Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Able 2020 (RAPID GUNFIRE) (UPBEAT MUSIC) Now, I say we stop off at Juan Patron's for one jolly big dram and one ginger beer with a dollop of whipped cream. Who gets the whisky? Ah, seniority, Doc. The one closest to the coffin. Anyway, if I buy you a dram, you must promise not to tell the other boys. It's a promise. (GUNSHOT) Oh, no. Not another hanging. Howdy. TUNSTALL: Come on, lad. Hurry up. Don't be afraid. Want to play games, pendejo? You're a red-assed Mexican greaser. You do it with your horse. Mexican greaser! Come here, you little white chicken shit! Come on, greaser, cut me, then! Hey, hey! Knock it off! Knock it off, Dirty Steve! Stick it out, man. Cut me, then, Mexican! Hey, knock it off! You know better, Chavez. Navajo! Navajo! Enough! John's back. Wash up and then get in your supper clothes. Now! Both of you! Who are them? 'They', William. "Who are they?" They are the boys of the dregs - the flotsam and jetsam of frontier society, if you will. We've got room in the bunkhouse, my young man. If you don't want to stay, the Santa Fe runs out of Albuquerque in the morning. Glad you're back, Doc. Start hauling the rope inside. OK. John bring another hard case in? Hope it ain't another Mexican. Mexican Indian, you sonofabitch. If you do wish to stay, well, we have just the job for you. (SNORTS) You sonofa... (PIG SQUEALS) He ain't all there, is he? Sonofabitch. (CHUCKLES) Hey, did you know pigs is as smart as dogs? It's true. I knew a fella in El Capitan, taught his pig to bark at strangers. What you doing here, boy? We work for Mr Tunstall as regulators. We regulate any stealin' off his property. We're damn good too. Mr Tunstall's got a soft spot for runaways, derelicts, vagrant types. But you can't be any geek off the street. You gotta be handy with the steel, if know what I mean, earn your keep. (SNORTS) Go on. Go on. Get! (PIG SQUEALS) Not that I'm a pistoleer or a knifesmith like that greaser Chavez y Chavez over there. I'm a pugilist. (CHUCKLES) But then I ain't expecting you to know the explanation of that word, hog boy! (SNORTS LIKE A PIG) Shit, you don't even know why I'm here. Sure I do - you're a runaway, derelict, scud-bottom vagrant, ain't you, like the rest of us! Footpad maybe, petty thief, rob a bank, killed somebody, wha... Killed somebody, huh? MAN: Yah! Whoa. (GUNSHOT) (SHOUTS) Regulators! Hey, you ain't no regulator, boy. Just stay here with the pork. They're smarter than you anyway. You might learn something. Cattle look spooked in the lower 40. Let's take a look. Hyah! Hyah! Smart-ass. Well, now! Look at those appetites. William, have some more. You ever work beef before, Billy? Yeah. I worked a little out Fort Sumner way. At Pete Maxwell's place. Did the chow-line. But I got a way with cattle. (CHORTLES) What's so jolly funny, Master Stephen? That's no proper table manners. Had a way with the hogs. (SNICKERS) TUNSTALL: Congratulations, Charles. You and Stephen will be doing the dirty crockery alone this evening. Sorry, John. It struck me funny. And to William. Both of you. Apologies, William. Just hacking on you, that's all. Yeah, we was just hacking on you. Rumour has it you killed a man, Billy. You don't seem like the killing sort. Yeah, Billy, what you kill him for? He was hacking on me. (SWALLOWS AUDIBLY) (MAN COUGHS) STEVE: (READS) "There are plenty of men... who will never... 'secede'... " 'Succeed'. Suc... "..who will never succeed anywhere." We got a whole room full of them right here. (CHUCKLES) Well done. William... (CHUCKLES) Yeah, sure. Well, excuse me, Billy. Very sorry to offend you. But we congregated here to learn to read and write. You need more than skill with a firearm to succeed in the New World, Billy, so take up the journal and start where the other boy left off... ..or you can go straight back to your home on the streets. (READS) "Young men who don't know how to do any kind of business "and have no energy or application had better stay at home near their relatives "so they can be taken care of. "They are not wanted here and will only come to grief, "but men of enterprise are practically sure of success." Splendid. A splendid reading, William. Thank you. Goodnight to you all. MEN: Goodnight! STEVE: Goodnight, Mr Tunstall. (PIG SNORTS) (HORSE WHINNIES SHARPLY) (PIG GROWLS) (WILLIAM GRUNTS) Shit! Whoa! Sonofabitch. Good afternoon, gentlemen. Afternoon, John. John, Mr Dolan and Mr Murphy here are complaining about their merchandise wagon being plundered on several occasions on the way into town. Quite frankly, John, they think you're behind it. That's a fargon lie, and you know it! Richard! Sheriff Brady, Mr Murphy is going to continue coming to you claiming I have taken his property until I'm pronounced a thief and shaken out of Lincoln. I've never touched his property. I have no cause. (CACKLES) Well, the belted earl has spoken. Look behind you, Earl. All I see are hired thieves. TUNSTALL: These boys are promising young men acquiring an education. MURPHY: Well, I've had you pegged as the type that, er... ..that likes... ..educating young boys, Englishman. (MEN CHUCKLE) Tunstall... rumour has it that you're going to be bidding against me for the government beef contract. Now, it is just rumour, isn't it? Lawrence, you have a beef outfit and a store. I have a beef outfit and a store. You're going to try to make money. I'm going to try to make money. It's simple and it's fair. Do you see our good sheriff sitting up there on that horse? Do you know how much money he's got invested in my store? His life savings, John. And it's not just Brady who wants me to be getting those contracts - it's the Territorial District Attorney, the Chief Justice, the