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Run for the High Country (2018)
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- Everyone show me your hands. Show me your hands. Alright, everyone needs to get out. Get out! - Put your hands up. - Hey, pretty lady. - Hey, that's my wife. Get your hands off of her. - She was your wife. I bet she'll learn next time. - I'm not armed. - I could see that. Like a game of Chance, mister? - Yes, I would. Smith's the name. Benjamin J. Smith. - The money bag. Pick one. You lose. - What are we playing for? - It was just my luck to get caught in this spring storm. I was headed to the Arizona territory. I've been sent there to track a bad bunch of outlaws. They were easy to follow 'cause they didn't try to hide their trail. Wherever they went, there were dead people. They showed no mercy. They had no soul. - That night, I dreamt of my grandfather. I miss him so much and my father, too. Now I was all alone. I walk in the direction of my people, the Navajo. We have been traveling far from our land. We would walk all night and rest all day. - We denounce themselves. - It would be my last time I would hear my grandpa's favorite story. - Threw red sand all over themselves. They didn't even talk or see or listen. Just kept throwin' red sand all over, stirring up the dust. This was the place called , the home of the bitter winds. The winds that blow for no reason, but to cause strife. The winds that come to you carry sand. If you are caught in it, it will sting your face. - Just like my grandpa's story, a bitter wind was headed our way; a wind that would forever change my life. Never again would I feel my father's touch. And my dog, my best friend, would give his life tryin' to protect us. He sent fear all over my body as he looked my way. - I was getting closer now. The trail was not as cold. These were killers; the kind that killed 'cause they liked it. I had been a lawman for a long time. As I saw it, life was a battle of good against evil. Evil would never win, but it would also never be defeated. It always seemed to rise up again. In this life, you're either good or you are evil. Swing low sweet chariot Coming forth carry me home - Chacon, how long are we gonna be sittin' here? How come I gotta sit in the sun? - 'Cause I said so. - Somebody's comin'. - I got him, I got him. - Hey, he's alive! - You just grazed him. - He's the law. - US Marshall, why you following me? - I'm not followin' you. - Why you here? - I'm just passin' through the territory. - Why'd you hit me, Chacon? - 'Cause you never listen. I say when we shoot. Me, not you. Where you comin' from? - Colorado. - Now we're gettin' somewhere. I like that. Why you following me? - Like I said, I'm not followin' you. - What are you doin' here? - I'm headed this way to see a woman. - A woman?! I see. Let's get him back on his horse. Get him up. - I was scared sittin' on my horse with a noose around my neck. Lord, it ain't fair to go this way. It just ain't. I never thought it would end like this, a horse with a noose on my neck like an outlaw. Lord, I wouldn't mind you gettin' me outta this one. I know I haven't exactly. Easy now, Chance. Easy, easy boy; it's okay. You hold there, Chance. Good boy, now you hold. Son of a bitch. I thought it would end like this. I swear to God. Lord, it's a beautiful goddamn day. - SI wandered always in the direction of my people. I had never known such sorrow. I was barren. - I prayed and I thought about my life. Lord in Heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. All night I stayed awake to urge my horse to stand where he was. Maggie, I don't see ya. I was comin', darlin'. I was comin'. Oh god, help me. - I dreamed of my sheep in my home. My mother came into my dreams and brushed my hair. In the morning, I woke to a giant wolf dog staring down at me. So I ran and it followed. I had the knife my father gave me and I used it. I had never seen such a sight. A white man on a horse with a rope around his neck. - I been prayin' all day for an angel and a miracle and I think you're it. - I wanted to run, but just then the wolf dog appeared. - All I remember is wakin' up and seeing the boy, the boy who saved my life. You did it. I was elated. I have a second chance. You did it. - I had never been this close to a white man before. I feared them. We all did for what they did to my people. I had no idea what he was saying, but I listened to his voice and I could tell he was a good man. - You just made the best friend of your life. Son, I wanna thank you for my life. I prayed for someone to come and save me and you did. Those sons