01x13 - Bare Knuckles

[bunniefuu]

That's it, kid, that's the way.
Straight up.

Yeah, that's the way, kid,
that's it.

That's it, kid, that's the way.
Punch straight out.

Like this?

That's the way.

Jonesy, a gold toothpick.

Now see,

you set up with this,
you finish him off with this.

Time.

Gosh,
who would ever believe

that I got a boxing lesson

from the great
Terry Mulligan himself?

Well, I'll tell you what,
you come in town tonight

and I'll tell everybody
you're my new sparring partner.

Brad, give 'em some passes.

Sure thing.
Here we are.

Free tickets for you,
the kid,

and the other two
we didn't get to meet.

Well, that's very generous
of you, Mr. Holvig.

That's all right.

I think we owe you something
for that fine chow we just had.

Well, now...
as a matter of fact--

That's okay, my friend,
no need to thank me.

Let's go, Terry.

Ah, just a minute,
I have to leave something

for my little buddy here
to remember me by.

Well, there you are.
I'll see you at the fight.

Okay, Rusty,
go.

Can't wait
till Slim and Jess see this.

Yeah, I can hardly wait.

Jonesy, we're starved.
What's for lunch?

Lunch?
I'll get right at it.

Terry Mulligan was here?

Who's Terry Mulligan?

Terrible Terry Mulligan.

He's the world's
heavyweight champion.

At least he claims he is,
Slim.

Heavyweight champion
what?

Door breaker?

Hi, Slim.
Hi, Jess.

Hello, Andy.

I bet you'll never guess
who was just here
right in this room.

Terry Mulligan.

That's right.
Aren't we lucky?

I can't get over it.

Hey, how about
a couple of nice steaks, huh?

Steaks?

Wouldn't you rather
have some nice beans?

All right. We'll have
some beans with our steak.

We're out of steak.

Ham?

Out of that too.

Well, what have we got?
Oh, wait a minute.

Don't tell me, Jonesy.
Beans.

Beans.

Well, that's all right,
we can get by on beans.

Hey, we must've had
a good day, huh?

Just middling.
Help with the chow.
Time's a-wastin'.

Where's the money?

Money?

The money for the steak
and the ham.

We're not givin'
a free lunch, are we?

We got something
a lot better than money.

Show him, Jonesy.

Yeah, show me, Jonesy.

Four tickets
for the fight tonight.

One for each of us
and they're free.

You mean you gave away
all that food for these?

Well, that Terry Mulligan
is a champion eater, too.

At leastwise,
it seemed to me.

Now listen, you two.

You think we can pay off
that note at the bank

with prize fight tickets?

Don't get your feathers up.
We'll take care of that
note somehow.

We've been
through this before.

Everybody here
has to work hard.

This relay station
has to make money

instead of giving free
lunches out to just
anybody who comes along.

Terry Mulligan
isn't just anybody.

Well, I don't care
what you call him.

We can't afford to have
freeloaders around here.

Now the bank's expecting me
to bring $500 in next month.

It's up to us
how we do it.

You don't want me
to have to sell that
breeding stock, do you?

Gosh, no, Slim,
that'd be awful.

All right.
Let's settle down
and run this place

so we've got
a fighting chance.

I'll work hard,
honest, I will.

And I'll work especially
hard today.

That's the idea.

'Cause I got
to quit early.

You got to quit early, why?

Well, you want me
to get cleaned up

before we got into Laramie,
don't you?

Who's going
into Laramie?

Well, we are, to see
Terry Mulligan fight.

Oh, we are.
Where did you get that idea?

Come on, Slim,
will you--?

Now, stay out of it,
Jess, I'll handle this.

- Have you had lunch yet?
- Yeah, but...

Well, get out in the barn
and start working on
those harnesses.

Sure.
Right away.

You mean we're not going
to the fight?

I'll think about it.

- Are you all through
being a big brother?
- Not for quite a while.

That's the way, Jonesy,
rake him with your spurs
a couple of times.

That's what I'm aiming to do.
That's a small boy.

He's doing a man's work
around here,

but he's still a small boy.

Well, I'm sure glad
you realize it.