US District Attorney, the Santa Fe ring. This is a family thing, John, and you don't come prancing in here with your fat foreign capital trying to change things. TUNSTALL: I made a very long steamship journey from London, Mr Murphy, so I shall be damned if I'm going to be dissuaded by something as ugly as political corruption. And so I'd like you to take your threats and your sheriff and get off my property. You're ambitious, Earl. But you'd be better off selling ladies' undergarments in Amsterdam! (MEN LAUGH) (MEN COCK GUNS) Alright, men. That's enough. Put them away. This is a new country. We won't be bowing down to you no more, Englishman. Get ready for hell. Come on! Back to work, chaps. Yah! (KNOCKS ON DOOR) Mr Tunstall, my name's J. McCloskey. I heard you're having some trouble finding help. McCloskey. You're one of Murphy's boys, aren't you? I used to be. He fired me. (CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY) I called him a fat sow. Did you? Lovely. Bunkhouse is over there. (GUNSHOTS) Get down! (LAUGHS) Regulators! (STOPS LAUGHING) Let's dance. (BAND PLAYS LIVELY JIG) (MEN CHUCKLE) Look at Billy Bonney go. He ain't all there, is he? He's there enough - he's been dancing with a pretty gal while we're sitting around here pulling our tallywaggers. Damn straight. Come on. We have to expose this ring, Alex. Can you get me in to see the Governor? Murphy's beat us to it. And he brought the Governor a nice fat campaign contribution. They're tightening the yoke on you, John. Of course, they want me out too. They figure, with me gone, no lawyer would be crazy enough to represent you. You've heard of English tenacity, haven't you? Here's to enough grit to finish the last round. Besides, if we gave in and left... ..who'd look after my boys? Oh, er... of medicine. Oh! Ooh. Yes. I shall receive my degree from St Michael's in July and then I shall be practising here in Lincoln until my missionary to the islands. Isn't that nice? Howdy. My name's Doc. MURPHY: What, er... what can I do for you, young man? Well, sir, if you're an acquaintance of the young miss, I was wondering if I could entreat the young lady to a dance. Why, certainly. Thank you. What's your name? Yen Sun. That's beautiful. You're a friend of Mr Murphy's? He is my guardian. Oh. Hello there. Hello back. William Bonney, sir. Pat Garrett. A pleasure. Excuse us, friend. We have a request for the band. Pat Garrett. Shoot, I bet I get to be just as big as him. Nah. Bigger. (CHUCKLES) "So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, "As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows." Pardon me? Oh, that's a poem. I'm a poet. I wrote it. I'm sorry, young man, but we must be getting along. We're getting along famously, thank you very much. I'm sorry I didn't recognise you. I was just informed that you're a part of the Tunstall company. Yes, I am. Ah! Then I'll be expecting to see you follow your Englishman out of Lincoln when he goes. You tell him... Tell that slug to leave no slime on the road behind him when he crawls back to Wardour Street. WOMAN: Oh, OK, Doc! Hey! Alex! How are you doing? Someone break up your dance, Doc? Yeah. Yeah, he's the girl's guardian. Guardian? (CHUCKLES) That's a gentle euphemism. Why? He had a shirt ruined in a Silver City laundry. He took the celestial woman's daughter as payment. What? She's house entertainment as I understand it. Come on. You can dance with Susan. It's safer. Yeah. (SPEAKS INAUDIBLY) Out of the way, mister. Oh, I do beg your pardon. Come on, you and me. No, no, no, no. No, it's you and 'I'. Is that right, John? You and 'I'. Yes, yes. It is, it is. You and I. (GRUNTING) Pugilist. He's something, isn't he? (SHOUTS) Happy new year! (LAUGHS) Happy new year! WILLIAM: Happy new year! (ALL WHOOP AND CHEER) (PEOPLE SING 'AULD LANG SYNE') * ALL: (SING) # Should old acquaintance be forgot # And never brought to mind # Should old acquaintance be forgot # For the sake of auld lang syne # For auld lang syne, my friend # For auld... # (MEN HOLLER AND WHOOP) Go on, Billy. Boys will be boys. Hyah! (WHOOPS AND HOLLERS) Hyah! Hyah! (MEN COCK GUNS) (GUNSHOTS) No! No! There's too many. (SHOUTS) Get out of here! Hyah! Hyah! RICHARD: (READS) "For as much as it has pleased almighty God in his wise providence "to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother, "we therefore commit his body to the ground - "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Murphy's henchmen have to be brought in, J.P. I'm going to take it to court and bring Murphy down. Have you talked to Sheriff Brady? Half of the murderers are members of his posse. He won't touch 'em. You're the Justice of the Peace, Wilson. You have the power to serve warrants through special constables. What special constables? No-one's fool enough to be going after Murphy's people. Deputise them. McSween, no - they're just boys. Ain't one of them over 21. Murphy's men will shred them in half within a day. Are you going to deputise them? Hell, no! No, I'm not, Alex. Not me. Alright, then. You go tell them. (ALL WHOOP AND HOLLER) CHAVEZ: Lugar peligroso. Bad medicine, my friends. You got that right. Hell, Doc, you grew up in a hole worse than that, didn't ya? Yeah, but I've been cultured since. OK. Henry Hill's supposed to have been in there with a lady since noon. So we're going to show him the warrant and take him home. Yeah. Yeah, we gotta take him. Yeah, I'd say we do. Hey, er, Billy... ..why don't you go inside and have a look-see. Go on, Billy. See if Hill's in there. If he is, you bring him to us. MAN: Give me two cards. MAN: I'll take two. Hey, Hill, you want another drink? MAN: Got to drain it first. I'll have Janey here give me a hand. Doc says not to lift