of bitches wanna hang me. You got kin around here? You got family? Wouldn't it be something if they come and get me now? Oh my god, thank you Lord and thank you, son. My name is John Towne. I'm the US Marshall. I'm gonna get my stuff, alright? Son of a bitch. Rain on me, why don't ya? - Guns. Victorio will trade him only for guns. - Can I see them? - I didn't know it at the time, but Chacon and his gang were sellin' rifles to the Apaches. They were tradin' Spanish gold and gems for guns. - Beautiful. - Rifle. - Man need rifles. We will send some warrior to show you the way to our summer camp. - Okay. - It was clear that the boy wanted to show me somethin'. Now I knew why he was all alone. Son, sometimes life ain't fair. For you, today's one of them days. I'm truly sorry. This boy had saved my life and I was gonna do right by him. Sleep well, son. You had a rough day. I followed Chacon's trail to a little trading post. - Welcome to the Imperial Trading Post. What can we do for ya? - I need some guns. - Rifles or pistols? - Both. - Don't mind me askin', what are you doin' travellin' with this Indian boy? - These white men were different and I could feel their evil. - Kinda strange travelin' with that Indian boy. - Especially the one with no hair on top of his head. - Lemme see that pistol right there. - That one's not for sale. - Gimme that rifle then. - That's a good rifle. You wanna sell him or trade him? I got blankets, whiskey and guns. I even got Irene. Might even wanna poke with her. Irene! - Cartridges. - She gets a little feisty every once in a while. I got her about a week ago from the Mexies. - Now you gimme that pistol. - I told you, that wasn't for sale. - Pick it up and look at the grips. On the bottom, there's some initials. JT, stands for John Towne. Marshall John Towne. - Well I'll be. - Thought they hung him. - Appears not. - Smart man. Take my badge off your shirt. - Now we have nothin' to do with this as you know, Marshall. - I'm sure y'all broken up about it, ain't ya? Now y'all listen to me. I got business with Chacon and his men. I will require you to watch this boy. - What do you mean by watch the boy? - No harm will come to him and he will be here when I return. - I think we can arrange that. - I'll be back for you soon. I'll get ya; I'll be back for you. No no, go back; sit. I'll be back for ya, alright? - 'Pears you don't wanna go. Want me to tie him to a chair, Marshall? - When he left me, my hopes were dashed. I was forlorn. - I felt bad about leavin' him. But by god, no one was gonna put a noose around my neck and not hear about it from me. - Get up, we gotta go get these rifles. - I'm tired, I'll catch up. Go ahead. - Chacon ain't gon' like this. - Chacon ain't here, is he? - No, he's not. - Okay, we got time. Go ahead. - Alright, suit yourself. - Culpepper get your boot off me, man. - Next time you hang a man, you better do it right. - Hey man, what're you doin'? - Where's Chacon? - He ain't here. - I can see that. - I didn't hang ya. That wasn't my idea. That was Chacon's. - Yeah, that didn't stop you from shootin' me. Did it, Billy? - I didn't shoot ya. That wasn't my idea. - Yeah. - That was his too. - Yeah, did he also make you rape and kill that girl? - What girl? - Girl on the stagecoach. - Stagecoach? I don't know nothin' 'bout no stagecoach. - What do you think I do for a livin'? I track and I hunt bad men. I'm real good at it. I've been doin' it since before you was born, so don't tell you don't know nothin' 'bout no stagecoach. - I didn't rape that girl. That wasn't me, that was Culpepper. - I don't think so. I'm afraid not, Billy. See, a man's life is in the tracks he leaves. I seen your tracks. You got them little boots, but you're a murderin' bastard. When I saw you, you dragged that girl from that stage and you took off her into some wild. You raped her and you beat her. You stabbed her with the knife. - You can't prove that. Honestly, it wasn't me. They'll believe me. - You're right, Billy. They will 'cause you and I we know the truth, don't we? Don't we? Don't we?! - No, please no! You gotta take me back to the judge. - No, I don't. No, I don't. - No no, please. - She say please, Billy? - She did. - Did she say please?! - Yes! - There's not enough to weigh here. - It must be worth something, is it not? - Everything's worth somethin'. - As to what I'm inquirin'. - Flink like that, probably get you couple drinks maybe. - Told you it weren't worth the ride in here. - What's that sound? What d'you got over there in that trunk? - I got my own lil' Indian boy. - These were bad men. - You don't say. - Though I'm tradin' him