The life and legend
Of wyatt earp
( Men vocalizing )
♪ Wyatt earp, wyatt earp
♪ Brave, courageous and bold
♪ Long live his fame
♪ And long live his glory
♪ And long may
His story be told. ♪
( Men vocalizing )
Narrator: the principal
Recreations of dodge city
In
Were doubtful women,
Strong drink,
And day-and-night gambling.
Dodge was a frontier
Cow town,
And it had passed laws
Against crime,
But not against sin.
On the other hand,
Respectable citizens
Expected marshal wyatt earp
To keep both sin and crime
Away from the right side
Of the santa fe tracks.
What is now known
As the battle of
The long branch saloon
Was a typical example
Of frontier hypocrisy.
It threatened wyatt's
Reputation and his job.
Get out of here!
I'm not selling out,
And nobody's gonna
Run me out!
You've had your
Notice, luke.
We made you a fair offer!
Now you get nothing!
What's the matter,
Mr. Short?
They've been threatening me,
Marshal.
They say they ain't armed,
But I doubt it.
Just a private business
Argument, marshal.
Yeah. No concern of yours.
Lift 'em!
See if they got
Any g*ns, hal.
Why are you sticking up
For luke short, marshal?
You got an interest
In the long branch?
No, sir.
Degraff's clean.
Now I'll have to look--
Get away from me!
Come here.
A derringer.
You can come
To my office
And pick up that
g*n tomorrow, sir.
Now go on back
To your saloon.
Hal, go see if you can
Find sheriff masterson.
Right.
Let's go inside.
And then cockrell
And degraff tried
To buy me out.
I figured their place
Below the line wasn't
Doing too well.
But they
Offered me peanuts
For the long branch.
Wyatt,
Maybe this
Is just another
Plain old-fashioned
Roust, huh?
It looks like it.
You know, I'm the one
That talked you into
Buying this place
From doc holliday.
Oh, I'm not blaming you
For that, wyatt.
That price was right,
And I've been
Making money.
Well, just the same,
I feel responsible.
I'm gonna
Ask judge tobin
For a restraining order
Against mr. Cockrell
And mr. Degraff.
Restraining order?
What's that?
Well, that puts them
On legal notice not
To interfere with you
Or your place
Of business.
Puts them on
Legal notice?
Wyatt, you know
A gambler can't run
To the court for help.
Well, you don't
Understand.
I want to help you
Myself, but...
I can't mount guard
On a saloon.
The restraining order
Gives me legal authority
In case they try
To roust your place.
Otherwise, they can
Just send hoodlums in here--
They can tear up
Your place,
And all they gotta do
Is pay a small fine for
Disorderly conduct.
No, sir.
A court injunction
Is the new way
To do things, mr. Short.
Well...
Thanks just the same.
Too modern for you?
I'm old-fashioned.
( Men vocalizing )
- Bat.
- Hi, hal.
Wyatt wants to see you.
I was afraid of that.
You heard about the trouble
Luke short's been having, huh?
I came to help him.
Luke and I are old pals.
He saved my scalp once.
Yeah, I know, but you're
The sheriff. You can't----
Hold up now.
You don't see
Any star, do you?
I was the sheriff.
I resigned.
All right.
You see wyatt before you
Get into any gunfights.
Sure, sure.
You tell him
I'll be around.
And I just don't
Understand wyatt.
This idea of asking
A judge to make cockrell
And degraff behave.
( Scoffs )
Has wyatt gone a mite loco?
No, he just
Hates trouble, luke.
Al and jim would just
Laugh at a court order.
Sure.
But wyatt's got
The town quieted down,
And he wants
To keep it that way.
Deacon earp
They call him.
Uh-oh.
Everybody out!
We're gonna take
This place apart!
Drop those g*ns!
We'll drop you!
Then you quit
A good job!
Then you get mixed up
In a stupid saloon brawl.
I'd hoped
You'd grown up.
But you're a spoiled brat!
This was mostly
Your fault, you know.
My fault, huh?
Sure. You helped
Doc holliday
Sell that place
To luke.
The other saloon owners
Didn't bother doc.
They were afraid of him.
- ( Murmurs )
- Now let me finish, will you?
They were afraid
To roust doc holliday,
But they're not
Scared of luke.
Luke was a pretty
Fair hand with a g*n,
But he's not
In our class,
And you knew that.
- You finished?
- Yes, sir.
Did mr. Short give you
An interest in the long branch?
No, sir, he sold me %.
- He sold you %?
- That's right.
All right.
Here's an application
For a restraining order.
I want you to sign it,
Then I want you
To get luke to sign it.
This makes all of us
Promise to keep the peace.
That's right.
