Goodnight for Justice

Mr. Goodnight?

Mr. Goodnight,

I have a 9:
00 appointment!

Yeah.

Mr. Goodnight,

I have a 9:
00 appointment!

Yeah, just a minute.

I'll be right with you.

Yeah.

- You're Goodnight?

- Yeah.

Morgan, right?

Come on in.

I'll be right with you.

I'll be with you guys momentarily.

I was expecting

someone a little more, um...

Lawyerly?

Yeah, I can't say I blame you.

Thing is, I was up all night

on a case.

No cause for concern.

You'll get your money's worth,

I assure you.

So, uh, it's true you've never lost

a trial?

So far.

What can I do for you?

Um, I need a patent.

So, you're an inventor?

I'm just an ordinary man

with an idea.

Well, every man is ordinary

until he does an extraordinary thing.

Right.

May I speak frankly?

Of course.

I'm not entirely sure if my invention

is 100% original.

Well, Shakespeare borrowed

all but three or four of his ideas.

That puts you

in pretty good company.

Uh, excuse me.

I'm in a meeting here.

John William Goodnight,

you're under arrest.

For what?

For disturbing the peace,

public drunkenness,

illegal gambling,

and destruction of property...

rooms 13, 47, and 49,

The Drake Hotel.

That, yes. Well, I will take care

of those damages right here.

So, um...

Uh, Mr. Morgan, I'll be in touch.

Okay.

You Goodnight?

Stand aside.

This man's under arrest.

Not anymore.

You wanted to see me, sir?

Do you know why you're here?

I have a few ideas,

most of them unpleasant.

I believe the word

is "unprofessional. "

I can't argue with that.

Tell me...

do you like being a lawyer,

Mr. Goodnight?

Well, sir, while I-I have

a great deal of respect for the law,

I can't, uh, I can't say the same

for lawyers, myself included.

And why is that?

For a lawyer,

justice is inconsequential.

Victory is paramount.

Mm.

And you are tired of winning?

Well, you can be happy to know that

your winning streak

has come to an end.

You will no longer be practicing law

in the state of Illinois.

Are you, uh, taking away my license?

No.

Not quite.

Put your hand on the Bible.

It is with the power vested in me

by the President of the United States

that I hereby appoint you,

John William Goodnight,

to the position of Circuit Judge

in the Wyoming Territory...

...where you can continue

to demonstrate

your respect for the law,

and perhaps find

some respect for yourself.

Do you accept?

Do I have a choice?

No.

You know what I

will miss the most?

Looking out there

at all that land and sky

knowing it once was ours.

We could sell my ring.

You've already given up enough.

We all have.

It could buy us another month.

Another month without rain

ain't gonna grow those crops.

Besides, there are some things

that ain't to be sold.

Like what?

A wedding ring.

And a man's soul.

We did our best out here.

There will be other times.

I know.

Grab your things.

Don't want to miss the stage.

You keep hold of that, Johnny.

You don't let it break...

okay?

I got to go.

Where's the stagecoach?

This town doesn't have one, son.

We'll ride out on this

and catch a stage in Laramie.

We got enough for candy?

- Can I help you?

- How much for candy?

How much you got?

- Grab a handful.

- Thank you, sir.

I always go for the peppermint.

On your way, Judge?

Worn out my welcome, I think.

Well, not in my book. That piece

of dirt deserved to be hanged.

I hope so.

Looks like we'll

be traveling together.

Aldous Shaw, Circuit Judge.

My wife, Rebecca.

William and Anna Goodnight.

- Pleased to meet you.

Where you folks headed?

- John.

- Oh.

- Where are you folks headed?

- Back east.

I'm afraid we just didn't

get lucky out here.

Droughts one year, floods the next.

Don't feel bad.

This is a hard country.

I've seen a lot of good people

come and go.

A true man is someone

who does right by his family,

no matter where that takes him.

Thank you, sir.

- Fred.

- Judge.

Rebecca.

John.

Mrs. Goodnight.

Do you have children, Mrs. Shaw?

Sadly, no.

With the judge gone so much,

we just...

Well, no child should grow up

without a father.

Though I often wonder

if we made the right decision.

Oh, I'm sure

you're blessed in other ways.

That we are.

Still, looking at your boy,

I can't help but think

what we've missed.

He's a good boy.

- He's very handsome.

- Yes.

Is that a six-gun?

Yes, it is.

You a good shot?

Not bad.

I shot a can off a fence post

with my pa's Winchester.

Son, with a gun like that,

he's not shooting at cans.

You ever kill anyone?

Son, watch your manners!

No, it's a fair question.

I have killed,

to uphold the law,

and when you

pull a gun like this,

chances are someone's

gonna be shooting back.

A man has to figure out

what he's willing to sacrifice

in order to do

what he knows is right.

I never met anyone

who talks like you.

Well, when a person's life

is in your hands,

you owe it to them to be

as good with your words

as you are with a gun.

So, if you don't shoot them,

you can talk them to death?

What's got into you?

Apologize to the judge. Go on.

No, not necessary.

You know who said almost

that very same thing to me?

Abe Lincoln.

You met President Lincoln?

We rode circuit together

back in Illinois,

before he was president.

Looks like you live

a charmed life, Judge.

Looks can be deceiving.

Driver, bandits!

Who are they?

I hanged one of their men

back in town.

I'm afraid they're looking

for blood, not justice.

- Get down! Get down!

- On the floor!

Faster, driver, faster!

Hyah! Hyah!

Hold on!

Mary!

Mr. Goodnight...

The Governor's offices

are closing now.

Where on Earth did you

find tulips in autumn?

Well, it wasn't in

the Wyoming Territory,

I can tell you that.

So, you saw the Governor?

- He's different than I thought.

- More talkative, I imagine.

Oh, yes, he's

a real chatterbox.

In fact, I'm pretty sure he told me

everything you wanted him to.

He always was very good

at taking directions.

Better than me, you mean.

You're angry with me, John.

It's just that the Wyoming Territory

is the most dangerous,

lawless place in America.

The last three judges there

met with an untimely death.

You're just as likely to meet with

one here, the way you've been living.

You know, I always hoped

you might settle down,

raise a family of your own...

...but you haven't, and you won't...

...not here, not like this.

Because beneath all

that fast talk and fancy clothes

and big-city manners,

you're still the same tortured boy...

...and I fear you will never have

peace until you have justice.

It's been my blessing

to raise you, John.

The blessing is mine.

You gave me a life.

You lost your parents,

I lost my husband,

but we have each other.

Now, go out there

and find that killer.

Make him pay.

There's no guarantee I'll find him.

He may be dead already.

That will save you the trouble, then.

Just remember, there's a difference

between justice and revenge.

Aldous knew that.

And when the time comes...

...you'll know it, too.

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