01x23 - The Frontier Theatre

[bunniefuu]

♪ [humming]

♪ Wyatt Earp

♪ Wyatt Earp

♪ Brave, courageous,

and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame

♪ And long live his glory

♪ And long may

his story be told ♪

♪ [humming]

[Narrator]

The Frontier Theatre,

in ,

was almost

as rough and tough

as the Frontier Saloon.

Wyatt Earp,

as Marshal of Wichita,

found himself

saddled with the job

of keeping order

at the town's music hall,

where all kinds of shows

and all sorts of characters

bid for popular favor.

Usually, the shows

were pretty good.

But usually, the cowboy

audiences were full of liquor

and bad temper.

They're response

to the drama was

simple and primitive.

If they liked the show,

they threw money

on the stage.

If they didn't like it,

they started a riot.

But in the case

of Jeff Pruitt

and his carnival

h*nky Tonk--

[chatter]

Come on, girls.

Rehearsal's over.

The hall's closed.

Don't worry about it.

You've got no right

to close my show, Earp.

It isn't a show.

You don't know

nothing about it.

You're a Johnny Law.

You're no show expert.

I know enough to know

what you're running.

Your girls are underpaid,

and they were rolling

drunken cowhands.

That's a lie.

And the music hall's

owned by this city.

You're closed, Pruitt.

I fight with my fists.

I don't where g*ns

with two deputies

to protect me.

If that's the way

you want it,

I'll take 'em off.

Not now.

I want to get you

all alone,

where nobody can

save you from a beating.

Okay, you arrange that,

Pruitt.

You fix it up real soon.

You take him and

the girls to the hotel.

Archie, put up that sign.

Hey, aren't you gonna

have him fined

for putting on

an off-color show?

No, our job is to keep

cowhands from being robbed,

not to protect

their morals.

Wyatt,

we're gonna have

more trouble

over at that music hall.

Oh, Jeff Pruitt?

No, it's that new company.

The High-Low Players.

What's their problem?

Well, Harlow's been

making the cowhands sore.

And Mr. Murdock says

you better come

right away.

[sighs]

Show business.

I've had more trouble

with the music hall

then ten saloons

put together.

Now, remember my darling,

a child's duty

is to be honest,

cheerful, and obedient.

Do I have to obey him, Mama?

He is not my real Poppa.

Hush, my dear.

You must obey Mr. Lash.

I, myself, have vowed

to love, honor,

and obey him.

But he is cruel.

He makes you cry.

The truth

from the lips of

my own little girl.

How could I

have consented

in a moment of weakness,

to marry Mr. Lash?

[drunken man]

Well, ya shouldn't

have done it.

Quiet.

Aw, shut up.

[knocking at door]

Hark, it is he.

It is Mr. Lash.

Oh, Mama, I am afraid.

Do not be afraid.

So...

[booing]

I find you whispering.

What is it this time?

Hmm?

Well, answer me!

Don't tell him nothing.

If she tells on

our little Mary,

we're gonna--

Shh!

It's too late

for subterfuge, Agatha.

One hour ago,

I intercepted a letter

which this ungrateful

child wrote

to her maternal grandparents

in Schenectady.

No.

Yes!

Leave the room, Agatha.

Please, Mr. Lash,

I beg of you.

Don't you leave, ma'am.

You stay with

little Mary.

I am your husband.

Leave the room.

Heaven help us.

Now, you ugly

little fiend,

I'll teach you

to write lies about me.

It is true.

You are mean and cruel

to my mama.

Oh, indeed. Well,

I can be meaner.

I'll teach you what

cruelty feels like.

[yelling]

You have presumed

to sneer at me.

You have dared to write

your maternal grandparents

in Schenectady

that I am

a secret drunkard.

You have spied upon me,

you ungrateful child.

[groans]

Let's get him.

[angry chatter]

All right!

All right!

Quiet, quiet, quiet!

It's only a play.

It's only a play.

chaotic chatter]

[g*nsh*t fires]

Get away from him.

Oh, Papa, are you hurt?

No. Thanks to

this officer, here.

I love my papa.

I'm not crippled,

and he doesn't

spank me in real life.

Go finish your show.

I'll see there's

no more trouble.

Come on,

take 'em inside.

Come on, come on.

Get in there.

[chatter]

We've put on

Suffer the Little Children

a hundred times.

I had no idea

the audience here

would react the way

it did, Mr. Earp.

Well, you ever been

out west before?

No.

You just don't understand

cowhands, Mr. Howl.

Just like other people,

aren't they?

Sure, when they're sober.

Trouble is that most

of 'em are never sober.

You see, Wichita's

the end of a long

cattle drive

for most of 'em,

and they--

Well, their stay here

is their one big

holiday of the year.

Oh, I see.

Now, before your

show opened,

I had to close

an all-girls show.