You think a barn full of drunks
watching a prize fight

is a good place
for a small boy?

You know I'll take
good care of him.

Come on, Slim,
it won't hurt the kid any.

After knocking around with us,
he can take care of himself.

We'll finish all the chores
before we leave.

You can depend on that.

What about that
busted rail in the corral

I showed you this morning?

Done anything about that?

- Spliced it.
- Splicing isn't good enough.

You're supposed
to put a new one in.

All right,
I'll put in a new rail.

That's a promise.

All right.

You tell Andy,
he can go to the fight

when he finishes his chores.

Thanks.
You won't regret it.

I hope not.

Come on, hard rock, eat up.

We got a lot of work to do.

Pull it up, Jess.

Well, there's not much more
we can do before dark.

We might as well head back.

I got a better idea.

Let's go to town from here
and catch that fight.

What for?

Come on, Slim,
this is the biggest thing

to hit Laramie
since that blizzard in '68.

Well, I'll just wait
for another blizzard.

And besides we don't have
the tickets with us,

they're back
at the house.

Slim.

You just won't take
no for an answer, will you?

Let's get the stuff away.

You got the tickets.

Oh, yeah.

- You do everything
you're supposed to do?
- Yes, sir.

Oh, I did my part
right as rain.
I think I did.

Although I missed something,
couldn't be too important.

Come on.

Where's w*r Bonnet,
Jonesy?

w*r Bonnet? Well,
that's the big gold strike.

It's in the south
pass country.

You know what I hear?

They're digging up
nuggets as big as your fist.

Boy.

Why don't we go prospecting
for gold sometime, Jonesy?

Just you and me.

Sure thing,
want to go right now,

or you want to watch
Terry Mulligan fight first?

I guess we can go prospecting
for gold any old time.

Right. We better use these
as long as we got 'em.

Let's go.

[ chattering ]

Hi, Mr. Mulligan.
It's me, Andy. I'm here.

Hi, little pal.
How's my sparring buddy?

[ bell ringing ]

Boys, I'm glad to see
so many of you could

get away
from the missus.

And I hope
you brought money!

The champ will start
his far west tour

from right here in Laramie.

He will take on all comers,

any place
we can set up a ring.

All the way from here
to Frisco.

How about taking
on my mother-in-law?

She lives down
in Buckeye.

Terry's a nice boy
and my meal ticket.

I don't want him
to get m*rder*d.

Just one more announcement,
boys.

Tonight's fight will be fought

under the new Marquis
of Queensberry rules: 5 rounds,




If a man gets knocked down
and can't get up

by the time
the referee counts to 10,

the fight is over.

Stop talking
and start fighting.

On my right, the champion,
Terrible Terry Mulligan!

[ booing ]

And his worthy opponent,
Laramie's own blacksmith Jacob.

[ cheering ]

And I'm sure you all know
the referee,

your local deputy sheriff,
Keith Howard.

[ bell ringing ]

All right, boys.

[ laughter ]

[ bell ringing ]

Drag him down, take him.

[ cheering ]

All right, hit him.

[ bell ringing ]

Come on, more.

Come on.

[ bell ringing ]

How'd we do?

Fine. There isn't 5 cents
left in the crowd.

Good, I'll go to work.

[ bell ringing ]

One, two...

Come on,
get up!

Four, five, six...

MAN: Looks like
a fake fight.

MAN 1: Come on, man.
Let's get him.

MAN 2: Yeah,
let's get him.

Andy.

Hey, Andy.

That feel better?

Yeah, hardly even hurts.

Yeah, I'll bet.
It'll be about a week

before you can walk
on that again.

Oh, I'll be
up in a couple of days.

Sure. Well, we're lucky
you didn't break it.

You better get some sleep.

Good night, Andy.

I'm sorry, Slim.

So am I.

I didn't know there'd be
trouble like this.

It wasn't your fault,
Jonesy.

Yes, it was my fault.

Just like it was my fault
those horses got away,

just because
I didn't fixed that rail fence.

Those horses were
worth $200 to you

and I'm responsible.

Well, they're sure gone.

