Bronze Buckaroo, The (1939)

[bunniefuu]

with my rope and my saddle

and my horse and my g*n

I'm a happy cowboy

if I'm riding with my cattle

and I'm always on the run

I'm a happy cowboy

you can bet your bottom dollar

that you'll never hear me holler

'bout the word on the range

and I love to hit the leather

in any sort of weather

and I know I'll never change

with my rope and my saddle

and my horse and my g*n

I'm a happy cowboy

so when the day

is endin', mm,

'neath the setting sun

a happy cowboy's work

is found

let's have a drink on that, eh?

Oh, boy.

Trying to fill up

this old hat box.

(Liquid sloshing)

That's Joe's letter.

Ain't it?

Oh yeah, yeah.

But what kind of trouble

do you suppose he's in?

I don't know,

but it must be somethin'

pretty bad,

'cause Joe's not the kind

to holler for help

unless he really needed it.

That's right.

When he was ridin' range

with us down in Texas,

he always took care of any

trouble that came his way.

Sickness was the only thing

that ever licked him.

When his lungs went bad...

But I thought he got well

since he came up here

in Arizona.

That's what he wrote me.

Said him and his dad

had bought a little ranch

and they was gonna stock it

with some good cattle.

Well, how far do you reckon

it is from here to Joe's place?

About a mile or two from here.

Come on, let's go.

That must be Joe's place

over there.

(Dog barking)

"Let 'er run along."

(Barking)

(Clucking)

(Mooing)

(Barking)

"What you tryin' to do,

Rob the boss of

a chicken dinner?"

"To throw the voice

for a greater distance,

it is im... perative that..."

(Galloping)

Howdy.

Is this Joe Jackson's place?

Well, yeah.

Who are you?

Did that mule say somethin',

or am I hearin' things?

Sure, he talks.

Gabriel, say somethin'

for the gentlemen.

"He think he go home.

He want to be alone."

(Laughing)

I'm Bob Blake.

I'm looking for a friend

of mine, uh, Joe Jackson.

Well, this is his place,

all right.

I'm slim Perkins.

I think it'd be a good idea

if you go into the house

and talk to Joe's sister.

Joe's sister?

I don't know.

Say, mister,

would you sell me

that talkin' mule?

Well, now,

I'll see about that.

Are you Joe's sister?

Well, uh, I'm Bob Blake.

Oh yes, I've often heard

Joe speak of you.

I'm Betty Jackson.

Joe used to work with you

down in Texas...

- Didn't he?

- Uh, yes'm.

But what are you doin'

way up here?

Well, I had a letter from Joe,

and brought some of the boys,

and we come up to see

if we could help out some.

You say Joe wrote you a letter?

Well, when was it written?

It says here it was

written on the 16th

in mesa canyon.

Thank heaven,

then he's not dead.

Dead? What do you mean?

I haven't seen my brother

for three weeks.

He disappeared

just like father did,

only we found father... dead.

Shot in the back.

Do they know who did it?

No, but Joe said he'd find out

if it took the rest of his life.

He was all worked up

the day he disappeared.

Said he'd found something,

but wouldn't tell me

until he was sure.

And I thought

they'd got Joe, too,

but... but that letter's

in his handwriting, and...

Now don't you worry, miss Betty.

We'll find Joe,

and we'll find the man

who dry-gulched your dad.

How far is it to mesa canyon?

Seven files due south.

And you positively guarantee

that this here critter can talk?

You heard him, didn't you?

Yeah, but what I mean is

we'll he talk for me

like he talks for you?

Boy, I positively guarantee

that he talks just as much

for you as he did for me.

Come on, give me the 12 dollars,

will you?

Looks like you've bought

some stock, Dusty.

Bob,

I've got the only mule in

the world that speaks English.

- Speaks English?

- Yup.

Slim here said this mule's

pappy talks too,

but he only speaks German.

That's no good,

'cause nobody'll understand him.

This here mule speaks English.

Dusty, did you ever hear

of a ventriloquist?

You don't mean to tell me

that this here mule's

one of them things?

No, not the mule, but slim.

Oh, well, that's all right.

I don't care what

he's sufferin' from

long as the mule's okay.

(Laughing)

Come on, boys, hit leather.

We're gonna take a quick look

at mesa canyon.

Which is the quickest way, slim?

Well, there ain't but one road,

and it takes a bloodhound

to find that.

Expect I better

ride in with you.

Okay, come on.

Now listen, fellas.

Somebody in that burg

has got old Joe hogtied

and staked out.

He was there on the 15th,

and it's my notion

that he's still there.

Now the best way to start

will be to trickle in there

one at a time.

Keep your eyes and ears open

and meet back here

at five o'clock.

Oh, let's make it four-thirty.

I got to get back to the ranch

by five o'clock

to give my mule

a singin' lesson.

(Laughing)

(Murmur of conversation)

(Men humming)

gonna saddle my bronc

and hit the trail

almost time for round-up

gonna follow them dogies'

waggin' tails

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

when tumbleweeds tumble

against the old drift fence

almost time for round-up

and the groundhog acts

like he's got some sense

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

when the coyote howls

at the harvest moon

almost time for round-up

and you know Jack frost

is a-comin' soon

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

almost time

almost time for round-up

when the Willow tree

leaves fall upside down

almost time for round-up

and the prairie dog

Burrows deep in the ground

almost time for round...

(g*nsh*t)

... up

almost time

almost time for round-up

Where you goin', strangers?

Man talkin' to you.

He's lookin' right at you.

Tell him where we goin'.

All I know is I'm goin'

fast and far.

Have a drink.

Uh, I don't drink, but he does.

Bartender,

give that man a drink.

Well, I don't think

I care about...

Have a drink.

I don't think I care about

refusing any.

(Nervous laughter)

Have a cigar.

Thank you.

Take four.

Thank you, thank you.

Don't put 'em in your pocket,

smoke 'em.

Smoke all these?

That's what I said.

(Laughing)

(Laughing)

Drink up, man.

Bring me three more glasses.

Fill 'em.

Now drink 'em.

All of 'em.

All of 'em at once?

Now you drink all that liquor,

and you smoke

all of those cigars.

And if you drop one drop

of that whiskey,

or you drop the ashes

off one cigar,

I'm gonna let the daylight

in through you.

Come on, smoke up.

Why you...

Havin' a little trouble, Dusty?

Bob. That gentleman is just

carryin' hospitality too far.

What's the big idea, fella?

You didn't have that g*n,

I'd show you.

I wouldn't draw that, mister.

Boys,

I guess I'll be leaving you.

Leavin' us?

Guess again, brother,

guess again.

Boys, make yourself at home

while I rustle up some grub.

- Okay, slim.

- Okay, slim.

Be with you in a minute, fellas.

I'm goin' up and have a talk

with miss Betty.

Oh, there you are, partner.

How you doin'?

Now look here, mule.

You might as well

get this straight right now.

I'm the boss,

and when I talks to you,

you answer me, you savvy that?

Now this kind of action ain't

gonna get you no place with me.

Now there you go

showin' your ignorance.

Is that polite?

I asked you.

Say somethin',

doggone your hide.

Hey, what's the matter, Dusty?

What kind of a job is this?

Why, that fool mule won't talk.

Well, I don't believe

he can talk.

"I'm particular who I talks to."

Was the mule said that,

or was that you?

You was lookin' right at me.

Did I say anything?

All right, we'll start

all over again.

Say somethin', uh, Gabriel.

"Okay, toots."

You see?

You got to call him by his name.

What is his name?

Gabriel.

Go ahead, call him that.

Mm-mm, not now.

Why not?

You... you go on away.

That mule is just

full of conversations

when you standin' 'round.

Now what I craves to know

is can he talk

when you ain't here.

Okay, cowboy,

but remember the name.

Gabriel.

I say there, Gabriel, old fella,

how's tricks?

"Oh, I can't kick."

You can't kick, eh?

Well, that's fine.

I'm glad to hear that.

Now listen, Gabriel,

let's get down to business.

I aims to teach you somethin'.

"Who's gonna teach

which to what?"

I'm gonna teach plenty, to you.

"Ain't you heard?"

Ain't I heard what?

"The teacher's got to know

more than the pupil."

Now look here, Gabriel,

I done paid 12 dollars

for your worthless hide.

"That's more than

I'd pay for yours.

'Sides, I bet the money

was stole."

I never stole nothin'

in my whole life.

"No? What about them silver

spurs you's wearin'?"

I won them spurs

playin' poker with slim.

If that's stealing,

well, I don't know.

"Sure is when the deck's

got six aces in it."

I's beginnin' to understand

why slim was so willin'

to sell you.

ratatat datatat

datatat datatat

I took my roll and went to town

with some gal

and played around

and she cut my bankroll down

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

roll the dice,

to my surprise

not so nice, two snake eyes

and I never will get wise

h*-h*-h*,

got the payday blues

boom boom boom

now I am confessin'

got that gambling craze

will I learn my lesson?

oh, I'll be broke

for 30 days

I can't trust at the store

I'm a bust and am I sore

I'll be broke

for one month more

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

boom boom boom

I got the payday blues

I got the payday blues

boom boom boom

I can't beg or borrow

from my friends or boss

and it's to my sorrow

maybe got to trade my horse

not a dime in my jeans

I can't buy pork and beans

now I know what misery means

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

ratatat ratatat ratatat

ratatat ratatat

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

ratata tatata

ratatat dat-ee-a datata

ratatat ratatat ratatat

ratatat ratatat

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

why can't I be thrifty?

must I spend my change?

what comes when I'm 50

and too old to ride the range?

ratatat ratatat ratatat

ratatat ratatat

h*-h*-h*,

I got the payday blues

da dong dong dong dong

dong dong

oh

I got those payday

I got those payday blues

Dusty, don't you know

nobody never got nothin'

from whittlin' on a stick?

Well, I'm gonna get somethin'

with this.

Where you goin', Dusty?

I'm goin' to get 12 dollars

with this.

Looks to me like slim

is in for some trouble.

That's right, Bob.

Dusty's on the warpath.

(Laughing)

(Banging)

Ventriloquism

in ten easy lessons.

Hot dog.

Hey, slim.

Come here.

Well, that's buck Thorne,

the man that owns a big range

that borders on on this place.

Good mornin', miss Betty.

Good morning.

You look worried, Betty.

What's on your mind?

Mr. Thorne offered

to buy the ranch.

Of course if Joe's alive,

the place belongs to him,

but if he's...

Oh, Betty,

don't give up so easy.

I've got a hunch

Joe's alive and well.

And if he is, we'll find him.

But it's been over a month now

and no trace of him.

Say, what does buck Thorne

want with this place?

He's got a thousand acres

over there

without a head of cattle on it.

What does he want

with more land?

I don't know.

He said he wanted

to help me out.

Oh, Bob, if we could only

do something...

About Joe, I mean.

We'll do something.

Buck Thorne wants

to help her out.

Why, that hombre wouldn't

help his own mother

out of a tub of boiling oil

unless there was somethin'

in it for him.

Did you say there's no cattle

on his place?

Nary a head.

But he's got a tough-lookin'

bunch of hands

over there, though.

And I'd like to know what for.

Come on, slim.

Let's find out.

Did she say she'd sell?

No, not yet.

She said the place belonged

to her brother,

and she couldn't sell it

until she knew for certain

that he was dead.

I guess that lets us know

what to do with him, don't it?

Yeah. We could fix it so she

could find the body easy enough.

I'm for making a last try

to get him to sign before we...

Ah, you make me sick.

Always wantin' to do everything

the hard way.

The sooner we get him

out of the way, the better.

I'm running this show, Pete.

You tried your rough stuff

on the old man,

and what did it get?

