest stars.
I never seen stars before.
You ever see stars before, Gay?
It's like that bull had
the whole Milky Way in its hoof.
Hey, Bill? Bill?
Whiskey for eight people, huh?
OK!
Hey, was that you
crying in the ambulance?
- Was that her, Gay?
- Sure was.
I certainly want to thank you.
Oh, now... Here's to my buddy,
old, elderly Gay.
Gay's not old.
And to old, elderly Pilot
and his five-dollar, elderly airplane.
And... to my friend Roslyn.
- Well, we're all buddies now, right?
- That's right.
Then what are you lookin'
so mad at me for, buddy?
Hey...
Uh, is it all right
if we have this dance together?
Sure. Roslyn, why don't you
dance with Perce?
OK.
Nothin' like being young, is there, Gay?
No, that's right.
But you know what they say. There's
some keeps gettin' younger all the time.
What's eatin' you?
Just my life.
This is the way my father used to do it.
Oh!
- What's the matter?
- It's all right.
Come on, let's go out and see the world.
I... better sit down.
- Do you mind?
- No.
- Damn that bull.
- Don't say anything. Just be still.
Gay's a pretty great fella, isn't he?
Yes.
You know, I can't figure you,
floatin' around out here like this.
You belong to Gay?
I don't know where I belong.
I don't like to see the way
they grind up women out here.
Although I guess
a lot of them don't mind, do they?
Some do.
Don't you let them grind you up. Hear?
How come you got
such trust in your eyes?
- I do?
- Like you was just born.
- Oh, no.
- Was you really cryin' for me before?
You were hurt. Didn't anyone
ever cry for you before?
No. No stranger.
Last... April 12th,
I was kicked so bad,
I was out all day and all night.
And I was with my girlfriend
and my two buddies.
I haven't seen her
and I haven't seen them since.
They left you? Alone?
Can I ask you something?
I mean, I don't have anybody, uh...
you know what I mean,
that I could talk to.
And I don't know how you should do...
What do you mean?
Well, see, this is the first year
that I've been floatin' around.
I'm not like Gay and Pilot.
I got a pretty good home.
I mean, I had a good home.
One day...
..my father, we was out back, and...
..boom, like that, it happened.
Down he went.
Some damn fool hunters.
- They killed him?
- Mmm-hmm.
And then she changed.
- Who is "she"?
- My mother.
She used... She used to be so dignified.
She'd walk next to him like a saint.
Well, pretty soon this man
starts comin' around, and...
Well, she changed.
Three months, they got married.
Well, OK.
But I said to her,
"Ma, look. You better
get a paper from this Mr. Blackwell,
because I'm the oldest, and you know
Papa wanted me to have this ranch."
So you know what happens?
On their wedding night
he turns around and offers me wages.
- On my father's place.
- What did she say?
Say?
I don't think she heard.
It's like she hardly
remembers me anymore.
I don't know. It's hard to explain.
It's like she's changed altogether.
So what I want to know... What I want to
know is... who do you depend on? Who?
I don't know.
Maybe all there really is
is just the next thing.
The next thing that happens.
Maybe you're not supposed to
remember anybody's promises.
You could count on mine.
I trust you, Roslyn.
- I think I love you.
- Oh, no. You don't know me.
I don't care. Roz... Oh!
That damn bull!
Roslyn? Roslyn?
Here we are.
Come on, now.
I want you to meet my kids.
- Your kids are here?
- Yeah. They come to the rodeo.
I ain't seen 'em in a year.
Oh, you ought to see the welcome
they give me, nearly knocked me over!
- That great?
- I'm so glad for you, Gay.
She's gonna be 19. She got so pretty.
They just happen to be here for
the rodeo. Both of 'em. That great?
Where are they?
Where are who?
My kids. I told 'em I'd be back
in a minute. You heard me tell 'em.
They went outside.
Outside.
Gaylord! Gaylord!
Rosemary! Gaylord!
- Gaylord!
- Gaylord! Here's your father!
Gaylord! I know you hear me!
Where you gone to?
I told you I'd be right back!
- You come here now!
- You'll probably find him at home.
Gaylord! You come here now!
I know you hear me!
Rosemary! I know you hear me!
You come here now!
Oh, Gay! They'll be
looking for you, I'm sure.
They probably thought you left.
Oh, poor Gay! Poor Gay!
Aren't you going too fast? Please, huh?
Don't worry, kid.
I never kill anybody I know.
A fella smashed up my best girlfriend.