But come daylight,
I'll see if I can find 'em.

Not with that
bad back of yours.

I'll round 'em up.

Sleeping?

No.
Come on in.

Comfortable?

Yeah.

Don't feel
so bad about it, Jonesy.

An accident
can happen to anybody.

I know, but this didn't have
to happen.

If I'd have had any sense,
it wouldn't have.

Slim give you
a bad time?

No. I think I'd feel better
if he had.

Andy, I'm gonna do something
important around here.

I'm gonna show all of you
that I'm more than

an old troublemaker
with a weak back.

Don't talk like that, Jonesy.

I always figured that no matter
how bad things would get,

a fellow
could find a bright spot

if he'd search hard enough.

This time, I don't seem to be

able to find
any rays of sunshine.

After a storm, there's usually
a rainbow with a pot of gold

at the end of it.

That's it,
a pot of gold.

I knew there'd be
something good,

a good omen.

Andy, do you realize
that we wouldn't

have heard about
the pot of gold

if we hadn't gone into town
to see the prize fight?

What pot of gold?

w*r Bonnet,
w*r Bonnet or Bust,

that wagon we saw in town.

And all them prospectors just
getting hog rich down there.

Andy, it wouldn't
take me more than

a couple of days
to dig enough gold to pay off

that note at the bank
and then some.

Gosh, that's right.
Can I come with you?

Oh, I reckon not.
You're too stove in.

for any fast traveling
right now,

but I'll be back before
you even know I'm gone.

Let's tell Slim about it.

Oh, no.
Let's surprise him.

I'll just slip out of here
quiet-like tonight.

When I get back,
I'll have enough

golden nuggets to make
a mule walk bowlegged.

Oh, shh.

Go to sleep.

Jonesy!

Hey!
Jonesy!

Howdy, Mose.

You old hound dog.
I was looking for you

every time I bring the sieves
down to w*r Bonnet.

- Uh-huh.
- Where you been?

Up in my claim
diggin' gold.

Diggin' gold?
Really diggin' for it?

- Yeah.
- See, that's good.

That's something
I can tell Andy,

'cause every time
I pull in the relay station,

and he's on my back askin' me
what I heared about you.

How are you doing?

Next time you see him,
tell him I'll be home soon,

with a mule walking behind me
bowlegged.

He'll know
what you mean.

You mean you struck
some good rock?

- Look.
- What is this assay?

Just going in the office
now to find out, come along.

Ooh.

Iron pyrite and mica.

Oh, Mose,
what am I gonna do?

I'm flat broke, stony.

Well, I'm taking the stage back
to Laramie in the morning.

Want me to stake you
to a ticket?

No, no, thanks.

I'm not about to go
crawling back there
like a whipped dog.

Suit yourself.
Stand you to a drink?

Couldn't make me
feel any worse.

It might make me
feel little better.

Come on.

[ piano playing ]

- Feeling better?
- Ah, worse.

I don't know
whether it's Sarsaparilla

or that blubbering
fool over there.

Music sounds
kind of pretty though.

Here goes.

Maybe you'd like this tune,
friend.

That's real music, boys.

[ singing drunkenly ]

You're hired, friend.

All the free lunch
you can eat

and whatever
they feed the kitty.

How's your ankle today?

Pretty good.

Well, I'm glad to hear.
Maybe you can take over

your regular outside chores
tomorrow, huh?

Sure can.

Was that Mose
driving the stage?

Yeah, he told me he saw
Jonesy up at w*r Bonnet.

Jonesy
didn't find any gold.

He's playing piano in a saloon.

Mose says he's too proud
to come home

unless somebody goes up there
and gets him.

That so?

Pass the salt, Jess.

Well, I guess
somebody better ride up

to w*r Bonnet
and do just that.

What do you think, Slim?

Jonesy's always
welcome here, he knows that.

This is his home.

But I don't think we ought
to go chasing after him.

And when he's ready,
he'll come back.

He said he was
gonna come back

when he'd gotten the whole $500
we owe the bank

and he'll get it too.

That might
take quite a while,

playing a piano
in a saloon.

I'm going out
to the herd, Jess.