nothing too heavy. Ha-ha! Oh, yeah? Doctor's gonna tell you you ain't never gonna use it again, if you talk to me like that, Henry Hill. (LAUGHS) Now what the hell's he doing? Get up! (GRUNTS) Lord. (FARTS) Henry Hill? Yeah? Howdy. (GIGGLES) God! MAN: Shit! By the way, you're under arrest. Shit! Shit! RICHARD: Bonney! Bonney! You weren't supposed to smoke anybody! We got warrants! We're the law! (LAUGHS) DOC: (READS) "Nine of them lay dead or at death's door yesterday noon "following a gunfight between Lincoln resident Henry Hill, 45, "and what patrons have called 'a kid'. "A local miner has identified the kid "as one Henry McCarty, also known as William H. Bonney, 19 or 20. "In a flaming shootout, the kid, Billy, "killed Mr Hill, then took on an onslaught of Hill partisans, "bringing the damage to six verified slayings. "Bonney is believed to be the captain of a deputised gang." Captain? It don't say nothin' about the two I closed down. Shit, Dick, you sent a lamb into the slaughter and he walked out a king sheep. El Chevato, Billy the Kid, eh? MAN: Yeah, Murphy's gonna want blood, brains and balls for this. I'm gettin' out of here. Hey, Doc, don't get all stupid. You know they're gonna be looking for us. I know. I'll be back in one minute. Howdy! I cannot accept those, thank you. You walk awful fast for a little thing, don't you? Come on, Yen. I just want to talk. You must like trouble. Trouble? You think I look like trouble? I'm a poet, carrying flowers, of all things. And a gun. It's a big gun. It's a big town. Come on, Yen. Please? STOP! Look, if you don't want to take these, that's fine. But you take a message to your guardian. You tell L.G. Murphy the Regulators are going to clean house. And I mean 'clean house'. They can't own us like they own a little China girl for the price of a shirt. OK? You tell him that. Yen, I'm sorry. Shit! * So, Dick... (GUN CHAMBER CLICKS) ..who's next? You. Shit. MAN: What's wrong? Nah, I mean I found some. Horse shit. They come out from the Sierra Bonita just this morning. Horse has been grazing wild. Pretty damn good, don't you think, Baker? (LAUGHS) Not that good. Buenos dias, shitheads. Up. You don't understand, Dick. By killing Henry Hill, y'all started a war. By killing Mr Tunstall, YOU all started the damn war, Baker. Just the same, we're talking 50, 60 men against your, what, 6 or 7? We're with the ring, Dick. We're gonna bury you. You can believe that. Quiet, Bonney. We're taking you to jail. No killing. Objection, Your Honour. These boys are going to the grave in the name of John Tunstall. I said quiet, Billy! I don't need that kind of talk! Law don't talk like that! Law don't kill innocent merchants either, do it? Shut up, dirt face. Take the sonofabitches up to Capitan Mountain and blow their brains out. What do you say, Steve? Uh-huh! (CHUCKLES) Hey, Billy. Easy. Dick, I don't think we should go by way of South Fork. Why is that? I think Murphy'll be watching the trail in. They'll ambush us. I think we should go straight through to Lincoln. Hey. What? I saw that. What? What'd you see? What'd you see? He knows what I just saw. What you talking about? Where's the ambush, McCloskey? In Lincoln? You're trying to steer us away from Capitan 'cause you know your men, MURPHY'S MEN, are waiting to jump us in Lincoln. Billy, what are you talking about? McCloskey's with us. He's a Regulator. But he used to ride with Murphy, that's what I'm talking about. That was a long time ago. He's a spy! He's been with us. We made a pact, right, McCloskey? Right. Jesus, Billy. Come on. Come on. Aw, shit. I'm sorry, McCloskey. Hey, it's alright. We're all upset about John. I'm sorry I didn't sniff you out sooner, you goddamn traitor. BILLY! Aargh! CHARLEY: Oh, shit! Billy! Billy, what the hell? Jesus! Argh! Hold your fire! Whoa! Shit! Hey, Doc... No! Hold your goddamn fire! Get that sonofabitch! Aargh! Oh, God. Court adjourned. Moron! You're out of line, you sonofabitch! Richard, he was right. McCloskey was acting strange. Then that means we just killed three more Murphy men, right? Right. Oh, Christ. Jesus. Brady's gonna hang us for sure now. What are we doin' now, Dick? QUIET! Everybody close their fargon lip for a goddamn second and let me think. We better skin out of here. OK, everybody, skin up the river. Now! You... you better stop believin' the newspapers. You ain't no captain and you sure as hell ain't no Robin Hood. Whatever you say, Dick. Get that idjut on a horse. Hah! DOC: (READS) "Advices from Lincoln say the young lad of lightning rapidity, "iron nerve and marvellous skill apparently single-handedly "took down Morton and Baker of the Murphy-Dolan faction, "including a miraculous shot of 50 yards." There's a picture here. It says 'Billy the Kid', but it ain't Billy. Let me see that. (CHUCKLES) Well, that's me! This is bullshit. Papers can't get anything right. "Advices from sources say that the Kid, a left-hander, "is tall, handsome "and unequalled in the elements that appeal to the holier emotions." Jesus Christ, this country need a hero. "However Murphy, of Lincoln, "has hired none other than John Kinney and his Dona Ana Bunch "to help hunt down Billy the Kid and the gang." Oh, great. John Kinney. Who's Kinney? Says here he's an ex-soldier who suffered an injury and is now a bounty hunter. Well, what's that mean? It means he can whoop some ass. Hey, Doc, come here for a minute. Yeah. BILLY: Go ahead and read the rest. What's up? Well, we can't go north 'cause Murphy's got men coming out of Fort Sumner. We can't go south 'cause he's got Brady coming in. Yeah. East is no good 'cause we got John Kinney coming up now with most of his group of 15. We can go west through the Valley of Fires, but there's the