3:10 to Yuma Page #11

WADE’S GANG RIDES HARD at full gallop. They are headed back

toward Bisbee, dust flying in a cloud behind them. We see the

town of Bisbee in the distance.

Charlie Prince leads the gang into the mountains.

84 EXT. CAMP #1, CATTLE TRAIL - DAY

William sits on his horse, staring at something in shock...

...it’s the body of Tucker. Slumped by the SMOULDERING CAMP

FIRE. There’s some confusion in William’s eyes. It’s as if he

doesn’t quite know how to feel.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

Just now, he notices several SMALL SPECKS riding towards him

on the plains below. He spurs his horse onwards up the trail.

EXT. PROMONTORY, MOUNTAINS - DAY

BINOCULAR POV:
THE BEN WADE GANG riding hard and fast across

the endless Arizona plains, perhaps fifty or so miles away.

ANGLE ON:
McELROY sitting on his horse on a high promontory.

The others grouped around him. McElroy lowers his BINOCULARS,

his grim face says it all. Wade smirks.

WADE:

Can’t say I didn’t warn you.

DAN:

There’s a shortcut we could take.

MCELROY:

Shortcut.

DAN:

Through the pass. Takes you right

through to Contention.

BUTTERFIELD:

Why didn’t you tell us this before.

DOC POTTER:

It’s Apache country.

BUTTERFIELD:

I thought the government gave them

land.

DAN:

These are the ones refused to go.

WADE:

I wouldn’t take that pass.

BUTTERFIELD:

You’d rather us take the long way.

WADE:

That’s right.

BUTTERFIELD:

--and let your boys catch us.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

WADE:

The Apache are skilled warriors and

marksmen. Even worse, these are the

stubborn ones who stayed to fight.

You won’t make it.

McElroy looks through his BINOCULARS again.

MCELROY:

We’ll take our chances.

86 EXT. CATTLE TRAIL, MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY

CLOSE ON:
A PAIR OF DEAD, WHITE MINERS lying by the side of

the trail. Their heads have been scalped. Their bodies left

to rot in the hot sun...

...we find William staring quietly at the corpses as he rides

past. About a mile ahead, we can see the rest of the group.

They are on the opposite side of a spreading ravine.

87 EXT. CATTLE TRAIL, RAVINE - DAY

The group is now riding above a ravine. The scenery here is

spectacular, if a little precarious...

Dan rides up to Wade, looking at him for a moment.

WADE:

Something on your mind, Dan.

DAN:

Why’d you kill Tucker.

...Why not me. Or Butterfield.

WADE:

Tucker took my horse.

(beat)

...Did you like him, Dan?

DAN:

No. He was an a**hole. But wishing

him dead and killing him are two

different things.

Wade watches Dan ride ahead.

After a beat, Wade catches up to him.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

WADE:

Your conscience is sensitive, Dan.

I don’t think it’s my favorite part

of you.

Just now, McElroy falls back beside them.

MCELROY:

Shut your mouth, Wade. From here

out, you want to talk to someone,

talk to me.

WADE:

I don’t like talking to you, Byron.

MCELROY:

Not when I have the gun.

WADE:

No. It’s not that.

(pause)

You’re just not very interesting.

Doc snorts a laugh.

MCELROY:

That’s right, Doc. Laugh it up.

Until he guts you like a fish.

WADE:

Byron’s like a song with one note.

(turns)

‘You ever read a book in your life

besides the bible, Byron?

MCELROY:

No need.

WADE:

(turns to Dan)

Byron acts pious, but a couple

years back, when he was under

contract to the Central, I seen

him and some Pinks mow down thirty

two Apache, women and children.

MCELROY:

Insurgents was cutting down the

railroad men and their families.

Picking them one by one off the

road. Scalping them.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(2)

WADE:

There was little ones running

around crying and screaming. No

more than three years old. And his

boys shot them all and pushed them

in a ditch, some still crying. I

guess Byron figured that was fine

with Jesus, because apparently

Jesus don’t like the Apache.

The terrain is getting steeper.

MCELROY:

Keep talking, Wade. All the way to

Yuma. Up them steps. To the rope.

And straight to hell.

WADE:

The day I die, Byron, I’m getting

sprung from hell.

Riding in the rear, Dan senses there is someone following

them. Up front, McElroy looks to Butterfield.

MCELROY:

...I guess maybe I’d feel the same

way if I come from the seed of a

drunk grave digger and the rancid

womb of a whore.

McElroy grins. Wade is silent. Eyes dark.

MCELROY (CONT'D)

Quiet for once.

(looking back)

What’s wrong, Wade? ‘Cat got your

tongue? Afraid of heights?

WADE:

No. I’m afraid the Apache on the

ridge might shoot me.

McElroy whirls around, SHOTGUN raised...

...BEHIND HIM, WADE LAUNCHES. LEAPING OFF HIS SADDLE.

CRASH-TACKLING the Pinkerton with a stunning body-blow.

They both fall to the ground. Sliding on the steep rock.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(3)

Dan leaps for his rifle but both Doc, frozen, and Butterfield

fumbling with his pistol, and their spinning horses are in

the way. It given Wade the moment he needs-- TO LEVEL

MCELROY’S SHOTGUN AT DAN.

WADE (CONT'D)

Drop it, Dan. Drop it!

(to Doc and Butterfield)

Toss yours down.

Wade is fiercely angry, eyes a flame. Dan tosses his rifle

down. Doc and Butterfield also comply. Then, Wade turns hits

a stirring McElroy brutally with the rifle butt.

McElroy is delirious as Wade loops his hand-cuffs around his

boot and drags him to the edge of the ravine.

WADE (CONT’D)

...I always liked you, Byron. But

you’ve never known when to shut up.

He kneels down to the tough old man’s face and pulls him

upright. McElroy glares at him.

WADE (CONT'D)

Even bad men love their momma.

And with that, he shoves McElroy off the edge-

Everyone watches as his body flails, flying downward.

Wade turns and points the shotgun at Dan and the others.

WADE (CONT'D)

Okay. ...Now its time for everyone

to go home.

But there is a click of a gun, and, all of a sudden, Wade

finds himself feeling the barrel of WILLIAM'S OLD PISTOL to

his ear. It is tightly gripped in William’s two hands.

WILLIAM:

Don’t move, mister Wade. And let go

of that shotgun.

DAN:

William...

Wade grins at William and the quivering pistol. He doesn’t

raise his hands. Doesn’t even seem to be concerned.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(4)

WADE:

You’re not gonna shoot a man you

admire in the back of the head,

boy. I’m not sure you even know how

to work that thing.

BANG! The bullet zips past Wade’s ear, takes down a tree

branch... ...Ben Wade’s grin promptly disappears.

WADE (CONT'D)

Dan. Tell your son it’s over. The

Pinkerton’s dead. Let’s go our

separate ways. You got spread too

thin. Its nothing to be ashamed of.

DAN:

Think you can keep your gun on him,

William.

WILLIAM:

I’m doing a damn sight better than

you did.

Dan smiles and crosses to his rifle in the dirt.

He picks it up, c*cks it and aims at Wade.

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