She was beautiful, with black hair.
- Please, Guido.
- Say... Say hello to me, Roslyn.
Hello, Guido. Please, huh?
We're all blind bombardiers, Roslyn.
We kill people we never even saw.
I bombed nine cities.
I sure must've broken a lot of dishes,
but I never saw them.
You know, think of all the puppy dogs
and mail carriers...
..and eyeglasses that must've gone up.
Boy, you know,
droppin' a bomb is like tellin' a lie.
Makes everything so quiet.
Pretty soon you don't hear anything,
you don't see anything.
Not even your wife.
Now the difference is that I see you.
You're the first one I ever really saw.
Please, Guido, don't kill us!
How do you get to know somebody, kid?
I can't make a landing,
and I can't get up to God, either.
Help me.
I never said "help me" in my life.
I don't know anybody.
So how do I land, honey?
Will you give me a little time? Say yes.
At least say, "Hello, Guido."
Yes, Guido. Hello, Guido.
Hello, Roslyn.
Huh? Huh?
OK. OK. I'll drive.
- Gay, we're here.
- Where?
Huh? OK.
Guido, I'm so sorry. Guido?
I'm sorry.
Won't you hurt your hand? It's so dark.
Guido, look how dark it is.
It's all dark.
Hey! Hey! What in the hell
are you stompin' the flowers for?
You busted all the damn heliotropes!
Look at that. Look at that now.
What in the hell good is that?
- He's just trying to fix the house.
- What call has he got to fix the house?
- He's only trying to say hello.
- Hello.
What's goin' on?
Who's doin' that?
Hey, who's done this? Who done this?
- Don't take it off!
- Take it off me! What is it?
- Don't take it off.
- Take it off! What is it?
It's your bandage. Stop tangling it.
- Bandage? What for, a bandage?
- For your head.
- Who tied this on me?
- The ambulance did.
You leave me
at a disadvantage all night?
- No.
- Huh? Was it you, Gay?
Was it you, Gay?
Oh!
- Who did that?
- Gay, come over here.
- You leave me at a disadvantage?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Who did that to me?
Where are we? What are you doin'?
Leave me alone.
Where are we goin'?
What is this blasted place?
What is this place? Where are we?
This is my house. Or it's Guido's.
Well, it's a house, anyway.
No. No, Ma, Ma, don't, don't.
Gay?
Come on, Gay.
I wish you'd met Gaylord and Rosemary.
If I had a new kid
I'd know just how to be with him.
Just how to do...
Oh, I wasted those kids.
I didn't know nothin'.
No. I'm sure they love you, Gay.
Would you ever want a kid... with me?
Let me turn off the light in the car.
You get some sleep.
I don't wanna sleep.
I asked you a question.
Did I ask you to
turn the lights out in the car?
What are you runnin' away from
all the time?
I wouldn't wash the windows
for my wife, even.
Painted the fireplace,
planted them damn heliotropes...
What are they doin' here? What do you
keep bringin' them around for?
- Gay, I didn't bring 'em here.
- Where are you at?
I don't know where you're at.
Gay, I'm with you. I'm here with you.
What if someday suddenly you turn
around and you don't like me anymore?
Like before, when Perce got hurt,
you started to give me a look.
I know that look, and it scares me, Gay.
I couldn't be with strangers anymore.
Honey, honey!
I got a little mad, that's all.
That don't mean I didn't like you.
Didn't your papa ever spank you, then
pick you up and give you a big kiss?
He did, didn't he?
He was never there long enough.
And strangers spanked me for keeps.
Oh, Gay! Love me, love me!
We made up now. OK?
Yeah, OK. OK.
Let's get some sleep.
Yeah. Yeah, we'll make out.
I'll farm. Run some cattle, maybe.
I'm a pretty good man, Roslyn.
Best man you'll ever see.
I'll show you tomorrow,
up in the mountains.
Not many can keep up with old Gay.
You wait and see.
Help.
- Why is the dog shivering?
- He'll do that up here.
That star... That star is so far away...
..that by the time the light from it
reaches us here on Earth,
it might not even be up there anymore.
Boy, you sure know a lot,
don't you, Pilot?
Astronomy is in all the library books,
Perce. Nothin' to it but readin'.
- Still, it's wonderful to know things.
- Knowin' things don't matter much.
You got somethin' a lot more important.
- What?
- You care.
Whatever happens to anybody,
it happens to you.
You're really hooked into the
whole thing, Roslyn. It's a blessing.
People say I'm just nervous.