Mescalero Reservation. Yeah. And they're having a good year with scalps. No, thanks, Richard. I don't know what the hell to do. DICK: What the hell's he doing? We've come to a place where we are lost, no? When an Indian is lost, he must reach into the spirit world to find the way. On the spirit road, he will be shown a sign. This is the way to the spirit road. We're lost right now, but I'll find us the way. STEVE: Oh, Christ, Chavez, that's all we need is some more of your red-assed Navajo mambo-jahambo. We're runnin' out of time here, Chavez. (HISSES) Is that any good? (COUGHS) Chavez, what... what is that? Peyote. Dick. Eugh. Oh. DOC: Butterflies. Yeah. Just like a butterfly. A butterfly flies to a flower and stays with it. (CHUCKLES) It doesn't know why. It just feels it. Oh, yeah. She's... ..she's my flower. And I'm her... (GUNSHOT CRACKS) STEVE: Did... did you guys see the size of that... chicken? DOC: And I'm her butterfly. Oh... We don't know why. We just feel it. (GUNSHOT CRACKS) STEVE: Oh, God! (PANTS) YOU GUYS! YOU GUYS! Wow! This is great. This is great! Did you see the size of this cock-a-doodle-goddamn-doo? (THUD!) That's real. That's REAL. I'm her butterfly. She's mine. DICK: Regulators! Saddle up. Argh! Argh! Godless heathens. AAARGH! (GIGGLES) Regulators! Hey, Dog. Dog! Did you see the size of that chicken? (WHINNIES) (CHARLEY SINGS DRUNKENLY) # Two hands round and go again # Allemande left and turn to your partner... # Howdy. How are you, sir? Hey, Chavez, how come they ain't killing us? We're in the spirit world, asshole! They can't see us! (CHUCKLES) Hey, did you know we're in the spirit world? (LAUGHS) * DICK: Lord, forgive us for our wrongdoings, for our misguidance by heathen religions. Thank you for keeping us alive. (BILLY CLEARS THROAT) Please help guide us in doing the right thing. Oh! Ow! Ooh! DICK: Our Father thou art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Please, Dick, it's getting cold! I could've killed you, Dick! I could've killed you. But I don't wanna kill you. I wanna eat. When we finish this meal, you little rodent, we're gonna go out in the yard and see who has the right to run this group of regulators. Richard, would you be so kind as to pass the gravy, please? Quite a well-heeled man coming this way. Just one? Mm-hm. Good Lord. It's Buckshot Roberts. We got a warrant for him. You think he's coming to surrender? Don't look that way. BILLY: He any good? He's killed more people than smallpox. Well, hell, introduce us. We've got a warrant for you, old man. I ain't got no business with that war no more, peckerhead sonofabitch. I'm on my own. I'm here to get that $150 Sheriff Brady's putting down for the Kid. Rest of you little shits is only worth $110, but I'll take it. What a sweet disposition. Alright. (COCKS GUN) Let's dance. Argh! AARGH! Chavez! Argh! Argh! Argh! Oh! Shit! (WHISPERS) Damn. Chavez? What? (GUNSHOT CRACKS) ROBERTS: You mangy little sons of bitches! He's going into the shitter. What? Billy, go in there and cut the sonofabitch in half. I'm daring you, Billy. Y'all can't blast me. Screw that. (ROBERTS GURGLES AND GROANS) (THUD!) Cover me. DICK! CHARLEY: DICK! You sonofabitch! Dick, we're coming to get you! He's dead, Charley. We gotta go get him. We gotta go get him! You wanna cross in front of that shithouse again?! What are we gonna do? Dick just got his guts blown out! He's our foreman! Doc! Doc, what are we gonna do? This place is gonna be crawling with Murphy men. Get out of here! Come on, Charley! Come on! Regulators, let's rack out - now! STEVE: OK! Come on! (CHAVEZ YELPS) Where to, Doc? I'm going into Patricio if it looks safe. I gotta write Dick's mother in Vermont... ..get some clean wraps for this. Well, whatever you do, don't go near Lincoln. See ya. What you doing there, Billy? Well, sir... with the sight filed down, I get an eighth of a second drop on our good Sheriff Brady. (GUNSHOT CRACKS) Billy, you can't touch the sheriff. Dick said so. You know that. Besides, we can't keep this up. Yeah, well, Dick ain't around anymore, is he, Charley? And right now, Sheriff Brady's in desperate need of being removed from office. We're not going after Brady. No Murphy men. No more. I told you I would find the way and the way is west. West, huh? Well, west is that way. And the bastards we gotta kill are that way. The only bastards that are gonna get killed are us, Chivato. Let it go. Let it go? Murphy's taking inventory in Tunstall's store right now and you're saying it means nothing to you? (SCOFFS) It means nothing to me? Murphy and his politicians have taken more blood from me than they ever will from you. Oh, yeah? How do you figure? The Red Sand Creek Reservation. What's he talking about? I don't know. 207 people butchered in the snow with their stomachs empty. My mother's people. You see, Murphy and Company was under government contract to supply us with beef. And two winters ago, he sent only rotten meat. No corn, no flour, only rancid beef crawling with worms. So I went out with a band in the night to a traders' camp to try and get food. Oh, yeah, they welcomed us in... ..and then they opened fire on us. I got away. Only me. But when I got back to the Red Sands, I found out that the army had already heard about our big Indian uprising and they paid us back. My mother was cut by a sabre from her privates to her neck. My sisters were just babies and they had their heads bashed in with boot heels so that the army could save bullets! Everybody on my reservation was butchered and it means nothing to me?! Oh, yeah, yeah, I went to Lincoln to take Murphy's head. And that's when John Tunstall found me. And he took me in. And he taught me a better way to bury Murphy. Murphy buried him the old Irish way, Chavez. That's right, Steve. And he starved out your family, Chavez. And now he's doing it to every small farmer in the territory. Uh-huh. But you wanna run? Go ahead. Just go right on ahead. 