Well, they can't hang you

any higher for two killings

than they can for one,

if they catch you.

Howdy. I'm Bob Blake,

friend of Joe Jackson's.

My name is Thorne.

Don't bother to introduce me

to your friend there.

We've already met.

What do you want

with Joe Jackson's ranch?

Who said I wanted it?

Well, you do, don't you?

I offered to buy it

just to help the girl out.

She can't do anything with it.

Listen, let me give you

a little advice.

Go back where you came from

and mind your own business.

You might first find out

what my business is.

Well, what is it?

My business is to find

Joe Jackson,

or the man that k*lled him

and his father.

That guy is poison.

You oughta let me drill him.

Next time I will.

That's a promise.

What'd you make of that?

Well, one thing.

I'm sure there's somethin' wrong

with that outfit.

Well, what's your next move?

I wish I knew.

Well, see you later.

Hello, Dusty.

How is you and Gabriel

gettin' along these days?

Fine.

We had a long talk

the other day.

You don't say.

Yup. I aim to teach him

some poetry.

Poetry? Oh man, that mule

can't recite no poetry.

You crazy.

I'll bet you 12 dollars

that mule will recite poetry

before me and the boys

pull out of here.

Now that's a bet.

Shake on it.

Say, Dusty, do you know

how to play seven up?

Never heard of it.

But I'll play a little poker

with you.

Poker?

Yeah, poker.

All right.

But with my cards.

Come on.

A little ride'll do you good.

I've got somethin' I want

to talk over with you.

Well, yes,

but let's get goin'.

We can talk later.

I calls.

What's your bet?

Read 'em, boy, a full house.

You sure gets good hands

when you deals.

Give me another stack of chips.

For what?

I'll give you an IOU.

Yeah, but who gonna sign it

with cash?

Stetson.

What's the matter, uncle?

Is your mule sick?

No sir, miss Betty,

he's sound in wind and limb.

Then why are you walking?

Well, you see,

the cinch strap broke

and I had nothin' to fix it.

Oh, we'll fix that in a jiffy.

Mighty kind of you, sir,

to bother with an old man

like me.

You're a stranger

in these parts, ain't you?

Yeah, my home's down Texas way.

Texas, a mighty fine country.

I was down there

when I was a young man,

but that was many years ago.

There you are, uncle.

What might your name be?

My name is Bob Blake.

Are you from Pecos?

Why yes.

Well, I do declare.

When you cast your bread

upon the waters,

it sure comes back to you.

What do you mean?

Two or three weeks ago,

I found a letter

addressed to you,

and there's no stamp on it,

so I put one on

and mailed it to you.

You mailed a letter to me

from mesa canyon?

Is this the letter?

That's the very one.

Where'd you find this?

I found it in the alley

back of buck Thorne's saloon.

Buck Thorne's saloon.

Are you sure of that?

I'm dead certain.

Found it right there

lyin' in the dust.

Buck Thorne's saloon.

Thank you, uncle.

You've done me a bigger favor

than you'll ever know.

So glad.

Bye, uncle.

So long, uncle.

Good bye.

What do you make of that, Bob?

How come Joe's letter to be

lying in the alley?

Well, here's how I figure.

They're holding Joe

at that buck Thorne.

They left him alone

for a few minutes

and he scrawled out this note.

Then he heard 'em comin' back

and he tossed it out the window

hoping that somebody

would find it and mail it,

and that's just how it happened.

Then you think Joe's alive?

I'm sure of it, Betty.

What'll we do?

Well, I'm goin' to the buck

Thorne and get Joe out of there.

You'd better come back

and get the boys.

No, I'll do better

playin' a lone hand.

Now you get back to that ranch

and don't leave

until I get there.

And don't say anything

to the boys about it.

I'll push the pot.

I raise you.

Listen, brother,

put your hand under that table

just once more,

just once more,

and the next time

you go to buy gloves,

buy one.

I raise you.

I call you.

How many cards you want?

Give me two.