They probably

resented that.

What you're trying

to say is I--

I should have put on

a more cheerful play.

Yeah, I guess that's

what I want to say.

You see, they don't

care much for villains.

Well, then we're finished.

How's that?

I'm down to two sets.

The one we used tonight,

and one for

Death to the King.

Most of tonight's

audience demanded

their money back.

Oh.

You've, uh--

You've got

financial troubles, huh?

I haven't told my wife,

but they held

are other sets and

most of our costumes

in Kansas City.

Panic of ' is still

lurking in the wings,

you know?

Can't you put on

the other play?

[chuckles]

I'm an even worse

villain in that one.

[knocking at door]

Hmm?

Poppa?

Can't Mama and I

come in now?

Well, all right.

The dying swan. Catch!

Oh, it isn't proper.

Papa should have caught me.

You're a strange man.

Jeannie.

Don't scold her, hon.

Jeannie's just

putting that on,

Mr. Earp.

She aimed herself

straight at you.

Why, Papa, I did not.

[chuckles]

Well, it's all right,

Jeannie.

I like you, too.

Mrs. Harlow, uh,

your husband and I

talked it over,

and we, uh...

decided you oughta

put on Death to a King

tomorrow night.

Well, uh--

Yes, we'll

put on the King, hmm?

Won't that start

another riot?

Well, I hope not.

Anyway, my deputies

and I will be on hand.

It seems I have no choice.

That's right.

Our company's

financially embarrassed

and down to two sets.

Papa doesn't

think Mama knows,

but we both know.

Jeannie!

That's all right.

I've been broke

a few times, myself.

You won't let

those cowhands

hurt my papa,

will you?

Jeannie, I give you

my word of honor.

Good luck

tomorrow night.

Thank you, sir.

The swooning princess...

I fell right into

the arms of the law.

You better fall

right into the arms

of Morpheus.

Yes, Mama.

Good night, Mr. Earp.

Good night, Jeannie.

Good night.

Eh, she's very sweet.

Good night.

Thank you.

Stupid cowhands.

Yeah, they didn't

get that actor away

fast enough.

Earp jumped 'em

at the stage door.

When do we try it

again, Jeff?

Well, tomorrow night

if Harlow's got the guts

to put on another show.

But no cowhands this time.

Let them start the rumpus.

And you boys grab Harlow,

put him on a horse,

and head for

the Douglas Avenue

bridge.

Earp will ride

to the rescue,

and we've got him.

Eh, Harlow again.

Wonder if that no good,

child-beating m*rder*r

gets m*rder*d or

does he m*rder the king?

He better get m*rder*d.

[noisy chatter]

How are ya, Wyatt?

How are ya, Marshal?

All right, hold it now.

Hold it now.

Good evening,

ladies and gentlemen.

Last night, some of

you folks out there

in the audience

took the play

too seriously.

Now, just in case

you haven't read

today's Eagle

or were told

by your bartender,

I'm gonna repeat

a mild warning.

Now, this stage up here

belongs to Mr. Harlow

and his actors,

nobody else--

And that includes

everybody out there.

Now, if anybody tries

to climb up on this stage

except the actors,

or tries to make

any unnecessary noises,

you're gonna get

buffaloed.

Law says you'll stay

in jail for days.

Now, me and my deputies

are gonna be sitting

in the front row,

so all of you just sit back,

relax, and enjoy the play.

[clapping]

Now--

[clapping]

And now,

on with the play.

[cheering]

Six thousand men approach

to seize my castle

and my kingdom.

And I, alone and deserted.

My life is like

this piece of cord.

It had its beginning.

It must inevitably

have an ending.

[hiccups]

Now what could be

fairer than that?

[chatter]

Shh.

And yet,

a king must sleep,

restless with the burden

of his own crown.

For on this day,

I did but harken

to such tales of woe

from my poor subjects,

that death not sleep.

Would such a blessing be.

But, oh, my wretched life

is precious to my people.

True, true.

For when the last

runny drop escapes

the cup,

what then?

Moncrief is king.

Aye, Moncrief,

my nephew--

So steeped in evil

as to mark my name,

and make his own name

a terror in the kingdom.

Moncrief.

His name does squeak

like the gallow's rope,

like the screw

that turns the rack.

Moncrief.

Ah, his name doth

rhyme with grief.

That word, so cruel

and so forlorn.

But why do I

think of this?

For I am old.

'Tis far better

to dodder,

and to drowse,

and to sleep.

Now, don't you

go to sleep, king.

No, Harlow's coming

to dry-gulch you.

Shh.

Why don't we beat him

to the job?

[rumblings]

[booing]

He snores.

The old fool snores.

At this, his last

farewell to life.

No battle cry,

no gallant jest.

[snoring]

Not even a seemly prayer.