'Bye. You got no loyalty, Navajo. Navajo. He ain't nothing but a piece of chicken shit in the rain. No. We had our ceremony back there on the ridge, Chivato. Now, I don't know what your vision told you, but my vision told me we're headed for blood, blood like a river. I'm the last of my clan. The last of my people. If I die - and I'm not afraid of dying, Chivato - the sacred hoop is broken. Now, I have to go west and make my people live again. Charley, will you come with me? You ain't saying much, Dirty Steve. 'Cause he ain't got much to say, Charley. Old Steve understands the meaning of the word 'pals'. Don't you, Steve? See, you got three or four good pals, well, then you got yourself a tribe. There ain't nothing stronger than that. We're your family now, Chavez. You walk away from us, you break OUR sacred hoop. We gotta stick together, fellas. It's the only way I see it. * (MEN CHATTER AND LAUGH) ALL: (SING) # When Irish eyes are smiling # 'Tis like the morn in spring # In the lilt of Irish laughter # You can hear the angels sing # When Irish hearts are happy # All the world seems bright and gay # But when Irish eyes are smiling # They steal your heart # Away. # (GASPS) Shh! Shh! It's me - Doc. Shh! (ALL CHATTER DRUNKENLY) I know what you desire. You come to lay with me and then cut me into tiny pieces with a knife. You're the bandit who eats children and old people. I eat meat and potatoes. Who told you that? My benefactor. Your benefactor? That's the man that eats people. (PANTS) Yen, if you wanna stay here, tell me now and I'll go. Do you wanna stay here? In China, girls are not necessary. When we have floods, fathers let the girl babies wash by. My benefactor has made me necessary. He's not made you necessary; he's made you a slave! I'm sorry. 'Necessary' is something you can't do without. I can't do without you. I keep the flowers that you offered me in a little room inside my head, inside my heart. Often you come in and you ask me to dance. Often I say yes. I wanna ask something else of you now. I want you to go with me to Roswell. There's a railroad going to New York City. Two days, we could be on a train, we could be in another country, in a city together. 'The Bird' by Josiah G. Scurlock - that's Doc. "Once upon a midnight dreary, As I pondered weak and weary "There came a knocking at my... back porch." He ain't very original, is he? He's been gone an awful long time. I've a feeling he's gonna be making a run for it. Who? Doc? Nah, Doc likes me. I can't stand him. He gets an idea in his head, he can't get rid of it. If I stay with him much longer, I'll be a stiff in a photograph. The only chance I have is to get hell-bent for leather NOW. They would chase us. I'm used to that. No, no. I am unclean. That is not for a young man. (LAUGHS) Yen. I used to ride with the Dirty Underwear Gang out of Liberty, Missouri. Then John Tunstall taught me the past's just like an old yellow-backed novel. When you're finished with it, you toss it out and start a new one. OK? You're necessary. (FOOTSTEPS) (BANGING ON DOOR) (WHISPERS) No. No! Go with me. No. Come with me, Yen. MAN: Yen Sun! YEN SUN! (LOUD BANGING) (DOOR HANDLE RATTLES) (HORSE HOOVES CLATTER, DOG BARKS) Hey, Steve! What? Doc's back! I told you he'd come back. Regulators! Let's saddle up. Sheriff Brady, we're gonna have a lot of fun now. (HONKY TONK MUSIC) What the hell's he doing? STEVE: He ain't all there, is he? Is he? Top of the morning to you, girls! (LAUGHS) Reap the whirlwind, Sheriff Brady. Reap it! BILLY: It's for you, Alex. ALEX: You weren't supposed to touch Brady! Sheriff Brady sent the men who killed John. It was a good move for us. Was it, Billy? Yes, it was! Have you seen the 'Independent'? The Governor's revoked your deputisation powers. You're now wanted by the legitimate law as well as those outside the law. You're not only being hunted by John Kinney and Murphy's men; you're being hunted by troops! Fort Stanton, Billy, the US Army! The Governor's put a $200 bounty on your head. You were supposed to serve 11 warrants and expose the ring. Instead you went out and you went on the warpath, on a rampage. Now Richard's dead and we're living up here like fugitives. What the hell do you think you're doing out there? I dunno. Maybe I'm trying to get some attention. Maybe I'm trying to get President Hayes to look this way. They let Murphy and his bankers get away with anything and I can't allow that. The more bastards I dust, the more news stories they write. The more troops they send after us, the more President Hayes is gonna have to raise an eyebrow and come down and see for himself what's going on here. They'll find out who's really doing the killing. Alex, what are you gonna do? I'm going to try to reach the President myself - legally. It won't be easy to get past the Governor. He's got so many... Yeah, I got plans for the Governor. Alex, what if you can't get in touch with Hayes? I'll go back to Lincoln and reopen John's store, try to deal with that - that's what John would want. Well, we'll escort you. You'd be a death sentence to anyone now, Billy. I don't want your help. Alex, you didn't see what they did to John. We did. Christ, Billy... Thank you, Billy. Billy, please, go to Old Mexico. Please. Gentlemen, let's ride. Alex... What the hell happened, Doc? It is a whirlwind out there. When you're in it, you can't get out. I'm sorry. I was wondering if you remember that China doll. You know, at the dance - the fandango. I was sort of thinking that 'cause you're a lawyer