The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Page #4

He just up and told

all the hands to cut the cards

to see who come to school,

and l lost.

l see. We'll try.

Good morning, Mr Carruthers.

Good morning. Caught him

playing hookey again, fishing.

Catch anything, Herbert?

- No, sir. They weren't biting.

- That's too bad.

- Ain't you gonna whop him?

- He's too big.

For the benefit of those of you

just starting...

None of us in here smoke,

Mr Carruthers. Thank you.

For those of you

who have just started,

l might explain to you

that we've begun the school

by studying about our country,

and how it's governed.

Now, let's see. Well, Nora...

Would you tell the class what you've

learned about the United States?

The United States is a republic,

and a republic is a state

in which the people are the boss.

That means us.

And if the big shots in Washington

don't do like we want, we don't vote

for them, by golly, no more.

- Any more!

- Any more.

That's fine, Nora. That's just fine.

Now, l wonder

if anybody in class remembers

what the basic law of the land

is called.

You remember l told you it had

to be added to and changed sometimes,

by things called amendments.

Does anybody remember?

Julietta, your hand's always up.

Pompey, you try this one.

lt was writ by Thomas Jefferson

of Virginia.

- ''Was written'', Pompey.

- Written by Thomas Jefferson.

- He called it the Constitution.

- Declaration of lndependence.

lt begun with the words...

''We hold these truths to be...''

- Self-evident.

- Let him alone, Charlie.

- ''Self-evident, that...''

- ''That all men are created equal.''

- That's fine, Pompey.

- l knew that, but l plumb forgot it.

A lot of people forget that part.

You did just fine, Pompey.

- Thank you.

- This law also states

that governing power rests

with the electorate.

That means you,

that means the people.

And you exercise this power

through the vote. Yes?

Con permiso, los gentlemen's?

Well, Hallie?

Go right ahead, Hallie.

Here is the best textbook in

the world. lt's an honest newspaper.

This is the ''Shinbone Star,''

Dutton Peabody, Editor in Chief.

And reading this ought to bring home

to everybody

the importance of using that vote.

Now, the headlines say:

''Cattlemen fight statehood.

Small homesteaders in danger.''

lt says clearly that if big ranchers

north of the Picketwire River

win their fight to keep this

territory in open reign,

then all your truck farms and your

corn, the small shopkeepers

and everything, your kids' future,

it will all be all over, be gone!

And they call upon you,

in this article,

they call upon you to unite

behind a real strong delegate

and carry this fight

to Washington if necessary.

Hello, Tom.

Welcome back. You want to join us?

l'm looking for Pompey.

l've been away three weeks, and

there's no sashes or doors in yet.

Why have you been wasting time here?

Get to work. Your schooling's over.

Don't get rough with Pompey.

He's entitled to a...

What l got to say to you

will be a whole lot rougher.

The good editor here

has written some noble words,

and you read 'em good,

but if you put that paper out,

the streets of Shinbone

will be running with blood.

Why are you against this,

you of all people?

Aren't there more votes

south of the Picketwire than north?

That's right, but votes

won't stand up against guns.

Guns? What guns, Tom?

You think Valance stays away

from here cos he's scared of you?

He's recruiting hired guns

for the big ranchers.

- Si, papacito?

- Take the little ones home.

Come on.

Hallie, it would be a good idea

if you dismissed class.

- Dismiss class?

- Go on. Dismiss them, please.

Class dismissed! Same time tomorrow.

You get to the store.

lt could get worse

than the sheep wars.

You think

they'll start something here?

lt's already started. Valance and

his men crossed the river yesterday,

killed a couple of sodbusters,

old man Holiday and his son.

You know that for a fact?

l do. They tried to bushwhack me,

unfortunately for one of them.

- You putting that in your newspaper?

- lt's news, and l'm a newspaperman.

Print that,

he'll kill you sure as hell.

You think they'll come here, Tom?

They'll be here,

tomorrow or the next day

according to how much

who-hit-John they consume,

but election day, pilgrim, you

can depend on it. They'll be here.

Hallie, go where you belong. l don't

want you in no shooting gallery.

Now, you listen to me, Tom Doniphon.

What l do and where l go isn't

your business. You don't own me.

Like l said, Hallie,

you're awful pretty when you get mad.

Rance. After all you've taught us,

how can you say

we should knuckle under now?

You heard what Tom said.

When force threatens,

talk's no good any more.

Hallie, go find Tom

and make it up to him.

He's only trying to protect you.

Better let him go, Hallie.

Why? Where's he going?

He's going to need

all the practice he can get.

Practice? What are you talking about?

l might as well let you know.

When he came in with me,

l let him have a gun of mine.

He's been going out in the country

twice a week practising ever since.

You mean he's going to face up

to Liberty Valance? Rance?

That's the only way l figure it.

He never discussed it.

He just keeps on practising.

Tom! Tom Doniphon!

Hey, professor.

Where you going?

- l want to talk to you at my place.

- Tom, l'm going...

Step down, pilgrim. Take a look.

All right, Tom,

what are you trying to tell me?

l'm telling you

that Hallie's my girl.

l'm building that room and porch

for her for when we get married.

Tom, l guess everybody

pretty much takes that for granted.

Everybody except Hallie, maybe you.

That's a damn lie, and you know it.

Why did she come to me

fretting herself sick

because you were going to get killed

facing up to Liberty Valance?

- l never told her.

- Peabody did.

l think you're bluffing.

l'm not bluffing about anything.

Wait a minute, Tom. What?

Pompey, bring two or three

of those paint cans.

- You have a gun, right?

- Yes.

Get it.

Come on.

All right, gunslinger.

Hit that can.

Pretty far.

- Pilgrim, you got to cock it.

- l forgot.

Balance it light in your hand

and don't jerk the trigger. Squeeze.

You don't have to coach me.

Pompey, bring me those cans.

Give me that thing.

l'll show you how easy it is.

Take these cans.

Put them on those three posts.

Go ahead.

That's it. That first post.

- There?

- That's right.

Not there! On the far post.

That's right.

Now put that last one in the middle.

Pilgrim.

l hate tricks, pilgrim,

but that's what you're up against

with Valance.

He's almost as fast as l am.

l don't like tricks myself,

so that makes us even.

Pilgrim, you forgot your popgun.

l got you, Lyde. Ruf McMard.

Highpockets. Kaintuck.

Kaintuck! Leave the jug.

l am so proud of him.

Dutton Peabody

exercising his franchise.

- Dutton Peabody.

- Ransom Stoddard.

Rance, we'll need you

for some of that legal stuff later.

''Ransom Stoddard, Attorney at Law.''

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes