TOMBSTONE
An original screenplay
By
Kevin Jarre
Fourth draft
March 15, 1993
ROLL PROLOGUE OVER MAIN TITLE: a collage of old photos,
prints, etc., and silent live-action vignettes, all dark and
heavily shadowed like a dimly-remembered dream. The first
images show the opulence of the Gilded Age, the epic vistas of
the west, cattle drives and cowtowns with all their
violence....
V.O. NARRATION
"The economic explosion following
the Civil War created an
unprecedented nation-wide market
for beef. Previously worthless
cattle running wild throughout
Texas were gathered into herds
And driven north to the railheads
In Kansas. Fortunes were made as
Cowtowns sprang up on the
Prairies, wide-open centers of
Commerce and vice, their streets
Choked with heavily-armed young
Men fresh from the cattle drives.
In those days the correct term
For a cowhand was 'drover'.
'Cowboy', like 'cowpoke', was
originally an insult implying
deviant sexuality and was rarely
used. But these invading drovers
were a wild breed for soon
shootings and wholesale drunken
riots became so frequent that
ordinary citizens literally could
not walk down the street. In fact
at their height the cowtowns had
higher murder rates than modern
New York or Los Angeles and there
Was no law but that of the gun."
A dashing FIGURE in a Prince Albert coat appears, long locks
tumbling down his shoulders, twin Navy Colts thrust into a red
sash at his waist, a tin star on his chest. Next we see him
in action, downing 3 barroom opponents at once, pistols
FLASHING around the room like a strobe light:
V.O. NARRATION
"Straight-up at 75 yards or eye-
to-eye at point-blank range, the
greatest gunman of all time was
an Illinois abolitionist farm boy
named James Butler Hickok, better
known as Wild Bill, the Prince of
Pistoleers. But Wild Bill worked
His trade on the side of justice
And as marshal of cowtowns like
Hays City and Abilene he became a
Legend, the one man who stood
Between law and chaos."
Now Hickock sits facing us, playing poker as a shabby-looking
FIGURE with a gun steals up behind him and FIRES.....
V.O. NARRATION
"Wild Bill's fame spread nation-
wide but his end came quietly in
the spring of '76 when a strange
cross-eyed little drifter put a
bullet through the back of his
head, apparently for no other
reason than he wanted to kill a
celebrity."
Now a group of cowhands carouse a streetcorner, raising hell
as 2 mustachiod young LAWMEN walk up, trying to quiet them
down.
V.O. NARRATION
"In Dodge City meanwhile, Wyatt
Earp and Bat Masterson were
Becoming known as fast-guns. But
Their fame had nothing to do with
Shooting."
Seeing it's hopeless, the lawmen whip out their pistols and
start clubbing the drover's making them stagger and grimace,
holding their heads....
V.O. NARRATION
"Earp and Masterson operated more
like modern policemen, using
teamwork and persuasion to keep
order. Still, sometimes things
got out of hand."
An ARMED DROVER creeps up behind the lawmen, about to fire....
V.O. NARRATION
"But Wyatt had a guardian angel."
A REED-THIN FIGURE with a sawed-off shotgun steps from the
shadows behind the drover and FIRES. The huge blast WHITES-
OUT the screen for an instant, making the drover seem to
disappear. The lawmen spin around. The thin man breaks the
shotgun open then calmly holds out his wrists to be cuffed.
Earp looks at him in shock, mouthing the word "thanks".
V.O. NARRATION
"John Henry 'Doc' Holliday was
the son of an aristocratic,
highly cultured southern family.
Trained in Philadelphia, he had
Embarked on a career as a society
Dentist when he contracted
Tuberculosis. Advised to practice
In the west where it was thought
The climate and clean air would
Prolong his life, Doc soon
Realized it was all only a matter
Of time and gave up dentistry to
Become a professional gambler and
Gunman..."
The scene shifts to an elegant Victorian home: a stern Jewish
patriarch orders his darkly beautiful DAUGHTER upstairs as her
weeping mother looks on. The girl huffs up the stairs
followed by her little white dog. Next, the girl and dog are
seen escaping through a window to the street below and a
waiting cab.
V.O. NARRATION
"Others headed east. Bent on
becoming an actress. Josephine
Marcus defied her wealthy and
Very proper San Francisco Jewish
Family to run away with a
Traveling theatrical company,
Braving the perils of the
Frontier on her own. Dangerous as
This might seem, it was another
Age and women were so rare, their
Presence so cherished that they
Could travel virtually anywhere
In the west in perfect safety."
Now we see HORSEMEN silhouetted against the night sky, a hand
knocking on a door, figures conferring in darkness, then more
riders, moving west in restless haste toward the rising
sun....
V.O. NARRATION
"At about this time the Texas
Rangers, having eliminated the
Commanche threat, turned their
Attention to the outlaw gangs
Marauding along the Rio Grande,
Cleaning up the border strip in 4
Years of hard riding. Those they
Could not indict or convict the
Rangers put down in their Black
Book, letting it be known that
They could either leave Texas or
Face summary execution. This
Resulted in the mass migration of
The absolute dregs of the Texas
Underworld to the most dangerous,
Uncivilized part of the entire
Country, the southeast corner of
The Arizona Territory."
A jagged, moonlit landscape, a lone prospector and his burro
moving along a ridge, a pick digging into a rocky ledge, an
ore car emerging from a mine shaft, finally a hilltop cluster
of tents becoming the skeletal wood-frame beginnings of a
town....
V.O. NARRATION
"Harsh and inhospitable, savaged
in turn by the Apache and Mexican
bandits, this had always been an
accursed place, a virtual hell on
earth where it was thought life
itself could never prosper, much
V.O. NARRATION (cont.)
less civilization. Then in 1879,
a prospector named Ed Schiefflin
set off alone into the Dragoon
Mountains. Friends told him he
Was crazy, that the only thing
He'd find in this Godforsaken
Place would be his tombstone.
Instead he found silver, lots of
It, and overnight the town of
Tombstone sprang up. Mining
Taking out millions in ore. Land
Value shot sky-high and
Speculators and gamblers and
Opportunists of all nations
Scrambled in by the thousands to
Make Tombstone queen of the
Boomtowns, so rich that the
Latest Paris fashions, hard to
Find even in the biggest cities,
Were sold there by the wagonload
From the makeshift storefronts."
An engraving of a stagecoach holdup, herds of cattle moving
north, a newspaper story of a massacre in Mexico, congressmen
railing at each other, shaking their fists....
V.O. NARRATION
"Meanwhile, the exile Texans had
banded together to form the
nucleaus of an organized gang.
Seizing controp of the
Surrounding countryside they
Robbed stagecoaches at will while
The big absentee business
Interests employed them as tax
Collectors and strongarm men. But
The backbone of their trade
Remained border rustling,
Periodic raids into Mexico to
Steal cattle while engaging in
What was described as a virtual
Orgy of murder and violence. The
Raids became so frequent and so
Bloody that the Mexican
Government formally protested to
U.S. President Chester A. Arthur,
Prompting heated debate in
Congress. General Sherman
Declared that the only possible
Way of bringing order was to send
In the army but in the wake of
Civil War Reconstruction federal
Intervention in civilian affairs
Was politically impossible."
Pounding hooves, flowing manes, a pack of night-riding
HORSEMEN kicking hell-for-leather across the desert
moonscape....
V.O. NARRATION
"With only some 100 members, the
gang was an elite body of gunmen,
known by the red silk sashes they
wore around their waists.
Fiercely proud of their
Terrifying reputation and
Answerable to no one, they were a
Law unto themselves, finally
Emerging as one of the earliest
Examples in American history of
Full-scale organized crime."
END MAIN TITLE as the screen fades to an ominous black and....
V.O. NARRATION
"They called themselves the
Cowboys."
EXT - SONORA DESERT/CANYON ENTRANCE - DAY
Burning daylight, hard reality. A squad of uniformed MEXICAN
RURALES rides through the Sonora desert, sabres glinting in
the sun. Approaching the mouth of a rocky canyon their hard-
bitten CAPTAIN signals them to stop, leaning down to study a
jumble of hoofprints on the ground. He turns to the anxious-
looking YOUNG RURALE on his right, speaking in Spanish via
subtitle:
CAPTAIN
It's them, only an hour north.
YOUNG RURALE
But this is the border.
CAPTAIN
You saw what those animals did at
That rancho. You think a border
Is going to stop me? No, I'm
Going to see them suffer for what
They did! I swear it on my soul!
The Captain spurs his horse and they ride on at a gallop,
plunging into the canyon....
DELETED
EXT - SKELETON CANYON - NIGHT
The full moon throws fantastic shadows across the high walls
of the canyon as the Rurales ride through. At the bend the
Captain halts them. The young one starts to speak but the
Captain shushes him, peering into the darkness. A few beats
then:
CAPTAIN
Turn around! Fast! Now!
But suddenly GUNFIRE erupts from the shadows all around them,
blasting them from the saddle, each powder flash lighting up
the canyon for an instant, freezing each victim in the moment
of his death. Then, just as abruptly the firing stops,
leaving only the Captain, the young Rurale, and a 3rd Rurale
alive. Dazed and bloody, they struggle to their feet as 6
armed FIGURES emerge from the shadows, walking into the
moonlight toward them. With broad-brim hats swept up in
front, silk scarves and red sashes, high boots and silver-
studded gunleather, they look like 17th century pirates.
These are the Cowboys: OLD MAN CLANTON, the ageless, white-
bearded leader; CURLY BILL BROCIUS, 2nd-in-command, smiling,
bull-necked; IKE and BILLY CLANTON, the old man's sons;
FLORENTINO, a Mexican half-breed; and JOHNNY RINGO, dark,
Byronic, with an air of something very strange. The Old Man
nods to Florentino:
OLD MAN CLANTON
Tell 'em to get on their knees.
Florentino does so in Spanish. The others kneel but the
Captain remains on his feet, steely-eyed, defiant.
FLORENTINO
He will not kneel. He is proud.
CURLY BILL
So how'd you like our little
Carry-on over at that rancho?
Kinda hit the spot didn't it?
CAPTAIN
Animals! Butchers!
OLD MAN CLANTON
Hey, somebody get that stick on
His knees.
Curly Bill casually FIRES his shotgun into the Captain's legs,
dropping him into a splayed lotus position. Curly Bill knods.
CURLY BILL
Gracias.
OLD MAN CLANTON
They call me Old Man Clanton. I'm
What you might call the founder
Of the feast. Now maybe you ain't
Heard, but we skylark through
Your dingy little country just
About any time we damn well
Please and big-hat, crummy-
Lookin' free-holes stumblin'
Around in the dark ain't allowed.
Messican po-lice, huh? Think
You're bad medicine, don't you?
Hell, I've let stronger stuff run
Down my leg. So next time we come
Better step aside. Get in our
Hair again, we'll saw your prods
Off with butter knives and stuff
'em in your gobs. Ain't kiddin'
neither. You been told. Now git.
The others rise and dash away but Curly Bill stops the
Captain:
CURLY BILL
Hold up, jefe. Got a joke I wanna
Tell you.
The Captain speaks grimly in Spanish. Florentino smiles.
FLORENTINO
He say he know you killing him.
CURLY BILL
Now how'd he figure that out?
FLORENTINO
He say he is no' afraid, someone
Will revenge for him. A sick
Horse.
CURLY BILL
A sick horse? What the hell...
Scattered chuckles from the others but we notice Ringo frown
and draw his pistol as the Captain repeats the words.
FLORENTINO
Something, I don't know, he talk
Fancy, you know, like a priest.
Is like, "a sick horse who sits---"
RINGO
That's not what he said, you
Ignorant wretch. Your spanish is
Worse than your English. Come on,
Let's get it over with.
Ringo takes aim. The Captain sneers, suddenly in English:
RURALE CAPTAIN
You go to hell!
RINGO
You first.
EXT - ARIZONA DESERT - DAWN
GUNSHOTS as the Cowboys fire their pistols and shout, running
their stolen herd out of a draw into a clearing where the
McLaury brothers wait: FRANK, older, edgy; and TOM, younger,
easy-going.
TOM
Looks like you had a party!
CURLY BILL
Oh, we had a big time!
The Old Man, Curly Bill, and Ringo rein up and look out at the
sun rising magnificently from the desert floor. The Old man
stretches his legs in the stirrups, taking out a whiskey
flask.
OLD MAN CLANTON
Ain't that sweet? That's why I
Stay out here. Thank you, God.
He raises the flask and drinks. Curly Bill turns to Ringo:
CURLY BILL
What'd the Messican mean, a sick
Horse's gonna get us? Didn't make
No sense.
RINGO
He was quoting the bible,
Revelations: "Behold a pale horse
And the one that sat on him was
Death and Hell followed with him."
CURLY BILL
Well now that's a little more
Like it.
EXT - TRAIN STATION PLATFORM/TELEGRAPH OFFICE - DAY
A BLACK HORSE, a fabulous thoroughbred stallion, rears and
neighs on an open flat-car where it's tethered with 4 near-
identical geldings. A small boy tries to pet it as a strong-
featured, fair-haired MAN appears, quieting the horse. Tall
and slim in a black frock coat and black flat-brim hat, he
moves with assurance and grace, a man in control. This is
WYATT EARP.
DAKE
"Dear Governor Gosper-in re
yours directing action against
Cowboys, stop. Beg to inform have
Twice sent deputies to serve
Warrants on Cowboy suspects,
Stop. Nothing to show for it but
2 dead deputies, stop. Short of
deputizing U.S. Army am at loss-
DEPUTY
(points at Wyatt)
The tall man over there, Marshal.
I'm not sure but I think that's
Wyatt Earp.
DAKE
Wyatt Earp? Oh, right, Dodge City.
Back down the platform Wyatt strokes the stallion gently,
looking up as Dake approaches.
DAKE
Mr. Earp? My name's Dake, Crawley Dake. I'm the U.S. Marshal
for-
WYATT
Forget it.
DAKE
Excuse me?
WYATT
I said forget it, answer's no, I
Don't want the job and that's
Final. I'm going to Tombstone and
Nothin' short of dyin's gonn
Stop me. Good day.
DAKE
But wait, you don't understand-
WYATT
No Marshal, you don't understand.
I'm through with lawing, I'm
Through with the whole
Proposition. Forever. I did my
Duty, now I'd like to get on with
My life. That is if you don't
Mind. Jesus. Good day now.
DAKE
I see, off to strike it rich,
Huh. All right, fine, wish you
Luck. Tell you this though, never
Was a rich man yet didn't wind up
With a guilty conscience.
WYATT
Already got a guilty conscience,
Might as well have the money too.
Dake retreats. Wyatt turns back to his horse testily.
Suddenly:
O.S. VOICE
Boy, I'd know that sour face
Anywhere.
Wyatt turns. His brothers stand behind him, smiling. Though
VIRGIL is a little older and heavier. MORGAN a little younger
and slimmer, they're otherwise identical to Wyatt, right down
to their style of dress. Wyatt breaks into a grin, hugging
them both, his cool replaced with an almost boyish enthusiasm.
MORGAN
Well how do we look?
WYATT
Hey! Virgil! My God! Morgan! Hey,
Boy! You look great! Both of you!
Virgil's blonde wife ALLIE, small, fierce, and Irish, steps up
with Morgan's fair, cameo-lovely young LOUISA in tow.
VIRGIL
Wyatt, you remember Allie
ALLIE
Good God, well he better.
WYATT
(hugs her, laughing)
Allie-girl...And Louisa! You're
So lovely. I'm at your feet,
Darlin'. Just at your feet.
(turns to Morgan)
Guess it's only right. Ma always
Said you were the prettiest.
VIRGIL
But she doted on the frowner
Wyatt's handsome blonde wife MATTIE enters from the street:
MATTIE
Wyatt, I couldn't find a single
Store that had laudanum any-
WYATT
Mattie, they're here! Folks this
Is Celia Ann but you can call her
Mattie. Or even Mrs. Earp if you
Prefer.
VIRGIL
Mrs. Earp? Land O' love, it finally happened! Mattie it's a
Pleasure!
All exchange greetings and hugs. Wyatt positively beams:
WYATT
Boy, I sure been dreamin' about
This. God! Since forever! Wait!
He turns them toward the stationhouse window, arranging them
in a group and pointing to their reflection.
WYATT
There, look at that! God
Almighty
Wyatt smiles, shaking his head. Morgan's starts to speak, but:
WYATT
Don't talk, just...yeah.
They stand silently, studying themselves, together as a
family. Wyatt still shaking his head happily, drinking it in.
Finally:
WYATT
All right, now let's go make our fortune.
DELETED
EXT - WAGON - MAGIC HOUR
A large woman, Wyatt's black horses tied to the rear, crosses
the majestic, forbidding Arizona desert with its red volcanic
rocks and the giant saguaro cactus dotting the landscape so
mysteriously, like huge, spiny hieroglyphics....
EXT - CAMP BY RIVER - NIGHT
A camp by the river under a clear night sky dripping with
stars. After dinner. The women, Virgil, and Morgan sit by
the fire. Morgan petting his dog, a sweet little foxhound.
Louisa sits behind him, twirling his silky blonde hair,
turning to Mattie:
LOUISA
Don't you love their hair? They
All have the same hair.
Just then Wyatt appears on his stallion, galloping across the
moonlit plain toward them, sitting his horse like a centaur.
It's clear he's a magnificent horseman. Virgil smiles:
VIRGIL
Look at him go, will ya? I tell
You, that's the real Wyatt, born
In the saddle.
MATTIE
Oh, he can go all right.
ALLIE
Can he then?
MATTIE
Rather ride than eat.
The women cackle lasciviously. Virgil groans at Allie:
VIRGIL
Try to be a lady, will you?
Wyatt rides up and dismounts, unsaddling the horse.
MORGAN
Give him some good exercise? Sure
Some stud. Some string in fact.
What're you gonna do, race 'em?
WYATT
Hope so. Clean up with this boy.
Louisa turns to Mattie, fishing in her bag:
LOUISA
Mattie hon', did you say you
Needed some laudanum? I have a
Bottle right here. Just be
Careful. It's full of hop.
MATTIE
You're a lifesaver! Don't worry,
I just get headaches sometimes.
As Wyatt leads the horse away the women get up, Allie and
Louisa going to the river with dishes, Mattie crossing to the
wagon. Virgil and Morgan watch her appreciatively:
VIRGIL
Mighty fine. Wonder where he
Found her. Same place we found
Ours probably
At the other end of camp Mattie climbs into the wagon and lies
down. Wyatt appears and starts to stroke her head.
WYATT
Come up to the fire, honey.
MATTIE
I think I'll just lie down awhile
A coyote starts HOWLING from the far darkness. Mattie
shudders:
MATTIE
Long as I live I'll never
Get used to that sound.
WYATT
They're just lonely is all. Hell,
I howl myself sometimes.
MATTIE
You get lonely?
She seems genuinely surprised. Wyatt looks genuinely
confused. Over at the fire, Morgan hugs and mashes Louisa
playfully.
MORGAN
Come up, Lou. Come up here, girl.
LOUISA
Stop...
She fights loose. Wyatt walks up, sits, shaking his gold
watch.
WYATT
Look at that. Busted. Brand new
Money Ward, too. 33 years old
And I don't even have a decent
Watch. 'Bout time I started
Lookin' out for myself.
VIRGIL
Well here we are a family again.
Been so long plain forgot how
Good it feels. Want to thank you
For that, Wyatt. All your doin'.
WYATT
We're gonna do it, boys. Gonna
Get ours. Feel it in my bones.
All we have to do is keep our
Eyes on that brass ring.
MORGAN
(lies back)
Boy, look at all those stars. Bet
You can see every star there is.
Practical touch 'em. Kinda makes
You think, you know? I mean you
Look up and you think God made
All that but he still remembered
To make a little speck like me.
Kinda flattering really. Hey,
Wyatt, you believe in God? No,
Come on, really, do you?
WYATT
Maybe, yeah. Hell, I don't know.
MORGAN
Well what do you think happens
When you die?
WYATT
Got me. Somethin'. Nothin'. I
Don't know.
MORGAN
I read this book, book on
Spiritualism...
VIRGIL
Oh, God, here he goes...
MORGAN
...said a lot of people, when
they're dyin', they see this
light, like in a tunnel. They say
it's the light leading you to
heaven.
WYATT
Really? What about hell? They got
A sign or what?
MORGAN
Hey, Wyatt, God damn it, I'm serious!
WYATT
Well that's your problem. Hey
Virge, see anything of Doc while
You were in Prescott?
VIRGIL
Hit a streak when we left. Him
And Kate.
ALLIE
(from the stream)
Uh, that woman.
WYATT
I miss Doc. I miss that ol' rip.
VIRGIL
I don't
ALLIE
Neither do I.
WYATT
He makes me laugh.
INT - PRESCOTT SALOON - NIGHT
A handsomely appointed saloon. At a corner table, the pot is
so rich 2 players have folded leaving ED BAILEY, a big,
sullen, tough-looking gambler, facing gaunt, elegant DOC
HOLLIDAY. Full of southern refinement and languid, almost
feline grace. Doc has such unerring style and aplomb that he
makes his constant tubercular coughing sound as if he's merely
clearing his throat. Bailey leans forward, seething with
impatience:
BAILEY
I said that's 500 to you,
Holliday. In or out?
DOC
500? Sly boots, must be a peach
of a hand.
KATE HORONY, Doc's voluptuous Hungarian consort enters,
refilling his engraved silver stirrup cup. She has a faint
accent:
KATE
Here, Doc.
DOC
Bless you, darling
(puts arm around her)
Darling! Are you mad? You're not
Wearing a bustle. How lewd!
BAILEY
Oh, for Christ's sake!
DOC
Ed Bailey, you look like you're
Just ready to burst. Well call me
A fool but I guess I'll just have
To call. Cover your ears, darling.
Doc covers the bet and shows his hand. Bailey pounds the
table.
BAILEY
God damn son of a...
DOC
Isn't that a daisy?
BAILEY
Just pick up your money and go.
Sick of listening to you simper.
DOC
Now Ed, are we cross?
Doc leans forward, revealing an ivory gun-butt under his coat.
BAILEY
Skinny lunger, your guns don't
Impress me. Wasn't for those guns
You'd be nothin'.
DOC
Why Ed, what an ugly thing to
Say! Does this mean you're not my
Friend anymore? You know, Ed, if
I thought you weren't my friend I
Don't think I could bear it.
Now a Cheshire cat smile we will soon come to know very well
steals over Doc's face as he takes out his nickel-plated .38
Colt Lightning and .45 Peacemaker and lays them on the table.
DOC
There, now we can be friends
Again. But remember, Ed,
Friendship is trust-so please
Don't hurt me.
Doc bats his eyelashes. Bailey jumps up, boiling. A long,
sweaty moment, then Bailey LUNGES. Doc spring up, grabbing
him by the hair and jabbing his fist into Bailey's armpit.
Bailey screams and doubles over. Doc gives him two more
blows, so light they hardly seem capable of the effect they're
having. But as he turns to give him another we suddenly SEE
that there's a KNIFE in Doc's hand. The bartender reaches for
the shotgun under the bar. Kate pulls a Derringer from her
muff and puts it to his ear.
KATE
Touch that gun, I burn you down!
He backs off. Kate covers the room. Bailey drops to his
knees.
BAILEY
Oh, my God...
DOC
Does it hurt? A lot? Good.
Eyes gleaming cruelly, Doc blows his cigarette smoke into
Bailey's face. Bailey sinks to the floor in a fetal position.
Kate gathers up the pot as Doc retrieves his guns, looking
around the room. Then both back up to the door.
DOC
Well, good evening then.
They exit. The others look down at the groaning Bailey lying
in a pool of his own blood. A GAMBLER shakes his head:
1ST GAMBLER
Judas...
EXT - STREET OUTSIDE - NIGHT
Doc and Kate stride quickly down the board sidewalk to the
hotel.
DOC
I calculate that's the end of
This town. And let's don't bother
About the luggage, darling.
KATE
I been having the boy at the
Hotel pack us up every night
Since your streak started
Kate points to 2 horses saddled and packed outside the hotel.
DOC
My sweet clever Magyar, so that's
Why you're not wearing a bustle.
Doc gives Kate a peck on the cheek as they mount and ride
off...
EXT - TOMBSTONE OUTSKIRTS/COTTAGES - DAY
A small cottage at the edge of town. As the Earps drive up we
SEE a sobbing woman sitting splay-legged in the middle of the
street while her husband tries to comfort her. 3 small
children stand alongside them, watching in stunned silence as
Cowboys FRANK STILLWELL, cocky, arrogant, and PETE SPENCE,
lean, dark, heave their furniture and belongings out of the
cottage into the street while snarling things like, "shut
up...deadbeats...move it!" The Earps stop, staring at this
scene in shock, Allie looking ready to fight. Virgil
restrains her, Stillwell looks up:
STILLWELL
What're you lookin' at?
Virgil looks at Wyatt who shakes his head. They drive on
as....
EXT - ALLEN STRESS, TOMBSTONE - DAY
Unlike the dreary, weather-beaten western towns in movies,
Tombstone is new and colorful, part town, part mining camp, a
wild mixture of brightly painted wooden storefronts and half-
finished stone buildings rimmed by clusters of tents and
shanties, all perched atop a hill with a magnificent view of
the desert and the purple Dragoon mountains beyond. We HEAR
the vibrant din of hammers and saws, player pianos, hurdy-
gurdys, clip-clopping horses' hooves, and pealing laughter as
the Earps drive up Allen Street, the main drag, lined with
saloon after saloon, sidewalks bustling with drovers, miners,
Chinamen, and sullen gun-toting hard-cases. They pull up in
front of the Grand Hotel and step down. JOHNNY BEHAN,
handsome, well-dressed, wearing an ornate crescent-shaped gold
sheriff's badge and a ready smile walks up and shakes hands:
BEHAN
Newcomers, eh? Names John Behan,
I'm Cochise County Sheriff. Just
Hit town?
WYATT
Just this minute. I'm Wyatt Earp,
These're my brothers-
BEHAN
Wyatt Earp...Dodge City, right?
WYATT
Gave all that up. Going into business.
BEHAN
Well I'm the man to see. Besides
Sheriff I'm also tax collector,
Captain of the Fire Brigade, and
Chairman of the Non-partisan Anti-
Chinese league. A man of many
Parts. Got a place to stay yet? I
Also sit on the Townlot
Commission. Got a couple of
Lovely cottages coming up for
Rent. Here, let me show you...
EXT - TOMBSTONE OUTSKIRTS/COTTAGE - DAY
The Earps and Behan stand on the porch of the very same
cottage we saw the Cowboys evict the family from.
BEHAN
The one next door and the one
Across the street are vacant too.
Same rent and I'll throw in a
Good cleaning. Believe me, you
Won't find a better deal within
Town limits.
Wyatt looks enquiringly at his brothers. They shrug. He's
calling the shots. Wyatt shrugs back. Finally:
WYATT
Guess we'll take all three.
EXT - O.K. CORRAL/ALLEN ST. - DAY
A large stable and corral backing up into a vacant lot.
Wyatt's big horses feed in their stalls while Wyatt faces the
stableboy:
WYATT
...and easy on the grain, I don't
want 'em too fidgety.
Morgan and Virgil enter with FRED WHITE, the jovial old town
marshal. Shaking hands, all 4 go up Allen, taking in the
town.
MORGAN
Wyatt, meet Fred White, he's town marshal.
WYATT
Lotta law around here. Just met the Sheriff.
WHITE
Who, Behan? He ain't no law, only
Real law here's the Cowboys.
VIRGIL
The Cowboys, yeah. I heard of 'em.
WHITE
Nobody does nothin' without 'em.
They're it. Hell, even the
Apache're scared of 'em. There's
A couple right there: Sherman
McMasters and Pony Deal. Can
Always spot a Cowboy, they all
Wear those red sashes.
White points to SHERMAN MCMASTERS and PONY DEAL, a half-breed,
standing over by the hotel, joking in sign language.
VIRGIL
Look pretty rough.
WYATT
Just like any other hard cases.
Gotta know how to handle 'em.
WHITE
Well I'm no Wild Bill. Way I
Handle 'em's just mainly live and
Let live. That usually answers
But even so, gets kinda spooky
Sometimes. Still somebody's gotta
Do it, I mean how the hell else
You gonna walk down the street?
VIRGIL
Doesn't anybody raise a stink?
The hell kinda town is this?
WHITE
Boomtown. Wide open. People
Grabbin' with both hands ain't
Got time for any law and order.
In fact the less law the more
Opportunities there are for
Makin' money. Plain fact is the
Cowboys're good for business.
WYATT
What about all these saloons?
WHITE
Ah, now that's the real mother-
Lode in Tombstone. Up and down
Allen Street, full-blast 24 hours
A day, liquor, hostesses,
Gamblin', makin' money hand over
Fist. All except the Oriental. On
Account of the element. Have a
Man for breakfast in there most
Days. Regular slaughter house.
High-rollers won't go near it.
Too bad, nice place.
Wyatt nods, suddenly very interested as they walk on and....
EXT - ORIENTAL SALOON - DAY
We feel the sensual delight of going from hot sun into cool
dark as Wyatt enters, going up to the ornate mahogany bar.
Though a large, handsome saloon complete with gaming tables,
it has only a few patrons on hand. "The Lilly and the Rose"
is on the player piano as bartender MILT JOYCE appears:
JOYCE
What can I get you?
WYATT
Let me have one of those cigars.
(lights up, looks around)
Kinda nice in here. You run it?
JOYCE
Milt Joyce, owner-operator.
WYATT
Well, excuse me for askin', Milt,
But isn't it kinda dead in here?
Joyce points to the faro table in the corner where JOHNNY
TYLER, an unshaven plug-ugly with a big D.A. Colt .45 carried
ostentatiously in a shoulder holster, deals to a couple of
scruffy-looking drifters.
JOYCE
You see that bird at the faro
Table? That's Johnny Tyler. He
Barged in here one day, said he
Was takin' over the game, started
Slappin' customer, wavin' his
Gun around, scarin' off all the
High-class play. Only trade comes
In here now's just bummers and
Drovers, just the dregs.
WYATT
Why don't you get rid of him and
Get yourself straight dealer?
JOYCE
Well sure, neighbor, easy to say.
INT - FARO TABLE - DAY
As Wyatt walks up Tyler starts snarling at one of the players:
TYLER
You back that Queen again, you
Son of a bitch, I'll blow you
Right out of that chair!
(looks up, sees Wyatt)
Somethin' on your mind?
WYATT
Just wanted to let you know
You're sitting in my chair.
TYLER
That a fact?
WYATT
Yeah. It's a fact.
Tyler looks Wyatt over, noting he is unarmed. He stands,
sneering:
TYLER
For a man that don't go heeled
You run your mouth kinda reckless.
WYATT
Don't need to go heeled to get
The bulge on a dub like you.
TYLER
That a fact?
WYATT
Yeah. It's a fact.
TYLER
Well I'm real scared.
WYATT
Damn right you're scared. I can
See it in your eyes.
Wyatt steps forward suddenly, eyes cold and hard like a shark.
Suddenly realizing he's in way over his head. Tyler shrinks
back reflexively, his hand moving toward his gun. The other
players scatter. Wyatt nods, his voice calm and steady:
WYATT
Go ahead. Skin it. Skin that
Smoke wagon and see what happens.
TYLER
Listen Mister, I'm getting' tired-
Wyatt abruptly SLAPS his face, making his teeth clack
together.
WYATT
I'm getting tired of your gas.
Jerk that pistol and go to work.
Tyler goes pale, all pretense of courage gone. Wyatt slaps
him again.
WYATT
I said throw down, boy.
Another slap. Tyler stays frozen, blood dripping down his
chin.
WYATT
You gonna do something or just
Stand there and bleed?
Tyler's done. Wyatt plucks his gun away, handing it to Joyce.
WYATT
No, I didn't think so. Here,
Milt. Keepsake, hang it over the
Bar. All right, youngster. Out
You go...
Wyatt takes Tyler by the ear, dragging him across the room
like an unruly child. At the door he gives the ear a twist.
WYATT
And don't come back. Ever.
Tyler winces. Wyatt shoves him out into the street then turns
to Joyce casually:
WYATT
See how easy that was?
EXT - CORNER OF ALLEN & 5TH STREET (STAGECOACH) - DAY
Later. Wyatt walks up to his brothers at the corner.
WYATT
Well we're off and running. Just
Acquired us a quarter-interest in
The game at the Oriental.
VIRGIL
Acquired?
WYATT
So to speak.
Down the block, unseen by the Earps, a wild-eyed Tyler is
advancing on them with a sawed-off shotgun. He is within 20
feet when suddenly:
O.S. VOICE
Why Johnny Tyler, you madcap,
Where are you going with that
Shotgun?
Tyler spins around to see Doc standing in a doorway, smiling.
Tyler freezes.
TYLER
Doc. I didn't know you were in town.
Wyatt spots Doc and walks up, brothers in tow. Though they
don't so much as shake hands, we sense a strong bond between
the 2 men.
WYATT
Doc! How the hell are you?
DOC
Perfect, Wyatt. Simply perfect.
TYLER
Wyatt? Wyatt Earp?
MORGAN
Going into business for
Ourselves. Wyatt just got us a
Faro game.
DOC
Since when is faro a business?
WYATT
Didn't you always say gambling's
An honest trade?
DOC
I said poker's an honest trade.
Only suckers buck the tiger. The
Odds are all with the house.
WYATT
Depends how you look at it. I
Mean it's not like anybody's
Holding a gun to their heads.
DOC
That's what I love about Wyatt.
He can talk himself into anything.
They laugh. Frozen there. Tyler begins to tremble. Finally:
DOC
Oh sorry, Johnny, I forgot all
About you. You can go now. Just
Leave the shotgun.
TYLER
Thank you.
Tyler scuttles off as Behan approaches affably. Doc sniffs.
WYATT
Sheriff Behan, Doc Holliday.
DOC
Forgive me if I don't shake hands.
BEHAN
So how's Tombstone treating you?
WYATT
Fine, fine. But I was thinkin',
You know what this town really
Needs is a race track.
BEHAN
Actually, you know, that's not a
Bad idea, send a signal we're
Growing up.
DOC
Little ahead of yourselves,
Aren't you? This is just a mining
Camp.
BEHAN
See how everyone dresses? Awfully
Toney for a mining camp. No, the
Die's cast, we're growing, be as
Big as San Francisco in a few
Years. And just as sophisticated.
DOC
I can hardly wait.
As if on cue, a bullet WHIZZES past Behan's head. Everyone
ducks. More GUNFIRE as a man holding a bloody hand to his
throat reels out the door of the nearby Crystal Palace, his
gun firing wildly like a sputtering engine before he pitches
face first onto the sidewalk, dead. Immediately 2 more men
appear: a staggering DRUNK with a bullet hole in his shoulder;
and TURKEY CREEK JACK JOHNSON, a leathery plainsman with his
gun at the ready. A crowd forms as the drunk raises his
pistol, bellowing.
DRUNK
You son of a bitch!
JOHNSON
That's right, keep comin', keep comin'...
DOC
(turns to Behan)
Very cosmopolitan.
WYATT
I know him. That's Creek Johnson.
Suddenly a 3rd man, TEXAS JACK VERMILLION, long-haired, hawk-
nosed, appears, pistol at the ready, keeping bystanders at
bay.
VERMILLION
Easy, gents. Private affair...
(spots Wyatt)
Wyatt! Doc! Hey!
WYATT
Jack...
DRUNK
You bastard!
The drunk now has raised his gun to where it's almost level
and:
JOHNSON
Yeah, good. Right about there.
Johnson FIRES. The drunk drops in a heap. Johnson spots
Wyatt:
JOHNSON
Hello, Wyatt! Hiya Doc!
WYATT
What was that all about?
VERMILLION
Drunks. Crawfished a bet, called
Him a liar. I saw the whole thing.
DOC
(turns to Behan)
Sheriff, may I present a pair of
Fellow sophisticates, Turkey
Creek Jack Johnson and Texas Jack
Vermillion? Watch your ear, Creek.
Doc points to his bloody ear. Johnson touches it, sees the
blood, gives a silent start. Just then White arrives, looking
weary, facing Johnson and Vermillion.
WHITE
'Fraid I'll have to have those guns.
JOHNSON
Fair fight. We were legal.
WHITE
Sorry, boys. Gotta take you
Before Judge Spicer.
VERMILLION
Well law and order every time,
That's us.
They hand over their guns while Virgil looks at the 2 dead men
lying in the street, shaking his head:
VIRGIL
What kinda town is this?
VERMILLION
Nice scenery.
They look. A stagecoach stops in the street. JOSEPHINE
MARCUS looks out the window, her little white dog under her
chin. She and Wyatt spot each other instantly, both
impressed.
BEHAN
That must be the theatrical
Troupe. There's a show tonight at
Schieffelin Hall.
JOHNSON
Hey, Wyatt, you goin' to the
Show? Maybe we'll see you there.
(turns to White)
Won't we.
WHITE
Yeah, probably.
White leads them off to jail. Wyatt and Josephine hold each
other's gaze as the coach drives on. Doc smiles:
DOC
Well, an enchanted moment
EXT - GRAND HOTEL (STAGECOACH) - DAY
Pony Deal and McMasters watch as the actors exit the coach for
the hotel. Josephine turns to the pretty 1st actress:
JOSEPHINE
Interesting little scene. I
Wonder who that tall man was.
1ST ACTRESS
Typical frontier type. Long and
Lean. And those gray eyes. Like a
Wild hawk. You see quite a few of
His type out here.
JOSEPHINE
Oh, I want one.
INT - LOBBY, GRAND HOTEL - DAY
The actors enter, going to the desk while Josephine looks for
a place to sit. A fat, well-dressed easterner with a
newspaper sits nearby, ignoring her. Seeing this from
outside, McMasters instantly barges into the lobby, hoists the
easterner out of his chair, and hurls him bodily out into the
street. Josephine nods her surprised thanks. McMasters tips
his hat shyly, exits as the 1st actress returns with her key.
They exchange looks....
INT - SHIEFFELIN HALL - NIGHT
A full house, pandemonium. Curly Bill, Ringo and their Cowboy
entourage form a block in the center
Rows while BILLY BREKENRIDGE, Behan's bespectacled, slightly
effeminate little Deputy makes his timid way down the aisle,
looking for a seat midst the off fist-fight and yelling match.
2 cocky young Cowboys, BILLY GROUNDS and ZWING HUNT, call out
to him:
HUNT
Hey, Sister Boy!
CURLY BILL
Shut up, Zwing. Sit here, Billy.
Curly Bill beckons. Happy as a lark, Breakenridge takes the
seat next to him. Up above, the Earps sit in a box, the women
thrilled:
ALLIE
This is so much fun! We haven't
Been to a show since years.
MATTIE
I hope they're good.
STILLWELL
(shouting from below)
Lady, they better be good.
Doc enters, Kate on his arm. The women exchange uneasy nods.
DOC
Kate, you know the Earps.
They sit as White enters with Mayor JOHN CLUM and wife.
WHITE
Wyatt, this is Mayor Clum and his wife.
CLUM
Your reputation precedes you. I wonder -
WYATT
Not a prayer. Nice meetin' you.
While the orchestra tunes up and the crowd's excitement rises,
White sits next to Wyatt, pointing out the different Cowboys
and giving a thumbnail sketch of each as we PAN over them:
WHITE
Well everybody's here except the
Old Man. Got the blade, Billy
Grounds, Zwing Hunt, Billy
Claiborne, Wes Fuller, Tom and
Frank McLaury, Billy Clanton's
The youngest. Wild one. Then the
Breeds, Hank Swilling, Pony Deal.
Florentino's Mex-breed. They all
Hate Mex, but he hates 'em
Special. Johnny Barnes, Frank
Stillwell. That's Behan's little
Deputy, Billy Breakenridge.
Follows the Cowboys around like a
Puppy. And the big boys: Curly
Bill Brocius, he's the Old Man's
Rimrod; the one looks like an
Actor, that's Johnny Ringo. Best
Gun alive they say. He's kinda
Different. Curly Bill's the only
One he talks to. I mean they're
All rough boys, but Ringo... I
Don't know. I really don't
Music. The house lights dim. The audience hushes. A
spotlight hits easel at the end of the stage: "Professor
Gillman and His Ballet of Gravity." Out in the audience,
Barnes groans:
BARNES
Professor Gilllman? Oh hell, I
Seen him in Bisbee. He catches stuff.
The curtain goes up. PROFESSOR GILLMAN, a 3rd rate juggler in
white tie, tailcoat, and black tights steps out and starts
tossing Indian clubs in the air. The audience starts groaning
but the Professor's rictus-like smile never changes. Having
seen enough, Frank Stillwell stands up and shouts:
STILLWELL
Hey profesor! Catch this!
Stillwell raises his pistol and FIRES. An Indian club
explodes in the Professor's hand. Screams and scattered
laughter in the audience. The Professor is frozen in utter
shock, staring at the bullet graze on his hand and saying out
loud:
GILLMAN
They shot me! I don't believe it!
A chord of music and the curtain drops like stone.
Applause....
EXT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT
The other acotrs hustle the Professor off the stage, appalled.
The 1st Actress turns to MR. FABIAN, a handsome, slightly
raffish classical tragedian.
1ST ACTRESS
My God, they're shooting at us!
They're actually shooting at us!
What'll we do?
FABIAN
Only thing we can do, dear-be
Good. In any event, at least we
Won't have to wait for our
Notices. Exciting, isn't it? Now
This is theater!
INT - SHIEFFELIN HALL - NIGHT
More music and another card reads: "Selections From the Bard
of Mr. Romulus Fabian, Tragedian in Excelsis." The curtain
rises and Fabian steps out, a purple velvet cloak wrapped
resplendently about him like a toga. In the audience, Curly
Bill's mouth drops:
CURLY BILL
Prettiest man I ever saw
Fabian throws open his cloak, revealing his lithe form in
doublet and tights. The whores in the gallery hoot and cheer.
Fabian bows.
STILLWELL
How come he ain't wearin' no pants?
BARNES
(points to whores)
That's how come.
FABIAN
Ladies and gentlemen, the St
Crispin's Day Speech from Henry V.
To set the Scene, England is
Now at war with France.
Everything rests upon the battle
About to begin. Henry, the young
King of England, addresses his men
Thusly: "My cousin Westmorland?
No, my fair cousin-"
Another GUNSHOT and a bullet SPANGS into the column next to
Fabian with a shower of plaster. Without missing a beat,
Fabian casually flicks a chunk off his shoulder and continues:
FABIAN
"If we are marked to die, we are
enow/ To do our country loss; and
if to live./ The fewer me, the
greater the share of honour..."
In the audience Barnes holsters his smoke pistol reflectively.
BARNES
He's got nerve, I'll say that.
What do you think, Billy?
Starry-eyed, Breakenridge answers without thinking:
BREAKENRIDGE
Oh, he wonderful!
GROUNDS
Uh-oh, looks like somebody's in love.
Raw laughter from the others. Breakenridge sinks in his seat.
CURLY BILL
Let him alone.
On stage Fabian is in full cry, giving the local a slice of
the ripest ham:
FABIAN
"We few, we happy few, we band of
brothers;/ For he today that
sheds his blood with me/ Shall be
my brother; be he ne'er so vile./
This day shall gentle his
Condition;/ And gentlemen in
England now a-bed/ Shall think
Themselves accurs'd they were no
Here./ And hold their manhood
Cheap whiles any speaks/ That
Fought with us upon Saint
Crispin's day!"
Wild applause and cheering. Fabian bows with elaborate
modesty.
CURLY BILL
That's great! That's our kinda stuff!
The curtain falls. Another card: "Faust - or the Devil's
Bargain" and the orchestra whirls into "Danse Macabre" by
Saint-Saens, the rising curtain revealing a wild pained
backdrop, all black and red, covered with weird, Beardsley-
esque designs and images of death and damnation. A light
comes up, revealing an ancient white-bearded scholar sitting
alone with his books. Then a hooded Satan dances across the
stage, slender and lissome in paned black doublet and breeches
and black hose, tempting the old man with images of wealth and
youth in the form of a shimmering blonde ballerina. The old
man succumbs, signing Satan's contract. The audience watches
in rapt attention, especially the Cowboys:
STILLWELL
He's gonna some up short on that one.
CURLY BILL
Know what I'd do? I'd take the
Deal then crawfish and drill that
Ol' Devil in the ass. How 'bout
You, Johnny? What would you do?
RINGO
I already did it.
Satan makes a flourish. A flash-pad EXPLOSION transforms the
old scholar into a young student. The ballerina flits by.
The student offers her gold. They dance, swirling about the
stage in a mad waltz with Satan hovering behind them,
mirroring their every move like a puppet master. Finally,
having gotten all his gold, the Ballerina drifts away leaving
the young student alone, lost in bitterness as he changes back
into the old scholar sitting with his books. Satan appears
over him, exultant and triumphant, ready to collect the debt
as the curtain falls with a final crashing chord. Thunderous
cheering and applause. The curtain rises again and the
performers come out for bows, all except Satan.
DOC
Very instructive
WYATT
But who was the Devil?
Suddenly Satan bounds out, removing the hood. It's Josephine.
MORGAN
It's that woman from the coach!
WYATT
I'll be damned...
Josephine spots Wyatt's box and smiles. Doc raises an
eyebrow:
DOC
You may indeed. If you get lucky.
EXT - ALLEN STREET - NIGHT
After the show and theatergoers, including the Earps, stroll
homeward arm-in-arm down Allen, all looking up at the clear
night sky above. At the Oriental Wyatt stops, turning to
Virgil:
WYATT
Comin' to the Oriental, Virge?
ALLIE
Not tonight! Tonight me and my
Old man're gonna have some fun.
Get moving, old man!
She laughs, shoving Virgil down the street. He looks at
Wyatt:
VIRGIL
Her maiden name was Sullivan.
WYATT
(kisses Mattie)
Better go with 'em, honey. Here's
Where I leave you.
MATTIE
(grabs his hand)
No, stay. Please stay with me.
WYATT
Honey, I gotta start makin' money.
MATTIE
Oh, all right.
WYATT
Well I guess I don't have to go
Right now. I guess I could stay a little while.
MATTIE
No, no, I don't want to keep you.
WYATT
No really, I can stay a while.
MATTIE
Just go. It's all right. Wyatt,
Really. Work well.
WYATT
All right, well, good night.
Another kiss and he heads for the Oriental with Morgan.
Mattie walks on after the others, fishing through her bag for
her bottle of laudanum....
DELETED
INT - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
The saloon is packed. TRACK along the bar at floor level past
a wild array of high-button shoes, patent leather pumps, and
stack-heeled boots with jingling silver spurs. Track again at
shoulder level past an equally wild array of slouch hats,
pork-pies, derbys, and wide-brim sombreros. Wyatt sits
against the wall, dealing faro with Doc at his side, Morgan on
lookout while a sweaty overdressed HIGH ROLLER makes bets,
gnashing his teeth and drumming his fingers n a fever of
impatient greed:
HIGH ROLLER
All right, I'm on fire! Black
Seven, seven stickin' spades.
Let's go!
WYATT
I'm your man...
(deals card)
You win again. Well played, sir.
You are on fire.
HIGH ROLLER
Told you. I'm red hot, I'm
Blazin'! Now, red seven. Seven
Stinkin' diamonds. Look out! Five
Thousand! Let's go!
WYATT
Awful lot of money.
HIGH ROLLER
Can't take the heat, get outta
The kitchen.
WYATT
You're the doctor.
(deals card)
sad news, friend.
HIGH ROLLER
Damn! All right, wait a minute...
The high roller lays a set of deeds out on the table as....
INT - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
A break in the game. Wyatt studies the deeds as Morgan and
Doc look on. Kate sits to one side, blowing smoke rings
contentedly.
WYATT
So now we're in the mining
Business. Turning into regular
Tycoons. Gonna call this one the
Mattie Blaylock. Mattie'll get a
Kick out of that, it's her maiden
Name.
DOC
And what a maiden, pure as the
Driven snow, I'm sure.
MORGAN
Hey Doc! Come on now.
WYATT
Just his style, Morg. Doesn't
Mean anything.
DOC
So tell me, Wyatt. I'm curious.
Do you actually consider youself
A married man? Forsaking all
Others?
WYATT
Well yeah. Pretty much. I mean I
Was no angel when we met but
People change Doc. I mean sooner
Or later you gotta grow up.
DOC
I see. And what would you do if
"she" walked in her right now?
WYATT
"She"?
DOC
You know damn well who I mean.
That dusky-hued lady Satan.
WYATT
I don't know. Probably ignore her.
DOC
Ignore her?
WYATT
I'd ignore her. People can
Change, Doc.
DOC
I'll remember you said that.
Doc point. Josephine has just walked in with the other
actors.
WYATT
Oh, hell...
She spots Wyatt and starts toward him but he looks away, as if
ignoring her. She stops. Behan steps up to her, tipping his
hat, very gallant. They move toward the bar. Wyatt turns to
Doc.
WYATT
Satisfied?
DOC
I stand corrected. Wyatt. You're
An oak.
Josephine and Behan chat at the bar. White nudges Joyce:
WHITE
Since when'd you start servin'
Ladies in here?
JOYCE
Actresses. It's different.
Mr Fabian enters, dramatically gotten-up like Lord Byron. The
whole bar bursts into applause. He bows. Breakenridge jumps
up from his table, excited:
BREAKENRIDGE
Here, Mr Fabian, have this table.
He seats Fabian near the faro game, gets him some champagne.
FABIAN
Oh, thank you. You're very kind.
BREAKENRIDGE
Mr. Fabian, I've got to tell you,
That's the most wonderful thing I
Ever saw. What was that?
FABIAN
Henry's all right but he's no
Match for the Melancholy Dane.
(sees his confusion)
Hamlet, dear friend, the supreme
Role of any actor worth his salt.
DOC
(leans in, points to Wyatt)
Here's a man you should meet, Mr.
Fabian. Excellent character study
For you, the real-life actual
Melancholy Dane.
FABIAN
Indeed, sir? How so?
DOC
Well he hems, he haws, he talks
Out of both sides of his
Mouth-but all on a very high
Plane, just like Hamlet.
WYATT
Getting drunk, Doc.
Doc chuckles. Suddenly Curly Bill looms over the faro table
with Ringo and a drunken Ike Clanton.
CURLY BILL
Wyatt Earp, huh? I heard of you.
IKE
Listen, Mr. Kansas Law-dog. Law
Don't go around her. Savvy?
WYATT
I'm retired.
CURLY BILL
Good. That's real good.
IKE
Yeah, that's good, Mr. Law-dog,
'cause law don't go around here.
WYATT
I heard you the first time.
CURLY BILL
Shut up, Ike.
RINGO
(steps up to Doc)
And you must be Doc Holliday.
DOC
That's the rumor.
RINGO
You retired, too?
DOC
Not me. I'm in my prime.
RINGO
Yeah, you look it.
DOC
And you must be Ringo. Look,
Darling, Johnny Ringo. The
Deadliest pistoleer since Wild
Bill, they say. What do you
Think, darling? Should I hate him?
KATE
You don't even know him.
DOC
Yes, but there's just something
About him. Something around
The eyes, I don't know, reminds me
Of... me. No. I'm sure of it, I
Hate him.
WYATT
(to Ringo)
He's drunk.
DOC
In vino veritas.
RINGO
Age quod agis.
DOC
Credat Judaeus Apella.
RINGO
(pats gun)
Ecentus stultorum magister.
DOC
(Cheshire cat smile)
In pace requiescat.
WHITE
(enters, appeasing)
Come on now. We don't want any
Trouble in here. Not in any language.
DOC
Evidently Mr. Ringo's an educated
Man. Now I really hate him.
Ringo looks at Doc, holding his gaze while suddenly whipping
out his .45. Everyone but Doc flinches. Ringo does a
dazzling series of twirls and tricks, his nickel-plated pistol
flashing like a blaze of silver fire, finally slapping it back
into his holster with a flourish. Cheers and hoots. Doc
rolls his eyes, hooks a finger through the handle of his
silver cup, then launches into an exact duplication of Ringo's
routine using a cup instead of a gun. The room bursts into
laughter. Doc shrugs. Ringo lets a strange little hint of a
smile cross his face then exits with the others. White
exhales, turns to Wyatt:
WHITE
See what I mean about it getting
Spooky?
WYATT
Curly Bill, huh? Who was that
Other idiot?
WHITE
Ike Clanton, Old Man's eldest
Son. Know he ain't got the stuff,
Makes him miserable.
WYATT
Yeah, and dangerous.
Sitting up on the bar to see the show, Josephine turns to
Behan:
JOSEPHINE
The man dealing faro. Who is he?
BEHAN
That's Wyatt Earp. Made quite a
Name for himself as a peace
Officer in Kansas.
JOSEPHINE
A peace officer... Impressive man
BEHAN
Yes, very. And very married.
JOSEPHINE
Oh, so that's it...
EXT - ALLEN STREET/ORIENTAL - NIGHT
Curly Bill steps out with Ike and Ringo. He looks around.
CURLY BILL
I feel like doin' somethin'.
Getting woolly.
(looks up)
Hey, Chinky! Come here a minute...
An old Chinaman minces by. Curly Bill dashes after him...
BACK & FORTH INT/EXT - ORIENTAL / ALLEN STREET - NIGHT
Later. Doc is at the piano, drunk as a lord but playing
Chopin flawlessly. Kate pours him another drink.
KATE
That's my lovin' man. Just can't
Get enough.
DOC
Enough? Never.
Now the High-Roller comes reeling up, loud and gratingly
drunk.
HIGH ROLLER
Hey, is that "Old Dog Tray"?
Sounds like "Old Dog Tray".
DOC
What?
HIGH ROLLER
You know, Stephen Foster. "Oh,
Susanna". "Camptown Races",
Stephen-stinkin'-Foster!
DOC
I see, well this happens to be a
Nocturne.
HIGH ROLLER
A which?
DOC
You know, Frederic-fucking-Chopin.
Doc plays on. Josephine leaves with Behan. Morgan sighs:
MORGAN
Now that wounds me. Little tin
Swain walkin' off with that black
Beauty. I mean I'm a married man
And all but still, it ain't right.
Wyatt grunts and nods, perturbed. Outside the others mount up
but Curly Bill stands drugged-up in the middle of the street,
arms out, head back, eyes closed, luxuriating in the
moonlight.
CURLY BILL
Boy, I feel great! Full of that
Hop I got from Chinky. I feel
Just capitol! You boys go ahead.
I'm gonna stick around awhile,
Howl at the moon.
The others shrug and ride off. Curly Bill pulls his pistol,
spinning it. Back inside the Oriental it's late, few patrons
remain. A few beats then suddenly everyone jumps as GUNSHOTS
echo from outside. White goes to the window, looks outside:
WHITE
Curly Bill. He's over across the
Street shootin' out the lights.
CLUM
This is great, this is just great.
Just then Behan dashes in, white as a sheet, Josephine in tow:
BEHAN
Have you been out in the street?
Somebody's got to do something.
CLUM
You're the Sheriff.
BEHAN
It's not County business, it's a
Town matter.
Outside Curly Bill starts taking potshots at a passerby's
feet, making him dance down the street and scurry for cover.
Curly Bill cackles. Inside White turns uneasily to Wyatt:
WYATT
Why don't you just leave it alone?
WHITE
No, I gotta do something. I don't
Suppose you'd card-
WYATT
None of my business, Fred.
Wyatt keeps dealing, Doc keeps playing. White draws himself
up and exits. Outside, Curly Bill reloads and keeps shooting.
White steps out into the street. We feel a sense of inverted
terror as he draws his gun and we SEE that his hand is
trembling. He crosses the street, coming up behind Curly
Bill:
WHITE
Hey, Curly? Come on now, boy...
Curly Bill spins around. White's gun stares him in the face.
CURLY BILL
Well, howdy, Fred!
Back in the bar, Wyatt puts his cards down, looks over at Doc.
WYATT
Maybe I ought to go out there.
DOC
You will or you won't. Don't look
To me. I'm going to sleep.
Doc lays his head down on the keys, passes out. Wyatt frowns
for a moment. Finally he stands, turning to Morgan:
WYATT
Go wake up Virgil.
(turns to Joyce)
Hey Milt, lend me a sidearm, will you?
Joyce hands him a Colt from under the bar. Outside White
covers Curly Bill, trembling harder now. An adrenaline rush
in a man White's age is hard to look at, he seems so frail, so
vulnerable. Even his voice has a quavering edge to it:
WHITE
Hand that over. Come on now.
CURLY BILL
Why sure, dad. I'm only in fun.
Here she is.
With a reassuring smile, Curly Bill holds his pistol out butt-
first. White reaches for it, visibly relieved. But quick as
a snake's tongue Curly Bill spins it around and FIRES POINT
BLANK into White's chest, blowing him over backward, the blast
so close it sets his clothes on fire. Curly Bill turns just
as Wyatt flashes into frame and SLAMS him over the head with
his pistol barrel, laying him out in a groaning heap. Wyatt
glances at White lying semi-conscious in the street, chest
heaving, eyelids fluttering, making weak little bird-like
sounds, smoke rising from his smoldering shirt and vest. Clum
runs up:
WYATT
Put his clothes out.
Clum pats the embers out in White's clothes but as Wyatt
starts to haul Curly Bill up he suddenly finds himself
surrounded by Ike, Billy Clanton, and six other Cowboys.
IKE
Turn loose of him.
WYATT
He just killed a man.
BILLY
He said to turn loose of him.
WYATT
Well I'm not so go home.
IKE
Swear to God, Mister, step aside
Or we'll tear you apart.
The Cowboys tense up, ready for action. Wyatt holds his
ground, his hard, steady gaze zeroing in on Ike:
WYATT
You. Come here a second.
Ike steps up, full of brass. Without warning Wyatt jabs the
muzzle of his pistol into his forehead, snapping his head
back. Wyatt cocks the pistol. The other Cowboys hush. Ike
freezes. Wyatt's eyes bore into him.
WYATT
You die first, get it? The others
Might get me in a rush but before
That I'm gonna make your head
Into a canoe. Understand?
Ike stands stock still. Billy steps forward, undaunted:
BILLY
He's bluffin'! Let's rush him!
This is it. The Cowboys poise themselves, ready to start,
but:
O.S. VOICE
And you, you simpleton, you're next.
Again a hush. Doc stands behind Wyatt, still drunk, but with
his .38 trained on Billy. Billy sneers:
BILLY
Hell, he can't hit nothin'. He's
So drunk he's probably seein'
Double.
Doc pulls out his .45, training it, too, on Billy:
DOC
I have two guns. One for each of you.
Billy pauses, chastened. Suddenly there's another commotion
as Virgil and Morgan bull their way through the crowd from
behind with shotguns.
VIRGIL
All right, look out! Break it up.
Go home, all of you, go home now...
This breads the group's will and things suddenly calm down
dramatically as the Cowboys disperse. Wyatt lowers his
pistol, heaving a sigh of relief as he pulls the still-groggy
Curly Bill to his feet and hauls him reeling toward the jail.
WYATT
Come on, you...
CURLY BILL
Crack me back of the head like
Some stinkin' bull. Hell, you
Ain't no fightin' man, you're
Just a cop.
DELETED
EXT - JAIL/ALLEN STREET/HOTEL - NIGHT
Later. As the Earps and Doc step out on the sidewalk we can
see the semi-conscious Curly Bill through the front door of
the jail laying in one of the cells, holding a bloody kerchief
to his head. Wyatt closes the door, locks it, gives Clum the
keys.
WYATT
There. He'll keep till morning
The street is quiet as they start back toward the Oriental.
Virgil and Morgan following at a discreet distance, smirking:
VIRGIL
Keep your eye on that brass ring.
Don't let anything side-track you.
WYATT
I know, I need a keeper.
Meanwhile across the street at the hotel Josephine turns to
Behan.
BEHAN
Well I guess you can see, never a
Dull moment. Maybe you should
Stay around to see what happens
Next. Who know? You might find a
Future here.
JOSEPHINE
Maybe even my destiny.
DELETED
DELETED
INT - ORIENTAL - DAY
Morgan's hound sleeps in the corner while Virgil and Morgan
shoot pool. Wyatt looking on.
WYATT
...but he says did I actually see
it happen and I said, no, when I
arrived Fred'd already been shot.
So the judge said, can't have a
Murder without a witness-case
Dismissed. Can you beat it? After
All that. Oh hell, who cares,
None of my business anyways.
Clum enters, frowning and anxious, just as Morgan sinks a
shot.
MORGAN
Boy, I love this game. When we're
Finally set we gotta each have a
Billiard room in our houses.
CLUM
Excuse me, Wyatt, just a moment,
Please, I wanted to try and
Reason with you. We still haven't
Found a Marshal and-
VIRGIL
Come on Mayor, he already told
You no.
CLUM
What about you? You were a lawman.
VIRGIL
I'm busy. We're all busy. Sorry,
Mayor, but you're really barkin'
Up the wrong tree.
WYATT
You tell 'em, Virge.
Clum exits shaking his head. They keep playing. After a
beat:
WYATT
You know, I was thinkin', maybe
We ought to open our own place.
That's the real money. Build it
Up, milk it for all it's worth,
Then sell it off for a bundle and
Breeze out of this burg with more
Money than Croesus and ready to
Live like kings. Let's you and me
Take a walk around town, Virge,
See if we can scout us out a
Couple of nice lots.
VIRGIL
I can't hardly believe it. It's
Working out just like you said,
Wyatt. We're lootin' this burg
Six ways through Sunday.
WYATT
Pretty fun too, isn't it?
VIRGIL
Kinda, actually, yeah. I gotta admit.
EXT - COTTAGE ON EDGE OF TOWN - DAY
Virgil and Wyatt walk down a quiet, tree-shaded lane on the
outskirts of town. Suddenly a rubber ball rolls into their
path. A small BOY plays in the front yard of a nearby
cottage. Virgil and Wyatt approach, Virgil returning the
ball:
VIRGIL
What're you up to today, son?
The boy stands stock still, staring at the men in silence.
WYATT
Cat got your tongue?
He turns and walks back to the street without another word.
WYATT
Wait a minute, Virgil! Where you goin'?
Virgil keeps going. Wyatt starts after him, leaving mother
and child in confusion as....
DELETED
INT - VIRGIL'S PARLOR - DAY
In tight on a gleaming silver shield, "Town Marshal,
Tombstone, A.T." PULL BACK to reveal it pinned to Virgil's
breast. He sits by his parlor hearth with Morgan at his side.
Wyatt sits opposite with his head in his hands.
VIRGIL
I couldn't help it, Wyatt. I
Looked at that woman and it was
Just like somebody slapping me in
The face. I mean these people're
Afraid to even walk down the
Street and I'm trying to make
Money off it like some kind of
God damn vulture. That's not me,
That's somebody I don't even know.
WYATT
Virgil, please. Don't do this to me.
VIRGIL
It's got nothin' to do with you,
Wyatt. It's-
WYATT
Nothing to do with me? I'm your
Brother for Christ's sake. God, I
Don't believe this.
(turns to Morgan)
Talk to him, will you? Or hit him.
(no answer, pauses)
Oh no, don't tell me...
Morgan looks down in sheepish silence. Then he pulls back his
coat, revealing the Deputy's badge on this vest. Wyatt
groans.
MORGAN
Like you said, Wyatt. We're
Brothers. Gotta back your
Brother's play. Just did like I
Figured you would.
WYATT
Listen to me, both of you. This
Is no good. This is trouble we
Don't need. For the first time in
Our lives we got a chance to stop
Wandering and finally be a
Family. Do this and you throw it
All away. You saw what happened
To Fred White.
MORGAN
Come on, we're not about pickin'
Fights. Just gonna keep a little
Order, that's all.
WYATT
Yeah?
MORGAN
Like you said, just gotta know
How to handle 'em. Old Fred
Wasn't up to it. We know that
We're doin', Wyatt.
WYATT
All right, say you're right, say
You don't get yourself killed.
There's something else.
(turns to Morgan)
It's too late for Virge, he
Already rolled his bone. But it's
Not too late for you, Morg.
MORGAN
What're you talkin' about?
Wyatt exhales wearily then crouches down in front of his baby
brother, looking deep in his eyes, his voice soft, plaintive:
WYATT
All the years I worked the
Cowtowns, I was only ever mixed
Up in one shooting. Just one. A
Man got killed. Wasn't my fault,
Just doin' my job. I don't even
Know if it was my bullet that
Dropped him, but... I don't kno,
It's sort of hard to explain. At
First I just felt funny, you
Know, kind of clammy inside. But
When it finally sunk in what I'd
Done... Believe me, boy, you
Don't ever want to feel that way.
Not ever.
(pauses)
Didn't even make a dent, did I?
(stands, exits)
You're both makin' a big mistake.
EXT - DESERT, HOOKER RANCH - DAY
Armed with a borrowed pistol and carbine, Wyatt gallops
through the desert on one of his other big blacks, eyes
scanning the tracks beneath him. He rides up and stops at a
well near a large ranch house. He dismounts, studying tracks
as rancher HENRY HOOKER rides up, strong, noble-looking, like
something from a Frederic Remington canvas. Wyatt nods.
Hooker nods back.
WYATT
This Hooker's ranch?
HOOKER
That's right. And I'm Hooker.
WYATT
You seen anything of a man on
Horseback leading a black
Stallion?
Hooker suddenly falls silent, looking at the ground nervously.
WYATT
Well you must've seen somethin',
The trail runs right by your
Waterhole.
(no answer)
Oh, I see. So it must've been a
Cowboy, right? Really got you
People treed, don't they?
HOOKER
Look, Mister, it's fine for you
Boomers to court trouble, you're
Just passin' through. Us
Cattlemen gotta live here. Best I
Can do's point you up to the cut.
That's their roost.
Wyatt nods his thanks. Hooker looks down, ashamed. Wyatt
stares at him a moment. There's something genuinely troubling
about so strong a man living in fear. Wyatt rides on, shaking
his head....
INT - DESERT CAMP - DAY
A small camp near a clump of trees. Pony Deal brews coffee
while McMasters leans against a fallen oak log feeding an
eager pack of mongrel pups from a block of jerky as Wyatt
rides up.
MCMASTERS
Run for your lives, boys! It's
That great two-gun dog-catcher
From Kansas!
WYATT
McMasters, isn't it? Listen, you
Seen a black stallion with-
MCMASTERS
Look, I got a rule. I don't talk
To lawmen. Dog-catchers neither.
WYATT
I'm not a lawman, I'm just a
Private citizen getting' my
Property back
MCMASTERS
Well in that case, I saw your
Horse. Billy Clanton was takin'
Him up to the Cut to show him
Off. The boys're all up there
Right now, branding. And in a
Mood. Still want your property
Back, Mr. Private Citizen?
EXT - MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAY
Wyatt and McMasters ride along side-by-side through the hills.
WYATT
So what about you Cowboys anyway?
MCMASTERS
If I had to explain it you
Wouldn't understand. Just say
We're brothers to the bone.
WYATT
Yeah, but some of the things they
Say your brothers've done...
MCMASTERS
There's all kinds of horses,
Ain't there? Same with Cowboys.
What they do's their affair. I
Don't preach and I don't judge. I
Ain't no dog-catcher.
EXT - RUSTLER'S PARK - DAY
A wide plateau in the mountains dotted with tents, water and
fee troughs, rope corrals, etc. Cowboys cut out steers while
others crouch around fires, cooking, looking up with naked
hostility as Wyatt rides up. McMasters points to the edge of
camp where Billy Clanton is currying Wyatt's stallion.
MCMASTERS
You seem like a nice fella. Like
To've know you better. Had you lived.
Wyatt rides on, making for Billy. Ike steps up with INDIAN
HAWK SWILLING, the giant half-breed. They walk alongside
Wyatt.
IKE
Hey, law-dog. The hell you doin' here?
SWILLING
How 'bout I just drag you off
That horse and eat you blood raw?
Wyatt ignores them, riding up to within 20 feet of Billy and
dismounting. Billy looks up, supremely confident and
unconcerned.
WYATT
Where'd you get that horse?
BILLY
Beauty, ain't he?
WYATT
I asked where you got him.
BILLY
Where do you think? I stole him.
Everyone laughs. More cowboys gather, jeering. Wyatt steps
closer.
WYATT
Look, I don't want any trouble
With you but that's my horse and
I mean to have him back. One way
Or another.
BILLY
Come and get him.
WYATT
Look kid, I know what it's like,
I was a kid, too. Even stole a
Horse once. But you can't--
IKE
Don't sweet-talk him, make a move.
SWILLING
Yeah, go ahead, Mister. Make a move.
Billy steps back, poised. Ike and Swilling do the same. 3
more Cowboys move up behind him. The scene seems on the brink
of explosion when Curly Bill suddenly STREAKS into frame on
his buckskin mare, majestic and 10 times life size as he pulls
back and SKIDS to a stop in front of Wyatt, raising a giant
roostertail of dust, making everyone but Wyatt recoil.
CURLY BILL
Give him his horse, Billy.
IKE
Come on, Curly! Don't let him-
CURLY BILL
Shut up.
Give him his horse, Billy.
Billy reluctantly hands over the leadline. Wyatt mounts and
rides off with Dick Nailor in tow, Curly Bill riding
alongside.
CURLY BILL
Feel bad about ol' Fred. Just
Can't hold back when I'm feelin'
Woolly. Still, feel kinda bad.
But now we're square. Anyway no
Use for holdin' a grudge. I
Deserved a rap in the head.
WYATT
Make you a deal. My brother took
Over the Marshal's office in
Tombstone. Got it in his head
He's gonna make the place safe
For widows and orphans. You and
Your boys stay out of his way,
I'll make sure he stays out of yours.
CURLY BILL
Fair enough. You know I got to
Admit, you got a lot of bark on
You comin' up here like this.
WYATT
They were all gonna jump me back
There. What ever happened to one
Against one?
CURLY BILL
Ain't our way. We go all on one,
One on all. Fight one of us, you
Fight us all. That's the Cowboy way.
WYATT
And how come you call yourselves
Cowboys? Cowhands ride for the brand.
CURLY BILL
Oh, we ride for a brand all right.
(gives Wyatt the finger)
This brand. How 'bout you?
WYATT
(points thumb at self)
This brand.
CURLY BILL
We're gonna get along just fine.
EXT - ALLEN STREET - DAY
A lazy afternoon. The Earps and Clum lounge in front of the
hotel.
CLUM
I can't thank you enough. Since
You took over there hasn't been a
Single problem. We're finally
Becoming a civilized town.
VIRGIL
Nothin' to it.
WYATT
Maybe I jumped the gun. Maybe
Those Cowboys aren't near as bad
As they're painted. You know I
Was thinkin', there's a lot of
Money in the cattle business...
VIRGIL
Wait a minute, you thinkin' of
Getting in bed with the Cowboys?
WYATT
Business is business. Don't have
To love 'em to work with 'em. Not
If there's money in it.
VIRGIL
You are the one, Wyatt. You sure are.
EXT - GUADALOUPE CANYON - MAGIC HOUR
Old Man Clanton leads 4 other Cowboys with a herd through the
rocky canyon, slipping a flask and singing as the first shot
RINGS OUT from the rocks above, becoming a FUSILLADE. When
the dust settles, all are dead except the Old Man who lies
pinned under his horse, semi-conscious. FIGURES emerge from
the shadows. It's the Rurales led by the same Young Rurale
from before. He bends down to the dazed Old Man, speaking
carefully:
YOUNG RURALE
The old one you kill. This was my father.
OLD MAN CLANTON
(sits up suddenly)
What, and I'm supposed to
Tremble? Kiss my ass, Messican.
Hissing gleefully, he jams a derringer under the Young
Rurale's chin and FIRES, blowing off his sombrero as he falls.
The other Rurales fire, emptying their guns into the Old Man
as if he were some monstrous rattlesnake that might bite
them....
EXT - RUSTLER'S PARK - NIGHT
Curly Bill, Ringo, and the others are by the fire, passing a
bottle, as Frank Still well gallops up and dismounts,
breathless:
STILLWELL
Old Man Clanton's dead! Ambushed
In Guadaloupe Canyon. Messican's
Got him.
In tight on Curly Bill as the news sinks in. He clenches his
fist in rage, then bites a knuckle, getting his control back.
CURLY BILL
All right, first thing's first:
It's my outfit now, I'm runnin'
The show. Ringo's number two man.
IKE
Your outfit? I'm next in line.
CURLY BILL
You ain't got enough in your
Britches. Think you can prove
Otherwise, go ahead.
Seething with humiliation, Ike mounts up and rides off.
CURLY BILL
Anybody else?
No takers. Curly Bill turns back to business:
CURLY BILL
All right. Billy, go after Ike
And cool him off then go find the
McLaurys, tell 'em what happened
And keep an eye on things. Wes
Fuller and Bill Claiborne, too.
Rest of you come with me. We're
Goin' to Mexico.
They mount in a bunch and take off south like the wind....
EXT - DESERT - DAY
Wyatt is up on his stallion, riding along the foot of a high
hill. Coming to a cut, he suddenly stops. Josephine is 100
yards up ahead, gorgeously impressive in a black velvet riding
habit, riding side-saddle through the cut on a pretty mare.
WYATT
Oh, hell...
Looking for an escape, Wyatt turns up a narrow trail on the
side of the cut. He follows it as it winds around the hill
then abruptly drops back down and comes out on the other side
of the cut right in front of Josephine. She waves. He
groans:
JOSEPHINE
Well, hello.
WYATT
We've never actually met. My
Name's-
JOSEPHINE
Wyatt Earp, I know. I was
Beginning to think we'd never
Meet. This is fortuitous. That
Means lucky.
WYATT
I know what it means.
Suddenly Wyatt's stallion groans nervously, throwing its head,
aroused by the presence of the mare.
JOSEPHINE
What is it?
WYATT
Easy now... That mare's in season.
JOSEPHINE
Oh...
(calms her horse)
Now she's starting. How do they know?
WYATT
They know. It's the scent. We
Better split 'em up.
JOSEPHINE
I have a better idea, let's run
It out of them!
Before Wyatt can stop her she's off at a full gallop. Wyatt
pauses, debating with himself. Finally:
WYATT
Yeah, I'm an oak all right.
He takes off at a dead run. Catching up, the horses find
their rhythm, breaking into a smooth gallop, flying over a jet
black plain of volcanic ash into a rolling meadow carpeted
with yellow desert poppies, so bright it almost hurts your
eyes to look at them. Coming off a rise the desert floor
shears off into a wide crevice. Josephine heads right at it.
WYATT
You're not that crazy, are you?
JOSPEHINE
Oh, yes I am!
A crack of her crop and she streaks toward it. Wyatt grits
his teeth and follows suit. The sound of their hoofbeats
stops for a long instant as they take the jump together,
sailing through the air side-by-side, Josephine giggling like
a little girl. They light on the other side and gallop on....
EXT - DESERT - MAGIC HOUR
They pull up at a huge desert stone formation, a canopy of
white sandstone with vermillion streaks swirling through it
looming over them like a giant oyster shell. Wyatt dismounts,
helping Josephine. He takes his long duster from his saddle
and lays it on a wide, table-shaped rock for them to sit on.
JOSEPHINE
That was lovely!
WYATT
You know you almost got us both
Killed back there?
JOSEPHINE
Fun though, wasn't it?
WYATT
You'd die for fun?
JOSEPHINE
Wouldn't you? You're laughing! I
Was sure you never laughed.
WYATT
I laugh sometimes
JOSEPHINE
Yes, but how often? Tell me, are
You happy?
WYATT
Am I happy? I don't know. Happy
As the next man, I guess. I don't
Laugh all day long like an idiot,
If that's what you mean.
JOSEPHINE
You're a little touchy about it.
WYATT
I'm not touchy, I just, it's a
Silly question, that's all. Am I
Happy? Are you happy?
JOSEPHINE
Of course, I'm always happy.
Unless I'm bored. That blonde
Woman, is that your wife?
WYATT
What about her?
JOSEPHINE
Nothing... Tell me, what do you
Want out of life?
WYATT
Where do you get these questions?
JOSEPHINE
Just answer.
WYATT
I don't know, make some money,
Have some kids, you know.
JOSEPHINE
Doesn't suit you.
WYATT
How would you know?
JOSEPHINE
Just doesn't, that's all.
WYATT
Well I ought to know my own mind
And I'm tellin' you what suits me
Is a family and kids. That suits
Me right down to the ground. In
Fact, that's my idea of heaven.
(pauses)
All right, what's your idea of heaven?
JOSEPHINE
Room service.
Wyatt laughs, almost in spite of himself. Josephine beams.
JOSEPHINE
See? You're laughing again. But
That's what I want. Go places and
Move and never look back and just
Have fun. Forever. That's my idea
Of heaven. Need someone to share
It with, though.
WYATT
You mean Behan?
(sees her shrug)
Then why are you with him?
JOSEPHINE
Well he's handsome and he's
Charming. He's all right. For
Now. Don't say it, I know, I'm
Rotten. I can't help it. I've
Tried to be good but it's too
Boring.
WYATT
The way you talk. Never heard a
Woman talk like that.
JOSEPHINE
Oh look, I haven't got time to be
Proper, I want to live. I'm a
woman, I like men. If that's
Unladylike then I guess I'm not a
Lady. At least I'm honest.
WYATT
Well you're different, no arguing
That. But you're a lady all right.
I'll take my oath on it.
He looks at her, enchanted, but suddenly his face clouds.
JOSEPHINE
What's wrong?
WYATT
I don't know, doesn't make any
Sense. I almost can't look at
You. Like it hurts.
JOSEPHINE
I know, me too. What should we do
About it?
He takes her in his arms and kisses her. She sinks in his
arms. He kisses her again then falls to her knees, throwing
his arms around her legs and pressing his face into the folds
of her skirts.
WYATT
God...
She runs a hand through his hair. He stands, lifting her with
him until they are face-to-face and she can feel him pressing
into her. After a beat:
JOSEPHINE
You know this is adultery. You
Burn in hell for that.
WYATT
Then let's make sure we get our
Money's worth
EXT - DESERT - MAGIC HOUR
They loll on the rock, facing each other, clothes in disarray.
JOSEPHINE
I must say this certainly has
Been an unexpected little
Windfall.
WYATT
Fortuitous even.
JOSEPHINE
And I don't even know your full name.
WYATT
Easy to fix. Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp.
JOSEPHINE
And I'm Josephine Sarah Marcus.
My friends call me Josie.
WYATT
Josie... No, I'm gonna call you
Sadie.
JOSEPHINE
I hate Sadie.
WYATT
Well you'll always be Sadie to me.
JOSEPHINE
Always?
WYATT
Getting late. We better get back.
He looks away and stands, helping her up. They go to their
horses. He lifts her up into her saddle and stands awhile,
arranging the folds of her skirt. After a beat:
JOSEPHINE
So I assume we're regarding this
As just a kind of interlude.
WYATT
Look, it's too much of a tangle.
I already cast my lot. I can't go
Back and I can't sneak, feel back
Enough as it is.
JOSEPHINE
You feel bad about this? About me?
WYATT
I didn't mean it that way.
JOSEPHINE
You know you don't have to sneak.
You could stay with me. I know
Things, Wyatt. Sweet things. I
Could make you so happy.
WYATT
I can't, I'm sorry. Forgive me.
He mounts and rides off with a wave. She watches him
awhile....
INT - FLY'S PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY - DAY
A Victorian photographer's studio behind the O.K. Corral. A
large skylight overhead illuminates the backdrop as CAMMILIUS
S. FLY, the prosperous-looking owner prepares his camera.
Josephine is o.s. in the dressing room on the left:
FLY
What mood would you like for this
Picture, Miss Marcus? Any
Particular occasion you're
Commemorating?
JOSEPHINE O.S.
I want to remember exactly how I
Looked on this day so I want you
To take a picture of me...
She steps out wearing a diaphonous veil shrouding her from
head to toe. Though it partially obscures her form, we can
see that she's completely nude underneath. Fly gasps.
JOSEPHINE
...all of me.
Fly fumbles with his camera, his composure gone. She turns to
a nearby mirror, studying herself-black tresses, rounded lips,
maddening curves, and smokey eyes-a dark angel. She smiles:
JOSEPHINE
Because I'm wonderful.
INT - WYATT'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Mattie lies in bed, lost in an opium dream. She snaps out of
it and sits up as Wyatt enters and gives her a kiss, glancing
at the half-empty laudanum bottle on the nightstand.
WYATT
That the bottle Lou gave you?
Better go easy on that stuff.
MATTIE
I know what I'm doing. Where have
You been?
WYATT
Out ridin'. So... how you doin'?
MATTIE
I don't know. I'm all right.
WYATT
Really? You sure?
MATTIE
Sure I'm sure. What is this?
Wyatt sits down on the bed, suddenly intent, his face alight:
WYATT
Well, I was thinking, we've
Already made a pile of money.
Maybe we should just pull up
Stakes and move on. And we could
Stay on the move, you know? Just
Keep going, see the world. Live
On room service the rest of our
Lives. How'd that be?
MATTIE
Wyatt, what're you talkin' about?
WYATT
Just thinkin' out loud. Forget it.
INT - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
Dark circles under his eyes, looking dreadful, Doc is at the
corner table with Virgil, Behan, Ike Clanton, and the
McLaurys. Josephine lounges by the piano, luscious in a white
gown, singing "Frankie and Johnny" in a torchy voice. Wyatt
enters, blanching at the sight of Josephine. Joyce appears at
his elbow:
JOYCE
New singer. Ain't she somehin'?
Wyatt nods weakly. Josephine gives him a half-smile. Wyatt
blushes. Morgan approaches.
MORGAN
Doc won't quit, been up 36 hours.
Clanton came in an hour ago, they
Switched over to poker. Tried to
Get him to bed but he just won't
Let go.
WYATT
I know. And nobody can make him.
They go over to Doc's table and sit down. Doc beams
drunkenly:
DOC
Wyatt! Just in time. Pull up a chair.
WYATT
Been hittin' it awful hard, Doc.
DOC
Nonsense, I have not yet begun to
Defile myself.
WYATT
(touches his shoulder)
But Doc-
DOC
I won't be pawed at, thank you
Very much
WYATT
Sorry, sorry...
KATE
(puts arm around Doc)
That's right. Doc can go all day
And all night and then some.
Doc's my man. Doc's my lovin'
Man. Have another one, lovin' man.
She kisses Doc. Behan nudges Wyatt:
BEHAN
What d'you think of the singer?
WYATT
Nice voice.
BEHAN
That's not what I meant.
Behan gives him a wink. Wyatt shifts uneasily in his seat.
This hand is down to Doc and Ike and the pot is huge. Doc
shows his hand. Ike throws his cards down in a drunken rage:
IKE
Son of a bitch! That's twelve
Straight hands! Nobody's that lucky.
The Earps stiffen as the Cheshire cat smile comes over Doc:
DOC
Why, Ike, whatever do you mean?
VIRGIL
Come on, boys, take it easy.
DOC
Maybe poker's not your game, Ike.
I know, let's have a spelling
Contest!
IKE
(stands)
I'll wring your scrawny neck for you!
VIRGIL
(grabs him)
That's enough, Clanton.
IKE
You takin' his part? I'm the one
Was cheated. God damn pimps,
You're all in it together.
VIRGIL
Nobody's in anything, Clanton,
You're drunk. Go home and sleep
It off.
IKE
Get your God damn hands off me!
Don't you ever put your hands on
One of us! Don't you ever try to
Man-handle a Cowboy! We'll out
Your God damn pimp's heart out!
Understand, pimp?
VIRGIL
Don't you threaten me, you
Little-
Violence seems imminent. Wyatt jumps in, separating them.
Behan notices as Josephine gasps, a look of alarm crossing her
face.
WYATT
Virgil, don't! Take it easy! Ike,
Just go home and forget it, will you?
IKE
I ain't forgettin' nothin.
Ike lurches to the bar. Behan takes Josephine aside,
whispering:
BEHAN
I saw that look on your face just now.
What's between you and Wyatt?
JOSEPHINE
Absolutely nothing.
DOC
Well that certainly was a bust. I
Want my money back. Come,
Darling, let's seek our
Entertainment elsewhere.
Doc stands up, taking Kate's arm to leave. But he falls back
down dizzily, suddenly breaking out in a sweat and coughing.
KATE
What's wrong, Doc?
DOC
Nothing. Not a thing. I'm right
As the mail.
Again he tries to stand. This time he keels over onto the
floor and starts coughing up blood. Wyatt rushes to him.
WYATT
Get a doctor! Virgil, give me a hand.
They lift the unconscious Doc off the floor. Ike turns to
Joyce.
IKE
What's wrong with him?
JOYCE
Lunger.
DELETED
INT- DOC'S ROOM - NIGHT
Later. Doc sits up in bed, revived but looking like death
warmed over, mouth gaping open, eyes swimming with every
breath. DR. GOODFELLOW stands by the bed, putting on his
jacket.
DR. GOODFELLOW
Your condition is quite advanced.
I'd say you've lost some 60 percent
Of your lung tissue. Maybe more.
DOC
So what does that mean?
DR. GOODFELLOW
Two years, two days, hard to say.
If you have any chance, it's to
Stop now-smoking, drinking,
Gambling, night-life. You must
Have a healthy diet and most
Importantly, you must have
Complete rest-meaning you must
Attempt to deny your marital impulse.
DOC
Well, that sounds inviting.
DR. GOODFELLOW
Sorry but I'm afraid you've no choice.
He takes his bag and exits, leaving Doc alone with the abyss.
Kate enters, going to his bedside, and starts rolling him a
cigarette.
KATE
How you feeling, Doc?
DOC
Better.
KATE
That's good. I knew it wasn't nothin'.
DOC
We must talk, darling. It appears
We have to... redefine the nature
Of our association.
KATE
What's that mean, Doc? You know I
Don't understand when you talk up
High like that. You mean you
Don't want to be my lovin' man no more?
DOC
Not exactly...
KATE
I'm a good woman to you, Doc.
Don't I always take care of you?
Nobody cares for you like me. I'm
A good woman.
DOC
Yes, I know. You are a good woman.
Kate smiles, licking the cigarette. She puts it in his mouth
and leans over to light it so her ample bosom bulges over her
bodice. As Doc stares at her chest something behind his eyes
seems to shut down. He takes a long drag from the cigarette.
DOC
Then again, you may be the
Antichrist.
DELETED
INT - ORIENTAL - DAWN
The cold blue light of dawn peeks through the windows. Ike
drinks at the bar, brooding. He reaches behind the bar for
his guns, leaning his rifle against the brass rail.
IKE
Bastards think they can cheat me?
JOYCE
Nobody cheated you, Ike. Go home.
Ike reaches across the bar and slaps him. Joyce scowls, more
irritated than hurt and too tired to make anything of it. The
few other patrons left look up drowsily. Ike nods in drunken
satisfaction, picking up his rifle:
IKE
And I don't take no mouth from
Any bartenders neither. There,
See? Give somebody a rap on the
beezer, get some God damn respect
Around here. Now you tell the
Earps and Doc Holliday if I see
'em on the street, I'm gonna send
'em all to hell on a shutter. You
tell 'em that.
Ike and the McLaurys storm off as Virgil and Morgan step out
onto the street. Wyatt turns to them in disbelief:
WYATT
What the hell's going on?
EXT - ALLEN ST/TELEGRAPH OFFICE - DAY
Walking down Allen, Ike stops the group at the telegraph
office:
IKE
I want to send a telegram.
EXT - ALLEN STREET - DAY
We start to feel a growing sense of dread as 3 grim HORSEMEN
come galloping out of the desert toward us. Billy Clanton,
Wes Fuller, and Billy Claiborne ride into town, trotting by
the jail with the Earps looking on.
VIRGIL
Billy Clanton, Wes Fuller, and
Billy Claiborne. Now there's six
Of 'em. This is like a bad dream.
WYATT
Just stay calm, use your head.
It'll be all right. Just the
Same, though...
(pauses, sighs)
Guess you better swear me in.
INT - WYATT'S HOUSE - DAY
In tight on a brass-mounted wooden case. It opens to reveal a
gleaming Colt .45 with an extra long barrel, the gold shield
inlaid on the burr walnut grips engraved with, "To Wyatt Earp,
Peacemaker..." This is the Buntline Special, Wyatt Earp's
legendary sidearm. Wyatt takes it from the case and puts it
in his coat pocket as Mattie looks on.
MATTIE
Thought you swore you'd never
Carry that thing again.
WYATT
Yeah, well, I swore a lot of things.
EXT - ALLEN STREET - DAY
Behan and Jospehine watch from the hotel as the 6 Cowboys, all
but Ike armed with pistols, walk side-by-side down the middle
of Allen.
BEHAN
I'm terribly afraid this looks
Like the end of the Earp brothers.
Josephine goes pale...
EXT - ALLEN ST/JAIL - DAY
The Cowboys swagger by defiantly, giving the Earps sidelong
glances. Meanwhile, the street starts to BUZZ, townspeople
beginning to notice that something is happening.
VIRGIL
Here they are again. Look at 'em.
WYATT
Easy, Virge, they're just tryin'
To egg us on.
Suddenly Doc appears from around a corner, a little the worse
for wear in a long, dark Inverness cloak and carrying a big
gold-headed walking stick.
MORGAN
What're you doin' out of bed, Doc?
DOC
What the hell's going on? I've
Had five people walk up to me
Saying the Clantons and McLaurys
Are gunning for me.
EXT - LOT BEHIND O.K. CORRAL - DAY
A vacant lot behind the OK Corral with Fly's Gallery on the
left and the Harwood house on the right. The Cowboys stand in
a knot near their horses, passing a bottle around.
FRANK
Like to teach those bastards a lesson.
BILLY
Probably already scared them to death.
TOM
You call it, Ike. What're we gonna do?
IKE
(grabs bottle)
Gimme that.
EXT - ALLEN ST/JAIL - DAY
Virgil comes out of the nearby Wells Fargo office with a huge
Stevens 10 gauge shotgun just as Joyce runs up.
JOYCE
Those Cowboys're tellin'
Everybody in town they're gonna
Clean you out. They're down in
That lot right now behind the OK
Corral.
WYATT
Don't worry, Doc, it's not your problem.
You don't have to mix up in this.
Doc turns on Wyatt, genuinely shocked and hurt.
DOC
That's a hell of a thing for you
To say to me.
VIRGIL
What the hell're we gonna do?
WYATT
Wait till the liquor wears off.
Once they start getting headaches
They'll lose interest.
VIRGIL
Wyatt, they're threatening our lives.
WYATT
You'll never make that stick.
VIRGIL
They're carrying guns in town.
WYATT
Virge, that's a misdemeanor. You
Go down there to arrest 'em,
Something goes wrong, maybe this
Time somebody gets his head
Broke, suddenly it's a mess and
It won't end there, you'll have
Cowboys comin' around lookin' for
Trouble from here to Christmas.
You gonna risk all that over a
Misdemeanor?
VIRGIL
(pauses, thinking)
No, damn it, it's wrong, they're
Breakin' the law.
WYATT
(pauses)
All right, Virge, your call. But
Give Doc the shotgun. They'll be
Less apt to get nervy if they see
Him on the street howitzer.
Virgil trades the shotgun for Doc's cane. Doc folds the
shotgun under his cloak. They get set, waiting for Wyatt's
cue. Finally:
WYATT
Well... Come on, boys.
They start down Allen, footsteps pounding the board sidewalk,
Virgil and Wyatt in front, Morgan and Doc in the rear.
Bystanders step aside, trading whispers as they pass, turning
onto 4th St...
EXT - LOT BEHIND O.K. CORRAL - DAY
Behan dashes around the corner into the lot, facing the
Cowboys.
BEHAN
They're on their way over here.
EXT - FREMONT STREET/OK CORRAL - DAY
The Earps and Doc turn off 4th onto Fremont St. Creek Johnson
and Texas Jack Vermillion watch as they pass the grocer's.
JOHNSON
There they go. Look kinda like preachers.
VERMILLION
Yeah. Or undertakers.
The vacant lot starts to come into view and the Earps are
fighting nerves now. Fists clenched, gritting their teeth,
eyes darting all over the street, they look all too human and
nothing like their legend. It's only Doc, bringing up the
rear, who couldn't care less. Wyatt narrows his eyes:
WYATT
Virge, you're makin' the arrest.
You make contact, I'll back you
Up. Morgan'll back me up, Doc'll
Keep an eye out for trouble. And
Keep your hands on your guns.
They even look like they're gonna
Start something, buffalo 'em.
Right over the head.
VIRGIL
Wyatt, I know what I'm doin'.
WYATT
(sees onlookers)
Look at 'em all. They love it.
How in the hell'd we get
Ourselves into this?
Just then Behan walks up holding up his hands, reassuring:
BEHAN
You don't have to worry about a
Thing. I just went down there and
Disarmed them.
VIRGIL
You did? Great, thanks. Come on, boys.
The Earps quicken their step as Behan enters Fly's gallery.
Seeing the approaching Earp party, the Cowboys glance around
at each other, setting themselves. Now at the end of the
sidealk, the Earps can see that the Cowboys are still armed
and their relief evaporates. Wyatt mutters under his breath:
WYATT
Oh, great. Disarmed my ass...
The Earps slow their step, gathering themselves. This is it,
no turning back now. The Cowboys spread out. As the Earps
get closer and closer, it seems as if the very air is electric
with tension. But as they step into the street and fan out
for their final approach, they suddenly do look like their
legend, 4 tall figures in long black coats advancing in a
line, grim and unstoppable, a fleeting moment in time frozen
forever in our minds. Finally they stop. The 2 groups are
facing each other, perhaps 20 feet apart. Doc raises the
shotgun, the Cheshire cat smile spreading over his face.
Virgil steps forward, his face set, holding up Doc's cane:
VIRGIL
We've come to arrest you. Throw
Up your arms!
A weird moment of confusion where nobody seems to know what to
do. Then Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury SLAP their hands to
their guns. The Earps instantly tense up, hands on their
pistols. Virgil waves his hands frantically, afraid they've
misunderstood:
VIRGIL
Hold! I don't want that!
Suddenly realizing what's happening, Fuller and Claiborne bolt
and dash into Fly's gallery. Everyone else stands frozen,
breath short, pulses pounding, each staring into the other's
wide-open eyes. Then something in Billy Clanton's eyes seems
to go dead and Wyatt groans under his breath as the awful
realization hits him:
WYATT
Oh, my God...
Billy and Frank jerk their pistols and the scene EXPLODES,
everything happening in SPLIT SECONDS as Wyatt draws and
FIRES, knocking Frank down with a gutshot. Morgan FIRES,
blowing Billy back against the wall of the Harwood house. Tom
darts for the cover behind his horse as Ike dives onto Wyatt
shrieking like a woman:
IKE
No, no, please! I don't have a gun!
WYATT
This fight's commenced. Get to
Fightin' or get away!
Wyatt hurls him aside. Ike sprints for the gallery. Tom
FIRES over his saddle at Doc who tries for a shot but is
blocked by the horse. Billly bounces back up, howling, and
FIRES, the bullet piercing Virgil's calf. He drops to one
knee. Tom FIRES again. Doc FIRES one barrel into the air,
the BLAST making the horse rear up, exposing Tom for a split
second. Doc FIRES again. Tom's side EXPLODES into red mist,
the full charge of red mist, the full charge of buckshot
SLAMMING him into the Harwood house. Tom drops his gun and
teeters into the street, talking eerie little mincing steps,
already dead but still moving, like a chicken with its head
cut off. Billy FIRES again, dropping Morgan with a hole in
his shoulder.
MORGAN
I'm hit.
Doc pull his Lightning and FIRES DOUBLE ACTION 1-2-3 times,
hitting Billy in the abdomen while Frank bounds back into the
fight, FIRING wildly. Virgil gets up, FIRING BACK. The whole
scene now bathed in thick smoke, the fight starts swirling
into the street, each man jockeying for position. Inside the
gallery, Behan and Fuller watch at the window as Ike dives in.
He snatches Fuller's pistol and FIRES through the window.
Ike's bullets WHIZ past Wyatt's ear. He spins around, calling
to Doc:
WYATT
Behind us!
In a flashing move taking less than a heartbeat, Doc pivots,
replacing the .38 in this right hand with his big .45, then
with one pass of his left hand RAPID FIRES quick as a machine
gun burst 1-2-3-4-5 times, the bullets RIPPING through the
gallery, showering Ike and the rest with splinters and broken
glass.
BEHAN
Come on!
Behan hauls Ike up and they dash out the back door, Fuller and
Claiborne right behind, all frantically running for their
lives. Outside Billy gets to his knees, seemingly
indestructible, and FIRES at Wyatt, Wyatt RETURNS FIRE. Eyes
wild and bulging, a bloody hand clutching his wounds, Frank
staggers across the lot, bearing down on Doc through the
smoke:
FRANK
I got you now, you son of a bitch!
DOC
You're a daisy if you do!
Doc opens his arms, giving Frank a clear shot at his chest.
Frank FIRES. The bullet grazes Doc's holster. Frank trudges
closer, about to fire again but Doc DRILLS him through the
heart while in the next millisecond Morgan FIRES from his
prone position on the ground, the big .45 BLAST carrying away
the top of Frank's head. As the last shot echoes through the
hills, Frank flops limply to the ground like a rag doll while
out in the street his brother Tom finally runs out of steam
and pitches face first in the dirt, leaving only Billy,
leaning against the Harwood house, legs splayed out in front
of him, absolutely shot to pieces, clicking his empty gun and
wailing piteously as the smoke clears:
BILLY
More cartridges! Somebody load my gun...
He keeps repeating it with sinking volume as townspeople step
timidly into the street. Fly bends down and takes Bill's gun
from his hand and the fight is officially over, having lasted
only some 20 seconds. Wyatt helps Morgan to his feet as Behan
strides briskly onto the scene, addressing Wyatt:
BEHAN
All right. You're all under
Arrest.
Wyatt looks at him in utter disbelief. Finally:
WYATT
I don't think I'll let you arrest
Us today, Behan. Maybe tomorrow.
More bystanders arrive, a crowd scene rapidly developing. The
Earp women run up from the west end of Fremont. Josephine
fights her way through the crowd from the east. She and Wyatt
catch sight of each other. She grins, tears in her eyes. He
nods, smiling. Seeing the whole thing, Behan fumes. And so
does MATTIE who turns and walks away while Allie and Lou run
to their men, hugging them. Meanwhile Doc stands over Frank's
body, fingering the graze over his thigh, jeering under his
breath:
DOC
You call that shooting?
FLY
(comes up to Wyatt)
The McLaurys are both dead. Billy
Clanton's just about gone.
Wyatt nods, pocketing his gun, sadly surveying the bloody
scene.
WYATT
Guess we did our good deed for today.
DELETED
EXT - BOOT HILL - SUNSET
Fireworks EXPLODE in the darkening sky as a cortege of 50
Cowboys in their finest parade down the street toward Boot
Hill, the crude little grave yard, Curly Bill and Ringo in the
lead, Ike right behind with the 3 coffins and a banner saying:
"Murdered On The Streets Of Tombstone". As they take places
at the gravesite Wyatt approaches Curly Bill.
WYATT
I'm sorry. If there was any other-
CURLY BILL
I know. Just did what you had to.
That banner and stuff, that's
Just Ike. Don't worry about it.
Wyatt nods, tips his hat, walks off. Looking after him, Curly
Bill whispers:
CURLY BILL
Don't worry about a thing
DELETED
INT- MORGAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Morgan lies in bed, his shoulder in bandages. Wyatt sits by
him
WYATT
How you doin', boy?
MORGAN
Fine. Better.
Morgan looks out the window, staring at nothing. He looks
tired, older, all the fun and youthful zest gone from his
face.
MORGAN
You were right. It's nothin' like
I thought. I almost wish...
WYATT
I know, kid. I know. Me too.
Wyatt touches his arm, a look of unutterable sadness in his
eyes. This is the one thing he didn't want for his little
brother....
EXT - RUSTLER'S PARK - NIGHT
The Cowboys are gathered around a huge bonfire, sparks
drifting up toward the heavens, faces vivid in the firelight
like an ancient warrior host. Curly Bill faces them, bottle
in hand:
CURLY BILL
Here's to the memory of Billy
Clanton and Tom and Frank
McLaury. They went out real
Cowboys, dead game right up to
Their last kick. They won their
Places at the big table with Davy
Crockett and Wild Bill and Old
Man Clanton. They're up there
Right now tradin' shots with 'em.
And they'll never be forgot. Not
Ever. Hundred years from now
There'll be men settin' around a
Campfire, passin' a bottle,
Tellin' stories about those boys.
They're what you call immortal.
And I say God bless 'em.
They all drink, long and deep, Ringo wiping away tears. Then:
CURLY BILL
All right, first we hang back,
Just bide away till everybody
Thinks this's blown over. Then...
INT - DRESSING ROOM/BEDROOM, WYATT'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Mattie irons shirts in the adjoining bedroom while Wyatt
finishes shaving in the dressing room, wiping foam from his
face, looking in the cabinet for a towel. Opening the bottom
drawer, a nest of small brown bottles clatters onto the floor.
Laudanum bottles, all empty. Mattie looks up as Wyatt comes
out, bottle in hand:
WYATT
Mattie. What about this?
MATTIE
(looks up, keeps ironing)
I need it.
WYATT
'Least you admit it.
MATTIE
Admit what, I'm an opium fiend?
No, Wyatt, I just said I need it.
I need something to keep me warm
At night.
WYATT
Look, Mattie, I know you're-
MATTIE
You know nothing. What you don't
Know would fill a book. Jesus, I
Feel like it's when you're around
I need it most. You're never
Yourself, you never relax. Never.
Everything's so stiff and dead.
You always have to keep a rein on
Everything, ever yourself. Oh,
You smile sometimes, I've even
Seen you laugh. But there's no
Light in your smile for me,
Wyatt, nothing to keep me warm.
And I get cold, Wyatt. I get so cold.
(pauses)
What's between you and that Jew woman?
This catches Wyatt off-guard. He looks at her. She sneers.
Then:
WYATT
All right, look. I can make it
Right, I can make this up to you,
Mattie. I can, I swear.
MATTIE
Will you go to her and tell her
Right in front of me she's
Nothing to you? Right out loud so
I can hear? Tell her she's
Nothing, tell her she's nobody,
Just dirt? Will you do that?
Wyatt falls silent. Mattie stands, staring at him a moment,
then:
MATTIE
Until you can do that we've got
Nothing to talk about, Wyatt.
Nothing. Now leave me alone.
She keeps ironing. Wyatt looks as if a building fell on
him....
EXT - TOUGHNUT STREET - DAY
Behan comes out of Nellie Cashman's, spots Josephine going
down Toughnut. He catches up to her, pacing her. She keeps
walking.
BEHAN
Listen, I want to talk to you.
JOSEPHINE
Not now. I don't have time.
BEHAN
(grabs her)
I saw that look pass between you
And Wyatt at the fight. Listen to
Me! You're mine! Understand?
You're my woman and I'm your man.
JOSEPHINE
My man? You told Wyatt you'd
Disarmed those men. Do you
Actually believe after that I
Could see you as my man? You're
Just a dirty little fixer.
BEHAN
You whore! You filthy whore!
A HAND reaches into frame, spinning Behan around. Morgan
stands there, arm in a sling, red in his eye:
MORGAN
You don't talk that way to a
Female human being! Not ever!
BEHAN
Look, I don't want to take
Advantage of an injured man but
You better-
With his good arm Morgan SLUGS Behan in the mouth. Behan
drops like a leaf, as much to avoid a further injury as from
the blow. Morgan turns to Josephine, leading her away.
Across the street Curly Bill and Ringo share a flask,
watching, Ringo looking even odder than usual. Curly Bill
chuckles:
CURLY BILL
So she's Wyatt's slice now. Looks
Like we got another name for the
Tally book.
EXT - ALLEN STREET/ORIENTAL - LATE DAY
Later. The Earp brothers stand in front of the Oriental.
MORGAN
Dropped him, that was it. Sorry
If I made a worse mess for you.
WYATT
I'm the one made a mess. Made a
Right fair mess of the whole thing.
Wyatt looks down, miserable. Virgil looks up at the sky:
VIRGIL
Getting warmer. Guess spring's comin'.
Just then Morgan sees Breakenridge passing by in silence.
MORGAN
Hello, Billy. I say hello, Deputy.
BREAKENRIDGE
(turns to them)
I don't want to talk to you. Those
Men you killed were my friends.
I'm just a nothing, but if I
Wasn't I'd fight you, I'd fight
You right now. So I don't wanna
Talk to you.
He hurries away, eyes tearing up. The Earps look on in
amazement.
WYATT
All they ever did was make fun of him.
O.S. VOICE
Sister Boy should've stuck around.
They turn. A liquored-up RINGO stands behind them on the
sidewalk like an apparition, murder in his eyes, hands thrust
into the pockets of a long black buffalo coat, ivory gunbutts
peeking out.
VIRGIL
What d'you want, Ringo?
RINGO
I want your blood and I want you
Souls and I want them both right now.
WYATT
Don't want any more trouble, Ringo.
RINGO
(steps up to Wyatt)
Well you got trouble and it
Starts with you.
WYATT
I'm not gonna fight you, there's
No money in it. Sober up. Come
On, boys.
Wyatt turns into the Oriental. His brothers follow. Ringo
howls:
RINGO
Wretched slugs, don't any of you
Have the guts to play for blood?
O.S. VOICE
I'm your huckleberry.
Ringo turns. Doc stands there, smiling that Cheshire cat
smile.
DOC
That's just my game.
RINGO
All right, lunger. Have at it.
They face each other, eyes blazing, about to reach critical
mass.
DOC
On three? You call it.
RINGO
Here it come: one-two-
At the last possible instant, Curly Bill flashes into frame
along with Stillwell and Spence, grabbing Ringo from behind
while the Earps step in front of Doc.
CURLY BILL
Johnny, don't, Jesus! Come on,
Son...
(turns to Earps)
Never mind. He's drunk.
They haul Ringo up the street, out of earshot. Ringo is
boiling:
RINGO
I want them spitting blood!
CURLY BILL
Easy, Johnny. Now ain't the time.
(turns to others)
I tell you, boys, even I'm
Worried what'll happen once Ringo
Runs this outfit! God have mercy!
He pulls Ringo into a doorway, away from the others. Tears in
his eyes, clawing the air, Ringo is beside himself.
RINGO
There's no God, there's no devil,
I hate the God damn world! I want
To die!
CURLY BILL
Easy, son. You just need to get
Your feet back under you, that's
All. Come on, boy, let's kick
South. Down to the old playground.
INT - ADOBE HOUSE - NIGHT
An adobe rancho in the Sonora desert, small, humbly furnished.
Inside a Mexican family, 3 children, a husband and young wife
eat dinner. Suddenly Curly Bill and Ringo BURST IN, guns
drawn, shouting in Spanish. Everyone freezes and as the
children start crying we feel the family's sense of inner
terror. Curly Bill looks the trembling young wife over,
nodding at Ringo:
CURLY BILL
See son, there is a God after all!
EXT - ALLEN STREET/ORIENTAL - DUSK
Nightfall and the wind HOWLS down the street, kicking up dust
in swirling columns. A FLASH of lightning streaks down from
the purple clouds and a THUNDERCLAP crashes in our ears,
echoing through town into the hills, making the horses neigh
and fidget...
INT- ORIENTAL - DUSK
But inside it's bright and warm. Florentino is alone at the
bar, nursing a drink while Wyatt deals for Morgan and a few
others. Virgil looks out at the storm, shaking his head:
VIRGIL
Gonna be one of those nights.
EXT- RUSTLER'S PARK - DUSK
The Cowboys are gathered on a rise. Curly Bill stands before
them, silhouetted against the boiling sky, arms outstretched,
exulting in the storm's fury. He turns to his men, eyes
ablaze:
CURLY BILL
All right, boys. Now's the time
To get woolly.
INT - JOSEPHINE'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Josephine sits by the window, reading Swinburne. A KNOCK at
the door. She answers it. Behan enters. She bristles, but:
BEHAN
Easy. I just wanted to tell you
Things're about to start changing
Around here. Lots of so-called
Hard cases and tough-nuts swagger
Around this town but none of
'em's got a clue about the real
play. None of 'em.
JOSEPHINE
I don't understand.
BEHAN
You will after tonight. Bet on it.
INT - PARLOR, VIRGIL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Allie and Louisa sip tea by a blazing fire in the hearth,
warming themselves against the storm's cold. Mattie sits
nearby, sewing.
ALLIE
God, it's a cold night. Come up
To the fire, Mattie.
Suddenly there's a KNOCK at the door. Louisa looks out the
window. Outside is the tall silhouette of a WOMAN in a dark
cloak.
LOUISA
It looks like a woman.
Allie opens the door. Josephine enter, breathless, comes into
the parlor. Mattie sits up in shock. The others gather
round.
JOSEPHINE
Please, I know it's awful me
Coming here, but listen, I can't
Say why, but I think something is-
Another KNOCK. Allie goes to the window. There's a weird
sense of déjà vu as outside we again see a cloaked woman's
SILHOUETTE.
ALLIE
Now who in... It's another woman.
Allie starts to open the door but Josephine suddenly leaps up
and:
JOSEPHINE
No! Look out!
With her dancer's quickness she dashes across the parlor,
grabbing Allie and pulling her to the floor just as a
tremendous SHOTGUN BLAST rips through the open doorway. The
chandelier overhead explodes, showering the screaming women
with broken glass and a harsh MALE VOICE cuts through the air
as the shrouded figure dashes into the darkness:
MAN'S VOICE
Everybody dies!
INT- ORIENTAL - NIGHT
The sound of the gunshots are lost in the wind and thunder as
Virgil gets up, yawning:
VIRGIL
Getting late. Guess I'll turn in.
WYATT
Bundle up, Virge. Cold out there.
Virgil nods, exiting with a wave. Wyatt and Morgan keep
playing, hardly noticing as moments later, Florentino walks
out....
EXT - CORNER OF ALLEN & 5TH STREET - NIGHT
Virgil turns off Allen onto 5th, the wind whipping his
coattails. He glances up as Florentino walks by, crossing 5th
and ducking into a doorway. Virgil stops. SOMETHING seems to
be moving in the shadows of an unfinished building on the
opposite side of 5th....
INT - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
A BOOMING SOUND echoes outside, muffled by wind. Morgan looks
up:
MORGAN
That thunder's sure somethin'.
WYATT
That didn't sound like thunder.
Moments later Virgil walks back in, pale, hatless, a blank
look on his face. He moves with odd, shuffling steps, holding
himself sideways. Wyatt and Morgan exchange puzzled glances,
then:
WYATT
Virgil?
VIRGIL
Wyatt...
Virgil does an unsteady stutter-step, his face taking on a
pleading, almost childlike look of panic. But as he turns his
body toward Wyatt we suddenly see that his whole left side is
in bloody shreds, his left arm dangling unnaturally by a few
gory ribbons of flesh. His voice is a frightened sob:
VIRGIL
Wyatt!
He starts to swoon. Wyatt rushes over and grabs him as....
INT- HOTEL ROOM (VIRGIL) - NIGHT
The hotel room where they've taken Virgil. He's on the bed,
wrapped in bandages, semi-conscious. Wyatt and Morgan stand
in the doorway with Doc and the women. Allie is at Virgil's
side, hands over her mouth as Dr. Goodfellow speaks in somber
tones:
DR. GOODFELLOW
I'm afraid your husband's been
Very badly hurt. I had to remove
The entire left elbow joint. What
That means is, well I'm afraid-
ALLIE
Oh, no, no, no, NO!
She starts wailing. Suddenly alert, Virgil sits up, taking
her in his big right arm, pulling her close, his voice calm,
reassuring:
VIRGIL
No, no, don't worry, honey. I
Still got one arm left to hug you with.
She buries her face in his chest and sobs. He holds her,
rocking her back and forth. Wyatt turns away, shutting his
eyes.
INT- HOTEL ROOM (VIRGIL) - DAY
Virgil lies in bed, staring blankly into space. Wyatt sits at
his side, hands over his face while Allie hovers in the b.g.
WYATT
It's all my fault. If I hadn't been
So damn smart, if I'd just... Oh
God, Virge, I'm so sorry.
ALLIE
Look, Wyatt, I don't want to talk
Right now.
WYATT
Virgil, what am I going to do?
VIRGIL
For God's sake, just leave me alone.
Virgil grimaces in hopeless agony. Allie touches Wyatt's arm.
ALLIE
He doesn't want to talk now.
Wyatt stands, backing away. He turns pleadingly to Mattie
standing in the doorway. She looks away. He walks out....
INT - HOTEL LOBBY - DAY
Wyatt comes into the lobby and freezes as McMasters
approaches. Wyatt starts to walk by him, but McMasters steps
into his path:
MCMASTERS
No, wait. Please. I know nothin'
I say'll fix things but I want
You to know it wasn't me.
WYATT
No? Brothers to the bone, right?
MCMASTERS
Not anymore, not after this.
Wyatt looks into McMasters' eyes and we can see he means
it....
INT - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
Morgan is by himself in the empty saloon, calmly shooting
pool, his dog jumping enthusiastically at every shot as Wyatt
enters.
MORGAN
Get down, boy.
WYATT
Morgan, are you crazy? They're
Out gunning for us! What the
Hell're you doin'?
MORGAN
What's it look like? They want a
Piece of me they can come and get
It, I'm not crawlin' into my hole.
WYATT
Morg, use your head.
MORGAN
I am usin' it, Wyatt. Been
Wonderin' how the hell we got in
This tangle. You know they hit
Clum's house, too? Shot up his wife.
His wife. Who ever heard of
That? Men sneakin' around in the
Dark, back-shootin', scarin'
Women? They're bugs, Wyatt. You
Know all your smart talk about
Live and let live? Ain't no live
And let live with bugs.
WYATT
I know, I was wrong. But Morg,
Look, we got to get out.
MORGAN
Listen to yourself, Wyatt. Lie
Down and crawl or you might get
Hurt? What kinda talk is that?
That's Virgil lyin' over there,
Wyatt. Our own brother. Ruined
For life. No sir, I ain't going
No place. You want to go, fine.
I'm stayin' right here and have
It out with those bastards.
Morgan pulls back his vest, revealing Virgil's badge. Wyatt
drops into a corner chair, defeated. Morgan makes a shot,
leaving only the 8 ball. A few beats. Seeing Wyatt's misery,
Morgan softens, poking him with the cue. Wyatt looks up.
Morgan taps the middle pocket. Wyatt shakes his head.
MORGAN
How much you wanna bet?
Wyatt holds up his watch. Morgan frowns. Wyatt raises his
brows:
WYATT
I just got it fixed.
MORGAN
You're on.
Morgan has to lean over the table but he sinks the 8 ball,
looking over at Wyatt in triumph. Wyatt applauds, rolling his
eyes just as a BULLET SPANGS into the wall by his head. Wyatt
dives for the floor as ANOTHER SHOT pierces the window. Wyatt
jumps up, bounding to the door to see several FIGURES cash
into the darkness. Wyatt turns back and freezed. Morgan lies
across the table with one leg dangling over the edge, jerking
and shuddering involuntarily. Wyatt rushes to him. The dog
whines as Doc rushes in with Kate and McMasters. Wyatt is
trembling.
WYATT
No, no! Get the doctor! Jesus Christ!
INTO - ORIENTAL - NIGHT
The curious crowd outside, watching through the windows.
Morgan is on the pool table, lying on his side with his shirt
pulled up. The dog cowers in the corner, whining while Dr.
Goodfellow digs into the wound with a steel probe, making
Morgan writhe in perfect agony. The doctor turns to Wyatt:
DR. GOODFELLOW
Hold him.
Wyatt takes Morgan in his arms. The doctor probes. Morgan
jerks violently. Suddenly we hear a blood-curdling SCREAM.
Louisa is in the doorway, tearing her hair, lost in utter
hysterics.
WYATT
Oh, no, get her out of her! Jesus!
And now the whole scene sinks into hellish confusion with the
dog whimpering, Louisa shrieking as others restrain her, and
Morgan gives a violet jerk, breaking Wyatt's grip. The doctor
snarls, about at the end of his rope.
DR. GOODFELLOW
I said hold him, God damn it!
WYATT
Somebody shut that dog up!
Morgan takes Wyatt's arm, his voice like a child's.
MORGAN
You were right, Wyatt. They got
Me good. Don't let 'em get you
Too.
WYATT
Will somebody get the damn dog out-
MORGAN
Remember about the light you're
Supposed to see when you're dyin'?
WYATT
Easy Morg, don't think about that now.
MORGAN
Isn't true. I can't see a damn thing.
Tears well up in Wyatt's eyes. He touches his brother's face.
Morgan's eyelids start fluttering. Wyatt squeezes his hand.
WYATT
Morgan? Morgan!
The dog starts howling, long and loud and pitiful-and in the
next moment the air is FILLED with howls as every dog and
coyote for miles joins in the mourning. Wyatt backs away from
his dead brother and trudges out onto the sidewalk, staring at
the blood on his hands. Standing in the crowd across the
street, Josephine sees Wyatt and starts for him. Behan grabs
her. She wrenches free and with the whole town watching,
starts running toward Wyatt. Seeing her, Wyatt backs away in
horror, shaking his head:
WYATT
No, no, get away, get away from me...
JOSEPHINE
Wyatt...
She keeps coming. Wyatt panics. Finally, in desperation:
WYATT
Whore! Filthy whore! Get away
From me!
She pauses, unable to believe her ears, then runs away crying.
Fuming with rage, Kate starts after Wyatt. Doc pulls her
back:
DOC
Can't you see why he did it?
The howls continue as Wyatt trudges down the street alone.
Suddenly he doubles over, clutching his abdomen in agony,
staring at his bloody hands....
EXT - ALLEN STREET - DAY
The wagon bearing Morgan's pine coffin waits in the street,
hitched and ready. Virgil is up front with the women, arm in
a sling, pale. Doc and Kate wait on horses nearby. Finished
loading, Wyatt looks around. People line the street, watching
in silence. Clum and his wounded wife turn away from the
window of their lodgings next door, unable to meet his gaze.
The very air feels charged with paranoia and recrimination, as
if the whole town has suddenly become morally radio-active.
Bystanders gape as Josephine steps out of the hotel, regal and
impervious as a queen, wearing a gawking scorn like a mink
coat, her little white dog scampering after her. Passing
Behan, he gives her nasty look and spits. She doesn't even
break stride. Lounging in front of the Crystal Palace with
the other Cowboys, Stillwell gives Curly Bill an enquiring
look.
CURLY BILL
Naw, she's nobody. Wyatt junked her.
Passing Wyatt, she doesn't even glance at him. Doc sighs:
DOC
And so she walked out of our
Lives forever.
Without a word Wyatt climbs onto the wagon and shakes the
reins, driving off. He pulls up in front of the Cowboys.
They make a show of pretending to hide their guns. Wyatt
looks straight ahead:
WYATT
I want you to know it's over.
We're leaving and we're not
Coming back.
CURLY BILL
Well... 'bye.
RINGO
(sniffs)
Hey, you smell that? Smells like
Something died.
CURLY BILL
(stifling a laugh)
Oh, Jesus, Johnny...
Allie's eyes flare, Louisa stifles a sob. The Cowboys
snicker. Wyatt clenches his teeth, still staring straight
ahead, and drives on. A few beats then Curly Bill turns to
Ike:
CURLY BILL
Take Frank and finish it.
EXT - TRAIN STATION, TUCSON - NIGHT
A train pours steam onto the platform in puffs and clouds
while 2 porters load Morgan's coffin into a boxcar. Up ahead,
Mattie and Louisa fumble with luggage while Allie boosts
Virgil into a passenger car. As we HEAR the conductor's voice
shouting, " 'Board!", Ike and Stillwell emerge from the
shadows near the scales, crouched behind shotguns. They
exchange nods and start forward, cocking their weapons,
squinting through the steam:
STILLWELL
That's Virgil with the women. But
Where the hell's Wyatt?
O.S. VOICE
Right behind you, Stillwell.
They spin around. Wyatt stands behind them, looking down the
barrels of Virgil's big 10 gauge. Stillwell raises his
shotgun, Wyatt FIRES. Stillwell hits the floor in a crumpled
heap, his torso a smoking bundle of bloody rags. Screams
??????????
Page 87 cut off right side
Page 88 missing
WAGONMASTER
Rest of us're 3 months out of
Independece but we're from
Carthage, Illinois originally.
WYATT
Carthage, really? I'm from Monmouth.
WAGONMASTER
Another Illinois man! Practical
Neighbors! Step down, Marshal.
Have a feed.
EXT - WAGON TRAIN CAMP - NIGHT
Lucinda's ever-silent son sits at a nearby wagon, staring at
Wyatt while Lucinda rolls dough, lovely as ever. Just
finished telling his story, Wyatt sits by the fire with the
wagonmaster and several others. They shaker their head:
WAGONMASTER
Ain't got law, ain't got nothin'.
Only thing between us and the
Animals. Always the way it goes,
Though. Only way to down an
Illinois man's from behind, the
Dogs don't dare face 'em. Mr.
Lincoln, Wild Bill, now your
Brothers: Illinois men all and
All downed from behind by dirty
Dogs and Democrats. Guess an
Ordinary man'd be out for
Vengeance but I don't figure
That'll answer here. It's a
Reckoning you're after.
WYATT
If the Lord is my friend.
WAGONMASTER
Let not your heart be faint, let
Your arm be steel-that's all you
Need of the Lord.
Wyatt pauses, nodding, suddenly understanding the truth of it.
Looking up, his eyes meet those of Lucinda. She smiles,
wiping flour from her hands. Wyatt smiles thoughtfully, moved
by this unexpected encounter....
EXT - WAGON TRAIN CAMP - MORNING
Next morning. Doc gallops into camp with McMasters, Texas
Jack Vermillion, and Turkey Creek Jack Johnson, exchanging
greetings with Wyatt who leads him over to the center of the
camp, then:
WYATT
Know why you're here?
VERMILLION
Way ahead of you, Wyatt. You want
Us to help you get Ike Clanton
And Johnny Behan. Everybody knows
They're the ones to blame for
Your brothers.
WYATT
They're nothing. They're nobody.
I want the Cowboys. All of 'em. I
Mean to break 'em up, drive 'em
Out of the territory.
JOHNSON
Are you out of your mind? What on
Earth'd make us-
WYATT
(takes out wad of bills)
I'll pay you 500 each in advance
And I'll mount you on those.
He points to his 5 magnificent blacks tied nearby. They look
them over as Wyatt takes out a stack of warrants.
WYATT
Got a sheaf of federal warrants.
Being in the Territories it's up
To our discretion how they're
Served. That means we got the
Cowboys without quarter. The
Black flag, brother. No
Prisoners, no mercy, amen.
VERMILLION
(to Johnson)
500... Year's wages. And I never
even saw a horse like that.
JOHNSON
You crazy? It can't be done.
MCMASTERS
It might be done. If we hit the
Waterholes through the southern
Dragoons, the Whetstones and
Huachucas, we could take 'em on
In pieces, run off their herds.
(faces Wyatt)
Keep your money, I'll show you
Where those waterholes are. Just
Promise me you'll finish it. No
Matter what happens you'll see it
Through to the end. I'll have
Your hand on that.
They shake. Vermillion and Johnson confer in whispers, then:
VERMILLION
We come through this in one
Piece, can we keep the horses?
Wyatt nods. Vermillion nods to Johnson who crouches down with
a pair of dice. He makes one pass, two passes... Finally:
JOHNSON
Crapped out. Okay, we're in.
EXP - WAGON TRAIN CAMP/DESERT - DAY
The thoroughbreds are saddled and waiting, each with a rifle
in a scabbard and a double-barreled shotgun across the saddle
fork. Lucinda's son looks on with gathering awe as Wyatt's
men, each carrying 2 pistols, face their boss.
WYATT
The minute we start we'll be
Going against local and county
Law. If we fail the U.S.
Government won't be able to lift
A finger to help us. Nevertheless
I want you to understand we carry
The full force and authority of
The law of this land.
They exchange glances, each man feeling a little shiver at the
magnitude of what they're about to attempt. Wyatt faces them:
WYATT
Raise your right hands. Do you
Solemnly swear to uphold the laws
And constitution of the United
States of America and to protect
her citizens to the best of your
Ability, even at the cost of your
Own life?
All chorus, "I do", except for Doc who rolls his eyes.
Finally:
DOC
Oh... All right.
Wyatt hands each a Federal Deputy's badges. Doc waves his
away:
DOC
You know why I'm here. My
Hypocrisy only goes so far.
Wyatt shrugs. They mount up, about to begin, but suddenly:
LUCINDA
Wait!
Lucinda runs up to Wyatt, reaching up and tying a blue and
gold silk scarf around his neck.
LUCINDA
Your colors.
Wyatt nods his surprised thanks as the wagonmaster steps up:
WAGONMASTER
Good luck, boys. And give 'em hell!
They shake hands then Wyatt motions to his men. They take off
at a graceful lope, riding through camp toward the deadfall
and the desert beyond. Unable to contain himself any longer,
Lucinda's son bounds up onto a wagon, waving and shouting,
spurring them on with a spontaneous frontier toast:
LUCINDA'S SON
Wyatt Earp, the two-gun man,
Whistling death and bloody
Murder! Wyatt the widow-maker,
Avenging and bright, purple
Poison on horseback with
Lightning in his eye and thunder
In his heart! Wyatt and his he-
Devils, holy terrors and true,
Five black centaurs blowin' fire
And quicksilver! Ride out and
Charge and shoot and strike and
Cleave and hack and thrust home!
Don't let up and give no rest and
Never call retreat till the last
One's smashed and smote and
Runnin' for cover. Best 'em all
And break 'em up and bang their
Heads together in a bunch and
Give no quarter though they be
Ten times ten thousand!
Wyatt turns in the saddle, sweeping off his hat with a
cavalier's flourish as he and his men take the deadfall in a
single bound and pass into the desert. An immigrant FATHER
grabs his infant son, lifting him up.
ILLINOIS MOTHER
What're you doing?
ILLINOIS FATHER
Someday he'll be able to say he
Was there when Wyatt Earp rode
Out to bring the law.
Music up, avenging and bright, as Wyatt and his men ride
through the desert, 5 abreast on their giant chargers, glossy
black coats shimmering in the sunlight, hoofbeats pounding in
unison.
WYATT
All right, let's wring 'em out!
They break into a dead run, streaking across the frame. As
they crest a rise the ground seems to drop from under them and
for a single perfect moment it appears as if they're airborne,
flying across the skyline like the winged horsemen of myth.
Johnson turns to Vermillion, laughing at the sheer joy of
being alive:
JOHNSON
Like flyin', son. Just like flyin'.
EXT - RUSTLERS PARK - LATE DAY
The sun just starts to dip behind the near end of the ridge
overlooking the camp where on one side Florentino and several
Cowboys sit in a circle, playing poker while others recline on
bedrolls, laughing and drinking. On the other side, at the
foot of the ridge, Spence, Pony Deal, and 2 others crouch over
a fire, cooking. Suddenly the cattle nestled under the far
end of the ridge start bleating. Spence turns to Pony Deal
who shrugs:
PONY DEAL
Maybe they smell a wolf.
SPENCE
(turns to other Cowboy)
Go up there and take a look.
The Cowboy mount a pinto pony and lopes up and over the far
side of the ridge. Spence and the others continue cooking.
Moments later a CRASHING SOUND comes echoing over the ridge
like thunder. The Cowboys look up, startled. Pony Deal
points:
PONY DEAL
Look!
The pinto gallops riderless back over the ridge. The Cowboys
exchange confused glances, all attention focused on the far
end of the ridge. Then the five black horsemen ride out of
the sun, gliding like apparitions up and over the near end of
the ridge and bearing down on the unsuspecting camp with the
speed of a flame. They are within a few yards of the fire
when Johnny Barnes suddenly spots them and:
BARNES
Look out!
Spence and the others turn and just have time to gasp before
Wyatt and his horsemen SLAM into them with terrifying impact,
the bodies disappearing under their horses' hooves. The
Cowboys recoil in total shock, jumping up from bedrolls,
stumbling in confusion, scrambling to get out of the way as
the possemen plow through the fire and roar into camp, pistols
BLAZING in air, horses rearing and snorting.
WYATT
United States Marshals! Reach!
Everyone freezes. A worried-looking Florentino shrinks back
behind the others, trying not to be spotted. Meanwhile Doc
leans down and pokes his pistol into a nearby Cowboy's
forehead.
DOC
Say something witty.
They herd the Cowboys over to one side of camp, shouting, "Get
over there!", "Move it!", etc. But Barnes brazens up to
Wyatt:
BARNES
Hey, you can't come-
A loud crack as Wyatt's quirt lays his face open to the bone.
WYATT
One more word and I'll blind you.
Get over there!
PONY DEAL
(to McMasters)
Hey brother, what're you doin'-
MCMASTERS
I ain't your brother, I ain't
None of your damn brothers. Move!
WYATT
All right, run 'em off.
Doc and Wyatt cover the Cowboys while the others scatter their
herd with pistol shots. Indignant, Swilling sneers at Wyatt:
SWILLING
Bastard! Stinkin' bastard! Like
To eat you blood raw!
A queer look in his eye, Wyatt dismounts and faces Swilling.
WYATT
All right, breed. Dig in.
And then Wyatt DRILLS him in the jaw with a straight right
hand. Swilling drops like a stone. Wyatt hauls him up by the
hair and hammers him left-right-left, steps around, digs down,
and pile-drives a left hook to his gut. Swilling topples back
into a seated position then rolls over with a moan and passes
out. Meanwhile, seeing his chance, Florentino ducks down and
makes for the remuda as Doc looks down at Swilling.
DOC
It appears he missed an excellent
Chance to keep his mouth shut.
WYATT
(faces Cowboys)
Felt his liver go on that last
One. Get him to a doctor or he'll
Be dead in a couple hours.
At the remuda Florentino leaps on a horse and gallops off
bareback. McMasters point, pulling his rifle from its
scabbard:
MCMASTERS
Florentino! He's getting away!
WYATT
Drop his horse.
McMasters draws a bead on the retreating form with his '76
Winchester and FIRES. 100 yards away, the bullet hits
Florentino's horse in the shoulder with a "thunk". It drops,
tumbling end over end and plunging Florentino face-first into
the ground. He jumps up, spitting out a mouthful, and starts
running. Wyatt leaps on this black and it streaks forward,
closing the distance in seconds. Florentino gasps and runs
faster, pulling a bellygun from his sash, Wyatt almost on top
of him. He turns and FIRES on the run. A branch next to
Wyatt's head EXPLODES. Wyatt keeps coming, drawing his
Buntline, impervious, unstoppable. Florentino turns for
another shot just as the black PILES into him, sending him
flying and tumbling him down an embankment. He scrambles to
his feet as Wyatt dismounts, starting toward him with
deliberate step, eyes blazing, long-barreled pistol held in
front of him. Florentino backs up in terror, gun at his side,
shaking his head:
FLORENTINO
I don't kill your brother! I
Don't even know him. I was only
Lookout. It was money, they give
Me twelve dollars! It was money!
WYATT
A human life. Twelve dollars.
Wyatt nods, still coming, cold-blooded murder in his eye.
Florentino screams, raising his gun:
FLORENTINO
No!
Wyatt FIRES, blasting Florentino to the ground. He advances,
FIRING over and over, emptying his gun into him....
EXT - RUSTLER'S PARK - LATE DAY
The Cowboys watch as Wyatt gallops up, dragging Florentino's
bullet-riddled body behind him. He reins up, un-dallying the
rope. The corpse flops at their feet. They jump back,
horrified.
WYATT
Look at him. That's how you'll
All end up if you don't get it
Through your head: it's over,
The Cowboys're finished. Forever.
So tell the others and get out of
The Territory 'cause next time I
Leave no one alive. Understand?
No one. You been warned.
(to his men)
All right, burn it! Everything!
As his men prepare to fire the camp, several Cowboys move to
pick up Floretino's body, but:
WYATT
Leave that trash where it lays.
EXT - RUSTLER'S PARK - DUSK
Wyatt and his men ride through the blazing camp, the flames
lighting up his eyes like a demon's....
EXT - DESERT CAMP - NIGHT
The possemen crouch by their fire. Doc sits shivering
miserably by himself as Vermillion turns to Johnson.
VERMILLION
You know, we might just pull this off.
JOHNSON
Not so sure. Somethin' tells me
It gets harder from here in.
(pauses)
Should've held out for more money.
Meanwhile Wyatt and McMasters confer over a map. Wyatt points
to a specific point on the map, very interested:
WYATT
I know that cut. You mean there's
A waterhole near there?
MCMASTERS
But this time they'll be ready.
WYATT
We'll see about that.
EXT - DESERT/MOUNTAIN CUT - DAY
Now we see what so interested Wyatt-it's the same mountain cut
where he and Josephine met. Pony Deal and a party of 10
Cowboys ride through the desert 300 yards from the cut,
pushing a herd.
PONY DEAL
Keep your eyes open for Earp's
Bunch. Swear to God, ain't gonna
Get the drop on us this time.
1ST COWBOY
Riders up ahead! ...four, five.
It's them all right!
They look. Wyatt and his horsemen stand waiting at the mouth
of the cut. They tense, the 1st Cowboy squinting against the
sun. At the cut, Wyatt and his men poise themselves, Doc
nodding:
DOC
They saw us. Here they come.
The Cowboys charge forward, outnumbering them better than 2 to
1 and only 100 yards away. The possemen choke up on their
reins, alerting their horses for action as:
WYATT
Wait... wait... steady...
75 yards and the first shots RING out, richochetting off the
walls of the cut. The others blanch but Wyatt stays cool,
waiting, 50 yards... 40 yards... till we can see their eyes
and:
WYATT
Now!
They whirl around and disappear into the cut. The Cowboys
keep coming. Wyatt's group reaches the little trail leading
up the wall of the cut he used to avoid Josephine. They
clamber up the side of the cut at a bounding gallop, unseen,
as moments later the Cowboys gallop by and continue through
into the desert on the other side. Wyatt's group careens up
and around the high mountain wall as if on a roller-coaster,
following the tiny, narrow path at a breathtaking clip, the
trail finally plunging them back into the draw behind the
Cowboys. They speed up to the opposite mouth of the cut,
drawing their pistols as the Cowboys gallop into the desert
before them, unaware.