If it weren't for the
nervous people in the world,
we'd all still be eating each other.
I don't know about you educated people,
but us ignorant folk gotta hit the sack.
- Why is the dog trembling?
- Got a whiff of the horses, I guess.
- They must be close by, Guido.
- Baby... Baby...
- Keep quiet, you fool!
- Oh, don't, Gay. He couldn't help it.
Have the horses ever kicked him?
It's not the horses
he's afraid of. It's us.
What are you talkin' about? I never
mistreated that dog, and you know it.
It's only common sense, Gay.
He knows there's wild animals up there.
Dogs were wild too, once.
He's just remembering when.
He's been up here enough times
to know what will happen.
He's just scared
he's gonna end up dead, too.
Uh, come on, honey. Keep yourself
nice and warm here by the fire.
You kill them?
No, no. We, uh...
sell 'em to the dealer.
He kills them?
Well, they're chicken-feed horses.
You know, turn 'em into dog food.
Like you buy in the store
for the dog and the cat.
Well, I thought you knew that.
Everybody knows that.
Maybe you better sleep on the truck, in
case something comes crawlin' around.
Get some sleep now. Come on.
Honey...
Honey, I just round 'em up
and sell 'em to the dealer. Always have.
There's no need to look at me that way.
You're lookin' at me
like I was a stranger. Honey!
I thought they were used
for riding, or for...
Well, sure, they used to be.
Well, like Christmas presents for kids,
'cause they're small horses, you see?
But kids ride motor scooters now.
They're real strong horses, though.
Little as they are.
They bred to 'em for stamina.
Mustang blood pulled
all the ploughs in the West.
They couldn't have settled here unless
somebody caught mustang for 'em.
Somehow it all got changed around.
I'm doin' the same thing I always did.
It's just that they changed it around.
But you know what you're doing
isn't right, don't you? You know that.
If I didn't do it, somebody else would.
I don't care about the others.
You've bought food for my dog.
What did you think was in it?
I don't wanna hear it.
Nothin' can live unless somethin' dies.
Oh, stop!
Roslyn, we never kidded, you and I.
Now, I don't want to lose you.
But you gotta help me a bit,
'cause I can't put on that
this is all as bad as you make it.
All I know is everything else is wages.
I hunt these horses to keep myself free.
So I'm a free man.
That's why you liked me, isn't it?
- I liked you because you were kind.
- I haven't changed.
- Yes. This changes it.
- Honey, a kind man can kill.
No. He can't.
Well, maybe you have to take
the bad with the good,
else you'll be runnin'
for the rest of your life.
What is there to stop for?
You're just like everybody else.
Yeah, sure. Maybe we're all alike.
Includin' you.
We start out doin' somethin',
meanin' no harm,
somethin' naturally in us to do.
But somewhere along the line it gets
changed around into somethin' bad.
Like dancin' in a nightclub.
You started out just wantin' to dance.
But little by little
it turns out that people
ain't interested in how good you danced.
They're gawkin' at you with
somethin' different in their minds.
And they turn it sour, don't they?
I could have looked
down my nose at you too.
Showin' yourself off in a nightclub
for so much a night.
But I took my hat off to you,
'cause I know the difference.
This... This is how I dance, Roslyn.
And if they make somethin' else
out of it, well, I can't run the world,
anymore than you could.
You took your hat off to me?
You mean that, don't you, Gay?
Good night.
Shame on you, you old fool.
I can fly her back in the morning,
if you want me to.
I was wonderin' how
she agreed to come out here.
She's got a lot of right,
when you think about it.
It don't make too much sense
for 15 horses.
Don't worry yourselves about her.
She's comin' along fine.
You be quiet now.
Everybody's showin' off.
OK, OK, Perce. Hold it, hold it.
Come on, Perce, give me a hand here.
Look, Gay. He's not snapping anymore.
Yeah, things generally
look different in the morning.
Try and chase 'em
down the old mine road.
- OK, Gay, I'm ready.
- How do you want her?
That way.
Boy, that's some jacket.
Pretty breezy, though, isn't it?
Been on a lot of missions in this thing.
I wouldn't take $100 for it.
It's bulletproof.
I wish you were comin' along with me.
You'd see some real flyin'.
Probably never see this again
in history, you know.
- OK, Gay.
- Switch off?
Throttle closed, switch off.
Turn your partner, boy. Do-si-do.
- Once more, con amore!
- Here we go.
Contact.
That lousy car gas!
All right, try it again.
