(wind howling)
♪♪ (guitar)
MAN: ♪ It's true that all the men you knew were dealers ♪
♪ Who said they were through with dealing ♪
♪ Every time you gave them shelter ♪
♪ I know that kind of man ♪
♪ It's hard to hold the hand of anyone ♪
♪ Who's reaching for the sky just to surrender ♪
♪ Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender ♪
♪ And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind ♪
♪ You find he did not leave you very much ♪
♪ Not even laughter ♪
♪ Like any dealer, he was watching for the card ♪
♪ That is so high and wild ♪
♪ He'll never need to deal another ♪
♪ He was just some Joseph looking for a manger ♪
♪ And then, leaning on your windowsill ♪
♪ He'll say one day you've caused his will to weaken ♪
♪ With your love and warmth and shelter ♪
♪ And then taking from his wallet an old schedule of trains ♪
♪ He'll say, "I told you when I came ♪
I was a stranger" ♪
♪ "I told you when I came I was a stranger" ♪
♪♪ (guitar continues)
Damn it, I told you.
Did you think I was stupid?
That's exactly what I said. Six – Six of 'em.
(sighs)
♪♪ (continues)
♪ But now another stranger ♪
♪ Seems to want you to ignore his dreams ♪
♪ As though they were the burden of some other ♪
♪ How you've seen that man before ♪
♪ His golden arm dispatching cards ♪
♪ But now it's rusted from the elbow to the finger ♪
♪ And he wants to trade the game he plays ♪
♪ For shelter ♪
♪ Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows ♪
♪ For shelter ♪
♪ Oh, you hate to watch another tired man lay down his hand ♪
♪ Like he was giving up the holy game of poker ♪
♪ And while he talks his dreams to sleep ♪
♪ You notice there's a highway ♪
♪ That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder ♪
♪ It's curling just like smoke above his shoulder ♪
♪ And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind ♪
♪ You find he did not leave you very much ♪
♪ Not even laughter ♪
♪ Like any dealer, he was watching for the card ♪
♪ That is so high and wild ♪
♪ He'll never need to deal another ♪
♪ He was just some Joseph looking for a manger ♪
(chattering)
Evenin'.
(mutters acknowledgment)
Holy Mother of God, keep me pure in thought, word and deed.
(clears throat)
MAN: Laura, what's for dinner?
No, sit down. Sit down.
MAN: Laura!
-Say, uh, that's the back door, ain't it? -Yeah.
I-I was about to put up a bottle on the house.
-(men laughing) -MAN: Yeah, that'll be the day.
Get the pipe. Get the pipe.
-Was he wearing a gun? -Sure didn't stay very long.
He ain't goin' nowhere. Just gettin' somethin' out of his pack.
Say, do you know what kind of gun that was? That was a Swedish kind of gun.
Uh, Swedish.
Get a rag.
So cheap, he squeezes out the bar rag.
Wet enough for you, mister?
Starts raining up here, it doesn't know when to stop.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
-I got a 20 and – -You got a 20?
What are you doing, Coyle? I brought that chair over here.
You're lucky you got a gimp leg, or I'd bash you in the face, you ignorant...
-It comin' back to you, Frank? -Yeah, we got it.
What you give me?
-Gentlemen. -Where'd you get all that money?
Wanna take a look at these?
MAN: I'll put in 10.
Say, Professor.
Didn't you say somethin' about a bottle on the house or somethin'?
MAN: Sheehan wouldn't say that.
MAN #2: That's what he said. Yeah, that's what he said.
-SHEEHAN: Yeah, I'm, uh – -Shh!
I'm Patrick Sheehan. This is my place.
Shouldn't we make a deal?
Uh, well, um, how much a bottle?
-Three dollars. -(men chuckling)
MAN: Three dollars? Yesterday it was two dollars.
Well, look, uh, how about we go 50-50 on that?
-I share your profits? -You want to share the losses?
(men chuckling)
I supply the place.
Yeah, but, uh, I think I supply the customers.
SHEEHAN: Nobody's bought nothing yet.
Tell you what, you give these boys a two-dollar bottle on me,
and then I'll stand my own losses and you can make your profit on the whiskey.
MAN (chuckles, whispers): That's good.
-One three-dollar bottle, Pat. -Bring it on.
MAN (clears throat): Forty, fifty.
Two-sixty. Two-sixty.
MAN #2: Well, there's 52 there.
-Throwin' away good liquor on him. -Might as well wave good-bye to your flask.
Well, you boys don't know nothin' about me and I don't know nothin' about you.
So what do you say we make this a nickel game, huh? To start off with.
Nickel? Let's make it a dime.
(men chattering)
I thank you very kindly, sir.
Now, what I'd like to do,
I'd like to make this a five-card stud
with a, uh, three-bet roof on the card.
And then maybe we get to see, uh, 15 cents on an open pair and the last card.
Unless you have no objections about that, I'd –
-That's good. I'm in for five. -Fifteen and the open pair? I'm in.
Comin' to kick your ass, boy.
Eight of hearts.
Four of clubs.
Deuce of spades. Seven of diamonds.
Eight of spades. Jack of spades.
Three of hearts.
Okay, my friend.
-Jack off. -(men laughing)
♪♪ (fiddle: plucking strings)
♪♪ (continues)
Close that goddamn door!
-Evening, Reverend. -♪♪ (fiddle stops)
-♪♪ (continues) -Mr. Sheehan, Mr. Elliott's here.
MAN: Uh, check.
-Is it done? -♪♪ (fiddle: "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay")
Evenin', Mr. Elliott.
MAN (muttering): ♪ Ta-ra-ra boom-de-ay ♪
Hi, Freddie. Going to the opera?
Mr. Smalley, you want to sit in on a hand here?
Uh, you know I don't gamble with no professionals.
-Hey, I'll take your place, Robbie. -If Smalley's not in, I'm staying on.
Hey, what's this shit? You don't wanna play, what's it matter whether it's me or Smalley?
And dry peas.
Church coming along nicely, isn't it?
I was talking with Mrs. Anderson. Can't wait until we get it finished.
-Hey, who's the dealer? -Fella by the name of McCabe.
-What? -McCabe.
-How do you know that? -He said his name was McCabe.
-Joe Shortreed told me. -How does he know?
I don't know. I guess McCabe told him.
-Never lose so fast before in my life. -McCABE: Jumpin' in like birds.
-SHEEHAN: How's it going? -COYLE: Beating his ass.
Drink on the house, Mr. McCabe?
-(liquid pouring) -Thank you very much.
MAN: Yeah, yeah, a nickel.
You didn't say your name was McCabe when you come in here.
I didn't say it now. You did.
-MAN: What you up to? -MAN #2: Call.
-Okay. Need new ones. -Okay.
Pudgy McCabe?
The gunfighter?
Businessman. Businessman.
Business ain't so good, is it, huh?
-(men laughing) -Say, did you ever know Bill Roundtree?
What's the matter with you, Sheehan? You got a turd in your pocket?
(laughing continues)
COYLE: Pat, we're trying to play some poker here, eh?
I got a king here, gents.
-Oh, shit. -Bart, you're getting slick as a cat's ass.
Hey, partner, you wanna deal a couple of hands for me?
-Sure. -COYLE: You aren't leavin', are ya?
-You're not quittin'? -No, no.
Be right back, gentlemen. Right back.
My good man.
(cards shuffling)
MAN: Try not to drop the cards, eh, Riley?
-Where you going? -Nowhere.
Uh, I-I was, uh, just wondering where you was gonna go.
Well, uh, I was gonna go over there by that fence.
Oh.
Yes, sir, that's McCabe, all right.
John McCabe.
Used to be called Pudgy McCabe. He's got a big rep.
-I ain't never heard of him. -Well, he's got a big rep.
Why'd they call him Pudgy? He don't look so fat.
How in the hell would I know? Anyway, he's the man that shot Bill Roundtree.
-I never heard of him either. -I know Bill Roundtree.
Can't remember from where, but I know the name.
He was nobody to mess with, and that man out there taking a pee shot him.
He's got a big rep.
(Sheehan sighs)
Gentlemen, the dealer is none other than John McCabe.
