So you call yourself
The sheriff of cochise county.
- I am the sheriff!
- Good.
The rascal admits it.
And what do you say, sir,
To the charge
That you turned loose
Two clanton horse thieves?
I don't have to say anything.
You have no authority
To try me.
You may have been
A captain in the navy,
But you're just
A rancher now--
A private citizen
Like anyone else.
Make note of that, men:
The prisoner
Is belligerent.
And he shows no sign
Of being sorry
For being the crooked
Little swab he is.
I charge you
With malfeasance in office.
The jury will vote.
- Mr. Foreman?
- Aye, sir?
How does the jury vote?
Guilty, sir.
I should hang you.
But every time we have
To hang a man,
My wife objects.
So I sentence you
To five years in jail.
You just try it.
I'll be out on a writ
Of habeas corpus in an hour.
Not out of my jail
You won't.
- Your jail?
- I run the tidiest
Little brig
In arizona territory.
The sentence is
Five years, behan.
- Lock him up!
- You can't do this.
It's illegal.
I'll have you arrested!
I'll sue you!
I'm a personal friend
Of governor fremont!
You can't do this to me!
♪ Wyatt earp, wyatt earp
♪ Brave, courageous and bold
♪ Long live his fame
♪ And long live his glory
♪ And long may
His story be told. ♪
Narrator:
"The life and legend of wyatt
Earp" starring hugh o'brian.
Narrator:
Captain david rowland,
Retired navy officer,
Was famous in arizona
Territory.
Living in the midst
Of apaches and rustlers,
The captain had a private army
Of tough gunfighters.
He dispensed his own justice
And he operated his own jail.
Unfortunately
Marshal wyatt earp was
Obliged to investigate
This private empire when
Sheriff johnny behan fell afoul
Of captain rowland.
Just on my way out
To see you, mr. Clanton.
I thought I told you
To see me yesterday.
When I send
Word to you, behan,
I ain't fooling around.
I'm sorry, sir.
What's the trouble?
Oh, that fella--
Captain captain--
David rowland.
He grabbed two of my boys.
Said they was horse thieves.
He's got them in that jail
He runs on his ranch.
- Well, he can't do that.
- Well, he done it!
- According to--
- And don't make law talk to me.
- I want my boys turned loose.
- I'll go up there right away.
Whoa whoa whoa,
Now, behan.
Rowland's spread's
Northeast, not west.
Well, I can't go up against
Rowland single-handed.
- I'll need a big posse.
- Well, you'd better start
Raising dust right quick,
You hear me?
I'll take care of it.
Here's a telegram
From chief u.s. Marshal
Crowley dake.
You'll see
It instructs you
To help me investigate
Conditions at
Captain rowland's ranch.
We're supposed
To have law and order
In cochise county,
But one cattle rancher
Can't take law enforcement
Into his own hands.
- Well, johnny--
- I know the captain.
And if he said
The clantons were
Stealing horses,
They were stealing
Horses.
- You get your own posse, behan.
- We ain't riding with you.
This is wyatt's job
And I demand--
- You demand?
Why, you two-bit rotten--
- Gentlemen.
Gentlemen.
Take it easy, doc.
I'll look
Into this, johnny.
Meanwhile you just
Go on collecting taxes.
My office must be represented
In any action taken.
I'm the sheriff.
I have county jurisdiction.
You can be in charge,
But I must go along.
Clanton order you
To do this, johnny?
I don't take orders
From him or anyone else.
- You're a liar.
- And a bushwhacker.
Hold it!
All right, sheriff,
You can go along.
Thank you, wyatt.
- I'll get the posse.
- Posse?
Rowland has
Fought off men
And dozens
Of apache raids.
You don't
Ride onto his spread
Unless he says so.
I think doc's right.
Just the four of us.
This is impudent nonsense.
Really?
Then go right ahead, johnny.
Man:
Howdy.
Howdy.
I'm marshal wyatt earp
From tombstone.
These are my deputies.
He's sheriff behan.
I guess they're
Johnny laws all right.
Does the captain know you?
He'll know me.
I'm dr. John h. Holliday.
You ride ahead
And ask the boss.
You all follow me at a walk,
On account of the boss
Don't like... Dust.
The captain will see
Marshal earp and dr. Holliday.
You two wait here.
- Lovely home.
- Mm-hmm.
Wyatt!
You'd better stand
Till he tells you to sit down.
Might get riled, huh?
He was chief of staff--
( Clicks heels )
Good old navy.
At ease, doc.
- Hello, captain,
How are you?
- Hi.
- I'd like
To present marshal earp.
- Very happy to know you, sir.
I've heard
About you, marshal.
Sit down, sit down.
Manuel, refreshment!
Now then, tell me
What can I do for you?
The legal point is, captain,
That horse thieves should be
Tried in a duly-constituted
Court of law.
- ( Chuckles )
- Now that's the complaint
Against you
- By sheriff behan.
- Behan!
Sheriff behan's
A scoundrel.
- Hand-in-glove
With old man clanton.
- Hear hear!
Now that may be,
But the chief u.s.
Marshal's office
Has ordered me
To investigate.
Nothing to investigate,
Young man.
I caught two clanton's men
On horses with my brand on 'em
And I threw 'em in jail.
I could've hanged 'em!
Captain, you are not a judge.
You have no right
To operate a jail.
Blast it all, doc,
I don't--
Since when did you
Start wearing a star?
The last time I saw you
We were in that wild poker game
- Over at amarillo.
- I've fallen on virtuous days.
This is not
Tombstone, marshal.
I am the law here
Because there is no other law.
I don't see any
Point in arguing.
The discussion
Is closed!
What discussion, david?
It has nothing to do
With you, my dear.
You know how I dislike
Those rough navy tones
- Of yours, my dear?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I suppose I must
Introduce marshal earp
- And doc holliday.
- Of course, how do you do?
- How do you do, ma'am?
- Wyatt earp?
- Yes'm.
- Why, you're
The famous marshal
That's trying
To clean up that
Dreadful tombstone camp.
A reliable
Young man, david.
He wants me to give him
Those two clanton
Horse thieves.
Well, give them to him
And good riddance.
It costs a fortune
To run that brig,
As my captain calls it.
Well, the captain
Shouldn't have
To feed prisoners.
She feeds 'em!
Good cowhand rations!
I'd give 'em bread and water.
Will you gentlemen
Excuse us?
This is a command
Decision
And I want to state
My case.
Of course, ma'am.
We'll wait outside.
( Sighs )
Marshal earp,
I want your word
That these two men
Will be held
In tombstone jail
Until they can be tried.
You have it, sir.
Captain rowland,
I'm sheriff behan.
Get off my property!
Where's earp?
Out on patrol,
He said.
Holliday and gibbs,
They around?
Doc's in a faro game
Over at the alhambra.
Gibbs is putting
His mule to bed.
Good.
Here's writs
Of habeas corpus
For the two clanton men.
Get 'em out.
But, sheriff,
Earp ain't gonna
Like this.
I don't care
What earp likes.
You can't refuse to honor
A court writ, can you?
I guess I can't.
Hurry it up.
There are two horses
At the rack outside,
Take 'em and get lost.
- And stay lost.
- Right. You bet.
( Horse whinnies )
Hold it!
You turned
Those clantons loose?
Yes, I did.
You dirty, lowdown,
Double-crossing--
Take your hands
Off of me!
Maybe a good
p*stol-whipping will
Straighten you out.
Whoa!
Whoa, boy.
Hit him when
You ain't so mad.
You might k*ll
The little weasel
Feeling like you do.
He turned those
Clanton hoodlums loose.
He done that?
Why, you--
Get on out of here
Before I larrup you!
Get!
We might as well
Have this out right now.
Me first.
Go for that g*n.
- Go for it, behan!
- Wait a minute.
Why, he'd cut you
In two. Now come on.
Let's go for a walk
And cool off.
All right, I'll leave.
But I won't
Forget this, earp.
What are you gonna do
With a fella like behan?