'Tis well, for what

is left of this life

I mean to nudge

across the Styx

with a bared falchion.

Hey, king, wake up!

Wake up, wake up.

Come on, wake up!

[snoring]

Snore by night,

a toothless

cackle by day.

Years lie cold in the

very blood of him.

Too long the frost

has gathered on

his beating heart.

It labors feebly now,

in a sheet of ice.

Well, old man,

thou art mostly dead.

[yelling, cheering]

Quiet, quiet!

If you people continue

to act like this,

we'll never have

a theatre in Wichita.

[grunts]

It's no use.

We'll have to give them

their money back

again tonight.

Mr. Harlow, I know

who's behind this now.

We'll talk about it later.

Meanwhile, these two

are going to jail.

Come on.

Don't sh**t, Marshal.

Now, you were there.

You saw what happened.

Yep.

And I thought it was just

cowhand stupidity.

But the men that tried

to grab Harlow tonight

trail with Pruitt

and his g*ng.

Simmer down,

my friend--

No, not this time.

I promised Harlow

I'd protect him. I didn't.

You kept Jeff's men

from giving him

a good does

of tar and feathers.

That's not the point.

Now, Wyatt,

whether Pruitt caused

the trouble or not,

Harlow is partly

responsible.

How do you figure that?

You can't play

Christopher Marlow

to a bunch of cowhands.

I know the poor

fellow's broke,

and his company's

stranded here,

but he should never

have attempted

Death to the King.

That's still not the point.

Well, what is the point?

Inn full of drunken

cowhands and Pruitt's men

are trying to close

the music hall.

That's the point.

Well, it seems to me

they've succeeded.

I can't let them

get away with it.

What are you gonna do?

They do get away with it,

I might as well

turn in this star.

Wyatt, you're mad

and upset.

You're darn right

I'm mad and upset.

I don't like giving my word

and not being able to keep it.

But the main reason is

nobody puts anything

over on me.

I'm the Marshal,

and the Marshal can't afford

to let 'em get away

with that.

You know that.

He's through.

All right, go ahead

and arrest Jeff Pruitt.

That show of his

you closed was filthy.

I'll back you up on that.

What's it gonna do?

What good?

The music hall

would still be closed

and Harlow and his actors

would still be flat broke.

All right, we can

take up a collection.

I've already done that.

Huh?

Uh, my deputies arrested

men tonight.

I gave them the choice

of kicking in $ apiece

or being arrested

for disorderly conduct.

So, uh,

they all kicked in.

$ bucks' worth.

That's mighty irregular.

Oh, but I approve.

Yes, yes, I do.

I approve.

Thanks.

Well, isn't that enough to

get Harlow and his company

back to their next stand?

Wyatt, Mr. Harlow's here.

Oh, good. Send him in.

Come in, Mr. Harlow.

Mr. Harlow,

I believe you've

met Mr. Murdock,

the editor of

The Wichita Eagle.

Yes, he gave me a very nice

notice in his paper.

Good evening, sir.

Evening, Mr. Harlow.

I guess

I'd better run along.

You two wanna talk.

No, wait.

I want you to hear

what I have to say.

Mr. Harlow,

how much would it cost

to get your troupe

out of town?

Oh, no. We couldn't

accept that.

We'll find jobs

and try to save

another stake.

Well, this happens

to be a free will donation

made by the cowhands

that tried to break up

your show tonight.

Hmm.

That sound better?

Mm-hmm.

Now, how much

will it cost?

Well,

$ or $

ought to pay our bills here

and get us back

to Kansas City.

Kansas City, huh?

And, uh, what play

would you do there?

A Tale of Two Cities.

By Charles Dickens.

Yes, I made the serial

story into a play.

The audience like it?

Oh, they love it,

Marshal.

Our top box office

attraction,

all through the east.

Well, if you had

the sets,

is there any reason

why you couldn't

play it here?

Here?

After what happened tonight?

Mr. Harlow,

I wanna keep

the music hall open.

I'll-- Wouldn't you

like to have

another chance at Wichita?

Well, Frankly, I--

Frankly, Mr. Harlow

is scared,

and I don't blame him.

All right.

There's your money.

Now, that's a sensible

solution.

Good evening, gentlemen.

Good evening,

Mr. Murdock.

And, Wyatt,

you'll feel better

in the morning.

Sure.

Mr. Harlow,

what kind of

a character do you play

in Tale of Two Cities?

I play Sydney Carton,

a great heroic role.

I change places

with the husband

of the woman I love.

I, uh--

I go to the guillotine

in his stead.

Do you think they'd

boo me here for that?

I think Mr. Murdock's

probably right.

Ought to try it

in Kansas City.

But you want me to

play it in Wichita. Why?

For purely personal and

selfish reasons, Mr. Harlow.

Still, why?

I took a licking tonight.