Pudgy McCabe? The man that shot Bill Roundtree.
-He really is a gunfighter. -I told you. He's a gunfighter.
COYLE: I don't care. I'm gonna beat his ass.
-Ever hear of Bill Roundtree? -He shot him? McCabe really shot him?
-Did you say Bill Roundtree? -Yeah.
-Well, I knew Bill Roundtree. -Who is he?
He was a – He was a governor. He was running for governor in Wyoming.
Jeremy, you are so full of shit.
McCABE: Damn, out there it kinda makes you feel like a three-squirt dog in a 30-mile wind.
-That egg's raw, ain't it? -Yeah.
Okay.
Tell me something, boys. Who owns the property around here?
Sheehan owns all the property this side of town.
Yeah, the Chinese don't own no property. They just poachin' mines.
Yeah, and Joe Shortreed, J.J., Bill Cubbs and myself
own that hole the other side of the church.
McCabe.
Uh, how long you figure on staying?
Well, these boys got my tit in a wringer here. I hate to move on when I'm losing.
Well, you can flop here for two bits a night. Come on. I'll show you.
Sorry. Uh...
Oh. Come on. (clears throat)
What would you think if I, uh,
cut my beard off and just, uh, left my mustache?
What do you wanna do that for?
-You got many Chinks around here? -Just turn over a rock.
-Who sells them their mud? You? -Not me.
I sell whiskey. I don't tolerate opium smokers round here.
(sighs) Well...
Shit.
Why don't you do like I do?
I just trim a little bit off the sides there, straight down to the chin.
Down, huh?
McCABE: I wouldn't stay up there if it was free
and you had a goddamn San Francisco whore in every bed.
MAN: All right, he's – Dealer's coming back.
-(men chattering) -Hey, Bart.
You know how to square a circle? You shove a four-by-four up a mule's ass.
(men laughing)
-Shall we make this a quarter game then? -Quarter? You got it!
(chattering excitedly)
Sheehan, bring these boys a bottle on me, huh?
♪ How you hate to watch another tired man ♪
♪ Lay down his hand ♪
♪ Like he was giving up the holy game of poker ♪
♪ And while he talks his dreams to sleep ♪
♪ You notice there is a highway ♪
♪ That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder ♪
♪ It's curling just like smoke above his shoulder ♪
♪ You tell him to come in, sit down ♪
♪ But something makes you turn around ♪
♪ The door is open and you can't close your shelter ♪
♪ You try the handle up the road ♪
♪ It opens Do not be afraid ♪
♪ It's you, my love ♪
♪ You who are the stranger ♪
♪ It is you, my love, you who are the stranger ♪
♪ Well, I've been waiting ♪
♪ I was sure we'd meet between the trains we're waiting for ♪
♪ And I think it's time to board another ♪
♪ Please understand I never had a secret chart ♪
♪ To get me to the heart of this ♪
♪ Or any other matter ♪
♪ Well, he talks like this ♪
♪ You don't know what he's after ♪
♪ When he speaks like this, you don't know what he's after ♪
Potatoes! Hot potatoes for a penny!
Hot potatoes, a penny!
You don't know what you're doing, McCabe. You got no experience at this.
I need two more.
All right, I got one more I can let you have. You wait a minute.
Kate, come on out here.
You can have her, but you're gonna have to get her some teeth.
McCABE: All right. How much for three?
Three? Eighty dollars each.
Eighty dollars for a chippie, huh? I can get a goddamn horse for 50.
I'll give you $200 for the three of 'em.
I'll be goddamn lucky if this here little split-tail makes it through the winter.
You made a mighty long ride down here. You must need 'em bad.
-Archer, let's get the guns on the table. -Fuck the table.
-You don't know nothin' about it. -Listen to me, you son of a bitch.
Tell me how many spare chippies you got in there,
you goddamn butternut muff-diver, and I'll tell you how many I need.
-I've got two I can spare. -That's bullshit. Bullshit!
I want three.
You want three.
Tell you what I'm gonna do.
You want three for $200, right?
I think maybe we can work out a deal. Come on. I'll buy you a drink.
WOMAN: How much farther is this town anyway?
WOMAN #2: You still bitching your ass off?
WOMAN: The farther away you stay from any town, the better.
♪ Oh, the sisters of mercy They are not departed or gone ♪
♪ They were waiting for me ♪
♪ When I thought that I just can't go on ♪
WOMAN: Come on. Get.
♪ And they brought me their comfort ♪
WOMAN: Come on, Alma, hang on.
♪ And later they brought me this song ♪
♪ Oh, I hope you run into them ♪
-♪ You who've been traveling so long ♪ -(women chattering)
WOMAN: And I couldn't complain to have his butt so near.
-WOMAN #2: He knew you were a whore. -WOMAN: You never stop, do ya?
WOMAN #2: Listen, with an ass like you got, you don't feel anything.
♪ Yes, you ♪
-♪ Who must leave everything ♪ -(dogs barking)
♪ That you cannot control ♪
♪ It begins with your family ♪
♪ But soon it comes round ♪
♪ To your soul ♪
McCABE: Where's Berg? Hey, where's Berg?
Where's the tents?
Hey, Bart, hold it. Berg? Where's Berg?
Hey, Jeremy, McCabe wants you.
Yeah. Okay. Coming.
The tents ain't up. How come the tents ain't up?
How do you like it? We did quite a bit of work while you were gone.
-Where's the tents? -The tents?
-For the ladies. -Aw, geez, the tents.
Uh, well, you know, the roofing material didn't come in,
so we had to start on the front here.
We can get, uh – We can – We can get them up for you by tomorrow.
We would have had them up, uh – We would have had them up by now
except, uh, Robbie's had the runs,
so we've been trying not to use him too much this week.
It's been going around, Mr. McCabe.
Mrs. Dunn, she's, uh – Mrs. Dunn's been poorly too, so –
so we, uh, decided to put the...
Riley, you gonna talk to 'em?
BERG: They're very difficult to install on account of the rain we been gettin'.
MAN (laughs): Come over and play at my house.
We had to use the canvas for the tents up on the roof because of the rain.
Oh, hell, I'm gonna talk to 'em.
-That's a real pretty dress. -Get your hands off!
(chattering, arguing)
-MAN: Yeah, come on. -WOMAN: Let her go, you –
-(women shouting) -McCABE: What the hell's going on?
Hey, hey! Come on, come on. Come on!
Get up. (grunting)
♪ When I left, they were sleeping ♪
♪ I hope you run into them soon ♪
♪ Don't turn on the lights ♪
♪ You can read their address ♪
♪ By the moon ♪
Berg, you won't be...
♪ And you won't make me jealous ♪
♪ If I hear that they've sweetened your night ♪
-WOMAN: Son of a bitch. -Just go on up.
♪ We weren't lovers like that ♪
♪ And besides, it would still be all right ♪
♪ We weren't lovers like that ♪
♪ And besides, it would still be all right ♪
What the hell are you – Ain't you boys never seen no strumpet before, for Christ's sake?
Robbie, you got a job to do, ain't you?
Ain't nobody gonna touch one of them little ladies till we're open for business.
And we ain't open for business until we get them goddamn tents up.
-Now you get on back to work. -You heard what he said.
Get your ass off your shoulder and we'll have a little fun around here.
Boys gotta make up your mind if you want your cookies.
'Cause I've got girls up here that can do more tricks
than a goddamn monkey on a hundred yards of grapevine.
(laughing)
-(woman murmuring) -(laughing continues)
(laughing) Hey, Kate, I think I bust my cherry.
(woman laughs)
-There we go. -Oh, that feels good.
-There. That's really good. -Mm-hmm.
Excuse me, ladies. I'll be back in a few minutes.
-WOMAN: I have to go to the pot. -Huh?
I have to go to the pot and I don't think I can hold it.
♪ Oh, the sisters of mercy ♪
♪ They are not departed or gone ♪
Hyah!
♪ They were waiting for me ♪
♪ When I thought that I just can't go on ♪
♪ And they brought me their comfort ♪
♪ And later they brought me this song ♪
♪ Oh, I hope you run into them ♪
♪ You who've been traveling so long ♪
Well, uh...
I got to hand it to you, Pudgy.