and all, maybe that there was a legal way to... I don't even have enough ground to stand on anymore, Doc, I mean it. OK, yeah. OK. Thanks. Take care of yourself, Alex, OK? BILLY: What the hell's the matter with him? I don't know, he's just belly-aching about something or another. Doc was reading the newspaper. He got mighty spooked. Dirty Steve told me, Billy... ..told me what they're writing in the papers. Steven told him about the party Sheriff Peppin's planning for us. Party? Oh, you mean the hanging! Callate, Chivato. Goddammit, Billy! You ever seen a man hanged? His face turns flat purple and his eyes come up on him. Yeah, I seen Red Smitty hanged. See his head come clean off. (LAUGHS) Was a hell of a sight. DOC: Billy! I don't think Charley wants to hear about Red Smitty. I think what he'd like to hear is that we're not going to hang. You mess your trousers, they say. Gals watching and everything. (HORSE WHINNIES) If we get caught, Charley, we're gonna hang. But there's many a slip 'twixt a cup and a lip. We gotta do something before they catch us. Y'all gotta let me do something. OK, Charley. (EXCITING DRUMMING) VOICEOVER: Can you peel it coming? VOICEOVER: We believe where you live shouldn't decide your destiny, and that any place can be a place of learning. So much of modern life has a handy home delivery option. Why not your education? Maybe you'll start your degree in the same space you share with your whanau, or from that corner of the spare room that catches the most sun. Start your new 'what' at the place where 'where' can be anywhere, online or on campus. Massey, New Zealand's leading online university. Apply now at massey.ac.nz. * Damn, Charley, this is your last wish - get your little carrot wet? You could've done that back in Juarez. Something called a special woman, dirt face. You'll understand that one day. (DOGS BARK) BILLY: Alright, gentlemen, square up and shell out for Bowdre. (LAUGHS) We'll be in the den. Just yell if you need any help. (GUFFAWS) DOC: You know what to do, don't you? (BANJO PLAYS FAINTLY) (BANJO PLAYS FAINTLY) What's your name? Charley. Well, Charley, I don't remember you but I guess you remember me. I meet so many young men out for their first. You know how it is. Why don't you come over here, Charley? Uh, ma'am... (CLEARS THROAT) ..uh, I just want to hold you. Whatever your pleasure, Charley. But it all costs the same. MAN: Darlin', when a man rides 200 miles to do a job, you can bet your Spanish land grant he's gonna get that job done. Now, if this Billy the Kid's around town like people say, he is $200 flat dead on this bar. You can't kill what you can't catch. You know these mestizos, they say that Bilito is half horse, half devil. (BOTH LAUGH) But, who knows? Maybe a strong, big Texas man like you... You're really going to kill Billy the Kid? Does a horse piss where she pleases? (CHUCKLES) MAN: Yeah, if he's man enough to come around here. BILLY: Is that the gun you're gonna shoot him down with? Can I touch it? Please? You know, sir, I do admire you and I sure would like to touch the gun that's gonna kill Billy the Kid. You know iron, boy? Yes, sir. Go ahead, then. Have a look. You pass her back. That there gun killed Ed Rawlins. Is that right?! (SNORTS AND MOUTHS WORD) Hey, barkeep, let's have a little round of stone fence for every little lady in the house. OK, pass her back, son. Stroke a gun like that, you might as well be stroking a man's woman. Pass it up. Oop! (LAUGHS) Alright. Now, you'd best be on your way before you get hurt. Um, I'm leaving right now and I want to know what to look for in case I run into him. I'll come back and tell you. He's a good-lookin' kid, a way with the women, dresses like a dandy and he's a left-hander. And people say he's fond of whistling sad ballads. Now, you get out there in the street and you see somebody that fits that bill, you just come whispering to me. OK. Bye-bye. Hey, I see him! Right there. Right there. Don't you see him? (LAUGHS) Is that so, now? You know, boy, I'm getting a little tired of your wise lip. Now, you get yourself some place else before I... ..have to drop your breeches in front of all these fine ladies and spank your little bottom blue. (WHISTLES SAD BALLAD) Yeah, sure, you are a testy little cuss. (GUN CLICKS REPEATEDLY) (CONTINUES WHISTLING) (BILLY CONTINUES WHISTLING) (CHUCKLES) Hey, Doc, how many's that make - 25? Five. We'll call it 10 - 10 even, how'd that be? Whatever you say. It's John Kinney! (HORSE WHINNIES) Arggh! (CRIES OUT) Agh! Damn! Ooh! Ha! Whoa, boy, whoa! Now, where are they? BILLY: (READS) "His hat was covered with gold and jewels. "It sparkled and shone in a dazzling and blinding manner "when one looked upon it." Yah! Oh, oh, shit. I know, I know. It breaks my heart too. Oh, oh, oh! "The shoes worn by this young, left-handed prince of the plains "were low-quartered with patterned silver spurs in the heels." CHARLEY: Agh! Oh. Holy shit. I ain't left-handed. (STEVE BLOWS AIR) Billy, I was thinking about our course. (SPLUTTERS) And it looks like we've just done a big circle twice. And? Well, it also looks like we're going back into Lincoln. And I know we can't be going... We are. Ain't a good idea, Billy. Christ in heaven, Billy, what are you thinking? Billy, we're lucky to be alive. I mean, going back to Lincoln, that's crazy. Lincoln's where we'll find the rest of the men who killed John. It's 100 against five! (MOCKINGLY) "It's 100 against five!" We take Murphy and the ring falls. We take him, we win this war. Then it'll be over. We can't even get to him, Billy. CHAVEZ: It's not just 100 men. There's bounty hunters too, everywhere we go, but not west. Oh, Christ, here we go again. No, I followed you. I chose your