"(CATTLE MOOING)" "(MAN WHISTLES)" "Sure wish we could get out of this dust bowl before the wind hits." "It's too late." "Look over yonder." "We'll have to find some shelter for the herd." "Whereabouts?" "This country's flat as a pancake." "Shorty!" "Shorty!" "Keep 'em movin'." "(CATTLE MOOING)" "The storm's getting worse!" "There's a house over there." "We better head for it." "(MAN GRUNTING)" "Dust." "(WIND HOWLING)" "MAN:" "How's the scenery, Rusty?" "Magnificent." "You can see the Rocky Mountains." "That's them going by." " (COUGHS)" " Is the wind shifting?" "Well, I'll take a look." "Hey shut that door, Tucson!" "It's shifting all right?" "This keeps up, it's likely to blow itself out quick." "I'm mighty glad we don't live in this country." "I wonder how it got this way." "Looks like the World War is to blame." "The World War?" "Yeah, listen to this." ""March 9th, 1918."" ""Overseas demand sends wheat prices to new high."" ""Panhandle Country turned from cattle range to a wheat field."" ""In this country alone, a 11,000 acres of grassland"" ""Are being plowed under this spring."" ""Miller Higgins made a profit of over $80 an acre last season."" ""And will plant 3,000 acres this year."" ""Luke Parker has just completed a fine home for his family"" ""And paid cash for an expensive automobile."" "Poor devils." "Millions ruined at the end of the war." "Wheat prices went down to nothing." "Sure, but how about the millions of acres of cattle range" "That they ruined for cowmen like us?" "Oh, look, that you gotta feel sorry for them." "Say, have my ears wore out" "Or has that wind actually died down?" "It's all over boys." "Let's hurry and get that herd to water before dark." "(CATTLE MOOING)" "We'd have been better off if we'd stayed with the cattle." "Looks like they only got the edge of it." "Yeah." "Hey." "Looks like somebody wrestled himself a steer." "Yeah." "Slaughtered it on the spot." "Can you imagine wrestling in a storm like that?" "Well, I reckon he won't be able to travel very fast" "With that much of a load on his horse." "Horse nothing." "Look." "Boy, can you picture that?" "A man on foot toting a whole steer." "Let's take a look around." "You fellas stay with the herd." "All right." "MAN:" "Well, there's nary a sign of him." "Looks like we're out one steer." "I'd sure like to see this steer-toting Hercules." "Well, don't bother your head about that." "We got to ride into town and get some supplies." "Okay, we'll have the boys push the herd on to water." "(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)" "I don't know about you fellas, but I'm starved to death." "Well, I could stand a little chow." "Well there's a place across the street." "(MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)" "What'll it be?" "Well, I'm not very hungry." "Gimme a nice steak." "Sorry, we're all out of steaks." "I'll take three hamburgers." "Me too." "Well, I'll have the same." "Only make mine double." "Say, do you know what kind of riles me?" "To think of the three of us eating hamburgers" "While that rustler's more than likely sticking his ivories into a good juicy steak." "What's the matter, you fellas lose some cattle?" "STONY:" "Just one." "As far as I'm concerned, he earned it." "Yeah." "Can you picture anybody toting several hundred weight of beef on his back?" "Say I'll bet you that was Will Parker." "Yeah?" "Where does he live?" "If I was you fellas, I wouldn't go gunning for Will." "He's not only the strongest fella around here," "He's the best marksman." "Sounds like quite a boy." "Yeah?" "Say, I'd like to meet him." "Too bad we aren't staying over." "Oh, I'm sorry." "That's all right." "Something tells me we are staying over, Tucson." "Do, uh, you live here?" "Yes, but you don't." "Yeah, but it's an idea." "MAN:" "Good evening, Mr. Balsinger." "Hi." "There's that Parker girl." "Pretty nifty little number." "I'll say, she is." "And so, we have to get the herd through to the national park." "Hey, how about cutting in, cowboy?" "Certainly." "Got a break for you, Honey." "I think Joe Balsinger likes you." "You know what I think of him?" "Say, he's one of the biggest men in these