John.
Call me McCabe, tallywacker. I'll know who you mean.
(McCabe clears throat, sighs)
You know I want to be your friend, don't you, McCabe?
Yeah? Why?
Well, you and me is the only two real businessmen in Presbyterian Church.
Now, that ain't a whole lot to have in common, is it?
Well... you're a Catholic, ain't ya?
Nope.
Oh.
Well, uh...
the minute I seen you ride into town, I knew you was a man to be reckoned with.
That's a lot of shit and you know it.
Now, tell me what the hell you come up here for.
And move away from that stove.
You get kinda ripe when it's warm.
(chuckling)
Now, listen, McCabe.
(sniffs)
I'm no dummy.
You're no dummy.
(spits) You know what's gonna happen to this town
when it gets big enough to have three saloons, maybe even four, hmm?
You and me are gonna form a partnership.
A partnership that'll keep any outsider from coming in here
and building another saloon
without you and me saying it's all right and taking our cut.
Huh? What do you say to that?
McCABE: Partners is what I come up here to get away from.
Sometimes you can't have things your own way.
Sometimes you got to make a deal.
Yeah? Well, deals I don't mind. It's partners I don't like. Sit down, Sheehan.
Now you listen to me.
Over the past few weeks, I've taken a funny kind of liking to you, you son of a bitch.
And I wanna make one goddamn thing goddamn clear to you.
Yeah.
Sheehan, if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass so much. You follow me?
Yeah.
(Alma screaming)
(man shouting)
(Alma screams)
-(Alma whimpering) -(Lil screams)
♪ It's you who must leave everything ♪
-(Alma screaming) -♪ That you cannot control ♪
♪ It begins with your family ♪
♪ But soon it comes round to your soul ♪
-(dogs barking) -(screaming continues)
♪ Well, I've been where you're hanging ♪
♪ I think I can see how you're pinned ♪
♪ When you're not feeling holy ♪
♪ Your loneliness says that you've sinned ♪
(whistle blowing)
-(chattering in English, Chinese) -(whistle blows)
(whistle blowing)
(men shouting)
(whistle blows)
Look. More whores.
Ah, shut up, woman. How do you know it isn't Bart's mail-order bride?
Damn it, I'll bet it is her.
Ida!
-Ida! -(whistle blowing)
Ida! Ida, it's me! Bartley Coyle!
Ida, I think this is for you.
Oh. Are you –
Are you Ida? Well, here.
Here, jump off. I'll help you.
Go ahead. I'll help you.
Just go ahead. Jump.
Oh, good. How was the trip?
Oh, McCabe. McCabe, this is Ida.
Ida, this is McCabe. He's, uh, building this saloon.
Well, come along and I'll show you our place.
It ain't much now, but I'm really planning on fixing it up.
You John McCabe?
-Yeah. -Mrs. Miller.
Come from Bearpaw to see you.
This your place?
Uh, yes, ma'am.
Saloon, eh?
All of that is gonna be saloon and gambling.
Did you say you come up here from Bearpaw to see me?
(rooster crows)
(whistle blows)
Ma'am, uh... is there something I can do for you?
Do you have anything to eat? I'm bloody starving.
Took six hours to get up here in that flipping contraption.
Uh... well, you'll have to forgive me. My kitchen ain't in operation yet.
But I could take you up to the restaurant up there, if you're hungry enough.
I'm hungry enough. I could eat a bloody horse.
Well, at Sheehan's place you probably will.
Found a frontier wit, I see.
♪♪ (fiddle)
♪♪ (continues)
-Just go right up the stairs there. -Oh!
Andy, you take mine.
Whores? I can tell the difference.
You can always tell a real genteel lady by the way she walks.
Any news from down in Bearpaw? It's been a while since I been –
(blows nose) How many men are there round here?
Well, this here is an interesting town.
There's gon' be upwards of a hundred, 125 men before long.
♪♪ (continues)
Oh. You...
What do you think, Smalley?
About what?
Don't you see nothin' different?
No.
-♪♪ (stops) -McCABE: Sheehan.
-Sheehan. -♪♪ (fiddle resumes, scales)
-Sheehan. -Yeah?
♪♪ (stops)
Aha. Company, I see.
(grunts) What you got for supper, Sheehan?
-♪♪ (fiddle resumes, melody) -Alfie, uh, uh, get the tablecloth.
Uh, got some nice tripe and, uh, Mrs. Dunn just puttin' the stew on the fire.
McCABE: Got any more of them mountain oysters?
SHEEHAN: M – Uh, got some nice deer meat.
-Got any eggs? Fresh eggs? -Yeah, fresh eggs, yeah.
I'd have four eggs, fried, some stew, and I want some strong tea.
Strong tea. Right. Uh, McCabe?
Uh, I'll just have my double whiskey and a raw egg.
Right.
SHEEHAN (mutters): Move it.
And, Sheehan, give all them boys a drink on me.
SHEEHAN: Yeah.
♪♪ (fiddle resumes)
♪♪ (stops)
Hey.
You know, if you want to make out you're such a fancy dude,
you ought to wear something besides that cheap Jockey Club cologne.
♪♪ (resumes)
McCABE: I don't even care what you think I am. Seems to me...
-(men chattering) -♪♪ (fiddle continues)
♪♪ (stops)
♪♪ (fiddle: "Beautiful Dreamer")
♪♪ (continues)
Listen, Mr. McCabe.
I'm a whore and I know an awful lot about whorehouses.
And I know that if you had a house up here, you'd stand to make yourself a lot of money.
Now, this is all you gotta do – put up the money for the house.
I'll do all the rest – I'll look after the girls, the business, the expenses,
the running, the furnishing, everything.
And I'll pay you back any money you put in the house
so's you won't lose nothin'.
And we'll make it 50-50.
Excuse me. You know I already got a whorehouse operating up here.
(scoffs) Can't call them crib cows whores.
I'm talking about a proper sporting house with class girls and clean linen
and proper hygiene.
Well, I don't think you're gonna find my clientele up here,
uh, too interested in that sort of thing.
They will be, once they get a taste of it.
I'm telling you, with someone up here to handle all them punters properly,
you could make yourself at least double the money you'll make on your own.
What makes you think I ain't thought of that? Them tents, you know, they's just temporary.
What do you do when one girl fancies another?
How do you know when a girl really has her monthly
or when she's just taking a few days off?
What about when they don't get their monthlies? 'Cause they don't. What do you do then?
I suppose you know all about seeing to that. And what about the customers?
Who's gonna skin them back and inspect them? You?
What you –
If you don't, this town will be clapped up inside of two weeks, if it's not already.
What about when business is slow?
You just gonna let the girls sit around on their bums?
'Cause I'll tell you, when a good whore gets time to sit around and think,
four out of five times she'll turn to religion 'cause that's what they was born with.
When that happens, you find yourself filling the bloody church instead of your own pockets.
I haven't got time to sit and talk to a man who's too dumb to see a good proposition.
Do we make a deal, or don't we?
(chuckles)
(stammers)
Well?
Shit, I ain't taking no goddamn bath.
I don't give a shit if I...
(sighs)
(grunts, sighs)
Hmm.
(burps)
(sighs)
(burps)
(sighs)
(burps, farts)
(sighs)
-Yeah, keep it on the... -SHEEHAN: Watch the landing.
MAN: The landing's all right.
(men chattering)
MAN: This is the last night of this for me. You want more, you can shove it up your ass.
MAN #2: She's bringing them girls all the way from Seattle.
Real first-class fancy women, I hear.
I can't imagine nobody paying no 25 cents for a goddamn bath though.
Two bits ain't too bad. Cheapest bath in Bearpaw is 35 cents.
I wouldn't take one if they was free.
BERG: Why you guys so against taking a bath?
MAN #3: I ain't. I don't like being told when, that's all.
MAN: It's that Miller woman. She's the one behind this.
BERG: Well, Mr. McCabe, how does she look?
Goddamn good.
McCabe, go ask Mrs. Miller when them new whores are coming into town.
I don't see what's the matter with the ones we've got.
Hold your water, tallywacker.
You think I'm gonna let some goddamn chippie tell me how to run a gooseberry ranch?