Wyatt, you don't believe
That cockrell and degraff are
Gonna lay off the long branch.
After we just shot up
A few of their rousters?
If they don't, they'll get
Six months to a year in jail.
Contempt of court.
Judge tobin will
Throw the book at 'em.
Well, I don't know.
It puts me in a funny spot.
You put yourself
In a funny spot!
Why'd you resign?
Why'd you quit?
Never mind.
Don't answer that.
You and i, we've worked
Long and hard
To get this town
Calmed down.
We've got an honest
Judge now.
The time has come to make use
Of court orders like that one.
All right. All right,
I'll sign it.
I'll try to get
Luke to sign it.
But it's just going
To get you into trouble.
The marshal's office
Sent us a paper.
Hal served it on me.
"Legal summons"?
"James cockrell
And al degraff
Will appear before
Circuit judge tobin
At : a.m. Tomorrow
To show cause
Why a restraining order
Should not
Be issued against them.
The order
Will bind all parties
To the dispute
At the long branch saloon
To keep the peace."
Hmm. One of earp's
Cute tricks.
Yeah.
If earp hasn't got an
Interest in that saloon,
Then his pal
Bat masterson has.
Yeah.
We'll tell tobin
A thing or two
About deacon earp.
Hmph.
And now, your honor,
I've got something
To tell you
That perhaps
You don't know.
Bat masterson is a partner
In the long branch saloon.
And I suspect that
Marshal earp also has
An interest in the business.
Now see here!
That's a lie,
Your honor!
Order! Order!
Proceed, mr. Cockrell.
Al degraff and I
Weren't involved in
That ruckus yesterday.
So why is marshal earp
Asking for
A restraining order
Against us?
Your honor,
Isn't it obvious--
Not now, mr. Masterson.
Mayor kelley and I wish
To question marshal earp
In chambers.
Court's recessed
For half an hour.
( Indistinct chatter )
And all I'm trying to do
Is to stop another fight
At the long branch.
Now, mr. Masterson
And mr. Short have
Proven their good faith
By applying
For an injunction.
I don't see where bat's
Having an interest
In the place
Or the fact that
He and I are friends
Should enter into
The case.
It'll make you look bad
With the public, wyatt.
Yes, it will.
You'll appear to be
Taking sides in a brawl
Between saloonkeepers.
Well, I can't be
A hypocrite, judge.
What?
Look, mayor kelley
Used to own a saloon.
It's a legal business
In this town.
But you advised me
To quit, and I did.
Sure, mr. Kelley,
And I'm not defending
The saloon business now.
But there's no law
Against it.
Why, our town
Is largely supported by
Taxes from liquor.
You're our marshal, wyatt.
For your sake, I can't
Grant the injunction.
You'll thank judge tobin
When you've had time
To think about this.
Application denied.
All right, gentlemen.
I'll just have to try
And keep the peace
My own way.
Gonna need some more
g*ns, luke.
Charlie bassett
And neil brown
Will help.
I'll send for 'em.
No, two of those
Hoodlums died.
I favor waiting to see if
Wyatt can handle it his way.
Yeah, but tobin
And kelley let him down.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe sh**ting
Your way out of arguments
Is an old-fogey notion.
Another roust.
Come on!
No, wait.
Give wyatt a chance.
Let's take it
Apart, boys!
That's what we're
Here for!
Have some drinks!
( g*nf*re )
There's six of them
In there.
Wyatt will need help.
Too late now.
Lift 'em!
Well, only about
$ Damage, luke.
Hal, let's go see
Mr. Cockrell and degraff.
You stay here.
We'll handle this.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir!
You handle it!
You boys know
How local politics are
In a town like this.
Yeah, jim's right, boys.
You gotta remember
- That most of our
Business is located--
- There he is.
Mr. Cockrell,
It's about time
You and I had a nice little
Heart-to-heart talk.
Bring mr. Degraff.
I want him to hear it, too.
Now I can't prove
You hired those cowhands,
But I don't have to.
I want $
For the damages you did.
Now go get it.
Are you turning
To plain robbery, earp?
Jim don't mean that.
I'll-- I'll get it for you.
I told you to get it.
What if I don't?
Mr. Cockrell
Doesn't appreciate the fact
That I'm trying
To save his life.
Hal, you go up the street
And tell mr. Masterson
And mr. Short
To arm themselves.
Don't be a fool.
They'll
sh**t us down,
And then he'll say
It was a fair fight.
And it will be.
You'll be wearing g*ns
When I shove you out that door.
Wait, hal.
, Did the marshal say?
Go get it!
( Cash register dings )
Now, one more roust
Of the long branch,
And I'm gonna close
Your saloon and every
Saloon below the line.
You pass the word,
Mr. Cockrell.