Contact.
It's like a dream.
I seen a picture of the moon once.
Looked just like this.
- You want up?
- Yes.
He'll drive the horses out of that pass.
Who owns this land?
Government, probably.
Might as well call it God's country.
- You see anything?
- Uh-uh.
How quiet it is. You can hear
your skin against your clothes.
You're lookin' real good, honey. What
do you say we go into Reno tonight?
OK.
I forgot to tell you
something last night.
Cow outfits use the pasture up here.
They shoot mustang
and leave 'em for the buzzards.
'Cause they eat all the good feed.
You know that, don't you, Perce?
- Huh? Yeah, I know that.
- Why didn't you say so?
I just said so.
They're nothin' but misfit horses.
I wish you'd been here in the old days.
I seen 'em pour out of those passes
400, 500 at a time.
We'd build a corral
and funnel 'em into it.
Some of 'em were real beautiful animals.
Made sweet ridin' horses.
- I wish I'd been here then.
- I hear something.
- What?
- Engine, sounds like.
- Where?
- Out there.
No, it's too soon.
He wouldn't be in the pass yet.
- Listen. I hear him.
- There he is!
Gay, look!
I'd have seen him,
but I didn't expect him so soon.
Oh, I seen him glinting against the sun.
That's what it was.
What's that?
He fired a shot.
Hey, you got good eyes, old boy.
Uh-oh. Here they come.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
I guess he'll go back for the rest now.
Let me have a look.
- You see the rest yet?
- No.
Six. It looks like a stallion
and four mares.
- And a little colt.
- You sure?
Yeah. A spring foal.
Yeah. It's a colt all right, Gay.
Want a look?
Maybe it's cooler in the truck.
It's all right. She's gonna make it.
You said there'd be fifteen.
There are only six.
Ah, probably lost a few. That'll happen.
It don't make much sense for six,
does it?
Six is six. Better than wages, ain't it?
I said it's better than wages, ain't it?
Sure. Anything's better than wages.
Perce, I know a place about 100 miles
northeast, Thighbone Mountain.
Must be at least 500 head in there.
I never bothered with 'em
'cause it's tough to get 'em out.
- You have to horseback in.
- I don't know, Gay.
To tell you the truth, I don't
even know about rodeos anymore.
Boy, I'm beginnin'
to smell wages all over you.
Sure wish my old man hadn't died.
When you get through wishin',
all there is is a man's work.
And there ain't much of that left.
Come on, give me a hand with this drum.
Come on, Perce,
let's get these stakes in.
Come on, Dooley.
Come on, dog. Here, Dooley.
Come on, Perce.
Let's go, boy!
You grab hold now.
We're gonna do a lot of fast turning.
Throw again, Perce!
Get that horse, cowboy.
That's the way!
Attaboy, Gay!
Get that horse!
Attaboy, Gay!
- Well, here's the big chief.
- What?
The stallion.
Get that horse, cowboy.
That's the way.
We'll tie 'em up now, and open their
nooses so they won't choke overnight.
Overnight?
The dealer'll
pick 'em up in the morning.
Perce?
- Were those his mares?
- Uh-huh.
Was that his colt?
Perce, get in here.
- Gay, why are you killing him?
- Stand aside, honey.
- OK, you won! All right, you've won!
- Let go of that rope! Get outta here!
- Gay, darling...
- Pull him! Choke him down, Guido!
- Get off me, Roslyn.
- Stop it!
- Roslyn!
- Shut up and pull that horse down!
Come on! One, two... Go!
Well, I guess comin' up here
for the first time like her,
there might not seem much sense to it,
for only five horses.
Not knowin' how it used to be.
I never thought of it, but I guess
the fewer you kill, the worse it looks.
What do you say
we give her these horses?
How much do you want for 'em?
I'll pay you.
I'll give you $200. Is that enough?
- Let's get in the truck.
- Gay, you was about to give 'em to her.
I did think of it,
but I sell to dealers only.
'Cause all they're
lookin' to buy is a horse.
- I didn't mean to insult you, Gay.
- No insult.
I'm just wonderin' who you think
you've been talkin' to since we met.
Brother, what a day.
I nearly hit a mountain back there.
Cylinder cut out
at the bottom of a dive.
Squirtin' oil.
Boy, that's the closest
I ever come, I tell ya.
Listen, do you want me to stop this?
I know how you feel, Roslyn.
I never liked this part myself.
Truthfully, the only part
I enjoyed is the flying.
You want me to stop it?
