The Rare Breed

[Band playing lively music]

[Neighing]

[Mooing]

[Whooping]

[People cheering]

- What on earth is he doing?

- Is called bulldogging, ma'am.

Thas Bulldog Burnett.

He works for my outfit.

Is a perfectly silly way

to handle cattle, if you ask me.

My name is Charles Ellsworth.

I can tell by your speech

that you're from England.

May I ask what has brought you

to our fair shore?

- A ship.

- Hilary.

We brought some cattle over.

We're from Herefordshire.

If you'll excuse us, please.

Come along, Hilary.

I know a countryman of yours.

John Taylor. You should meet him.

He has a spread next to ours.

He bested you again, Simons.

Them critters Burnett draws...

lay down and

roll over when they see him coming.

Being's as how I probably bulldogged

their pas...

they know what to expect.

SAM:
You're next, Sagamon.

SAGAMON:
Right.

GERT:
Sam. Look who's here.

Jeff, how are you? Hi, Gert.

Jeff, is been a long time.

More than a year

since he caught that horn.

But I ain't through

punching cows yet.

Not by a long shot.

Taylor said he took care of things.

He promised a lot of things.

All Jeff got was $40

and a ticket to St. Louis.

Formerly of England,

and now from Texas, Mr. John Taylor.

How do you do?

Mr. Ellsworth tells me

you brought these Herefords over.

If Mr. Evans is about,

I'd like to talk to him about them.

My husband was killed

in an accident aboard ship.

I'm deeply sorry, ma'am.

But is indeed a blessing to find

someone at last who knows Herefords.

MARTHA:
They were bid in yesterday.

HILARY:
By a dairy farmer.

What we were paid

hardly covered our transportation.

MARTHA:
Les show them Vindicator, Hilary.

[Bull grunts]

Is all right.

Vindicator's really very gentle.

My daughter has a special affection

for Vindicator. She raised him.

Are you going

to sell that bull, Mrs. Evans?

I'm afraid I must.

We need the money.

He'll be auctioned at noon today.

You won't find much market

for that muley bull here.

Muley?

Why, your bull has no horns.

He's a freak in that respect.

Mr. Ellsworth, Vindicator's lack

of horns is a product of breeding...

and it is not a freak condition.

Please, ladies, I didn't intend

to start an argument.

My partner Alex Bowen

raises the cattle and ships to me.

I'm in the packing end of the game.

I see. A butcher.

Hilary, please.

One morning you'll wake up

to a train whistle...

and there won't be any more

cattle drives.

Yes, sir, in a few years

ill all be gone.

Leastwise, the way we knew it.

Don't start faulting what

you can't stand up to, Harter...

just 'cause you're finished.

I've still got a hoot and a holler

left in me.

Sure. If somebody buys you a bottle.

SAM:
Now wait a minute, Simons.

Here's a man that broke most of

the trails you're riding today.

Man?

All I see is a deadbeat on crutches.

She's no better.

Watch your wallets, men.

She'll put the bite on you for sure.

[Lively instrumental music]

Close the gate.

[Lively instrumental music continues]

- Mabry, get in there and stop them.

- Yes, sir.

Can't somebody put a stop to this?

Is all right, ma'am,

I'll protect you.

Don't you worry about that bull.

I'll see that you get a good price.

[Groaning]

Here, get off my bull.

Excuse me, ma'am.

[All yelling]

- Our bull is loose.

- Don't worry, ma'am, I'll get him.

[Amusing instrumental music]

[Bull bellowing]

MAN:
Missed the horns, Burnett.

WOMAN #1:
Slipped out from under him.

WOMAN #2:
He tried to dog a muley.

[Whistles]

SAM:
Look out, miss,

he's headed this way.

Come on. Up you go.

You're the one

that has to be looked out for.

What kind of a bull is that?

[Whistles patriotic tune]

Thank you, Mr. Burnett.

You all right, Sam?

Thanks, Gert.

You can't bulldog

a bull that doesn't have any horns.

I didn't break anything,

just chipped my pride, I guess.

That seems to hurt worse

than anything, don't it, Sam?

[All laughing]

I'll kill Burnett.

From now on, Mabry here is top hand.

You'll take orders from him.

You'll notice the hornless condition

being an innovation...

that should meet with the approval

of each and every one...

who must move or ship cattle.

Mother, if that butcher bids,

I'll die.

Now, really, Hilary

you must learn to trust people more.

I had a long talk

with Mr. Ellsworth...

and he assured me that he'll be

bidding for his partner in Texas.

Mr. Bowen is extremely interested

in improving his stock.

Now, who will start the bidding?

$700.

AUCTIONEER:
$700 is bid

by Mr. Charles Ellsworth.

$800 by Mr. John Taylor.

$900 for the lovely ladies

from England.

If she'd had an elephant up there...

Ellsworth would have bid

on that, too.

TAYLOR:
$1,000.

AUCTIONEER:
$1,000 from Taylor of Texas.

$1,100.

Don't go away, Sam,

I've got a job for you.

Bowen doesn't want that muley bull.

$1,100 from Mr. Ellsworth on behalf

of Mr. Alex Bowen of Texas.

- $1,200.

- $1,500.

AUCTIONEER:
$1,500 from that...

SAM:
Have you lost your mind?

$1,600.

ELLSWORTH:
$2,000.

AUCTIONEER:
$2,000 is bid.

$2,000 once, $2,000 twice.

Sold to Mr. Charles Ellsworth

for $2,000.

[Singing] God save our gracious queen

AUCTIONEER:
If you will

kindly step forward...

for your signatures

on the bill of sale.

Get that bull on the Dodge City

train tonight and get it to Bowen.

I'm not taking

that knob head anywhere.

I'm working for Bowen, not you.

You won't be working

for anyone if you keep talking.

That suits me just fine.

You get yourself another man.

I quit.

There goes Bulldog Burnett.

Just a cowpoke, miss.

Long on muscle, short on brains.

I'll get a good hand

to take Vindicator west.

You can depend on that.

I'm sure I can, Mr. Ellsworth.

Suppose you drop

round the hotel this afternoon...

and pick up your money.

I'm in Room 22.

I've got a business deal for you.

Same kind of deal

you handed Jeff Harter?

I'll give you $500 for that bull.

Is not mine to sell.

Bowen doesn't want it

and neither does Ellsworth.

But I do,

and I'm willing to pay for it.

Ellsworth paid $2,000 for it.

I'm buying a bull,

not female companionship.

All right, I'll go $1,000.

I'll have Mabry and Simons

take the noon train to Dodge...

and meet you there tomorrow.

[Cow mooing]

All right, I'll deliver it.

[Soft instrumental music]

[Knocking on door]

Coming, dear lady.

What in thunder

do you want, Burnett?

ELLSWORTH:
You quit.

SAM:
I want to talk to you about that.

Well, get to it.

I've decided to deliver

that bull to Bowen.

All right, fine.

You get it out of town and

don't bother me about it anymore.

Now look, Sam, be short, be polite,

and then be on your way.

Welcome.

Mr. Burnett is just leaving

to put Vindicator on the train.

Have a good trip, Sam.

MARTHA:
Then you've changed your opinion

about Vindicator?

Well, no, ma'am.

I just thought I'd enjoy the trip

hearing them cattlemen laugh...

about that animal

all the way to Dodge.

I'm sure Mr. Bowen won't laugh.

That bull is a thing

that might tickle him a good deal.

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