Yeah, two.

I thought you said two.

You the opener, what's your bet?

Hello, miss Betty.

Where's slim?

I don't know, miss Betty.

- Do you want me to find him?

- Yes.

Tell him I want

to see him right away.

(Knocking)

Hey, slim!

Miss Betty want to see you

pronto.

Okay.

So long, Dusty!

I'll be seein' you.

Give me a drink.

Say, you, bring me a drink.

Comin' right up.

Where do you think you're goin'?

I'm goin' upstairs

to the dining room.

There ain't no dining room

up there.

You stay down here

where you belong.

Okay.

No dining room.

This is a heck of a joint.

Bring me that drink.

You mean to tell me Bob Blake

went into the buck Thorne saloon

after what happened

the last time he was there?

He told me not to tell you,

but I'm worried.

You got a right to be worried.

Well, that place is

a rattlesnakes' den.

I'll get the boys

and get him out of there,

and Joe, too, if he's there.

I'll never sign that deed.

I know what you're after.

You found a ledge of gold

on your property,

and it petered out on your land

and ran over on mine.

I found it, too,

the day you grabbed me.

As long as you know so much,

you may as well know

one thing more.

There's a million dollars

in that ledge,

and we're going to get it.

Untie him.

You should have let me

finish him off

the day he came to the ranch.

(g*nshots)

Here, this way.

(g*nshots)

(g*nshots)

Bob, are you okay?

Hey, hey.

How you comin', Bob?

Feelin' all right, huh?

Hey, how did you boys get here?

How'd we get here? Why, we had

to fight through the bar, man.

Yeah, he was here in this room.

Must have went that way.

And they carried Joe with 'em.

Man, you are lucky to be alive.

What happened?

I don't know.

Come on, Bob.

I'm all right.

Give me my g*ns.

Bob, they got clean away.

Not a trace of 'em.

Come on, we'll find 'em.

Well, she's not in the house.

Horses gone, saddles too.

I guess she decided to help.

Lord only knows

where she's gone.

Where's my brother?

Take it easy, young lady.

Joe's okay.

But that man came to the house

and said that he was here

he's here all right,

but he hasn't been hurt... yet.

What do you mean?

Take me to him.

All right.

Come on.

Betty, what are you doin' here?

That man came to the house

and said you were here

and that you were hurt.

What's the idea, Thorne?

It's very simple.

Now you wouldn't want anything

to happen to your sister,

now would you?

If you'll both be nice now

and sign this deed,

why, nobody'll get hurt.

But you offered to buy

the ranch for 5,000 dollars.

The offer is still good.

That's certainly nice

of you, Thorne,

with a million dollars'

worth of gold on the property.

Did you find anybody

on Thorne's ranch?

Nary a soul.

But I didn't really expect to.

Did miss Betty show up?

Where's Dusty?

I got a-scared so I sent him

to fetch the sheriff.

Oh, I thought his horse

went lame.

He's ridin' Gabriel.

(Laughing)

What do you say?

Will you sign?

It's Joe's ranch,

and if he won't sell it,

All right, Jack.

How 'bout signin' that paper?

Listen, you yellow rat.

You and your g*ng

k*lled my father,

and you may k*ll me too.

But you'll never get that ranch

long as I'm alive.

Give me that iron.

Stop them, stop them,

I tell you!

You can't do that to him!

Will you sign?

Hold her, boys.

(Sizzling)

Look, uh, uh, there...

There's miss Betty's horse!

It sure is.

But where's miss Betty?

Suppose she's been thrown off?

Oh no, not miss Betty.

Well, let's follow this horse's

back trail.

I saw him come out

of that canyon.

Come on, boys, hit leather.

Come on, boys.

Come on!

There, now let him go.

Not so fast.

Watch her, boys.

Where do we stand now?

We're no better off

than we were.

It's no good

without his John Henry,

but I'll get that, too,

as soon as they

make him conscious.

Yeah, but what do we do with him

after he signs it?

What do you think?