- You would?
- You're through with Gay now, right?
Well, tell me. He doesn't know what
you're all about. He'll never know.
Tell me, Roslyn. I been waitin'.
I'm goin' out of my mind with waitin'.
Come back with me. Give me a week,
two weeks. Let me show you what I am.
Tell me, Roslyn.
Give me a reason and I'll stop it.
There'll be hell to pay,
but give me a reason and I'll do it.
A reason?
You, a sensitive fellow.
So sad for his wife.
Crying about the bombs you dropped
and the people you killed.
You have to get something to be human?
You never felt anything
for anybody in your life.
All you know is the sad words.
You could blow up the world, and
all you'd feel is sorry for yourself!
- She's an old one.
- Fifteen if she's a day.
She wouldn't last through the winter.
We'll tie down the other three
on the way back.
- What do you think this mare'll weigh?
- About 600 pounds, I guess.
- Must be about 400 on that brown, huh?
- Just about, yeah.
Must be about 800 on the stallion.
A little lighter.
About 1900, 2000 pounds.
How does that all come out?
Well, six cents a pound,
be about $110, $120.
- How do you wanna cut it up?
- Any way you like.
- I'll take 50 for myself and the plane.
- OK.
I ought to have about 40
for the truck and me.
That leaves 25 for you, Perce.
That all right?
Perce!
No. You fellas take it.
I just came along for the ride anyway.
Horse killers!
Killers! Murderers!
You're liars! All of you, liars!
You're only happy
when you can see something die!
Why don't you kill yourselves
and be happy?!
You and your God's country! Freedom!
I pity you! You're three
dear, sweet, dead men!
She's crazy. They're all crazy.
You try not to believe it
because you need them. She's crazy.
You struggle, you build, you try,
you turn yourself inside out for 'em.
But it's never enough.
So they put the spurs to you.
I know. I got the marks.
I know this racket.
I just forgot
what I knew for a little while.
Butchers! Murderers!
I pity you! You're three dead men!
Hold this light for me, will you?
Buck up, boy.
Before you know it you'll be
up to your neck in dames again.
I just been thinkin'.
I don't know how we got so stupid.
The world is full of mountains.
Montana, Colorado, Canada, even Mexico.
Where there's mountains,
there's horses.
Probably we could clean 'em all out
till we're too weak to walk.
We'd work a while and...
I could even sell my house.
I don't know what I've been
keepin' it for anyway.
Put everything into a good plane.
We'll get this thing
on a business basis.
For instance, we ought to water
those horses before we weigh 'em in.
Put 50 pounds on just these five
if we let 'em drink.
- We just been foolin' around.
- I wanna get out of here. Come on.
No. With a good plane you could
fly into Reno from anywhere.
Check into the Mapes,
have a good time, and off we go again.
Boy, we wouldn't need anybody.
I tell you...
Why don't you shut up, Guido?
Just shut up, huh?
- Do you want me to turn 'em loose?
- No. There'd just be a fight.
I'll meet you at the dealer's.
We'll get his winch truck.
Don't spin the prop
till I check the switch.
- Switch off?
- Switch off. Throttle closed.
Contact.
Gay!
Go home. Go.
Help him, Perce.
He don't want no help.
Gay?
You held him.
I'm proud of ya, boy. You held him.
We'll get them all back tomorrow.
Just get your wind back now.
Get your wind back.
Don't worry, we're not through here.
We're only gettin' started.
We don't need anybody in the world.
You know that now, don't you?
What are you doin'?
What in the hell you catch him for?
Don't want nobody makin' up
my mind for me, that's all.
Damn 'em all!
They changed it. Changed it all around.
Smeared it all over with blood.
Well, I'm finished with it.
It's... It's like ropin' a dream now.
Just gotta find another way
to be alive, that's all.
If there is one anymore.
Perce, cut that mare loose
for me, will you?
Sure.
Drive you back, if you want.
Um, I'm pleased to have met you, Roslyn.
Don't get hurt anymore, will you, Perce?
See you around, Guido.
Where'll you be?
Polishin' windshields?
Makin' change in a supermarket?
Try the Laundromat! They need
a fella there to load the machines!
Gay!
I'll leave tomorrow. OK?
I bless you, girl.
Gay, if there could be
one person in the world,
a child who could be brave
from the beginning...
I was scared to when you asked me.
But I'm not so much now. Are you?
No.
How do you find
your way back in the dark?
Just head for that big star straight on.
The highway's under it.
It'll take us right home.