to the Mexicans next week. Now he's worth somethin'. - I thought I would die in the little box with no air. - We'll take those drinks now. - Mm-kay. Marshall, I didn't expect you so soon. - Where's the boy? - When I heard his voice, I had hope again. - I had to put him in there. He went a little crazy right after you left and I put him in there for his own good to watch him, like you said. - I never said nothin' about puttin' the boy in a trunk. You are one sick son of a bitch, ain't ya? - Marshall, lemme introduce you to my associates. Now Benson, you can have as many pokes as you want. Goes for you too, Wilson. - Ooh my. - Gents, I got no trouble with you. This boy and I were just leavin'. - I do believe you're miscalculating, Marshall. - It's time to leave. - It was loud like thunder. - Alright, son? - I was angry at him for leavin' me with those men. Then he hugged me like my father would and I felt safe. - We were hungry and I promised him a breakfast of flapjacks and eggs. I knew he had no idea what I was talkin' about, but I figured he'd like 'em just the same. - I know if you help yourself again, I'm gonna shoot you. - Hey Paco, you know there's a little Indian boy sittin' at your table, right? - What? - Okay, that's. - Who? - I watched him go home. - He didn't do a very good job of it. - Very funny. - What do you think you're doin'? - How's that? - Don't serve his kind here. - You do this mornin'. - If you read the sign out front, it said, "No Indians allowed." - Just 'cause you write it down, don't make it right. I want an order of flapjacks and eggs, bacon, crisp bacon and coffee. - Get up, boy. - Let go of that boy! - Broke my nose! - Yeah, now go get me my flapjacks. Anybody got somethin' to say 'bout that? - Let's go tell the sheriff. - Yeah. - I tell ya, I'm running outta room at the school. New students arrive every day and the dormitories are cholk full. - You have a good contract with the government. You're gonna make a lotta money. - We're gonna make a lotta money, but I need more room. - I'm workin' on it. - Sheriff, sheriff. There's this guy that came into Paco's bar. - Hold on, hold on, just slow down. - Sorry. Hey, Mrs. Braxton. - Hi. - There's this guy that came into Paco's bar with a little Indian boy. He broke Paco's nose and ordered flapjacks. - What? - That's what happened, sheriff. - Oh my. - Roy, gather up some more of the boys and meet me at Paco's. - Okay. - I'll be along in a minute. - I guess lunch is over. - Yeah, but I'll see you for dinner. - Told ya they were good. - Don't you move or my boys'll fill you with holes. - Nobody here's movin'. Just gettin' ready to go. - Who do you think you are comin' in here insulting people? - Did you bring enough help, sheriff? - This is my town. Look at me. You don't bring an Indian boy in here, not in my Saloon. Get him up and bring him too. He goes to the Indian school. - Sheriff, you gon' wanna look at this. - You hurt that boy, I'll kill ya! - Well who do we have here? - Sheriff sent him over, don't know much else about him. - Let's have a look at him. Hiram, let's get this young man-- - I didn't know it at the time, but I was at one of those Indian boarding school the US government set up for us to be no longer Indians. - You're gonna like it here. - Millions of Indian children were sent to these schools against their own will and many have died there. - First a noose around my neck and now a jail cell. It didn't seem right. - Judge wants to see you. - Where's your posse, sheriff? Aren't you afraid I'ma rise up and strike you down? - Man can't be too careful. - No cheap shot today, sheriff? - I'm sorry 'bout that. I didn't know you were a marshall. - Yeah. - You're my new marshall. Quite an auspicious entrance bringing a savage to a dining hall for flapjacks and eggs. - I was hungry, what was I supposed to do with him? - Your only job was and is to track down the outlaw Chacon and either bring him to face justice or shoot him down. The question is what were you doin' travelin' with a mongrel Indian boy? - He was all alone. Chacon had killed his family. - The question was rhetorical. I don't care. Wait a minute, you are Marshall John Towne of Colorado, are you not? Are you not? - You know I am. - I don't know what I know this morning. Let's start over, shall we? How was your journey, marshall? What can you report about Chacon? These are the questions we should be discussing in earnest and not why you are bringing a hostile, savage mongrel to breakfast. - He's hardly a hostile. He's just a boy. - They're all hostiles and savages or haven't you heard? You are very curious to me, sir. Very