Here it is, fellas,

here's the trail.

Still feeling obstinate, Joe?

I'll feel okay

the day they hang you.

What is this,

a wild goose chase?

That's miss Betty's horse

over there, ain't it?

Yeah, but where's miss Jackson?

How do I know? Where's slim?

Where's everybody?

Look at it, sheriff.

A lot of horses

just went through here,

and from the looks

of those prints,

they left mighty sudden.

Come on, boys, let's see

where those tracks lead to.

You're the lowest rat

that ever lived,

but you can't be low enough

to do that.

Can't I?

Go ahead, Pete.

Stop, stop,

I'll sign, I'll sign.

No, Joe, don't sign it.

I'm not afraid of them.

Reach for the sky.

Drop them g*ns.

What's the matter here?

Well, if it ain't our hero.

I'm sure glad to see you.

Come on, Pete. You can settle

your private score in a minute.

In case I forget,

remind me to k*ll you.

Bring those others in

over there.

Let the girl go, Thorne.

Listen, buck.

I'm tough as the next man,

but shootin' women

is out of my line.

Mine too.

But what are we

gonna do with her?

She knows too much.

Now you listen to me.

It's either them or us.

Which'll it be?

Get ready.

As for me, I'd rather have

the girl on my conscience

than a rope around my neck.

Get ready.

Here comes the law.

Hey, hey.

Drop those g*ns.

Pull it in, men.

sh**t to k*ll.

(g*nshots)

g*n,

I want to send a message

and I don't want no answer.

(g*nsh*t)

Special delivery.

You found the right address.

Sheriff, if you can get

those cutthroats to jail,

I'll be in to swear out

a warrant for them

for murderin' my father.

If I can take 'em to jail?

My man, they're

practically in jail now.

Come on, boys, take 'em to town.

What's that?

Did the man have his will

all wrote out?

Ha, no, Dusty, this is a deed.

Oh, don't be ignorant.

It's a deed, his last

will and testament.

Did he leave you

all his property?

Nope, I won't be needin'

his property.

There's a million dollar

worth of gold on mine.

That's why they wanted it

so bad.

Let me shake your hand.

That's plenty money.

Speakin' of large sums of money,

reminds me of our bet.

- What bet?

- Didn't you bet me 12 dollars

that I couldn't make

that mule talk poetry?

Yeah, but where's

your 12 dollars?

Man, I even own the clothes

you're standin' in.

Well, I still got Gabriel,

ain't I?

I'll bet you the mule

against my clothes

and my 12 dollars.

Bet. Bob, hold the stakes here.

Come on, hold the stakes, Bob.

Come on, let me see you make

that mule go literary.

Just keep your good eye

on me, boy.

"There was an old geezer

named slim.

I used to be owned by him.

When the old rascal sold me,

my new master told me

he was gonna get slim

on a limb."

Wait a minute,

he ain't through yet.

"You may wonder why

I'm mule-headed.

To admit it,

I always have dreaded.

But you all know slim,

I belong to him.

Birds of a feather...

You said it."

(Laughing)

You win, Dusty.

Here's your money.

Welcome home.

Aw, don't look so bad, slim.

I'm gon' give you back

your old talkin' mule.

I don't want him.

I'm fixin' to get married,

and I don't want

no talkin' mule around.

Nuh-uh.

Mm-mm.

Well,

guess I'll have

to give him to Bob.

Bob ain't gonna want him.

How come he won't?

Look!

get along, mule

keep on riding

get along, fool

long road a-winding

get along, mule

carry me back to home

boo-boom, boo-boom, boo-boom

I've been away,

way for a long time

now I will stay home

for a long time

get along, mule

carry me back to home

boo-boom, boo-boom,

boo-boom

in the night

way up on the hilltop

silvery moon draws near

boom boom boom

stars are bright

and I never will stop

till my cabin appears

get along, mule

get your hooves flying

get along, mule

keep on tryin'

get along, mule

carry me back to home

boo-boom, boo-boom