parts." "Why not be smart?" "You know, it'd do your folks a lot of good." " Come on over and say, "Hello."" " No thanks." " Come on, don't be a sissy!" " Don't!" "(WOMEN SCREAMING)" " Are you all right?" " Yeah, let's get out of here." " WOMAN:" "Look out!" " (WOMEN SCREAMING)" "(WOMAN SCREAMING)" "(GRUNTING)" "Here, you dropped this." "I'm sorry I got you into trouble." "Good night." "Oh, wait, you aren't going to rush off and leave me, are you?" "I've got to." "Nice work stranger, you looking for a job?" "No thanks." "I better take you home." "No thanks, I can take care of myself." "You weren't doing a very good job in the lunch room." "All right." "Thank you, goodnight." "I'm going in with you." "I'd rather you wouldn't." "You're not very hospitable." "Oh, it's you Irene." "I, uh, brought your daughter home from the dance." "Well, that was real nice of you, Mister..." "Uh..." "Brooke." "Stony Brooke." "Glad to know you Mr. Brooke." "And I want you both to meet Mr. Smith and Mr. Joslin." "IRENE:" "How do you do?" "They're waiting to see your brother Will about a job." "Oh, say Stony, remember that job we were talking about out on the trail?" "You gentlemen know each other!" "In fact, we're partners." "Oh, I do hope you can find some work for my brother." "Um, please, won't you sit down?" "Thank you." "What can I do to help with dinner Mother?" "It's late." "Well, Will didn't come in till after dark," "He had a lot of meat to carry." "IRENE:" "Meat?" "Where'd he get it?" "He helped a rancher with some butchering and took his pay in beef." "Oh, I see." "We'll have dinner as soon as he comes back." "He just went out to rustle some more firewood." "We've had to do our cooking in here since our kitchen roof fell in." "Well, that's too bad." "Oh, as long as we've got part of a roof over our heads, we're thankful." "These gentlemen are here to see Will about a job, Father." "Well, that's fine." "Won't you stay for dinner?" "Well, we trifled with some hamburgers." "But that meat smells mighty interesting, Mr. Parker." "It isn't often we have good beef to offer strangers these days." "I reckon jobs are pretty scarce around here." "Yes." "In fact the only jobs there is..." "Is cleaning off the highway after a dust storm." "You see, I used to be foreman of the road gang." "TUCSON:" "Used to be?" "Yes." "Since my accident, they..." "They've laid me off on account of disability." "Why don't you tell them the truth?" "He was fired because he wouldn't collect graft" "From the men that were working under him." "Now, uh, we can't prove that, Irene." "And, uh, besides, these gentlemen aren't interested." "Oh, yes we are." "Well, there's an election coming up," "And we were notified that we would have to contribute" "A week's pay to the campaign fund." "Campaign fund." "Every dollar of that money went into Balsinger's pocket." "LUKE:" "Well, anyway," "I refused to give it and refuse to collect it from the poor devils" "Working under me because they are worse off than we are." "So Joe Balsinger said, he'd make an example of us Parkers." "That's what you get round here when you stand up for your rights." "Well, you're not supposed to starve." "You could go on relief." "MR. PARKER:" "No, no, we couldn't." "They turned me down flat." "That's controlled by the same gang." "Besides, there's no relief for a man that owns property." "Did, uh, you ever try to borrow money" "On a 1,000 acres of dust and sand?" "No." "Looks like you folks have a real problem here." "(DOOR OPENS)" "That must be Will now." "I reckon we'd better go on out" " And help him with the kindling." " Mmm." "Be back in a minute, Stony." "Oh, uh," "Irene was so busy hating Joe Balsinger," "She forgot to tell you about the money." " Money?" " STONY:" "Yes." "They had a dancing contest." "We won first prize, didn't we?" "Go on, show 'em." "Oh, yes." "Here it is." "Twenty-dollars." "She's a darn good dancer." "Oh, I wouldn't have gotten anything if you hadn't danced with me." "Thank you." "Well, where is he?" "He must have seen us coming." "WILL:" "Reach." "You're covered." "Go on, reach." "Now turn around." "Well, this is a fine way to treat a couple of