Meet me out there
when you finish eating.

Jess, what do you think?

I mean, will Jonesy...

I mean, what do you think
he'll do?

I don't know, Andy.

Maybe he likes
what he's doing.

Could be, you know.

Slim.

Well, he's finally asleep.

Kicked his blankets
all over though.

Yeah, and lots of buttons
coming off his shirts
lately too.

Or maybe just seems
that way without Jonesy
around to sew 'em on.

Yeah.

Jess?

Yeah.

You remember those stallions
we saw up at Rock Springs?

Yeah.
What about 'em?

Well, I was thinking,
you know,

we could use a new team
for the stage and...

well, according
to this letter,

they're selling 'em
mighty cheap.

You forgetting about
that note at the bank?

No, that's why I thought
if I went up myself,

they'd probably
give me credit.

You know,
it's worth a try anyway.

Yeah, you got a point.

We've about run those
mares of ours barefoot.

Say, w*r Bonnet's
not too far from Rock Springs,

maybe you can drop
in on Jonesy,

if you have the time.

Yeah, if I got the time.

There's money here,
my boy.

Fresh money, lots of it.

My nose itches,
and that's always
a sure sign.

Like I said...
money.

What are we waiting for?
Let's set these suckers up--

Patient, tiger, patience.
This is different.

It's big.

This goes
on a full scale promotion.

I need a local man
to front for me.

Shouldn't be
hard to find a man

with a little larceny
in a gold town like this.

On the contrary,
the man I want may be
very hard to find.

He's got to be
well-known, honest,
and not very bright.

Honest?

As the day is long.

I don't like a man
cheating me

while I'm busy trying
to cheat him.

Do you know who that is
assaulting the piano?

Who?

The promoter
of your next fight.

My, oh, my.
This is our lucky day.

Everybody, over here,
drinks for everyone.

Terrible Terry Mulligan
is buying.

[ cheering ]

I drink to your good health
and good fortune, Mr. Jones.

Oh, Mr. Holvig.

Nice to see you, my friend.

Say, how would you like a chance
to make some important money?

How much?

Thousand dollars,
maybe more,

depending on the success
of the venture.

Now I have here
$50 for you...

an advance
against future profits.

What do I have to do?

A job for which you have
all the qualification, sir.

You are to promote
Terry Mulligan's next fight

right here in w*r Bonnet.

Me, a fight promoter?

Oh, no.
I couldn't do that.

Oh, you can
because I will help you.

Is it a deal?

You know what?

I think
I'm the first piano player

to quit this job
under his own power.

A tribute to your talent,
my friend.

Yeah, wait a minute.

Who am I gonna
get to fight Mulligan?

None of these
prospectors around here

could come out
for the second round,

and who's gonna pay anything
to see a m*ssacre like that?

Trust in providence, sir.

I'm sure some worthy opponent
will turn up.

Tiger, we're in luck.

Mr. Jones has agreed to promote
a fight for you in w*r Bonnet.

Well, it's good to see you
again, sport.

Yeah, thanks.

And then this
Britisher says,

"How would you like
a bashin', you
ruddy American?"

Well, sir, this didn't
sound like a very friendly
thing, so I--

Watch where you're
going, dude.

I guess you don't know
who I am, mister.

I'm Terry Mulligan.

Well, what do you know?

Son...
Oh, wait a minute.

Hmm...

Come on, champ.
Come on, get up on your feet.

Come on, then.
Champ, come on.

Come on, you can.

That's quite a punch.

I've got a business proposition
for you.

No.

No, really, a chance
to make some big money.

Doing what?

Prize fightin'.
Now I happen to be--

Just a minute, Jones.

Are you trying to promote
a contest

between this cowardy
and my champion?

That's the idea.

You must be joking.
Sure, he got a lucky punch.

But Mulligan will m*rder him
in a real fight.

He would?

Put 'em up, dude.

Now what was
that proposition again, mister?

Here's the deal.

Later, boy, later.

Oh, I guarantee there'll be
tickets for all of you here.

Yes, sir.

It'll be
a good fight, too.

I'll be back later.

Oh, Slim.