He's too smart to fight
And if you just k*lled him,
- They'd hang you for it.
- He knows that
And he trades on it.
You go find doc.
We'll try and track down
Those two horse thieves.
Go on.
They've got
A lame horse.
- They won't get much further.
- I think I'll k*ll behan.
Yeah, maybe you could
Make it look like
An accident.
Stop that talk,
Both of you!
Behan isn't worth going
To jail for, much less
Going to the gallows.
Come on.
- Hey, ain't that
Captain rowland?
- Yep.
If I know him,
He probably left twice as many
g*ns just outside town.
I wonder who he's after.
Not me, thank goodness.
Sheriff, you'd better
Slope outta here.
- Why?
- Captain rowland-- he's right
Outside the courthouse.
- And he's mad.
- I'm not afraid of that
Loud-mouthed ruffian.
You forget I happen to be
Sheriff of cochise county.
Now see here!
Put 'em on.
Put 'em on!
You must be crazy.
- What are you gonna do?
- I'm gonna take you to jail.
A good jail!
- He was after sheriff behan.
- Well, he got him.
- Suits me.
- Yeah, but just wait
Until the clantons
Find out about this.
This time
Let rowland hang them.
I'm sorry, doc.
I gotta take them back,
After the captain's satisfied
That we kept our word.
Behan won't be able
To release them again.
Now they're my prisoners.
The captain will sure
Be glad to see you.
He's been biting
-Penny nails.
Oh. Then he knows
They were released.
We got the word last night.
He'll sure feel better
When he sees you caught 'em.
Let's shove off, huh?
Good work, my boy.
You keep
Your promises, I see.
I try to, sir.
Bos'n, lock 'em up
In the brig.
They can keep sheriff behan
Company.
Behan? Here?
Yes, here.
I tried him
For malfeasance in office.
Found him guilty.
Gave him five years.
Ooh, I gotta see this.
Well, I'm sorry,
Captain, but--
This is no time
For argument, wyatt.
Don't you want to see
Johnny behind bars?
We request permission
To see the prisoner, sir.
- Permission granted.
- ( Doc laughs )
( Laughs )
Hey, fellas,
Look here.
Well well.
I didn't think
I'd ever see
The day.
- ( Roscoe braying )
- Ha!
Even roscoe's
A-laughing at him.
Wyatt, you get me
Outta here right away.
This is monstrous, illegal
And he can't do it.
Well now,
I don't know, johnny.
You know,
Bars kinda become you.
Fellas, don't you think
He looks kinda good
Behind bars?
That's right, wyatt.
It's kind of ultimate
Justice.
That's enough horseplay!
I'm an officer of the law.
You tell that wildman that
I'm to be released at once!
At once!
Well now, I don't
Have any influence
Over the captain, johnny.
- Isn't that right, doc?
- That's right.
I think we ought
To leave him here, wyatt.
Wyatt, you see this letter?
It's to governor fremont.
If he has to send the army
To get me out of here,
How will that
Make you look?
I'll see what
I can do, johnny.
Come on.
- Rowland won't let him send
That letter to fremont.
- Yeah.
Let that polecat
Do some sweating
In there, wyatt.
I wish I could.
Deacon earp!
Now come on, doc,
Think about it.
The captain's got
No right to throw anybody
In his private jail,
Much less
A county sheriff.
I don't think
You're gonna talk
The captain out of it.
I don't intend to.
You and shotgun
Keep him busy talking
About the w*r.
I intend to discuss
This whole jail business
With mrs. Rowland.
I don't like behan
Any more than you do.
But he could cause the captain
Serious trouble.
Abducting and imprisoning
An officer of the law--
It's rowland that could
Get five years.
Here, give him the keys.
So you see, mrs. Rowland,
The law down here
Is getting stronger.
It's not necessary
For your husband to fight
His own battles.
But he's always had to,
Or else abandon this property
To the rustlers and the apaches.
Goodness knows I'm willing
For him to stop.
And the captain?
He's very angry
With that wretched sheriff.