way, Chivato, but I don't trust it anymore. California's where we have to go. Damn the money. I believe in that spirit world stuff, Chavez. Let's go. Yeah, California sounds about right to me. You're all scared. And you're gonna fail the test. What test? BILLY: You have to test yourself every day, gentlemen. Once you stop testing yourself, you get slow. When that happens, they kill you. You fellas don't feel that?! Phew, like when John Kinney's riding up on our ass, and the balls are flying and the blood goes to your head... (FIRES AND WHOOPS) (HORSES NEIGH) It's quite a sensation. DOC: Yeah, I bet it is. And I'm sure in your mind, you hear trumpets sound and angels sing. I SHIT MY GODDAMN BREECHES! OK?! We've taken enough goddamn Murphy scouts. We cannot win this war, not the five of us. Do you understand? Now, Billy, you want to get the President's attention, go ahead. You want to keep on testing yourself, fine. Let me tell you something - tonight I'm riding to the border, gonna get myself a hot meal and a good night's sleep. Come morning, I'm a Mexican. CHARLEY: Yeah, Billy. Yeah, me too. Mexico, huh? Yeah. Yeah. I see. Y'all are testing yourselves and you don't even know it. Trying to make it to Old Mexico - that's a hoot! (LAUGHS) What do you mean? They'll be covering every possible which way in from Texas to Arizona. John Kinney knows everyone down along the border. There's a full day's ride through them thorns we all love so much, which also makes a good hiding place for scalp hunters and renegade Indians. The chances of making Old Mexico? Well, hell - that's the test of all tests, you ask me. I'm in. I'm really not liking him. * WOMAN: Chivato! (EXCITED CHEERING) El Chivato! Dear Governor Ax-tell... Axtell. Right. I've heard that you will give... Uh, what is it? 200. ..$200 for my head. Perhaps we should meet and talk. I am at the Juarez village at the border. Send three men and instruct them not to shoot as I am unarmed. In short, sir... ..I surrender. Your obedient servant, William H. Bonney. Been damn good riding with you, Chavez. Many nights, my friend, many nights I put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. I'm glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright. P.S... ..I changed my mind. Kiss my ass! Charley's getting married! (FESTIVE MUSIC PLAYS, PEOPLE CHEER) If anybody asks you where you got that hat, tell them Billy the Kid gave it to you. Go on, get out of here. Pat Garrett. That's right. What are you doing in here? No-one's supposed to come in here. Going back to Louisiana for family business. Wanted to see the boy who'd become such a sensation. How did you find me here? I'm a tracker. Gonna be hell as a sheriff if they let me. What are you saying, Pat? The officials have asked me to run. Well, then I'm asking you to run too. That way. Or I'll take your shittin' scalp, like I did Brady's. Billy, I ain't the law yet. And I ain't here to get your ass hairs up. I've come to tell you some bad news about a friend we share. McSween, Tunstall's lawyer. What about Alex? He's gonna die tomorrow. He and his wife at his house. Murphy knows he's coming back to Lincoln tomorrow. They're gonna wait till he's home, then go pay a visit. What time they expecting him? Suppertime. I figured you were the only fella with the pluck to get up some McSween partisans and go give the man and his wife a rightful escort across the border. Ain't been to Louisiana for a spell. I'll see you, Billy. Hey, Garrett. Are you my friend? Yes, I am, Bill. (GUNSHOT) BILLY: Regulators! Let's mount up. (GUN CHAMBER CLICKS) BILLY: Hey, Charley. Maybe you should stay. You can't shoot worth a piss anyhow. (SOBS) Besides, your girl's crying. She's really giving me a headache. Charley, you've got a wife now - you should stay. Ain't easy having pals. Hah! Hah! DOC: Alex! BILLY: Alex! What in the name of...? Alex, let's go. Word's out. They're going to come kill you. Dammit, Billy, I told you not to come here. I'm not leaving my house. Alex, if you stay, they're gonna kill you. Then I'll have to go around and kill all the guys that killed you. That's a lot of killing. You heard me, Billy. Alex, maybe... You heard me! We can't just stay and hope the good Lord saves us from an all-out... Susan, I'm sick. I can't go to Old Mexico. (MEN SHOUT IN STREET) MAN: Right in the middle of the street! Come on. Don't fret, Alex - the trip's postponed. They're coming round the front. Shit! MAN: Bring those wagons out quickly. Get the house covered. It's Peppin. PEPPIN: Get that wagon over. Let's go! Bring it down here. Get that wagon over. (SHOUTS) Go! Move it. BILLY: Chavez, how is it from the east side? CHAVEZ: Murphy men. (COCKS GUN) Charley, how's it over by you? Can we break? (GASPS) Hey, Charley! How is it? (BREATHES HEAVILY) It's... it's John Kinney! I think the word you got was just a trap to get us all together in the same place. My God, look at them all. It's going to be a massacre. KINNEY: Take care of the horses. It's... it's John Kinney. Maybe they just want us. No, they figure they can end the war right here in one fell swoop. ALEX: And that's what they're just about to do. It's John Kinney! Thank you very much, Charley. Jesus! KINNEY: Come on, move it! Run! Er... Charley? Oh, God! Hanging for sure now. Hmm. Hmm, alright. Alright. KINNEY: Bonney! We got you up there, Kid! Take a look at the firepower down here. You all come on out, real slow. You up there, Bonney? Let's have some fun, Doc. (SHOUTS) Yeah, I'm here, you bastard. (GUNFIRE) (GLASS SHATTERS) BILLY: Doc! MAN: Sonofabitch! (SILENCE) Billy, what the hell are we gonna do now? We'll show these guys they've finally met their match. What?! Hey, Peppin! PEPPIN: I'm hearing you, Bonney. I see