- How are you?
- Jonesy.

Oh, it's good to see you,
boy.

How are things
back at the ranch?

- Oh, just fine, fine.
- Oh, good.

Hey, we found those horses
you were so worried about.

Oh.
You're not just saying that.

- No, it's true.
- Oh, that's fine.

So there's no reason for you
to stick around here

any longer, is there?

No, no, not exactly,
except I kind of got

myself involved
in something.

Then you did find some gold.

Not what you mean.
But it's gilt-edged, all right.

Didn't you see all those posters
about the big fight?

Yeah, Terrible Terry
is fighting Cowboy Hill.

What's that got to do
with you?

You're looking at the
promoter of that fight.

- What?
- Well, why not?

Gold is where you find it,
isn't it?

You won't find
any getting mixed up

in a crooked prize fight.

Now look, Jonesy,
if you're in trouble,

just tell me.

I'd like to be in this
kind of trouble all the time.

Now this fight
isn't like the others,

strictly on the level.

Now I know better
and so should you,

especially after what happened
in Laramie.

But this is different.
Come on, I'll prove it to you.

Cowboy.

Cowboy.

- You call me, boss?
- Sure did.

I want you to meet
my best friend, Slim Sherman.

This is Cowboy Hill,
my fighter.

Any friend of Mr. Jones
is a friend of mine, Sherman.

I understand you're fighting
Terry Mulligan.

That's right.
You got any objections?

Of course, he hasn't.

No objections,
except Jonesy's involved.

That bothers you, huh.
Why?

Because if Mulligan
and his manager have

anything to do with it,
it's got to be crooked.

Are you suggesting
I'm in on it too?

Yeah, I'm suggesting--Uh, Slim.

Slim. Slim boy.

Just a minute, Cowboy.

Oh, you.

Better give that
ticket money back to me.

I'll start making
refunds right away.

Now, we mustn't panic,
friend.

Things are always
darkest before dawn.

Dawn?
Looks more like
midnight to me.

Sorry I ruined
your deal, Jonesy.

Guess there's nothing
I can do about it now.

Now that's where you're wrong,
my friend.

All you've got to do is
take the Cowboy's place

and fight Terry,
then we'll all be in clover.

I'm no prize fighter.

And I don't want
any part of your rotten deal.

Those are hard words for a man
that's offering good money.

Not interested.
Coming, Jonesy?

Sure, Slim,
nothing I like better than

to get out of here
and go home.

Now wait a minute.

I've sweat blood
getting these miners

to put that arena up
in the middle of the town.

Well, that's your problem,
not mine.

Yeah, and another thing.

Jonesy's into me
for a good piece of change too.

Now I'm willing to forget
the whole thing

if you'll cooperate.

You've got a heart
as big as a mountain, Holvig.

Well, I just happen to know
that you need money.

And I'm giving you a chance
to earn it on the level.

Now here's my proposition.

I'll give $100 a round
for every round

you stay with the champ

and a $500 bonus
if you whip him.

Sorry, I don't trust you.

You don't have
to trust me.

I'll give the $100 to Jonesy
right at ringside

after every round
and if he don't get it,

you can climb out
of the ring.

Don't listen to him, Slim.
Let's go.

You know, five rounds,
and our worries would be over.

That's not too long.

Long enough for you to get
more than a few bones broken.

We're going to clean up
on this one.

The chumps who've been
watching you put on that act

in the saloons are begging me
to cover their bets.

I got one big bundle down

that you'd don't last
for four rounds.

Good, but did you have to spread
the word around

that I was boozing it up
because I was scared?

Well, look at it like this.

We came down here to get
a piece of the gold strike

and we're doing it
the easy way.

I got to admit, it's easier than
digging in the gold fields.

How long you want me
to carry him?

Couple of rounds at the most.
I'll give you the word.

As soon as I've milked
every dime out of the crowd.

Now make Sherman look good,
it'll make the bets come easier.

You know, sometimes I think
I should have been actor.

Well, if you want
to starve to death,

that's the easiest way
to do it.

I hear Terry's been drinking.

Maybe he's afraid of you.