You ought
To talk to general danby
At fort huachuca.
He and my husband are
Old old friends from the w*r.
And the general
Can arbitrate?
Yes.
I've done all I can.
- You see--
- ( Bell ringing )
Oh dear, trouble.
- David, what is it?
- The clantons-- armed
To the teeth.
They're riding
Down brush valley.
Come on, marshal.
We'll need every
Fighting man here,
Except sheriff behan
And those horse thieves.
- Just a minute, captain.
- Macgruder!
Call in the outpost.
We'll concentrate
At the gap.
Action stations!
They're fools to come
Through the valley.
- It's a trap!
- Mrs. Rowland,
The captain has a right
To defend himself.
Papa, the boys don't think
Rowland will fall for it.
You tell them
To stop thinking.
We'll keep him
Busy over here,
While our boys
From cottonwood springs
Jump that ranch house
From the other side.
- Captain?
- Aye?
- How well do you
Know old man clanton?
- What are you driving at?
Clanton's not
Foolish enough to ride
Into an ambush like this.
I think he'll make
His main line of att*ck
Someplace else.
- Maybe your ranch house.
- Nonsense!
- You ready, bos'n?
- Ready, sir.
This is far enough.
Ike?
- Ike?
- Yeah?
Tell some of the boys to mosey
Into that clearing yonder
- In front of that gap
And draw their fire.
- Sure, papa.
Now just show
Yourselves, boys.
When you hear
b*ll*ts whistling,
Turn and run.
Steady.
( g*nshots )
Ready...
Fire!
Hit the ground.
Bring them two boys
Back here.
I'll see
What I can do for 'em.
- Cease fire.
- ( g*nf*re stops )
Blast it!
That volley's wasted.
We only got two of 'em.
Captain, I'm going back
To your ranch house.
What for?
The fighting's here.
I'm not so sure it is.
If everything's all right
Back there, I'll be back
Here soon enough.
Come on, we're gonna make
A run for our horses.
Clanton:
Take cover, take cover!
Macgruder, what happened?
They broke through
The back way.
We've gotta
Warn the captain.
Ring the bell.
Oh.
Hold the fire.
Hold it!
That's the bell.
Earp was right.
Bos'n, take charge here.
- Keep them clantons pinned.
- Yes sir.
You you you you,
Come with me.
All right, get down.
Spread out,
Keep your g*ns ready.
We'll rush the gate,
Then we'll go in and tear
The whole place apart.
- Come on.
- Come on.
- Doc, watch the gate.
- ( Gasping )
Marshal earp, they sh*t
The guards watching
The back road.
- They're almost here.
- I knew it.
Clanton outsmarted us.
Doc, most of his men are
Sure to be coming that way.
Not coming,
They're already here.
Get him inside.
Give 'em a hand!
- ( g*nf*re )
- Get inside, boys!
Let's go!
( Distant g*nf*re )
They must have
Got there, ike.
Let's keep 'em busy.
Let's get inside.
Come on, get inside.
- No, mrs. Rowland.
- I can sh**t a g*n.
No, you just reload for me.
I don't want you hit.
Go on.
- ( g*nsh*t )
- ( Window shatters, g*nsh*t )
Surround the house, boys.
We'll get 'em out!
Come on!
- Hold your fire!
- ( g*nshots )
Go dig 'em out!
Grab their g*ns.
- My dear, are you all right?
- Yes, of course.
- I'm all right.
- I'm sure glad to
See you, captain.
- Where's macgruder?
- He's inside, sir.
He's badly hurt.
Come, darling, I'll show you.
Come along.
Sit down, shotgun.
I'll fix that arm.
♪ Well, he cleaned up
The country ♪
♪ The old wild west country
♪ He made
Law and order prevail ♪
♪ And none can deny it
♪ The legend of wyatt
♪ Forever will live
On the trail ♪
♪ Wyatt earp, wyatt earp
♪ Brave, courageous and bold
♪ Long live his fame
♪ And long live his glory
♪ And long may
His story be told ♪
♪ Long may his
Story be told. ♪