You got the goddamn saddle on the wrong horse.
Them girls will come up here when I goddamn tell them to come up here.
As I recall, I'm paying you boys 15 cents an hour
after you've been in them goddamn mines all day
so's you'll have something to do at night
'sides go home and play with Mary Five Fingers.
(sniffs)
(burps) Right, Berg?
That's right, Mr. McCabe.
You heard what he said.
He's paying us 15 cents an hour after we've been working in the mines all goddamn day
so we'll have something else to do 'cept play with Five-Fingered Mary.
Oh, shut up, Jeremy.
(winding)
♪♪ (music box: "Brahms' Lullaby")
♪♪ (continues)
Mrs. Miller.
I wish to have a word with you, Mrs. Miller.
♪♪ (continues)
-You gonna open that door? -No.
All right.
I asked to have a simple word with you and nothing else,
and if you think that I'm gon' have this conversation –
-(metal squeaking) -(grunting) through this door,
that's just fine with me.
Mrs. Miller, I want to know when them girls is getting in here from Seattle.
I've got them boys working on your bathhouse,
and I got a right to know.
♪♪ (continues)
Paid for their... transportation.
I think you think I'm nothin' but a bank.
(sighs) So far you've cost me nothin' but money.
Money and pain.
Pain, pain, pain.
♪♪ (stops)
MAN: Come on. Giddap there.
Hyah!
Hyah! Ho! Come on, Whitey! Hyah! Ho!
Ho! Come on! Ho! (driver continues shouting)
Hyah! Come on! Giddap there! Hyah!
(wagon approaching)
Ho! Ho! Come on! Giddap!
Hyah! Ho! Ho!
Whoa! Whoa!
Believe these ladies are looking for you, ma'am.
-My God, what happened? -Wagon broke down maybe a mile back.
I've got most of the things in here.
Lou! Ah Ping!
Fetch the ladies' luggage. Quick as you can. Go on.
Allow me to introduce my wife. This is Mrs. Washington.
My name is Sumner Washington. I'm a barber by profession.
Pleased to meet you.
Lil?
Thought you'd like to look at my beautiful ladies.
Give them a hot bath. Go on. Quick, get the water heating.
(shivering, giggling)
How are you, Constance? My ass is frozen!
WOMAN: Yeah, well, that's what half the boys say about you, dear.
-You told us there was gonna be a house here. -MRS. MILLER: Keep your hair on!
I'm building a bloody palace here for you girls. Come on.
-Right now I'm gonna give you a bath. -All I seen is a bunch of dried-up Chinks.
-WOMAN: I'm not fucking any Chinamen. -WOMAN #2: Oh, shut up, Maisie!
You ever know a Chink wanna fuck another Chink
when there's a white woman around?
-Come on! -Stop whining or I'll scratch your eyes out.
Get in there.
Cor blimey! How they do go on.
WOMAN: You said in your letter there was a house here. You call this a house?
WOMAN #2: I had to get something out of it.
WOMAN #3: You stole that from Christine!
WOMAN #2: That's a goddamn rotten lie. I paid $13 for it.
Aw, shut up, Eunice. You're always bloody well complaining.
-Dollar to you, Jack. -Call.
-Riley? -(coin lands on table)
MAN: Say, do you know what I heard?
I heard one of them girls they were bringing up was an authentic Chinese princess.
MAN #2: Do you think that's true what they say about Chinese girls?
MAN #3: Horseshit. If that was true, their legs would fall off.
-MAN #2: Oh, come on! -(men laughing)
MAN #1: It's true.
You see, if you notice their eyes, the way they slant, you know,
-and the way they tip up at the side, -(laughing)
well, that's – that's true for their whole –
that's true – that's true for the rest of their bodies.
A friend of mine, Amos Lindville, down in Sacramento, California,
he once spent five dollars to find out.
Five dollars he spent just to have a look.
And he said it's true. It's true.
A guy like Amos Lindville isn't gonna spend five dollars
just to find out something that isn't true.
WOMEN: ♪ Beautiful dreamer ♪
♪ Wake unto me ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪♪ (singing fades)
(dog barking)
(other dogs join in barking)
(barking stops)
LILY: I'm a cook now. I'm not a whore anymore.
SMALLEY: You're just throwing your training away.
All that experience, Lily. It's unfair.
BERG: Wait till you see this place when we get it finished.
It's really gonna be something. Gonna be really fancy.
You know, the whorehouses down in South America are really unusual.
-MAN: You were down in South America? -BERG: I was down there when I was a boy.
They're really unusual. They're not like this at all. They're not fancy at all.
They're just sort of mud huts. You know, mud houses.
You get a family of people working in these mud houses.
And the women in the family are whores.
-And the parents, they sell their own kids? -BERG: That's right.
-McCABE: You know where Berg is, Smalley? -In there.
Has he had a bath?
Madam, I'm not here as a customer.
-Berg? -You looking for me, Mr. McCabe?
-Tryin' to put me out of business, Berg? -Well, uh –
Oh, these order forms. Yeah, well, that's all right because that, uh –
-How much is that Chinese girl? -A dollar fifty, like all the rest.
-Does that go for Mrs. Miller too? -No. She's five dollars.
-Five dollars? -You get exactly what you ordered.
-Is that right, Mrs. Miller? -What's that?
-MAN: Five dollars for you. -That's right.
Jesus Christ, that's a lot of money.
Shit. All right, then, let's go.
MAN: You must be rich or somethin'.
-♪♪ (music box) -BERG: You're getting all your materials.
Because it's in your own best interest to have these forms
and to make sure they're signed.
MRS. MILLER: Come on, Mr. Quigley. Ain't scared of me, are you?
Once you've got everything you ordered, you can tell because you've got proof.
You've got my signature on these order forms, and that's all that you'll need.
♪♪ (music box continues)
So that's it.
Unless, of course, you'd like us to stay around and see if maybe someone doesn't...
No, you go ahead.
I've got my tit in the wringer on these books.
I can't tell the goddamn owls from the chickens.
♪ Traveling lady ♪
♪ Stay a while ♪
♪ Until the night is over ♪
♪ I'm just a station ♪
♪ On your way ♪
♪ I know I'm not your lover ♪
Fourteen.
Fourteen and eight. (sighs)
Fourteen and eight. Fourteen and eight.
-(stamps foot) -Get out of here!
(objects clattering on desk)
Why are you always in such a lousy temper?
Because, my dear Mrs. Miller,
I not only built you your gooseberry ranch,
I've paid for a bathhouse I don't need,
I've paid for transportation,
I've paid for towels and linens, an enema bag.
I've paid for things them chippies of yours don't even know how to use.
But I have not sold a full bottle of whiskey in here today, and that's a fact.
And that, my dear Mr. McCabe, is 'cause every geezer in this town
was taking a bath in your bathhouse or having it off with a girl in your whorehouse.
Well, I ain't seen none of that money, and what my books tell me I need most right now is money.
Whorehouse, bathhouse money for the first week.
We're short on the bath money 'cause of the first night's rush,
but I'll see it doesn't happen again.
(wheezing laughter)
Well, I'm not surprised you don't know how much money you've got and how much you ain't.
You've got your credit column on a different page from your debits.
Hey, I'll thank you to keep your little nose out of things you don't understand.
-What's 14 from 23? -What?
You heard me. Fourteen from 23.
Nine.
Nine plus 16?
-Twenty-five. Five and – -My dear madam!
I can hold my own in any game of chance with any amount you can count
and figure out payoffs before you can blink an eye.
Don't give me them horse puckies just 'cause it takes me time to write it up formal.
Well, if you're so bloody smart, then you'd know
that if we bought the windows and doors for the whorehouse,
you'd make twice as much money!
Or perhaps you like the idea of screwing with the wind whistling up your Khyber!
How come whenever you talk about spending money, you say "we"?
I say "we," Mr. McCabe, because you think small!
You think small 'cause you're afraid to think big.
I'm telling you, you have to spend money to make money.
You want to spend the rest of your life shuffling cards in this dump? Fine. I don't!
There's gonna come a time –
There's gonna come a time when I sell you me half interest, go to San Francisco
and buy me a legitimate boardinghouse.