You think he'd dare
Close everything
Below the line?
That's just what
I want him to do.
We'll pass the word,
All right.
The next roust
Will be a real one.
( Men vocalizing )
( Men vocalizing )
They paid damages. $ .
Well, that's the fastest
Civil suit I ever heard of.
But thanks.
You know, I think
Every saloon owner
Below the line
Is in on this.
Mr. Short, I hope the
Is enough to pay
For the damages.
That's good of you,
Marshal,
But that's not gonna
Get 'em off our backs.
No, sir, I'm afraid not.
Luke's tired
Of fighting.
Are you tired?
No.
But I don't want
To get you in too deep.
You know, mr. Masterson,
I made another mistake.
This isn't just a brawl
Between saloonkeepers.
There's a right and wrong
In the liquor business,
And dodge city's gonna
Have to face the issue.
You know what mr. Kelley
And the judge tried
To pull on me today?
They said that everything
That happens below
The line is sin,
And that we shouldn't bother
To get our nice clean
Coats spotted.
They're hypocrites.
Yeah.
That's why I hope you
And mr. Short will hang on.
We will.
What about the next roust?
Well, I told mr. Cockrell
And mr. Degraff
That one more roust
And I was gonna close every
Saloon below the line.
Now, if they jump
Your place again,
Don't do any fighting.
You leave that to me
And the deputies.
Another hullabaloo
At the long branch.
What is this now, wyatt?
Well, I'm, uh,
Fighting for sin,
According to you,
Mr. Kelley.
And a fine spectacle
It is, too.
Jim cockrell told me
That you took $
From him for damages,
And he claims he doesn't
Even know who made
The disturbance.
Well, he's a liar.
And I'm gonna close
Every saloon in this town
The next time there's
A roust at the long branch.
- Wyatt, you can't do that.
- Why?
Why, they'd sue
The city.
They'd drag
The whole nasty business
Into open court.
Well, that's where
I think it belongs.
Girls? Gambling?
Liquor?
You must be daft.
Mr. Kelley, when I took
The job in this town,
A man's life wasn't safe
On front street.
True. You got crime
Well in hand.
Judge tobin and I
Appreciate it.
No, you don't.
I asked the court authority
To restrain some
Liquor peddlers
From using v*olence
To force a rival saloon
Out of business.
But we told you--
For your own good name.
My name isn't that good.
I'm a sinner,
And so are you.
And so is judge tobin.
When things get too sinful
Below the line,
Sinning busts loose
All over this town.
You and the judge just
Close your eyes to it.
We're not preachers.
Neither am i.
I can't reform dodge city.
But you're threatening
To drag sin into public court.
If that's the only way
I can keep sin from
Turning into crime, yes.
No! I'm warning you--
There's a crowd moving
Towards the long branch.
Ted and louis are
On their way over there now.
Masterson said
He promised you
Not to fight,
But we could
Sure use him.
Let's get over there.
Oh, mr. Mayor,
Keep your eyes
Closed real tight.
Us sinners are gonna
Have ourselves a little
Old shandygaff.
Grab a g*n, bat,
You and luke both.
They're half-drunk
And mean.
We promised wyatt
Not to fight.
Well, we could run
Out the back door.
No.
- ( All chatter )
- Take it apart,
Piece by piece.
You get
The back door.
Lot of good,
Rough boys, jim.
Yeah. I told them
To take the long brach
Apart board by board.
All right.
Outside.
- Outside?
- That's right.
That's your mob out there,
And you're gonna lead 'em.
Hands waist high.
Let's go.
( Men shouting )
Man: whatever you do--
Whatever you do,
Don't break up the liquor.
We'll drink that.
- ( All chatter )
- Come on, now.
Wyatt's with 'em.
They're starting
Up the street.
It's marshal earp.
What's the matter,
Gentlemen?
What are you
Hanging back for?
These are the men that
Hired you to roust
The long branch.
They'll lead you.
Easy, men!
Earp will sh**t us.
No, mr. Degraff.
Why, I wouldn't
sh**t you.
Hal?
No, we're just
Gonna stand over here
And just kind of watch
All of the fun.
What's the matter,
Mr. Cockrell?
You're a natural-born
Leader of men.
All you gotta do
Is raise your hand,
Just say, "follow me."
Take that bigheaded
John law first!
Well, go on!
Take him!
Go on, fellas.
Start sh**ting.
Well, we won't
Hit your bosses.
Whoever heard of men
Like your bosses
Getting hurt?
Are you scared of two men?
Cut 'em down!
You start it!
Men: yeah. Yeah.
I'm not scared
Of wyatt earp.
Well, go ahead
And draw.
I'll wait.
You want to die for them?