curious, indeed. Next you'll be tellin' me you think women should vote, ha! Well the boy, as you call him, is no longer your responsibility. You are to get back on the trail and do what you do best. I don't wanna hear anymore about Indian affairs from you. Is there something else? - What did you do with him? - You are really starting to annoy me, sir. The little savage has been taken to Mrs. Braxton's Indian school where they know how to take the starch out of 'em. But that's no longer your affair, is it? Now I strongly suggest you pick up your gun and badge and quickly leave my office before I take them from you. You are a disgrace, sir. As a US Marshall, you represent this great republic. To speak as you do, it's reprehensible. This great nation will visit the Indian with fire and sword until there are none left. For the ones that are will beg for mercy. It's people like you are standing in the way of that progress. Had no idea had one of your kind working for me. - How 'bout I remove myself from your employ? - I see. You know Marshall, man of your age, you don't have many years of being a feared left. Then what? It'd be a shame to lose your pension, don't ya think? Be lucky to get a bed in an old soldier's home. You can't stop manifest destiny; no one can. And you can't save the Indians as much as you would dream to. - I can save this one boy. - You so much as go near that little savage and I'll have you back in chains. - Here it is. Isn't it beautiful? It's straight from France. - Thank you so much. - You're welcome. - Maggie Butler was the real reason I was in the Arizona territory. Lately she was all I thought about. - I had always hoped he would come back to me. But when he walked into my store, I guess I wasn't truly prepared. John? - Hello, Maggie. - You need a bath. - That's a fine how do you do after all these years. - Years? Going on 14 years. - Yeah, 'bout that. I'm sorry. - For what? For leavin' me? - I heard your husband died. - You leave him outta this. He was a good man. - I just meant-- - Why am I even talkin' to you about this? You waltz in here after all this time just to let me know you're sorry that my husband died? - This isn't goin' as planned. - What'd you expect? - I don't know. Maybe I should go. - Is that all you know how to do? - I'm here, ain't I? Look I'm sorry for leavin' you, Maggie. You reach a point in life and ya look back what you did and didn't do. And my biggest regret is not marryin' you. There's not a day goes by I don't think of you. - I see you still have the ring I bought you. - My prized possession. - I knew you'd never be a shopkeeper or a businessman. I knew that. - A lawman's wife ain't much of a life. - It shoulda been my decision, John. - I know that now. I also know I'm doin' a bad job at this. I rehearsed this so many times. - You're doin' just fine. - It's good to see you, Maggie. - It's good to see you. Love is a funny thing. When you have it, there is no beginning and no end. It just is. - Now you wait for me here, okay? Q, R, S T, U, V W, X, Y and Z Now I know my ABCs A, B, C, D E, F, G H, I, J, K L, M, N, O, P - I never knew her name, but she was the first girl I ever loved. I remember her face 'til this day. - Hey, you sit! - Come in, Hiram. What are we gonna call him? He looks like a Silas or a Simon. What do you think, Hiram? - We already have a Simon. - That's right. Silas it is. Silas, I am Mrs. Braxton. This is Mr. Hiram. There you go, let's get this off. Oh, look at this hair. - He had this knife on him. - He did, did he? My little Indian warrior. D'you bring the scissors? - Ma'am, I forgot them. - Well? Stand still, Silas. Let the burdens be upon the Lord. Jesus loves you yes indeed For the Bible tells you so Jesus loves you yes indeed For the Bible tells you so Jesus loves you yes indeed For the Bible tells you so Jesus loves you yes indeed You wanna sing, you wanna try it? Jesus loves you yes indeed For the Bible tells you so - Sometimes I ask the Lord where all the goodness is in this world. That's what I always admired in you, John Towne; your goodness. You have a kind heart. One day I think people will look back in shame at how we treated the Indians. Now you go get that boy and you take him home. You just make sure you come back to me. - I will. - I'll be waitin'. - I felt whole again. I wondered why I had wasted a lifetime without her. That was behind me now. I would spend the rest of my days with Maggie Butler. - As I watched him ride off, this time I knew he would come back for me. - He ain't dead. - You just said he was dead. - No, O'Toole is dead. Talkin' about the marshall. - What