But right now I don't want no small-timer screwing up me business!
Boardinghouse, huh?
Like to get a good look at them boarders.
Hey!
Where do you think you're off to?
Money and pain.
Pain, pain, pain.
♪♪ ("Silent Night")
♪♪ (continues)
MAN: Hey, Al, look at this!
-Hey, hon, you work at Mrs. Miller's? -That's my wife, you son of a bitch!
-MAN: Come on! I'd pay her! -COYLE: Goddamn you!
-IDA: Bart! -(horses whinnying)
BART (shouting): You son of a – You young –
MAN: Grab him. Grab him.
For Christ's sake. Hold him, will ya?
-Come on! Hold him! -Shit, Bart.
-Come on. Hold it. -Easy, easy, easy.
-Bart? -Jesus Christ.
There's blood, and his head's all busted open.
Come on, let's pick him up.
-Come on. Pick him up. Come on. Get him up! -Get the other leg.
Take it slow.
♪♪ ("Silent Night" continues)
♪♪ (ends)
♪♪ (new song)
MAN: I don't have much time.
Hey, who's with the bottle of gin?
-Well, it's – That's in my room. -Kate!
-I'll get it.
Alma, you go and get it. Where is it?
Under me pillow.
It's under her pillow.
Booze stays down here, Blanche.
-♪♪ (continues) -(laughing)
Girls, she's gonna be in in a minute.
-How are we doing? Nearly finished? -Well, I took some of the pink off.
Well, you think you could write "Birdie" there?
-Think you can do that? -Mmm.
All right.
WOMAN: You like this? You like this? Pink and white.
MRS. MILLER: Yeah, very pretty. Tasty, yeah.
(McCabe burps, sighs)
MAN: Thank you very much. I'll get back to you later.
MAN: Mr. McCabe?
Mr. McCabe?
Excuse me. My name is Sears. Eugene Sears.
Oh. And I'm Roebuck. Who's watching the store?
(laughs, grunts)
I'm, uh – I'm with M.H. Harris and Shaughnessey Mining Company.
We'd like to have a talk, if we could.
No shit.
Truth of the matter is, Mr. McCabe,
we're interested in the mining deposits up here.
Well, the truth of the matter is that I would like to have a little drink.
-Would you care to join me? -We'd like to buy you a drink, Mr. McCabe.
Wait a minute. You got a turd in your pocket or something? Who the hell is "we"?
This is Ernie Hollander. He's with me.
-Ah. You want a drink, Ernie? -Sure, I'd like a drink.
-But my stomach can't handle it anymore. -Hmm.
Look, Mr. McCabe, I don't want you to misunderstand.
Oh, no, there's nothing to misunderstand.
You want to buy out the zinc, go ahead. I don't own any goddamn zinc mines.
Hey, Robbie, get us a bottle up here, will ya.
Hey, you boys know about the –
you boys know about the frog who got ate by the eagle?
Here's this, uh, big old eagle.
He swooped down and gobbled up this little frog, see?
And the little frog is inside the eagle and they're way up in the air,
and the frog is working his way back in the eagle, working his way back.
And he looked out of the eagle's ass and he says, "Hey, eagle!"
He says, "Oh!" He says, uh, "How high up are we?"
And the eagle says, "Well," he says, "we're up about a mile, two miles."
And the frog says, he says,
"Well, uh, you wouldn't shit me now, would ya?"
(McCabe laughing)
That's good. That's really good, Mr. McCabe.
-I'll have to remember that. -(McCabe continues laughing)
Now, Mr. McCabe, uh,
we know you're a businessman, and we're businessmen, so, uh,
what we'd like to do is make you an offer –
buy out all your holdings here in Presbyterian Church.
All right. How much?
-I'd like to point out a few things first. -Why don't you just tell me how much.
Then you can point out all the goddamn things you – What the hell kind of coat is that?
-That's seal skin. -Oh.
Uh, the company won't go over $5,500. I know that.
Well, that, uh, ain't high enough, is it?
Now listen, we just bought out Sheehan down there for 1,600.
Hotel, his livery stable, the whole works.
Well, now, you certainly got fucked there, didn't you?
Listen, uh, Mr. McCabe, if we can't talk this over reasonably –
We were empowered to work with you because we were led to believe
that you were the town's leading citizen,
a man of good common sense, if you know what I mean.
Roebuck, uh, you know,
if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass so much.
-You follow me? -What?
Well, I got better offers than that from Monkey Ward.
So if you boys wanna talk business with me,
what you gotta do is, you gotta get your offer way up there in the air where it belongs.
Uh, Smalley, fill up that, uh, no-limit game for me, will ya.
Well, now, what do you think of that?
He's a real smart-ass, he is.
MRS. MILLER: Let's go.
ALL: Happy birthday, Birdie!
(excited chattering)
Oh, look at the beautiful cake!
Oh, it's –
SMALLEY: Did you make that, Lily? It's beautiful.
(chattering continues, faint)
SMALLEY: Oh. I could never blow 'em out.
Oh! Well, Mr. McCabe isn't –
SMALLEY: Don't worry about McCabe. I don't think he'll be over tonight.
-Uh, well, he was tying one on. -(all laughing)
-Oh. -Come on.
-No, you got to make a wish. -(Birdie whispering)
-Um – -BERG: What'd you wish?
-BIRDIE: I – -WOMAN: Don't!
(Birdie chuckles)
-SMALLEY: I can't do that. -(all cheering, chattering)
-Take them all out. -I want the one with the flower.
SMALLEY: Bend my head down. No, thank you. I'd just like a piece of cake.
BIRDIE: It's just so exciting!
WOMAN: I want the one with the flower!
BIRDIE: Oh, Connie, aren't you gonna stay and have a piece of my cake?
WOMAN: What's wrong with her?
She's gotten into one of them quiet times.
(chattering continues, faint)
♪♪ (stand-up music box: melody)
♪♪ (continues)
(knocking)
-Who's that? -Uh, uh, it's... me.
-What do you want? -Well, uh –
O-Open the door. Come on.
Listen, don't think you can fool me with that Bay Rum again,
'cause it won't work.
You had a bath?
Madam, I've been in the goddamn water so long, my ass is wrinkled up.
Now, open the door.
You make me sick sometimes.
Couldn't you even turn up for that poor little girl's birthday party?
I'll tell you something, little lady.
A couple gimpers come in the saloon tonight and offered to buy me out.
My whole spread.
Who'd do a dull thing like that?
Well, uh, uh –
It's, uh, "Harrison," Shaughnessey, something like that.
Offered me $5,500.
Take your hat off the bed. It's bad luck.
$5,500. 'Tain't bad, eh, Mrs. Miller?
I played it smart as a possum. I give 'em a "no" and went right on about my business.
Just turned them down flat as a pancake.
See, what's gonna happen is, they're gonna come back with a better offer.
And, uh, I think your share is gonna be, uh –
-Well, let me see. -"Think."
What did you say?
I should have known.
Huh?
You turned down Harris and Shaughnessey. You know who they are?
Of course I know who they are.
Well, you just better hope they come back.
They'd as soon put a bullet in your back as look at you.
(chattering, laughing continues)
Shh! It's Kate and Mr. Anderson.
-Is Mr. McCabe in there with her? -How would I know?
WOMAN: Get out. A dollar doesn't give you the right to get dressed in here.
MAN: I don't have a whole lot of time.
-You just got no respect. -BLANCHE: Two gentlemen downstairs
to see Mr. McCabe.
-(laughing) -Is he in there with you?
Yes.
(door opens, closes)
Now, our Mr. McCabe'll be with you in just a wee minute, so you wait right there now.
McCABE: You're, uh, spending your profits, huh?
Fantastic.
-Ah, gentlemen. -SEARS: Oh, Mr. McCabe.
-You gentlemen smoke cigars? -Uh, no. No, thank you.
-Uh, Mr. McCabe, Mr. Hollander and I – -Here, here, here.
-Put one in there. -Thank you.
We appreciate you wanting to take a strong position on this thing.
In fact, we admire it.
-Ernie, uh, do you want to – -No, no, you go right ahead, Eugene.
Well, what we'd like to do is, we'd like to make a new approach.