WYATT
Lay on!
They CHARGE forward. Seeing the empty desert ahead, the
Cowboys pull up, looking around in confusion. Suddenly a
VOLLEY of GUNFIRE hits them from behind, knocking several from
the saddle. They spin around just as Wyatt's group SLAMS into
them HEAD-ON, guns BLAZING, Cowboys tumbling from the saddle
left and right, horses rearing and toppling over backwards.
PONY DEAL
Run!
The remaining Cowboys turn and dash into the desert. Wyatt
shouts:
WYATT
Come on!
Wyatt's group CHARGES, the thoroughbreds closing the distance
in seconds. Vermillion stands in his stirrups, roaring like
an animal as he PLUNGES into them, swinging his quirt like a
saber and LASHING a Cowboy across the face, making him tumble
to the earth and bounce over the rocks like a rag doll.
McMasters closes with another, throwing an arm around him and
JERKING him from the saddle, SNAPPING his neck. Doc overtakes
a 3rd, jams his pistol into his face and FIRES point-blank,
blackening his face with soot and BLOWING out the back of his
head as he falls. Reins in his teeth, shotgun at his
shoulder, Johnson comes up behind a 4th and FIRES. The
Cowboy's head DISAPPEARS in a cloud of pink vapor, the body
dropping like a stone....
Wyatt bears down on Pony Deal at a dead run. Pony Deal turns
in the saddle and FIRES at him. We feel a surge of breathless
exhilaration as Wyatt swings out of the saddle like a
Commanche and ducks his body down against the side of his
horse, hiding in its lee. Pony Deal turns for another shot
only to see an apparently riderless horse overtake him. But
in the next instant Wyatt darts around under his horse's neck
and FIRES, blowing Pony Deal head-over-heels off the back of
his horse. Wyatt bounds back into the saddle as McMasters
rides by, drawing a bead with his rifle on the lone survivor,
the 1st Cowboy. Only a few yards in front of them, he whips
his horse frantically, trying to get away. McMasters is about
to fire when Wyatt rides up, deflecting the shot. The Cowboy
makes it over a rise and disappears.
MCMASTERS
What'd you do that for?
WYATT
So he can tell the story.
EXT - COWBOY CAMP - NIGHT
Curly Bill studies a map drawn in the dirt, listening with
Ringo, Ike, etc. while the 1st Cowboy describes the battle:
1ST COWBOY
Didn't make any sense. One minute
We're chasin' 'em, next they're
Right on top of us. We couldn't
Stop 'em, they got everybody.
Just everybody!
CURLY BILL
Easy now, it's only five men.
Been havin' it their way 'cause
They been surprising you. Hittin'
The waterholes and that Judas
McMasters is showin' 'em right
Where they are. Pretty damn cute.
But nobody's cute as me.
(points to dirt map)
Next up's Black Draw. But that
Smart Wyatt'll say no, that's
Where they'll expect us to hit,
We'll hit the one after. Iron
Springs. That's where they show
Next. Only I'm gonna be there
First. And throw a little party.
Curly Bill grins, his coarse face radiant in the firelight...
EXT - WYATT'S CAMP - NIGHT
Doc sits by the fire, shaking and shivering and sweating.
Vermillion comes up and tries to cover him with a blanket,
but:
DOC
Don't touch me!
VERMILLION
Sorry...
He pulls back. Doc wraps himself in the blanket. After a
beat:
VERMILLION
You really look awful.
DOC
Not half as bad as I feel.
VERMILLION
Then why in hell're you doin'
This? You ought to be in bed.
DOC
Wyatt Earp is my friend.
VERMILLION
Hell, I got lot's of friends.
DOC
(turns, glares at him)
I don't.
Meanwhile at the other side of the camp, Wyatt and McMasters
huddle over the map, Johnson walks up:
JOHNSON
Maybe you ought to have a talk
With Doc, Wyatt. I don't know if
He's gonna make it.
WYATT
There's no reasoning with him.
MCMASTERS
(points to map)
Next waterhole's Black Draw. We
Could be there by mid-morning.
WYATT
They're wise by now. Which is
Next, Iron Springs? Yeah, let's
Try there, Iron Springs.
EXT - IRON SPRINGS - DAWN
A camp near a waterhole with 2 Cowboys crouched by a fire,
sipping coffee. Wyatt's men ride up to the rocks overlooking
it and dismount, unseen.
MCMASTERS
There they are. No herd though.
WYATT
We'll go around that way, come up on foot.
They pull shotguns from their saddles and start down over the
rocks on foot, creeping up on the camp, seemingly undetected.
But suddenly the Cowboys by the fire dive behind a log and:
MCMASTERS
Ambush! Get down!
And suddenly the deadfall on the opposite side EXPLODES IN
GUNFIRE. Vermillion takes a graze and drops with the others,
hugging the rocks. A bullet RICHOCHETS into a rock at
Johnson's head, biting his face with fragments, making him
wince:
JOHNSON
Christ!
Hunched behind the logs on the opposite side with 15 more
Cowboys, Curly Bill raises his head, grinning and shouting:
CURLY BILL
Hey, Wyatt! How the hell are you?
Wyatt and his men react to his voice. The fire continues.
Suddenly there's MOVEMENT in the rocks above them. Doc
points:
DOC
Look!
CURLY BILL
Got some boys workin' around
Those rocks behind you. Another
Minute or two, gonna have you in
A crossfire! How do you like that?
Seeing the spot they're in, McMasters turns to the silent
Wyatt:
MCMASTERS
He's right. They get set up in
Them rocks it's the end for us.
And now for the first time we see fear in these men, actual
naked fear. But Curly Bill laughs, having the time of his
life.
CURLY BILL
'Course you could give yourselves
up and we could have a party!
Then what larks!
Crouched by Curly Bill, Barnes chuckles. A confident ripple
of laughter goes through the Cowboy line-they know they've got
them. On the other side, Vermillion shakes his head grimly.
VERMILLION
Ain't takin' me alive, damn it!
McMasters looks at the still silent Wyatt, shrugging
helplessly:
MCMASTERS
Think of somethin' fast or we're cooked.
They really are at the end of their rope, all looking to Wyatt
for a solution. He remains silent. Then suddenly, in this
supreme moment, a strange, almost supernatural calm seems to
come over him and he says simply:
WYATT
No.
JOHNSON
What?
WYATT
No.
And now we can almost hear the ether RINGING in our ears as
Wyatt takes his shotgun and, while the others look on in
horror, rises to his feet.
DOC
Wyatt!
Bullets WHIZ around him. Doc jumps up to grab him but a
RICOCHET drives him back down. Wyatt advances quickly across
the clearing, walking right into the teeth of their guns,
repeating:
WYATT
No...
Wyatt's clothes jerk and ripple as bullets pass through, but
he just keeps coming. Seeing this, Curly Bill also stands, a
weird, manic elation coming over him. He hoots and howls:
CURLY BILL
Look at that! Yeah! Come and get
Some, boy!
WYATT
No...
Curly Bill waves away his men's fire and walks toward Wyatt,
12 gauge shotgun in one hand, .45 in the other, BLASTING away.
CURLY BILL
Let me, let me, yeah! Die, you
Bastard...
WYATT
No...
Curly Bill FIRES again. Wyatt's hat flies off. He FIRES
again, digging a gash in Wyatt's boot-heel. Now Curly Bill
takes dead aim with his .45 and-CLICK-it's empty. He tosses
it aside. Suddenly a sharp wind gusts up, making the tails of
Wyatt's duster swirl around him like a halo as he advances.
Eyes wild with battle rage, Curly Bill quickly raises his
shotgun.
CURLY BILL
Die! Son of a bitch! Die!
He FIRES. Wyatt's coattails EVAPORATE into swirling shreds as
he takes deliberate aim with his mighty 10 gauge, hissing
through clenched teeth:
WYATT
No!
And with that, Wyatt lets go with BOTH BARRELS. Curly Bill's
mid-section VAPORIZES, the huge double-charge of buckshot
RIPPING HIM COMPLETELY IN HALF. The other Cowboys flinch as
they're sprayed with flecks of blood and gore. Barnes
screams:
BARNES
Jesus Christ!
WYATT
No!
Eyes burning like two twin hells, Wyatt pulls his Buntline and
FIRES. Barnes doubles over. Wyatt FIRES again. Barnes
drops. The others recoil, their faces looking as if they are
living in a waking nightmare as Wyatt advances on them, STILL
FIRING. Another goes down. Doc leaps from the rocks, gun in
hand, and:
DOC
Come on!
Now they all rise and OPEN FIRE, advancing 4 abreast, a WALL
OF GUNFIRE driving the remaining Cowboys off, running for
their horses. Wyatt keeps snapping his empty gun as the
others run up.
WYATT
No...
Beside himself, Doc helps Wyatt to a nearby rock, sitting him
down and examining him, running his hands all over his body.
The others FIRE at the Cowboys retreating on horseback.
DOC
Wyatt, my God! You're shot to pieces!
WYATT
No...
VERMILLION
Yeah, better run, you bastards!
JOHNSON
(turn to Doc)
How is he?
DOC
(looks up, amazed)
I don't believe it. He's clean!
VERMILLION
What? But I saw 'em-
DOC
I'm telling you, there isn't a
Mark on him.
They look. Meanwhile Wyatt starts to tremble....
EXT - CAMP - NIGHT
They're camped by a running stream. Wyatt stares into the
fire. Doc crouches opposite him, shaking his head:
DOC
I'm a man without fear, Wyatt. I
Literally don't care if I live or
Die. But even I can't fight human
Instinct. Somebody suddenly
Starts shooting at me, I duck.
But you... what on earth were
You thinking about?
WYATT
I don't know. It all happened so
Fast. If I'd had a chance to
Think about it I guess I probably
Would've been scared but... Swear
To God, Doc, I just don't know.
At the other end of camp, Vermillion and Johnson sit together.
After a beat:
VERMILLION
Hey Creek, you ever see anything
Like that before?
JOHNSON
Never even heard of anything like it.
Vermillion nods. Both look shaken to the very core of their
beings. Finally:
VERMILLION
I just thought of somethin' I
Never thought about before.
(pauses, looks at him)
I don't want to go to hell.
EXT - CAMP - MORNING
Wyatt sits by the fire, sipping coffee. Vermillion and
Johnson approach. Johnson drops a wad of money on Wyatt's
bedroll. Wyatt looks up in surprise:
VERMILLION
Talked it over. We decided we
Don't need the money. Took out 13
Dollars each, though. Federal
Posseman's fee. That all right?
WYATT
Sure...
JOHNSON
One thing. We come through this
Alive, can we keep the badges?
Wyatt nods, picks up the money and quietly moves off toward
the stream by himself. Moments later, McMasters approaches:
MCMASTERS
Where's Wyatt?
DOC
Down at the creek. Walking on water.
EXT - COWBOY CAMP - NIGHT
Ringo crouches by the fire with the other Cowboys, his face a
deeply shadowed mask. 2 Iron Springs survivors stand before
him:
1ST COWBOY
We hit him half a dozen times but
He just kept comin', walked right
Up to Curly Bill with that 10
Gauge and blew him up!
RINGO
Curly Bill? He killed Curly Bill?
Ringo starts making strange little inarticulate sounds,
inhaling and exhaling like an animal, eyes swimming in
panic....
2ND COWBOY
He didn't just kill him, he
Burned him down! Blew him in
Half! I mean all the way in half,
Like a melon! Then he turned
Around with that big Colt and
Killed Johnny Barnes, shot up a
Couple more 'fore we got out of
there. But it was his face, you
should've seen his face.
RINGO
He's just a man.
1ST COWBOY
You didn't see his face
Ringo looks up at them, suddenly dead calm, his face a blank.
RINGO
You see my face, don't you?
Out of nowhere, Ringo draws and FIRES 2 shots so quickly they
sound like one. The 2 survivors drop with bullets through
their brains. The others jump, transfixed by the insane
brutality of what he's just done. Ringo draws himself up, in
full possession of the situation, the new leader, fearsome,
matchless:
RINGO
Everybody get this through their
Heads. Wyatt Earp dies. I'm
Running the show now and I'm
Telling you, Earp dies. His men
Too. They all die. Understand?
We're gonna kill 'em. For what
They did to Curly Bill we're
Gonna ride 'em into the ground
And slaughter 'em like rabbits.
'Cause this is my time, children.
This is where I get woolly.
EXT - COWBOY CAMP - NIGHT
Later. Most of the others are asleep or talking among
themselves as Billy Grounds turns to Zwing Hunt, whispering:
GROUNDS
What d'you think? I didn't think
Curly Bill could be killed. I'm
Tellin' you, this whole thing's
Gone sour. We got hands droppin'
Like flies and Ringo's flat out
Of his mind. I mean, hell
Brother, you feel like ridin'
Against Wyatt Earp?
HUNT
Hell no, brother.
GROUNDS
Then brother let's you and me cut out.
HUNT
Right with you, brother.
They steal away toward the horses as....
INT - ALLEN STREET - DAY
Ringo faces Behan, grim, intent, while Behan sputters, holding
up a San Francisco newspaper:
BEHAN
Are you crazy? It's front page
News all over the country. It's
Getting out of hand, Ringo. If
Things don't settle down soon-
RINGO
You heard me, Behan.
BEHAN
Ringo, you don't understand-
Ringo glares at Behan, his eyes burning, implacable:
RINGO
No, you don't understand.
EXT - COWBOY CAMP - DAY
Ringo rides up with Behan and dismounts. A 3rd Cowboy steps
up:
3RD COWBOY
Billy Grounds and Zwing Hunt ran
Out. Four, five others, too.
RINGO
Who cares? Separate the wheat
From the chaff.
Behan looks worried as Ike and the other Cowboys gather
around. Just then Breakenridge rides up.
BEHAN
What're you doing here, Billy?
BREAKENRIDGE
Curly Bill was my friend. I'd
Like to come with you.
RINGO
Sure, why not?
Ringo slaps the little deputy on the back and turns to his
men. His unaccustomed good humor is very troubling.
RINGO
I told you it was time to get
Woolly. Now gather 'round,
Children, gather 'round. And
Raise your right hands.
EXT - DESERT - DAY
Now we've come full circle as Ringo rides across the desert at
the head of his men 30 strong, armed to the teeth, full of
fight-and all wearing Deputy Sheriff's BADGES, a posse of
outlaws, a miserable Behan bringing up the rear....
EXT - DESERT PLATEAU - DAY
Wyatt and his men watch from a plateau as far out on the
horizon, the Cowboy Posse rides out of the sun, drawing
closer:
MCMASTERS
That's Ringo out front. And
There's Behan. Must be 30 of 'em.
What the hell... they're wearin'
Badges.
They all exchange looks of disbelief, then:
WYATT
Mounts're getting jaded. We're
Gonna have to find a place to
Rest 'em up.
Suddenly looking very sick, Doc sways dizzily in the saddle.
Wyatt dismounts, reaching for him. The others do the same:
WYATT
Doc...
DOC
Don't touch me, God damn it! Just
Don't touch me! Come on...
Doc turns his horse, as if to ride on, then faints dead away.
WYATT
Grab him.
They all catch him, easing him to the ground as....
EXT - HOOKER'S RANCH - DAY
Wyatt's group rides over the hill overlooking the ranch house
Vermillion keeping Doc in the saddle. Hooker and 3 of his
hands rides out to them:
WYATT
Horse're pretty well fagged and
We got a sick man with us.
HOOKER
You can put up at my ranch if you want.
Wyatt nods. Hooker motions down the hill toward his house....
INT- BEDROOM, HOOKER'S RANCH - LATE DAY
Doc lies in bed, semi-conscious, white as a sheet, drenched in
sweat. The others look on, worried. Hooker shakes his head:
HOOKER
I'm no doctor but he looks pretty bad.
His face creased with worry, Wyatt sits down next to Doc.
McMasters motions to the others. They file out, leaving Wyatt
alone with his friend....
EXT - HILL OVERLOOKING CROSSROADS - SUNSET
Grounds and Hunt ride up and stop on the top of a hill
overlooking a mountain crossroads somewhere in the Whetstones.
HUNT
What's it gonna be, brother?
GROUNDS
I don't care. Colorado, New
Mexico, 'long as we're out of the
Territory.
Suddenly a STAGECOACH comes into view, making its winding way
through the crossroads below. Hunt points, grinning:
HUNT
Just what we need. Travelin' money.
They spur their horses down the hill, drawing their guns....
EXT - COWBOY CAMP # 2 - NIGHT
The Cowboy posse is camped in a draw up in the Whetstones.
They look up as the stage rolls up and stops. Shouting and
commotion as Behan and Breakenridge approach and confer with
the driver, then Behan turns to Ringo:
BEHAN
Robbery. 2 men stuck 'em up and
Killed a passenger. One of 'em
Rode a Mexican saddle, the other
Had a Mother Hubbard. Billy
Grounds and Zwing Hunt.
Behan opens the door. Mr. Fabian lies inside cradled in
Josephine's arms, surrounded by the other actors in the
troupe. Reclined at full length, head back, he looks like the
dying Hamlet, even more beautiful than in life. Breakenridge
gasps:
BREAKENRIDGE
Oh, no...
JOSEPHINE
We're headed for a booking in
Denver. They tried to take my
Watch. He cursed them for cowards
And they shot him. He may've been
Vain and an actor but he was
Better than all of you. And
Gentler and braver. I don't
Understand any of this, I only
Know it's ugly. You're all ugly
And he was beautiful, he tried to
Put something fine into your ugly
World and you killed him for it.
Anyway the ones who did it are
headed north. Not that you care.
Ringo shrugs. His soft face suddenly turning resolute.
Breakenridge goes to his horse and mounts.
BEHAN
Where're you going? Get back here!
The little deputy straightens his spectacles, turning to
Behan:
BILLY
I'm sorry, sir, but we got to
Have some law.
And he rides off alone into the Whetstones. Behan sputters,
but:
RINGO
Let him go. Who cares?
EXT - HOOKER'S RANCH - NIGHT
The stage is stopped out front. The driver waters the horses
and the actors mill around silently. Wyatt and Hooker walk
out:
HOOKER
Had a holdup. Came her to water
Their horses before pushin' on.
Seeing each other, Wyatt and Josephine freeze. Wyatt
approaches:
WYATT
Sorry about your friend.
(pauses)
And I'm sorry about...
JOSEPHINE
I forgave you the moment you said it.
WYATT
You did. Well... thank you.
The driver jumps back onto the stage, motioning to the others.
JOSEPHINE
I have to go.
WYATT
Wait!
She stops. Wyatt falters. There's so much he wants to say,
but... Finally:
WYATT
Goodbye.
Wyatt opens the coach door for her. She gets in. It pulls
out with a crack of the driver's whip. She and Wyatt hold
each other's gaze as the stage recedes into the distance.
Then:
WYATT
Damn... Damn!
Creek Johnson steps up next to him. Wyatt looks at him:
WYATT
See how she breezed out of here.
Like she had wings. Funny thing
But I can't really remember how
She looked. I can remember parts
Of her clear as crystal, her
Mouth, her walk, how she shut her
Eyes when she laughed, little
Bits and pieces, but not the
Whole package. Can't put it
Together for some reason.
JOHNSON
Good God, you're really-
WYATT
Cards in spades. I'm in love with
Every second of her life. Hell,
I'll probably love her when I'm dust.
EXT - COLD CAMP - NIGHT
A cold camp in the hollow of a mountain. Wrapped n blankets,
Grounds and Hunt sip cold coffee. Grounds shivers. Hunts
pats him:
HUNT
No fire tonight, son. Too many
Riders out.
Grounds grunts. Suddenly there's an O.S. SOUND. Both jump
up.
HUNT
Who's that?
Breakenridge steps from the shadows, Winchester at his
shoulder, squinting through the dark with his spectacles.
BREAKENRIDGE
It's Deputy Breakenridge.
They relax and lower their pistols, heaving sighs of relief.
HUNT
Sister Boy! Thank God, we was afraid-
BREAKENRIDGE
You shouldn't've killed Mr.
Fabian. You shouldn't've done
That. It was wrong. I'm takin'
You both in for it.
HUNT
What? You gotta be kiddin'. Look,
Just go home 'fore you get hurt.
BREAKENRIDGE
Don't want to kill you but I will
If I have to. I'm warning you.
GROUNDS
No, I'm warning you, Sister Boy!
Grounds steps forward menancingly. Breakenridge tenses:
BREAKENRIDGE
Don't try it!
GROUNDS
Sister Boy, just go to hell!
Grounds raises his pistol. Breakenridge recoils in fright,
stumbling backward in the dark, and his rifle accidentally
FIRES. Grounds drops like a stone, a look of utter disbelief
on his dying face. Hunt looks at him in shock then turns on
Breakenridge, raising his gun and snarling. Breakenridge
FIRES again. Hunt grabs his midsection, dropping his gun and
falling to his knees. He looks up at Breakenridge who shrugs
timidly:
BREAKENRIDGE
Sorry.
Hunt falls over, dead. Breakenridge stares at the bodies,
hardly believing it himself....
EXT - FRONT PORCH, HOOKER'S RANCH - MORNING
Wyatt and his men are on the porch, listening to Hooker:
HOOKER
...brought 'em in draped over
their saddles. Little Billy
Breakenridge. Sister Boy. He done
It. So I guess the law's finally
Arrived in southeast Arizona.
Wyatt shakes his head, hardly comprehending what he
started....
EXT - COWBOY CAMP #3 - DAY
The Cowboys are camped on a mountaintop overlooking Hooker's
ranch in the valley below. A messenger rides up with a letter
for Behan as Ringo paces, studying the set up with Ike.
RINGO
Hooker's got around 15 or 16
Hands. We could take 'em right
Enough but it might be a mess.
Keep the place bottled up for
Now, see if we can figure a way
To flush 'em.
Behan suddenly steps up, beside himself, holding up his
message:
BEHAN
It's too much! It's completely
Out of hand! Governor Gosper's
Talking about asking the
President to send in the Army!
Listen Ringo, you've got to get
This over with and you've got to
Do it now. One way or another.
EXT - FRONT PORCH, HOOKER'S RANCH - LATE DAY
Wyatt stands on the front porch, looking through the front
door to the back bedroom where Doc lies unconscious while
Hooker and the others look on:
WYATT
We should get moving.