One of you could get me
Before wyatt gets you.
No takers?
They'll fight
To the last drop
Of your blood.
Not our blood.
( Indistinct chatter )
Hal, get a wagon,
Load it with x s.
We're closing
The saloons.
- Right.
- Wyatt.
You gonna close us, too?
That's right,
Mr. Masterson.
Every saloon
In town.
Men: ♪ the buntline
♪ The buntline special
♪ It was the longest,
Fastest sh**ting iron ♪
♪ Ever to fight
For the law ♪
♪ The buntline
♪ The buntline special
♪ It never missed
Or lost a battle ♪
♪ And never was
Beat on the draw. ♪
( Men vocalizing )
Marshal earp?
Judge tobin wants you
In court at once.
- For what?
- Read the summons.
I might add on behalf
Of my client,
Mr. Cockrell,
Malfeasance in office
Is too mild a charge.
See you
In court, earp.
( Men vocalizing )
And I submit,
Your honor,
The plaintiff has shown
Conclusive evidence
Why marshal earp should
Immediately be removed
From office.
We ask further that
His illegal action
In closing the city's
Saloons be declared
Null and void.
( Light applause )
Order! Order!
Marshal earp, you've heard
The charges against you.
Have you anything to say?
( Crowd murmuring )
Order!
Proceed, mr. Earp.
Your honor,
I have plenty to say,
But I ask the courtroom
Be cleared.
On what grounds?
I'm going to have to talk
About sin in dodge city.
I'm going to name names
And cite facts
That I don't think should
Become public property.
If the court please...
Yes, mayor kelley?
I agree with wyatt,
Uh, marshal earp.
His testimony should
Be given in private.
Mr. Dunbar, do you agree
That the courtroom be cleared?
I see no reason for it,
Your honor.
The point at issue
Is not the alleged
Sinfulness of dodge city,
But whether marshal earp
Abused the powers
Of his office.
( Pounds gavel )
Mr. Dunbar, your wife
Is in the courtroom.
My wife?
Well, this is outrageous,
Your honor.
I have nothing to hide.
Let mr. Earp
Confine his testimony
To the points at issue
In this case.
Your honor, I believe
The court must rule.
You will proceed
With your testimony.
Mr. Dunbar owns a quarter
Interest in the alamo saloon.
He's also a partner with
Miss josie divas
In the dreamland dance hall.
That's a lie!
I object, your honor!
Order!
Counsel will conduct
Himself properly.
This court fails to see
How mr. Dunbar's
Business ventures
Are relevant to the charges
Against you.
Your honor, malfeasance
In office is a felony, a crime.
Now, in order to show that
I acted within police powers,
I intend to prove
Criminal conspiracy
Between certain saloon owners
And their silent partners
To destroy the business
Of the long branch.
I have here a list of
Certain, prominent
Dodge city men
Who are silent partners
In saloons,
Dance halls,
And disreputable resorts.
( Crowd murmuring )
- Order! Order!
- If the court please--
Your honor, please!
Judge: yes, mayor kelley?
Wyatt's telling
The absolute truth.
If you permit
This case to continue,
I'll have to testify
To what I know about
My fellow citizens,
Including miles dunbar.
I've heard enough
Of this. Your honor?
Mr. Dunbar.
My clients have deceived me.
I withdraw from the case.
Very well.
( Pounds gavel )
On the basis
Of marshal earp's statement,
This court
Is bound to conclude
That the public interest
Cannot be served
By further washing
Of our dirty linen.
Man: hear, hear.
The charges against
Marshal earp are dismissed,
And the saloons
Will remain closed
Until in his judgment
Improved conditions
Warrant their reopening.
Court is adjourned.
( Crowd murmuring )
Now, gentlemen,
Men like mr. Cockrell
And mr. Degraff
Don't belong
In the saloon business.
I want you
Saloonkeepers
And gambling house owners
To get rid of 'em.
If you proved to me
That you made up your minds
To break
With the past,
I'll let you open
For business.
That's fair enough
With me.
It's a deal, marshal.
We'll get rid of them.
- Come on, let's go.
- See you gentlemen later.
( All chatter )
Looks like
The trouble's over, luke.
You sure you want
To sell your interest?
Cash. Pay me.
You've been
A real friend, bat.
That makes us even.
I'll see you around.
( Men vocalizing )
I'm out of
The saloon business.
Good.
You can take your profit
And buy into a dance hall.
No, you-- you give
This to the school.
Good.
Wait a minute.
Now, there's something
About a deputy's star.
You don't get rich
If you're honest,
And they bury you
If you're slow.
But a pot metal star,
You can keep that clean.
Yes, sir.
( Men vocalizing )
♪ 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. ♪
( Men vocalizing )