Don't you believe it.
They're cooking up something.

Now when you fight him,
you fight him

the way your daddy
taught you to fight.

Keep that left
moving all the time.

- All right, I will.
- Yeah.

Slim, you think you can
whip him?

I can try.

I don't want
you to get hurt.

Neither do I.

All right, boys.

Now you men know the rules.
Protect yourselves at all times.

Shake hands now
and come out fighting.

Now you behave yourself
and I might take it easy on you.

You better not.
I'll knock your head off.

[ bell ringing ]

[ clamoring ]

Get him, Slim.
Get him.

Get him now.

You're doing fine.
You're making the kid look good.

Yeah. Except that
ain't what I'm
tryin' to do.

Okay, stop him this round.

Did he give you
the money?

Sure did, look.
Oh, look.

For good luck,
right up there.

Slim, now you keep that
left moving, huh.

All right.

[ bell ringing ]

[ bell ringing ]

Slim, you could beat him,
I think.

Yeah, maybe.

Get the money?

Look.

And he didn't like it.

You just keep that left going
and you'll get him, I hope.

I told you to finish him.

Sure.

You bring your g*n?

[ bell ringing ]

It's a foul!

Come on, Slim.
Get him.

One--

[ bell ringing ]

[ indistinct speech ]

Slim, you're gonna be
the next champ.

You know what, Jonesy,
I think I can whip him.

I bet you can too.

You just go in there
and get him, that's all.

You miss him again, and
I got to pay off the chumps,
what's wrong?

I'll tell you
what's wrong.

He's beatin' my brains out.

You should have bought
the referee.

I did.

[ bell ringing ]

Slim, get the left in there.

[ bell rings ]

Get up. Get up.

Get him, get him now.

[ bell ringing ]

Uh, Slim, he was
fighting you dirty.

I'm going to flatten him
this round.

Are you sure?

I'm sure.

Well, you be careful.

You better dump
some rosin

and plenty of it.

Now listen,
we've lost the big bankroll.

We're down
to getaway money.

I've still got one thing
going.

You've got to pull it out.

You see where the referee
dumped the rosin?

Yeah.

Yeah, I got you.

[ bell ringing ]

One, two--

Get up, get up.

One, two, three,

four, five,

six, seven, eight,

nine, ten and out.

[ bell ringing ]

Take it easy.

You whipped him, Slim.

You whipped him good.

You'd have won
in a fair fight.

Can you see?

Yeah, I can see, Jonesy.

It's good.

At least we won the money
for the ranch.

Now show it to me,
Jonesy, it'll be,

be good for my eyes.

Slim, you looked so great,

your odds were so good,
I got so excited that...

Oh, no.

Yeah.
I bet it all on you to win.

Jonesy, we struck gold.
Come on.

Oh, Jonesy.

And that was the end of it.

Last time I saw Jonesy,
he was racing 300 or 400
people to a gold field.

Why did you let him go?
That's why you went
to w*r Bonnet for,

wasn't it,
to bring him back?

Yeah, but I couldn't have
gotten him back

unless I picked him up
and carried him.

Well, maybe you should
have done just that.

Wouldn't be fair to him,
Andy.

Now Jonesy's
still trying to help,

that's all any man can do.

[ horses neighing ]

Hey, look what's coming.

All right, Mulligan,
get out of there,

I've been saving
something for you.

Howdy, one and all.

Jonesy?

Slim, here's the money
for the bank note.

Better count it.

Where did you
get all this?

Same place I got this rig
and the driver,

from Brad Holvig
and Terry Mulligan.

I figure Andy
and me can paint her up

and sell her,
oughta bring about
as much as--

Jonesy.

Yeah.

How did you do it?

Easy as pie.

I sold him my gold claim
up there in Tomahawk Gulch.

I thought
that claim was worthless.

It is worthless
but I couldn't get them

to believe it.

Why, that Brad Holvig
just kept raising his offer.

Oh, they've got
the gold fever bad.

Well, it got to lookin' like
they just couldn't be happy

unless they owned my claim.

And you know
the kind I am,

I just like to see
people happy.

Well, well.

Come on, Andy.