Oh? Okay.
Well, you remember, uh, our offer this evening?
Uh... an offer...
No.
-Well, it was $5,500. -Now, that's why I don't remember it.
$5,500.
Well, Ernie, I think we can get the company to come up with another $750.
That would make it 6,250, yeah.
Of course, we'd have to have an immediate answer on that.
Well, Mr. Sears, uh,
the immediate answer to that would be no.
(inhaling puffs)
(exhales)
(inhaling puffs)
(exhales)
-(blubbering) -Aaah! No, no.
I have to tell you the rest of my story. Come on.
Excuse me. If I may intercede here.
Mr. McCabe. May I call you John?
-Of course. -I have a son called John, not unlike you.
You've done a wonderful job here.
You've built up a beautiful little business in no time at all.
And here we are, ready to give you a substantial gain in capital,
an offer from one of the most solid companies in the United States.
And you say no.
Well, uh, frankly, I don't understand.
Uh, I guess I don't have to tell you
that some of our people are going to be quite concerned.
You know what I mean?
Well, the way I feel about this is that you gentlemen come up here
and you – you want a man in my position to sell off his property.
And I think there's got to be a good reason.
Now, I would think that a pretty good reason
would be $14,000, $15,000.
But why don't you gentlemen come on over to my place tomorrow morning for breakfast,
and we'll just talk about it.
Say about 8:00?
Blanche, Birdie. Come on over here for a minute, will you?
(laughing)
Now, this here is Mr. Sears
-and Mr. – -Hollander.
-Mr. Sears, how are you? -Hollander.
Now, you just take good care of these gentlemen.
You look lovely tonight.
Would you like to have a drink, or would you like to go upstairs?
Everything's on me.
-Is that your pleasure, upstairs? -We haven't had dinner yet.
You don't need it.
Come on, Constance, open up.
Constance?
Come on, Constance.
Goddamn, I never knew nobody in my life spent so much time behind locked doors.
-No – -Oh, what a nice velour.
-Look at that. -No, I'm sorry.
Does it go on this way? Ah, isn't that nice?
-Ah, come on. Did you want to play? -No, no.
-Sure, you do. Look at this. -They have to go now.
What do you mean? You're no fun at all.
No, we haven't had dinner. We're going to go eat.
Well, see, when you get yourself in a gambling situation,
you've got to know when the other fellow's bluffin'.
Didn't I tell you them two gimpers would come back to me, huh?
I told you. You see, once in a while,
if you could just learn to trust me, Constance, everything gonna be a lot easier.
You'll find that out.
How high do you think they'll go?
I don't know.
Tomorrow morning at breakfast is gonna tell the tale.
♪ Travelin' lady, stay a while ♪
You're a funny little thing.
Sometimes you're just as sweet,
and at other times –
♪ I'm just a station on your way ♪
♪ I know I'm not your lover ♪
♪ She used to wear her hair like you ♪
♪ Except when she was sleeping ♪
♪ And then she'd weave it on a loom ♪
♪ Of smoke and gold and breathing ♪
♪♪ (fiddle: ballad)
♪♪ (continues)
Listen, Ernie, we'll make a deal, all right?
We'll only have to come up another thousand dollars, but we'll make it.
He's negotiating.
We'll close this deal for $7,000.
-Well, 6,250. -I don't think so.
He hasn't the brains.
I want to turn it over to Jake.
Oh, come on. Let's not give up on him now.
Now, listen, son, if you want to hang around here
and try and knock some sense into that fool's head, that's up to you.
I'm going back right now.
After 17 years, I think I deserve something better
than being sent out on a goddamn snipe hunt like this.
He's impossible!
Yeah, okay, I guess you're right.
We tried.
Listen, you think that meat is all right?
God, I hope it wasn't rancid.
That's all I need on a trip like this is a case of the runs.
How many times have I told you to shut the hell up?
-Jesus Christ. -(cat meows)
-Well, how is he? -Terrible.
He's out again.
Ain't come to again this time for three hours.
Jesus Christ.
Bart Coyle went and got his head bashed open last night.
-Yeah? How is he? -Horrible.
He keeps passing out.
I think he cracked it.
Hey, Robbie, I want you to break out one of them jars of Damson preserves
I got sent up here from Portland.
Give him a little drink, will you?
Didn't I tell you three for breakfast?
Smalley said the others weren't coming.
Those other two, they left last night.
Oh, you handled them beautifully.
They knew they weren't dealing with no tinhorn.
REVEREND: Almighty God in heaven, who sees and knows all the sinful acts
-that offend him on this earth – -(rooster crows)
the swift and powerful blade of justice lays open the serpent of people
and leaves its putrid flesh to rot under the sun of heaven
and send its soul to burn forever in hell's fire,
accept the toil of this servant as atonement for his sins
and grant him entrance into the kingdom of heaven
and everlasting life at the foot of the almighty throne. Amen.
♪♪ (fiddle: hymn)
♪ A calm and undisturbed repose ♪
♪ Unbroken by the last of foes ♪
♪ Asleep in Jesus ♪
♪ Oh, how sweet ♪
♪ To be for such a slumber meet ♪
♪ With holy confidence to sing ♪
-♪ That death has lost his venomed sting ♪ -(horse whinnies)
♪ Asleep in Jesus ♪
♪ Time nor space ♪
♪ Debars this precious hiding place ♪
♪ On Indian plains or Lapland snows ♪
-You're not going down there, are you? -Ain't nothing to worry about. I told you that.
-Well, you got your gun on you? -Uh, yeah.
Don't make no difference.
♪ Repose ♪
♪ Asleep in Jesus ♪
♪ Time nor space ♪
♪ Debars this precious hiding place ♪
♪ On Indian plains or Lapland snows ♪
♪ Believers find the same repose ♪
♪ Asleep in Jesus ♪
♪ Far from thee ♪
♪ Thy kindred and their graves may be ♪
♪ But guard us till our blessed sleep ♪
♪ From which none ever wakes to weep ♪
-What you want? -Wait a minute, mister. I don't mean no –
-Then what you come up here for? -I heard you had the fanciest whorehouse
in the whole territory up here.
Gee, it's been so long since I had a piece of ass.
Well, you come on up here, I'll show you what you're looking for.
(wind howling)
What's cooking? I sure am hungry.
-What the hell is that? -It's a carpet vacuum machine.
(mutters) Oh, yeah?
Well, who wants to be next?
-Not me. I've got the curse. -BIRDIE: Which one of us do you fancy?
Ah, hell. Don't make no difference. I'm gonna have you all.
Eh –
(women laughing)
Goddamn.
(laughing continues)
Blanche, some mail come in today.
This here's for Mrs. Miller.
Oh. Oh, that must be the new petticoat she ordered.
Oh, hi. Boy, they sure weren't kidding about this place.
-What's that? Is that a letter for me? -Uh –
That's for me.
I'll just take this on up to Mrs. Miller.
Mr. McCabe. She's got company.
Well, I'll just leave it here then.
♪♪ (fiddle: up-tempo)
-♪♪ (continues, faint) -(man laughing)
IDA: Well, it just hurts so much.
I guess maybe I'm small?
No. You've just got to learn to relax, that's all.
I think maybe this will do.
Stand up. Take your top off.
You've got to take your mind off it. Think of something else, you know?
Look at a wall. Count the roses in the wallpaper.
What are you doing? There's nothing to hide.
See, the thing is, it don't mean nothing.
You never know. You might even get to like it.
I mean, you managed it with Bart, didn't you, eh?
Oh, yeah. You really are small, aren't you? Just like me.
I'll get a few pins.
Oh, but with him, I had to. It was my duty.
Turn around.
It weren't your duty, Ida.
You did it to pay for your bed and board.
And you do this to pay for your bed and board too.
Only you get to keep a little extra for yourself and you don't have to ask nobody for nothing.
Just more honest, to my mind.
Don't worry. You're gonna do just fine here.
(bystanders clapping, stomping feet)
(whistles)
(whistling)
♪♪ (ends)
A dollar?
-Then I'm out. -(hand slaps table)
-Okay, I'll bump you a dollar. -Make it five.
-Quit looking at my damn cards. -You don't got it.