VERMILLION
Doc's just in no kinda shape.
HOOKER
Don't have to bother about that.
Took a vote. Cowboys or not, you
Can stay here as long as you want.
Anyway maybe you done enough. I
Mean you whittled 'em down
Considerable, now there's talk of
Sendin' the Army in here. Ask me,
You done enough.
RANCH HAND
(rides up, points)
Rider comin' in under a white flag
They look up as the 3rd Cowboy rides up with a white kerchief.
3RD COWBOY
Got a message. Ringo wants
McMaster to come over to our
Camp for a parley.
MCMASTERS
He didn't figure on all the stink
This is causin'. Might be he's
lookin' to strike a bargain. If
So, he probably figures he needs
Somebody like me who talks his
Language. Could be we got him.
WYATT
I don't like it.
MCMASTERS
Might as well hear him out.
Anyways, what choice we got?
(Mounts horse, whispers)
But no matter what happens, see
It through to the end. If you
don't I'll curse the day I ever
laid eyes on you.
Before Wyatt can answer, McMasters rides off with the
Cowboy....
EXT - HOOKER HILL COWBOY CAMP #3 - LATE DAY
McMasters rides up with the 3rd Cowboy. Riding through camp,
all his former comrades flares at him with pure hate. Only
Ringo smiles, stepping up as McMasters dismounts.
RINGO
Well hello, Sherm.
MCMASTERS
You wanted to talk?
RINGO
Yeah, kinda, wanted to see if
you'd join back up with us.
MCMASTERS
That what you got me up here for?
RINGO
You're a Cowboy, you're a
Brother. Come back, no hard
Feelings.
MCMASTERS
Forget it, Ringo.
RINGO
Isn't there anything I can say
That'll change your mind? You're
Gonna stay with your new friends?
MCMASTERS
'Least they don't scare women.
RINGO
You're the boss. One thing, though.
Ringo moves closer, looking him in the eye and smiling:
RINGO
How you gonna get back to 'em?
EXT - HOOKER'S RANCH - LATE DAY
The 3rd Cowboy rides up to the ranch house, dumps a large
SOMETHING in front, and gallops back to just within earshot as
Wyatt and his men run up. The object is a human corpse and
though we can't see what was done to it, the expressions on
their faces are plain enough.
VERMILLION
Why couldn't they've jus killed him?
3RD COWBOY
(shouts)
Ringo wanted to be sure he got
Your attention, Marshal. He wants
A straight-up fight, just you and
Him, settle this thing once and
For all. You win, we quit the
Territory; Ringo wins, your
Deputies get safe conduct to the
Colorado line. Sundown today in
The oak grove at the mouth of
Sulphur Springs Canyon. Ride out
With your escort, we'll meet you.
WYATT
You tell Ringo... just tell him
I'll be there.
JOHNSON
Wyatt, are you crazy?
WYATT
I made a promise.
VERMILLION
Wyatt, listen, you can't beat
Him. You're good and God knows
You got the courage, but you
Ain't in Ringo's class. Hell,
He's the best that's ever been.
'Cept maybe for Wild Bill.
JOHNSON
He's right, Wyatt. Ringo could
Put five into you before you
Could even get one into him.
WYATT
But I'd do it, I'd get that one
Into him. So help me God, I would.
JOHNSON
All right Wyatt, maybe you can.
But you gotta die to do it.
Understand? You gotta die!
In tight on Wyatt as these words sink in and....
INT - BEDROOM, HOOKER RANCH - LATE DAY
It's late and the last rays of the sun come through the
window, falling on the bed where Doc lies, awake but looking
like hell. Wyatt sits next to him, staring at the floor.
After a moment:
WYATT
What makes a man like Ringo, Doc?
What makes him do the things he does?
DOC
A man like Ringo's got a great
Empty hole right through the
Middle of him and no matter what
He does he can't ever fill it. He
Can't kill enough or steal enough
Or inflict enough pain to ever
Fill it. And it drives him mad.
Sick mad. Cold and dirty.
WYATT
So what does he want?
DOC
What does he want? He wants revenge.
WYATT
Revenge? For what?
Doc looks at him, a look of purest sadness in his sunken eyes.
DOC
Being born.
Wyatt looks down again and it's a long time before he speaks:
WYATT
Remember how I said it all
Happened so fast with Curly Bill
I didn't have time to think about it?
Well I've had plenty of time
To think about this. I spent most
Of my life since I was born not
Knowing what I want out of life,
Just chasin' my tail. But now,
For the first time I know exactly
What I want. And who. And that's
The damnable misery of it.
(pauses, looks at Doc)
I can't beat him, can I?
Doc shakes his head. Wyatt nods then stands, ready to exit,
but:
DOC
No, wait, I'll go with you...
Doc struggles to sit up, sweating and trembling, finally
falling back down, almost passing out. Wyatt puts a hand on
his forehead.
DOC
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Wyatt. God,
I'm so sorry.
WYATT
That's all right, Doc. Don't worry.
DOC
Never got to wear one of those.
Doc points to Wyatt's badge. He takes it off, pressing it
into Doc's hand. Doc smiles then does pass out. Wyatt
exits....
EXT - FRONT PORCH, HOOKER RANCH - LATE DAY
It's late, almost sunset. Wyatt steps onto the porch where
Hooker and the others wait. He glances back into the house,
looking at the unconscious Doc through the open bedroom door.
HOOKER
Don't worry. They want him
They'll have to go over us first.
Wyatt nods gratefully, offering his hand. Hooker takes it,
abashed. Wyatt mounts up with Johnson and Vermillion. They
ride off at a slow gallop, 3 figures against the twilight
sky....
EXT - HOOKER HILL/COWBOY CAMP #3 - LATE DAY
Ringo waits atop the hill with Ike and the 3rd Cowboy watching
as Wyatt's group rides out:
RINGO
Only three. They left somebody
Behind. Let's go take a look.
EXT - HOOKER RANCH - LATE DAY
Ringo and the others ride up. Hooker steps up with several
hands.
HOOKER
What're you doin' here?
RINGO
Who's in there?
HOOKER
It's Holliday. He's sick. Imagine
He's dyin'.
Ringo squints through the front door of the house to the open
bedroom where Doc lies unconscious, chest heaving, sweating.
RINGO
Drag him out here, let's have a look.
HOOKER
I looked the other way when you
Did a lot of foul things but I
Ain't lettin' you torment a dyin'
Man. Not as long as he's under my
Roof. I draw the line there.
Hooker and his men look resolute. Ringo smiles, nodding:
RINGO
All right, Hooker. I'll be back
In about an hour. We'll see how
Brave you are then.
HOOKER
I'll be here.
Ringo and his men ride off. At the crossroads they stop, Ike
peeling off.
RINGO
Soon as I'm through with Wyatt,
Swarm down with the whole bunch
And finish off Creek Johnson and
Texas Jack.
And they gallop off in opposite directions as....
EXT - SULPHUR SPRINGS CANYON - LATE DAY
2 Cowboys, Ringo's seconds, ride up to where Wyatt and his men
stand dismounted, waiting. One points to a thicket nearby:
3RD COWBOY
He's waitin' for you by the big
Oak, quarter mile up that trail.
EXT - NORTH ROAD - LATE DAY
Behan and the other Cowboys wait at the road above the canyon.
30 strong, mounted and ready. Ike rides up, full of
anticipation:
IKE
Get ready. Soon as Ringo's done
We're gonna take care of the others.
BEHAN
Aren't we giving them safe conduct?
IKE
Sure we are. All the way to hell.
EXT - SULPHUR SPRINGS CANYON - SUNSET
Sunset. Ringo's seconds wait nearby as Wyatt whispers to his
men:
WYATT
They're not givin' you any safe
Conduct. Soon as the shooting
Starts kick east for the New
Mexico line. Well...
Wyatt shakes hands with Vermillion who turns away with
emotion, hiding his face. Wyatt turns to Johnson.
JOHNSON
Wyatt, I... I ain't got the words.
WYATT
I know. Me neither.
Wyatt pats his shoulder and walks off alone into the thicket,
the only sound the musical clinking and chiming of his
spurs....
EXT - THICKET - SUNSET
A gorgeous sunset, yellow and red and magenta. Making his way
down the trail, Wyatt looks up at the sky. A flock of wild
geese fly overhead in V-formation, oblivious to the human
drama below. Wyatt stops, drinking it all in, as if trying to
grab all he can in the time left. Suddenly he closes his
eyes, falling to his knees, trembling, afraid for the first
time. He clasps his hands:
WYATT
Dear God, this is the last
Battle. I worked it out in my
Head every which way and I know
There's no way I'm comin' through
This alive. You've preserved me
This far so I only ask one more
Favor: just let me live long
Enough to kill that man. Thy will
Be done and there's an amen to it.
Wyatt stands back up, his fear gone, replaced by calm, his
face luminous, almost angelic. He walks on, spurs still
chiming as....
EXT - OAK GROVE - SUNSET
A clearing by a creek with a cluster of small oaks. Ringo
leans against a tree, sipping from a hip flask, smoking a slim
cheroot. We HEAR the CHIMING spurs approach. Ringo looks up
as the tall silhouette of his enemy emerges from the shadows
of the thicket.
RINGO
Well, didn't think you had it in you.
(smiles, sets himself)
Shall we?
DARK SILHOUETTE
I'm your huckleberry.
Ringo stiffens as the silhouette steps into the waning light.
It's DOC, pale and drawn, looking like death itself, but awake
and ready just the same:
DOC
Why Johnny Ringo, you look like
Somebody just walked over your grave.
(sees his shock)
Oh, I wasn't quite as sick as I
Made out.
RINGO
My fight's not with you, Holliday.
DOC
I beg to differ. We started a
Fight we never got to finish.
Play for blood, remember?
RINGO
I was kidding about that.
For the last time, that Cheshire cat smile comes over Doc's
face:
DOC
I wasn't.
(pins on Wyatt's badge)
And this time it's legal.
Ringo nods, his hock replaced by a growing malice. As they
set themselves, once again their eyes begin to blaze, boring
into each other, their concentrated rage focusing on each
other, about to reach critical mass....
RINGO
All right, lunger. Let's do it.
DOC
Say when.
A long tense moment then both grunt in unison. Blurred
movement, the FLASH of a GUNSHOT. Doc slaps his gun back in
it's holster as Ringo stumbles, a bullet hole in the side of
his head....
EXT - THICKET - SUNSET
Back in the thicket, Wyatt HEARS the gunshot and starts
running...
EXT - OAK GROVE - SUNSET
Blood coursing from the hole in his head, frenzied messages
flickering all through his shattered brain, going only on pure
hate, Ringo stumbles and jerks, struggling to raise his
pistol. Doc dances in front of him, urging him on:
DOC
Come on! Come on!
But finally Ringo falls over into the crook of the oak tree,
his pistol firing into the air harmlessly. Doc looks down at
him, shaking his head:
DOC
Oh Johnny. You're no daisy, no
Daisy at all.
Just then Wyatt appears, looking at Doc in total shock.
WYATT
What happened?
Doc looks at him like he's a fool then points to Ringo:
DOC
Poor soul, he was so high-strung.
Afraid the strain was more than
He could bear.
Suddenly we hear HORSES crashing through the brush toward
them.
DOC
Let's go! My horse is over here.
They dash off into the thicket. Moments later Ringo's seconds
ride out into the grove. Seeing Ringo's body, their jaws
drop....
EXT - CANYON MOUTH - SUNSET
Vermillion and Johnson practically jump for joy as Wyatt and
Doc emerge from the thicket, Doc leading his horse.
VERMILLION
Praise Jesus!
JOHNSON
I'll be dipped in shit. I will, too.
EXT - NORTH ROAD - SUNSET
Alert by the shots, Ike turns to Behan and the others.
IKE
All right, get ready...
EXT - CANYON MOUTH - SUNSET
Vermillion and Johnson are mounted, watching while Doc tries
to climb up into the saddle with excruciating slowness.
Though on his feet, it's clear Doc is as sick as ever,
sweating and panting, running on sheer animal courage. Wyatt
stands behind him, his hands poised to help, trying to will
him into the saddle, jerking his hands behind him every time
Doc looks back. Finally, with a last grunt, Doc throws a leg
over his horse and drops into the saddle. Wyatt mounts, turns
to his men, pointing:
WYATT
All right, what's it to be? New
Mexico's that way.
JOHNSON
Colorado's closer
WYATT
So're the Cowboys. They're up
That road right now, waiting to
Jump us.
VERMILLION
We're the law, ain't we? Well the
Law don't ride around vermin-
JOHNSON
It rides right at 'em. Like
McMasters said, see it through to
The end.
Wyatt looks at Doc, who shrugs. Wyatt swings his horse
alongside, suddenly noticing his badge on Doc's chest. Doc
smiles wanly:
DOC
I just wanted to see what it felt
Like. Here...
He starts unpinning it but Wyatt stops him, pressing his palm
onto the badge over Doc's heart. A last look around each
other then Wyatt signals and they start up the north road at
the lope, four abreast, the last charge of Wyatt Earp and his
immortals....
EXT - NORTH ROAD - SUNSET
From a lookout position above, a COWBOY calls down to the
others:
4TH COWBOY
Riders comin'.
Behan heaves a sigh of relief, glancing around at the others.
BEHAN
Well I guess Ringo did it.
But suddenly Ringo's seconds gallop up from the flank:
3RD COWBOY
Ringo's dead
BEHAN
What?
Straining to see in the falling light, the cowboy on the rock
shouts excitedly:
4TH COWBOY
That's Wyatt Earp's bunch!
The word starts to spread, the crowd of horsemen BUZZING.
Suddenly, off in the distance, the 4 horsemen come into view,
coming straight at them at a lope.
3RD COWBOY
They're comin' right at us!
Down the road, Wyatt asnd his men pull their shotguns, holding
them at the ready as they break into a gallop. The Cowboy on
the rock jumps down, mounting his horse.
4TH COWBOY
Here they come! Get ready...
The Cowboys line-up on a rise, blocking the road. They draw
their guns. Wyatt and his men keep coming, now 200 yards
away. Behan groans, panic sinking sour and heavy, churning
his bowels:
BEHAN
Oh, no...
Now Wyatt's men break into a dead run, hurtling toward them at
top speed, their thoroughbreds eating up the distance, now
only 100 yards away. The Cowboys tense up more and more,
biting lips, grinding teeth. The 4th Cowboy turns to the
nearby 3rd Cowboy:
4TH COWBOY
What d'you think?
3RD COWBOY
I think it's time to start
Workin' for a livin'.
BEHAN
Me too!
They break and run. So does another. Suddenly the whole mass
of them EXPLODES in panic with horsemen riding in all
directions, scurrying away like cockroaches from a light. Ike
looks around, screaming at them, beside himself as the 4th
Cowboy rides by:
IKE
Kill 'em! Kill 'em! It's only
Four men! Why don't you kill 'em?
4TH COWBOY
Why don't you?
The others keep going, leaving him behind. But seeing Wyatt
bearing down on him, Ike finally bolts himself, pounding off
hell-for-leather into the hills. Wyatt and his men keep
coming at a full gallop and as they crest the rise, suddenly,
as before, the ground seems to fall out from under them and
for another burning moment they once again appear airborne,
grim-faced avenging angels on winged horses, now even more
majestic in the twilight, like a myth made flesh, awesome,
superb, and unutterably beautiful. As they approach, only
Breakenridge remains, giving them a tentative wave. Wyatt
points a finger at him as they ride by in a flash, cresting
another rise and passing into legend....
INT - HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
The CLOCK on the wall of this private DENVER hospital room
ticks gently but inexorably as Doc lies in bed with FATHER
FEENEY, a Catholic priest, sitting at his side. Painfully
emaciated, his breathing shallow and labored, Doc is so weak
it's all he can do to even move his eyes. But he brightens as
Wyatt enters:
DOC
Well hell, Wyatt. Wyatt, I want
You to meet Father Feeney. Father
Feeney's just been initiating me
Into the mysteries of the great
And ancient Church of Rome. You
See, it appears my hypocrisy
Knows no bounds.
WYATT
How you feelin', Doc?
DOC
Rather an obvious question under
The circumstances, don't you
Agree? A better one might be how
Do you feel?
WYATT
(sits down, sighs)
Hurts. Hurts pretty bad.
DOC
I imagine it would, yes. So now
We can add self-pity to your list
Of frailties.
WYATT
All right, Doc...
DOC
You think I'm kidding. You're the
Most fallible, wrong-headed, self-
Deluding, just generally
Benighted jackass I've ever
Known. Yet, withal, even at your
Worst, you're the only human
Being in my entire life who ever
Gave me hope.
WYATT
All I ever wanted was to live a
Normal life.
DOC
When will you wake up? You
Wouldn't know a normal life if it
Bit you in the ass.
WYATT
That's great coming from you.
DOC
I played the cards I was dealt,
Wyatt. Your problem is you're
Always trying to play someone
Else's. Allow me to tell you the
Truth and thus set you free:
There is no happiness, Wyatt
There is no normal life. There's
Only life, that's all. Just life.
The rest is relative.
WYATT
Then what do I do?
DOC
First you can grab that black-
Haired woman and make her your own.
WYATT
All right. Then what?
DOC
Run. Take that girl and start
Running. Run and don't look back.
All your life you been running
And looking back and just barely
Existing and calling it getting
By. This time run and don't look
Back and call it living. Live
Every second, live it right up to
The hilt. Live, Wyatt...
(pauses, takes his hand)
Live for me.
Wyatt stares into his eyes, letting this sink in. Just then,
Doc looks up, as if something were pressing on him. Then:
DOC
Wyatt, please, if you were ever
My friend, if you ever had even
The smallest feeling for me,
Leave. Leave now. Please.
They look at each other and something passes between them,
something so personal and powerful it transcends emotion.
Wyatt starts to speak, but:
DOC
Never mind, Wyatt. I know. Just go.
Doc turns away. Wyatt exits. Doc looks over at Father
Feeney:
DOC
Now let's see, Father. What was
That monkey show you were talking about?
FATHER FEENEY
You mean Extreme Unction?
DOC
That's it. Better start that ball rolling.
Father Feeney nods, picking up his Missal. As he starts to
intone the Last Rites, Doc looks down at the end of the bed
and sees his feet poking through the sheets. They are bare.
Doc smiles:
DOC
I'll be damned...
(looks at Feeney)
This is funny.
INT - DENVER THEATER STAGE - NIGHT
A lively road company production of "H.M.S. Pinafore".
Josephine and 3 chorus girls, all adorable in out-size sailor
suits do the seamen's hornpipe to the resounding applause of
the audience....
INT - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
Josephine and her fellow chorines, including the 1st Actress
from before, all in various stages of undress, sit at the long
mirror, removing their make-up and chatting:
1ST ACTRESS
I can't get used to this thin air
Here in Denver. I thought I was
Going to faint on that last buck-
And-wing.
JOSEPHINE
I know, it's-
Suddenly the door bursts open. Screams and stunned reaction.
Wyatt rushes in and goes to Josephine who sits in stunned
silence. He falls to his knees and grabs the hem of her robe.
JOSEPHINE
Wyatt! My God...
WYATT
Did you ever see the sun come up
Over the Rockies? It hits all of
A sudden and below there's
California and you swear you're
Looking at heaven.
Wyatt stands, pulling her close, clasping her hands in his:
WYATT
I have nothing left. I have
Nothing to give you. I have no
Pride, no dignity, no money. I
Don't even know how we'll make a
Living. But I promise I'll love
You every second of your life.
JOSEPHINE
Don't worry, Wyatt. My family's rich.
INT/EXT - TRAIN - DAY
Brilliant sunlight, clean, crisp air as a train hurtles
through a pass high up in the Rocky Mountains, blowing its
whistle and sending a giant plume of steam billowing up over
the sheer, towering, snow-topped mountain walls into the
crystal-clear sky above. Wyatt leads Josephine by the hand
through the parlor car, both hardly able to contain
themselves, brimming over with excitement and anticipation,
like children waiting for Christmas morning and trying to
ignore the group of REPORTERS dogging their footsteps,
swarming around them, calling out to Wyatt:
1ST REPORTER
Mr Earp! One minute, please! You
And your four men have just
Accomplished in one week what it
Took the Texas Rangers four years
To do. Please, do you have any comment?
Wyatt and Josephine hunch down and duck through a knot of
porters into the next car. Only the 1st Reporter gives chase.
Moving into the passenger car furthest forward, Wyatt leads
her through the door to the platform over the coupling between
cars. Chugging up a steep grade toward a high crest, the
train is immersed in shadows. Wyatt points ahead to the
approaching crest:
WYATT
There. It'll come up over that ridge.
Inside meanwhile, the 1st Reporter comes through the car and
spots them up. A business-type PASSENGER tugs on his sleeve:
PASSENGER
What's the commotion? Who are they?
1ST REPORTER
Don't you know? That's Wyatt
Earp, the Lion of Tombstone, and
His lady fair.
Outside, still bathed in shadows, Wyatt and Josephine hang
onto the railing and lean out, watching in as the train nears
the top.
WYATT
Get ready, here it comes! Here it comes!
Then, as if on cue, they crest the mountain and are suddenly
bathed in golden sunlight, their heads leaning from the train,
Wyatt's blonde hair and Josephine's black tresses flowing in
the breeze, their faces luminous, looking straight ahead
toward their future. Hold on this image as the sun gets
brighter and brighter, finally making the frame white-out as
we....
FADE OUT:
EPILOG/DESERT : an OLD MAN and WOMAN walk arm-in-arm through
the Mojave, tiny figures in a vast landscape, Sierras looming
in the distance.
V.O. NARRATION
"Wyatt and Josephine embarked on
a series of adventures throughout
the west, making and losing
several fortunes, always living
the high life, spending every
winter, just the two of them,
prospecting for gold in the
desert foothills of southeastern
California. Up or down, thin or
Flush, in 47 years they never
Left each other's side."
The figures of the old man and woman fade away, leaving only
the desert and the mountains which are eternal....
V.O. NARRATION
"Wyatt Earp died in Los Angeles
in 1929. Among the pallbearers at
his funeral were early western
movie stars William S. Hart and
Tom Mix."
Flickering images from early Hollywood silent films split the
frame: on one side the grim but impassioned figure of William
S. Hart, the original western good-badman crouched menacingly
behind a pair of sixguns, his costume dusty and severe; and on
the other side Tom Mix, the original western fantasy hero, so
light-hearted and optimistic with his sunny grin and fancy
white outfit....
V.O. NARRATION
"Tom Mix wept."
HOLD on these two images as the music swells and we....
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END