you got Charlie Crawford down there with you. PEPPIN: Yeah, we got a whole lotta... MAN: Oh, my God! PEPPIN: Damn! Hey, Peppin, Charlie Crawford ain't with you anymore. (LAUGHS) Bastard! Fire! (GUNFIRE) You alright, Doc? DOC: Yeah. Boy, these boys won't give up! Are you OK, ma'am? You OK? You OK? BILLY: Charley! CHARLEY: Yeah. Take two rifles, go upstairs. Doc, go with him. Load heavy. Steve? Go up and cover the north side. Alex,... this may be your last chance to handle John's case. Active participation in a gun battle would negate my life insurance policy. I can't do that! PEPPIN: We know you can shoot, Bonney. We can too. Give it up! Chavez? (GUNFIRE) (RAPID GUNFIRE) (SILENCE) (COCKS GUN) (MEN SNORE NEARBY) * (ROOSTER CROWS) CHAVEZ: Chevato. (HORSES APPROACH) BILLY: They sent in the troops. (LAUGHS) DOC: Billy, we're good, but this is getting ridiculous. CAPTAIN: Dismount. I like these odds. MAN: Mr Murphy, George Bristol. We've got all the rats in one hole. What's been taking so long? We didn't want the army here. We don't need that kind of attention. MAN: They've got 30 boys up there, maybe 40. DOC: Sonofabitch! DUDLEY: Quite a bit of excitement. Hello, Judge. Why are you here, Nathan? I was dispatched here to make sure it doesn't get out of the hands of the civil authorities. MURPHY: If you have hopes for a political future in a county seat, you will respond to our... suggestions. And what do you 'suggest', sir? Full military attack. Destroy them. China! Soldiers, stop her! Yen! Stop her! China! China! DOC: Yen! (FIRES GUN) MURPHY: There you go, Colonel, your troops have been fired on. Cover me. MURPHY: You're in the right to douse it. Set it on fire. DUDLEY: The girl! MURPHY: Burn it! Excuse me?! BURN IT! MURPHY: Never mind, Colonel. Just tell your troops to mind my men when they go round back and do. DUDLEY: Peppin, put your men on the line. Come on, let's go. DUDLEY: Fire! (GUNFIRE) (SHRIEKS) Ow! (SUSAN SQUEALS) DUDLEY: Hold your fire. Goddammit! Cease fire! CHARLEY: Billy, please! I've got to go. I gotta go. I've got a wife - she's this little Mexican gal. Please! BILLY: Charley, if you don't stand up and start whooping some ass, you ain't never going to see her again! Now, come on, Charley. DUDLEY: Come on, now. Giddup! That's it. Come on, let's get 'em. They lit it, boys. They lit the house. (FLAMES ROAR) DUDLEY: Mr Bonney, Mr McSween! This is Colonel Nathan Dudley out of Fort Stanton. Come on out with your hands high. (LAUGHS) With your hands high. I better reason with him. Hey, Colonel Shithead! You can kiss my ass. Goddammit, Billy! BILLY: Get President Hayes down here, then we'll come out. We'll see how they like that one. (RAPID GUNFIRE) (SCREAMS) CHARLEY: I'll kill you, you bastard! I'm going to shoot your ass. (LAUGHS) CHARLEY: I'm gonna shoot your ass from here to Patricio if I have to. CHARLEY: You shitdog! Yeah, Charley! Maniac! (YELLS WILDLY) (CONTINUES YELLING WILDLY) Maniac! (YELLS) Yeah, Charley! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, Charley! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, Charley! Yeah, Charley. (GUNFIRE, SHOUTING) Yah! Ha! Whoo! Yeah! (BILLY LAUGHS) Yeah! Yeah, Charley. Alex! Get Susan outta here. Come on, get out. SUSAN: Stop. No, I want my things! ALEX: Susan, come on! Get out. No, I want my stuff. (SCREAMS) No! I want my things. ALEX: There's a woman coming out. Let my wife get out. COLONEL: Hold it. There's a lady coming out. Hold your fire. ALEX: Go! Go! Go! Your stuff, ma'am. Yen, go. Go! YEN: I stay with you. I stay. (COUGHS VIOLENTLY) Colonel. (SARCASTICALLY) Oh, yeah, Colonel, can I do anything for you, sir? Back in the tent, perhaps? DUDLEY: Ma'am, I have no time for your complaints. Go to the other side of the street so I can do my job... You animal! Murderer! Get out of here. Take her away! Get her out of here! SUSAN: Leave me alone! Help! SUSAN: Alex! Where's Chavez? STEVE: Where the hell's Chavez? DOC: I don't know! What? MAN: He's gone. He must have skinned out. STEVE: I knew it! That dirty Mexican bum! I knew we could never trust him! I knew it. We're going to die and he's out there doing it with his whore! I knew it. I just knew it! (FLAMES ROAR, MEN COUGH) (STEVE YELLS) (YELLS) (YELLS) Yeah! Yeah! Chavez! Yeah-heah! CHAVEZ: Regulators! Yeah! Billy! CHARLEY: I'll kill you, you bastard! It's you and I! (GROANS) Doc! Chavez! Go! Go! (GUNFIRE) (MEN SHOUT) Get that sonofabitch! Ride, boys! Ride! (RAPID GUNFIRE) (RAPID GUNFIRE CONTINUES) (RAPID GUNFIRE CONTINUES) (GUN COCKS) MURPHY: That bastard... Reap it, Murphy, you sonofabitch! (SILENCE) (PANTS) Now it's over. (CALLS TO HORSE) NARRATOR: Advices from Lincoln report that Jose Chavez y Chavez moved to California where he changed his name and took work on a fruit ranch. Josiah 'Doc' Scurlock was reported to have left the west for the east, taking with him his celestial bride, her mother and 14 brothers and sisters. Susan McSween went on to see both her, her husband and John Tunstall's dreams to fruition by becoming one of the most prominent cattlewomen of all time. Governor Axtell was forced to resign by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Both the Murphy-Dolan faction and the Santa Fe ring collapsed. William H. Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid, continued to ride, never leaving New Mexico. He was caught in Fort Sumner by the Sheriff Pat Garrett and killed. Sources report that he was unarmed and shot in the dark. He was buried with Charley Bowdre at old Fort Sumner. Advices report that some time later, an unidentified person snuck into the graveyard and chiselled an inscription. The epitaph read only one word - 'Pals'. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Able 2020