I promised you'd finish your

play without any trouble.

In my job, I can't

afford to be licked.

Neither can I, Mr. Earp.

You wouldn't have any

objections, would you,

if I use this money

to fix up a set

for the Dickens play?

I can't think of a one.

See you at the music hall.

[clinking coins]

Tomorrow night.

Wyatt. Wake up.

Hey. Just take it easy.

It's just me.

[chuckles]

Aw--

Did you find anything

new on the saloon beat?

Yep. Pruitt got drunk

over at Rowdy Kate's,

and talked too much.

He says he's gonna let

this new show run without

any trouble.

And then he's gonna grab

Harlow before the curtain

goes down.

Oh. What's he got

against Harlow?

Nothin'.

Except he figures that

you're going after Harlow.

He's bragging that he's

gonna bushwhack you.

He's gonna take your

g*ns away,

and beat you up

with his fists.

Hey. That's good.

Almost too good to

be true. You sure?

Rowdy Kate passed me the word.

She hasn't lied to us yet.

I trust her.

Go get Brick. We gotta

plan this carefully.

Right.

Allez!

[thud]

Come, come, my dear.

You were given in life

great courage.

Give death an equal bravery.

For death is nobler

than life.

Allez!

I can bear it

for myself, Mr. Carton.

But for you--

No, my child.

Why must you sacrifice

your life for them? Why?

Charles Darnay is a good man.

I have loved his wife, Lucy,

with the one pure affection

God has granted me

in this world.

And their child.

Allez!

[thud]

In sparing

little Lucy's life,

I gain a child of my own.

Is all that not worth

a few moments out there?

Let me go first,

Mr. Carton.

No, my darling.

You are friendless

and alone.

If you went first,

I might lose you.

His angels might

hurry you away.

Oh, but I would wait.

I promise, Mr. Carton!

I-- I love you.

How fortunate we are.

We meet in prison,

and by chance of numbers,

we are together now.

Say you love me,

Mr. Carton.

Just a little.

More than a little.

In the light of eternity,

your soul should be

bright and beautiful.

Beautiful?

The loveliest young lady

who has come from France.

And even I--

a weakling, a wastrel,

and a rogue--

if my prayers be answered,

I, too, shall be

pleasing in His sight.

Oh, you will! You will!

[Man]

Sydney Carton.

But a few moments now,

and I'll have you

in my arms again.

Think this of me.

It is a far, far better

thing I do

than I have ever done.

It is a far, far better

rest I go to

than I have ever known.

Allez!

[thud]

[gasps]

[applause]

Marshal Earp!

Marshal Earp!

Those men!

They grabbed my papa!

Stop them! Stop them!

[all talking at once]

Hold up here!

Get him off of there.

You boys get these

horses out of sight.

Get down off of there.

Earp will be along soon,

because a lot of people

saw the way we went.

And I want you to walk right

around in a little circle

in this robe,

and don't run out on us.

If you do, we're gonna

sh**t you down, understand?

Mr. Harlow.

Glad to see

you're not hurt--

I said I'd

get you alone.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Earp.

You're gonna be a lot

sorrier. Get his g*n.

All right, Pruitt.

It's your turn.

Lift 'em! All of ya!

Now come on. Drop 'em.

Get 'em. Get those g*ns down!

Get over here,

all of ya!

Ah, you're gonna

sh**t me, huh?

Nope.

Keep your g*ns

on the rest of 'em.

Mr. Pruitt's first.

You wanted a fist fight,

didn't you?

Not with your deputies

shootin' me in the back.

Don't worry. They won't.

You stay out of this.

Watch it!

This is what

I've been wantin'.

Now get up.

You can't wait, can ya?

Come on. Get up.

Come on, Pruitt.

Get up, Pruitt!

Come on.

Come on.

That's it--

Get up! You ain't hurt.

Get up!

No, Mr. Earp!

You've whipped him!

You're next.

Push him out!

Shove him over here.

No. No!

Stop him! Stop him!

Come on.

What's the matter?

You heard Pruitt brag

I couldn't fight with

anything but my g*ns.

Well, come on!

No. Come to your senses, man.

You'll k*ll him!

Get outta--

This ain't my fight, Earp!

It is now.

Wyatt!

Please, Mr. Earp!

You better get him

over to Fabrique's office.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Harlow, I try to

stay out of fist fights.

g*n's less personal, and--

I don't get so mad.

I can't fight with

my fists or a g*n.

But if I had to fight you,

I'd sure choose a g*n.

How'd Tale of Two Cities go?

Oh, tremendous.

I missed five

curtain calls, at least.

[chuckles]

Great.

Could run forever.

In Wichita, that means

about two nights.

You'd better climb aboard.

Aren't you riding back?

No.

I'm gonna take

a little walk.

I'll see you in town.

♪ 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

♪ [humming]