Okay, I'll call you.
Got the aces.
Shit, you little fart. You've been looking at my damn cards.
No, you don't know how to bet. Anybody can tell what you got.
Come on. Get in.
Deal this hand for me.
McCabe, Webster's going down the mountain today in his wagon.
What's that got to do with me?
Blanche says there's still time to get on that boom around Portland.
She says that you can open a business there for no money at all.
Somebody's gotta go there first, have a look. I think you should go today with Webster.
I'm your partner. You gotta listen to me.
What are you planning to do about them blokes up there?
You talking about them boys up there?
Smalley's up there talking to 'em now. He's gonna bring 'em down.
I'm gonna make a deal with them.
-What if they don't make a deal? -Then I won't make a deal with them.
I'll just have a drink. Would you care to join me in a drink?
You shouldn't worry what people think. They won't even know.
Webster's covered his wagon now.
He found all this canvas, and he's just covered his wagon.
He's covered his wagon. No one would even –
Anyway, what the hell do you have to answer to anyone for?
I mean, you bloody well own this town, don't you?
I appreciate you warning me. I appreciate that.
But there ain't nothing to be scared of. I tell you the truth.
They're the ones that got to make a deal, not me!
I feel sorry for 'em.
Them old gimpers been working that company 20 years. They don't know what to do.
The company says, "Get on up there and make a deal with McCabe,
and don't come back till you done it."
Hell, when they come upside a mule like me, I feel sorry for 'em.
I do. I really do. I feel sorry for 'em.
I know what I'm doin'.
What's he carrying around that bloody blunderbuss with him for then?
I don't know. Maybe he come up here to hunt possum.
You want a drink or not?
Uh, they said there was nothing to talk about.
-Who said? -His name's Butler.
Christ, the son of a bitch must be seven feet tall.
Well, uh, did you invite them here for a meal, or –
Yeah.
But they said they were gonna eat at Sheehan's.
Smalley, give me four or five of them stogies, will you?
They couldn't make a deal if you wanted to. They get paid for killing, nothing else!
McCabe, you gotta go with Webster –
Thank you, Smalley.
I'll tell everybody you've got business.
I'll tell 'em you got business with the company, if you like.
Well, I guess if a man's fool enough to get in business with a woman,
she ain't gonna think much of him.
(Mrs. Miller sighs)
You don't even know where the wealth of this town is.
Chinkyville. That's where it is. Right down there in Chinatown.
-(door closes) -I'll be with you in a minute.
Up in Canada right now, they're blasting tunnel under $10 a foot,
all done with the pigtail.
They've got some new explosives up there. Fantastic stuff!
They give it to Johnny Chinaman, send him in,
down comes 45, 50 tons of rock
and one dead Chinaman.
But you, sir. Do you know what the fine is for killing a Chinaman?
Fifty dollars, maximum.
The inspector's working for the company. Four times out of five, it's an accident.
You could do this right here with your own zinc.
All you gotta do is to give the bugger a box of this stuff,
put him down the hole, up to the rock face –
-(loud clattering) -and there's your zinc.
Sixty-five cents a ton.
(McCabe laughing)
Uh, you must be Butler, huh?
Sir?
I'm John McCabe. I think we got some business to talk over.
-Do you smoke cigars? -Yes, I do.
-Oh. -Have one of mine.
Oh. (chuckles)
Uh, shall we step into the bar? We can get a little privacy.
No, we're fine here.
Uh, Sheehan, set up a bottle on me, will you?
Bottle.
Uh, about that deal –
You know, uh, when them – when them gentlemen come up here
and make me that offer,
there were a whole lot of things that we didn't take into consideration.
BUTLER: How much did they offer you?
McCABE: Well, uh, $5,500.
Well, they came up 750 from that, so it's, uh, 6,250 they offered me.
Got that.
6,250.
Yeah, but how much did you ask them for?
Uh, well, we never got around to that 'cause, uh, I –
Oh, I might have mentioned something like $12,000, $10,000, something like that.
It was just to get 'em bargaining, you know.
And to, uh – Well, just so's they'd talk sense.
Yeah, but how much did you really want?
Uh, well, that depends.
I mean, they's talkin' about all my holdings, um –
8,000?
$8,000.
Well, uh, 7,500.
Probably more like it – more right.
You weren't very far apart, were you?
Oh, hell, no! That's what I'm trying to tell you.
I don't know what they mean by all my holdings.
All my holdings – Does that mean, uh, my horses, my clothes, my underwear?
I don't know what it means.
Uh, well, the fact is, uh, shit,
I'd be willing to make a deal for 6,250, if they don't count my personal property in that.
I mean, that's provided that they buy my inventory separately.
How much is that?
Well, 350.
300. 300.
And so you've got, uh, your 300, 6,250 –
So that's...
6,550.
Well, let's just make that an even 6,500, and you've got yourself a deal.
I don't make deals.
Uh, well, what you doing up here if you don't make deals?
I came up here to hunt bear.
-I hear it's very good around here. -Oh, get off! (snorts)
Bear.
(wheezing laugh)
Uh –
Uh, y-y-you don't work for Harris and Shaughnessey?
Sometimes.
Only when they can't make a deal.
Well, look, that's what I'm trying to tell you.
This here deal can be made.
Not with me.
Well – Hmm.
I guess what I got to do is get in touch with this fellow, Sears.
I'll see you boys later.
McCabe.
Were you ever called Pudgy?
A long time ago. Why?
My best friend's best friend was Bill Roundtree.
Did you kill him?
I was in a poker game when he got shot, but, uh, I didn't kill him.
Are you calling his best friend a liar?
Wait a minute. I ain't calling nobody a liar.
Bill Roundtree got caught marking the queens.
He went for his gun and he got shot, that's all.
I'm going to count 10.
If you are not on that bridge by the time I'm finished,
I'm going to get very cross with you.
All right.
I just want you boys to know that, uh, I ain't wearing no gun.
Patty, come here.
Who the hell was this Bill Roundtree?
Well, uh, he was real well-known.
I mean, who said he shot him?
I told you, everybody says he shot him with a derringer.
That man?
That man never killed anybody.
All the time making me feel like I'm gonna make a fool out of myself.
Now we're gonna see who the fools is.
Son of a bitches.
Never did fit in this goddamn town.
God, I hate when them bastards put their hands on you.
I tell you, sometimes,
sometimes when I take a look at you, I just keep looking and looking.
I wanna feel your little body up against me so bad,
I think I'm gonna bust.
I keep trying to tell you in a lot of different ways.
Just one time you could be sweet without no money around.
I think I could –
Well, I'll tell you something. I got poetry in me.
I do! I got poetry in me, but...
I ain't gonna put it down on paper. I ain't no educated man.
I got sense enough not to try.
Can't never say nothing to you.
If you'd just one time let me run the show, I'd –
You're just freezing my soul, that's what you're doing.
Freezin' my soul.
(liquid pouring)
Well, shit! Enjoy yourself, girl.
Just go ahead and have a time. What the hell.
That's just my luck.
The only woman that's ever been one to me ain't nothin' but a whore.
But what the hell. I never was a percentage man.
I suppose a whore is the only kind of woman I'd know.
(boat whistle blowing)
(whistle blowing continues)
(metallic clanging)
Uh, excuse me, ma'am.
Um, is this fellow, Eugene Sears, still here?
No, he left this morning.
Mm-hmm. Uh –
Another fellow was with him, uh, by the name of Ernie.
-Mr. Hollander. -Hollander. That's right.
-Uh, I wonder if, uh, he's still here. -No, he went with him.
Well, thank you all the same.
(door closes)
The law is here to protect the little guy like yourself, McCabe.
And I'm at your service, free of charge.
-Free? -That's what I said.
You don't have to pay me anything.
It would be an honor for the next senator from the state of Washington
to be your servant before the scales of justice.
Oh, that's mighty decent of you. I don't know what –
When a man, McCabe – When a man goes into the wilderness
and with his bare hands gives birth to a small enterprise,
nourishes it and tends it while it grows,
I'm here to tell you that no dirty sons of bitches are gonna take it away from him.
-Now, ain't that right? -Well, I – I –
You're damn right it's right.
Now you take that there company, Harris and Shaughnessey.
They have stockholders.
Now, do you think they want their stockholders and the public
thinking that their management isn't imbued with all the principles
of fair play and justice,
the very values that make this country what it is today?
Uh-huh.
Busting up these trusts and monopolies
is at the very root of the problem of creating a just society.
Damn it, McCabe, I'm here to tell you
that this free enterprise system of ours works.
And working within it, we can protect the small businessman
and the big businessman as well.
(boat whistle blows)
Well, I'll just didn't want to get killed.
Until people stop dying for freedom, they ain't gonna be free.
I can see it now on the front page of The Washington Post,
right next to a picture of William Jennings Bryan.
"McCabe strikes a blow for the little guy."
(laughs, snorts)
You're gonna become a famous man, McCabe.
We can find ourselves having dinner with William Jennings Bryan.
-Well, I – -You're gonna be a hero.
(laughs) Aw, come on.
You're gonna stare 'em down and make them quake in their boots.
Mm-hmm. Well, uh –
What do we do? We get the marshal and, uh –
-No? -You don't need the marshal.
We're gonna do this through the courts.
(birds squawking)
Well, now, I guess what you're saying is that
we get this thing in the papers and in the courts and all that,
well, they just can't afford to kill me.
-Is that right? -You're damn right that's right.
They won't be able to lift one little finger against you.
There comes a time in every man's life, Constance, when he just...
got to stick his hand in the fire
and, uh – and, uh, see what he's made out of.
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about busting up these trusts and monopolies.
That's what I'm talking about.
Somebody's got to protect the small businessman from these big companies,
and I'm gonna be the man.
Constance, just 'cause we ain't never talked about it
don't mean I ain't got, uh, certain principles.
I know it don't mean nothing to you, but I got a reputation in this town.
-These people – -What's Presbyterian Church to you?
You're just gonna sell out!
Just sell out and go someplace where people are civilized.
They'll get you, McCabe. They'll get you.
And they'll do something awful to you.
(sniffling)
Now, now, little lady, ain't nothing gonna happen to me.
Don't you give me any of that "little lady" shit!
I don't care about you! Just give me my $1,500! I wanna make a deal.
If you're not gonna make a deal with them, then I'll make a deal with them!
Make a deal?
You can't make no deal.
Bye, honey.
-I'm gonna miss you. -Yeah. I'm gonna miss you too.
-Have a nice trip. Be a good boy. -Don't worry. I will.
Bye. Say bye to Mrs. Miller for me.
Okay, good-bye.
Look after yourself.
-(dog whining) -Be careful.
Oh, yeah.
BIRDIE: Come back.
-IDA: Bye, cowboy. Come back! -I will.
There's Shorty! Come on.
-Bye, cowboy. -(dog whining)
I wasn't trying to hit it.
The trick is not to hit it, but to make it float.
(dogs barking in distance)
-Hey, hold it, sonny. -What?
Hold up on your target practice a minute. I don't wanna get shot.
Well, then get off the bridge, you saddle tramp.
I want to buy some socks. I've got a long ride ahead of me.
What's wrong with the socks you got on?
I wore 'em out running around half naked in that whorehouse over there.
That's really quite a place. You been there yet?
Take off your boots and show me.
(chuckles) You're joshing me.
I said take off your boots and show me, you egg sucker.
I ain't gonna do that.
What are you wearing that gun for?
Nothing. I just wear it. Can't hit nothing with it.
Well, that don't make no sense. What kind of a gun is it?
-A Colt. -Them's good guns.
That's what I got.
-There must be something wrong with it. -No, it's me. I just can't shoot good.
Well, let me see it.
Come on. Maybe I can fix it for you.
(chuckles) Okay.
(door closes)
Constance?
You're the best-looking woman I ever saw.
And I ain't never tried to do nothin' but put a smile on your face.
I ain't no good at saying I'm sorry.
I, uh –
I don't know what it is.
I guess I ain't never been this close to nobody before.
-Hey. -(patting bed)
Why don't you get under the covers, huh?
-Hey, Constance. -Yeah, yeah.
You don't need to say nothin'.
I'm sorry.
Come on.
♪ Well, I lived with a child of snow ♪
♪ When I was a soldier ♪
♪ And I fought every man for her ♪
♪ Until the nights grew colder ♪
♪ She used to wear her hair like you ♪
♪ Except when she was sleeping ♪
♪ And then she'd weave it on a loom ♪
♪ Of smoke and gold and breathing ♪
♪ And why are you so quiet now ♪
♪ Standing there in the doorway? ♪
♪ You chose your journey long before ♪
♪ You came upon this highway ♪
♪ Traveling lady, stay a while ♪
♪ Until the night is over ♪
♪ I'm just a station on your way ♪
♪ I know I'm not your lover ♪
(sighs)
(rooster crows)
(door closes)
(dog barking)
(rooster crowing)
(horse whinnies)
(door creaking)
Uh, that there is my shotgun.
Uh, uh, could I have it, please?
This is a house of God.
Uh – Well, I'm going right now.
I've got to have my gun.
Them men out there are trying to kill me.
Get out.
(rooster crowing)
(pig squealing)
(gulping, sighs)
(footsteps on stairs)
(boat whistle blows in distance)
(whistle blowing, faint)
(whistle blowing continues, faint)
(hammer cocks)
Aaah!
MAN: Fire! Fire!
Fire!
The church is on fire!
Fire!
The church – The church is on fire!
Sheehan! Fire!
Fire! Fire!
-The church is burning! The church! -(dog barking)
Fire!
-What the hell is he going on about? -The church –
-Brendan! What is it? What? -(shouts)
-What the hell is going on, Pat? -The church is burning!
Jesus Christ! The church is on fire!
(men shouting)
What the hell are you doing?
You! Get in there and get dressed!
(panting)
(people clamoring, faint)
(groans)
Andy, get that damn machine down there!
Some of you fellows start breaking the ice off there.
(loud clanging)
(whistle blowing)
(whistle continues blowing)
SHEEHAN: Anybody under there?
-Move out of the way! -Move out of there!
Out of the way!
(groans)
(men shouting)
(all shouting)
-Get those buckets out there! -I'm going! I'm going!
-(whistle continues blowing) -Come on! Come on now!
Okay. Watch your head, Pat!
What the hell are you doing?
Watch it!
(chattering, shouting)
(footsteps)
SHEEHAN: Fall in! Fall in!
(chattering)
You ladies, fall in!
IDA: Come on, Alma!
-Get the water! -Turn on that water!
We got it goin' at last!
(clamoring continues)
-MAN: Come on down and help the brigade! -(McCabe groans)
MAN: Throw those buckets down here!
SHEEHAN: Fall in!
-(women, men shouting) -Fall in!
(dog whining)
(grunts)
(panting)
WOMAN: More empty buckets!
-Come on. Let's move! -We need a man down here!
You women get started handing the buckets down now!
Goin' down.
Then bring the full bucket forward.
(clamoring continues, faint)
(hoofbeats)
Come on!
(panting, wheezing)
(shouting continues, faint)
(wheezing cough)
(all shouting, cheering)
-Over there! -You got it!
(grunts)
(laughing, whooping)
(cheering)
(dog barking)
(whooping, chattering)
(wind howling)
(grunts)
(chattering in Chinese)
♪♪ (flute)
(chattering continues)
♪ Traveling lady, stay a while ♪
♪ Until the night is over ♪
♪ I'm just a station on your way ♪
♪ I know I'm not your lover ♪
♪ Well, I lived with a child of snow ♪
♪ When I was a soldier ♪
♪ And I fought every man for her ♪
♪ Until the nights grew colder ♪
♪ She used to wear her hair like you ♪
♪ Except when she was sleeping ♪
♪ And then she'd weave it on a loom ♪
♪ Of smoke and gold and breathing ♪
♪ And why are you so quiet now ♪
♪ Standing there in the doorway? ♪
♪ You chose your journey long before ♪
♪ You came upon this highway ♪
♪ Traveling lady, stay a while ♪
♪ Until the night is over ♪
♪ I'm just a station on your way ♪
♪ I know I'm not your lover ♪♪
(wind howling)