marshall? - The marshall we hung. He's in town right now walkin' around with some Indian kid. - You look so smart. Come in. All we have left is to cut the hair. When you're done, bring him to the classroom. - Yes, ma'am. Don't you resist me, little boy. You will do as I say. I am Hiram and I run this place. Lay down. He stabbed me. Come back here, you lil' heathen! - I don't know how it happened, but there he was on his big horse and I ran to him. Then I saw her running like me to freedom from the Indian boarding school. She smiled as she ran. Then I heard the shot and she fell. - How could you shoot a little girl in the back? I knew they would come for us, so we rode hard all night. In the mornin', we were in the high country. I could feel somethin' around us, but I couldn't see anything. We found an old cabin and we went inside to rest. These Apaches were with Chacon and they led 'em to us. - I knew he wanted me to stay in the cabin. But when he fell asleep, I slipped outside. I just wanted to be a kid again. Then it happened, I was in the big arms of the man that murdered my father. - I don't know what woke me. But when I awoke, I had a sense of dread and the little boy was nowhere to be seen. An arrow in the shoulder is all I remember, then the world went dark very quickly. - I remember thinking that this truly was the end as we rode into the forest. That night, they were drinking and more Apaches seeped in from the darkness. The man that murdered my father was givin' them rifles. They yell and scream and fought. I couldn't stop looking at my grandfather's necklace around that big man's neck. Then some of the Apaches left with the rifles. After the rest fell asleep, he took me. I thought to kill me, but instead we went into a dark mineshaft where he hid his treasure. - It was dark when I woke. I snapped the arrow and pulled it outta my body. Then I ran all night followin' their tracks. In the mornin', I found 'em camped in a meadow with their horses nearby huddled up together in a bunch. It was an easy thing to get them goin'. - Where the horses run? - You just won't die, will you? You throw that pistol over the edge or I'll snap this boy's neck. - I was too weak from the arrow to put up much of a fight. - Marshall, think you can fly? - Before we left his place, I showed him the mineshaft. - Let's see what's in here. Oh wow. I had never been a rich man until that moment. - Is that them? - Yeah. Do what you want with the boy, but the marshall's mine. All mine. - I'm gonna take that little Indian boy's scalp and feed it to my pups. - I had my pick as they rode in. I shot Roy first. I figured he would be my biggest threat since the sheriff would be reckless 'cause he wanted revenge for me shootin' his woman. I shot Roy in the gut for how he was rough with the boy. - Oh god, my shoulder! Ow, my shoulder! God. - Don't shoot no more. Please don't shoot. - Ow, my shoulder. Help! My shoulder. - Don't shoot! - My shoulder! - Get up. Where ya hit? - My shoulder. Help, my shoulder. I'm shot. Ow, my shoulder. - Don't shoot, please. - Come out here to kill a boy, did you? What's wrong with you?! How 'bout I just blow you to kingdom come right now? Now you with your left hand, you take that gun outta there and you throw it over there. You look at me now! - My shoulder. - You see me? You throw it. Now you, stand up son! - Yes, sir. - Be a man. Now you stay here, you understand me? You don't move. Say yes, sir! - Yes, sir. - You bastard. - Look at me, sheriff. Is he kin to you? You tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now. Tell me why. Speak up, son! - We're young. - Yeah, you're young. - I tell you what, get on 'em horses. If I see you back here, I will kill you. You bring your uncle, I'll kill your uncle. You understand me? - Yes, sir. - Now git! You better get, boy! I gave the boy some gold, and jewels and some green backs. I figured it would set him up right in the future. It was the least I could do. - It felt good to be in my land, Navajo land. - This Navajo land, was beautiful country. Some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. We have been through a lot together. I was gonna miss this boy. He was like a son to me now. - It was hard sayin' goodbye to this man. I would always remember him surrounded by the wind and sand. Like in my grandfather's story, this time it was a good wind. I often wonder if my grandfather had sent this man to me. I guess I will never know, but I'm glad I knew him. - It gave me great joy to see him home. - I was home in the arms of my mother. I never saw him again. |
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