friendly strangers." "Friendly?" "How do I know you're friendly?" "You'll have to take our word for it." "Don't give me that." "I'll take the wind's word that it's gonna rain." "And I'll take the sun's word that it's gonna be clear." "But I've learned never to take a man's word for anything." "But you don't mind taking a man's steer without asking him, do you?" "When you're hungry, you ain't thinking." "But you're not gonna lock me up." "I'll kill anybody that tries to lock me up." "You better soft pedal on that killing stuff, bub." "If you make good on it, they'll hang you." "Hang me?" "(CHUCKLES)" "They'll have to catch me first." "MRS. PARKER:" "Will!" "Oh, Willy!" "Yes, Mother?" "Dinner's on." "Bring your friends." "Friends?" "Yeah." "You'll find out." "(GUN COCKS)" "Come on." "(CLEARS THROAT)" "Been a long while since we was able to set folks down to table." "Yeah, it makes me feel like a new man again." "Come, sit right down, gentlemen." "All we've got is roast beef and corn bread," "But that's a feast in this country." "Make us feel truly thankful oh, Lord," "For that which we are about to receive." "Amen." "Well, uh, have you gentlemen had a talk with our boy?" "They sure did, didn't you, Tucson?" "Oh, about that job?" "Sure, we're gonna give it to him." "We're gonna start him out as a top hand." "Sixty a month and pound." "How about it, Rusty?" "Well, we can't deny, he's a mighty good man." " We don't know how to thank you." " Don't try." "How's about some of that beef, fella?" "You know, a top hand can't keep the boss waiting." " (ALL LAUGHING)" " RUSTY:" "That's right." "(HOOVES CLOPPING)" "Howdy-do, Mrs. Parker!" "JOE:" "Next." "Good morning, Mr. Balsinger." "Why, Mrs. Parker, I never expected to see you here." "MRS. PARKER:" "I've come to contribute to the campaign fund." "Oh, that's fine." "There will be a job for Mr. Parker, won't there?" "Sure." "Sure, have him come around tomorrow." "He'd go on the labor gang." "Labor gang?" "But he's a foreman." "Ah, I'm sorry, that job's filled." "But he's not strong enough for day labor." "You know, have him come and see me when he is." "Oh, but he needs the job now, he can't go on like this." "I'm sorry." "It's the labor gang or nothing." "He should have known when he had a good thing." "All right, next." "Just a minute." "You forgot to give the lady back her money." "I didn't ask for the contribution." "She volunteered it." "You're lying Balsinger, you're selling jobs." "Get out of here." "Don't tell me what I'm doing." "All right, give the lady back her money and we'll get out." "You'll get out now." "Throw him out." "(CROWD MUMBLING)" "(MUMBLING CONTINUES)" "(CROWD MUMBLING)" "You boys all right?" "Sure." "You, uh, forgot this money, Mrs. Parker." "Thanks." "Tell Will we're leaving right away." "I guess we know how the land lies now." "Best thing for me to do is go into the capital" "And have a talk to Senator Roberts." "Okay, and we'll take the herd over to the park." "Say, it sure looks like you've had a rumpus here." "Yeah, fine time for you to come around." "Well, I'm sorry but..." "I want you to arrest the Three Mesquiteers." "But they just left town." "Oh, they'll be back." "I'm swearing out a warrant against them" "And I want you to serve it the minute they show up." "All right." "(CATTLE MOOING)" "Boys, I want you to meet our new cowhand, Will Parker." "This is Shorty and Curley." "SHORTY:" "Howdy." "CURLY:" "Howdy." "Hello, how are you?" "You reckon you'll like it up here, son?" "I sure will." "I like it any place where I can earn enough money to take care of my folks." "(CATTLE MOOING)" "Our grazing permit." "Oh, you're from the 3M ranch, huh?" " Yes, sir." " (CLEARS THROAT)" "All in order, gentlemen." "Bring your cattle right in." "Thank you, Warden." "(WHISTLES)" "(YELLING)" "(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)" "Say, hold on you." "What's this man doing with this outfit?" "He's working for us, Warden." "I'm sorry, but I can't admit him to the Park." "He's a violator of the game laws." "You can't prove that, Mister." "WARDEN:" "No, but we have orders to keep you out of here." "Well look, I gotta hold this job." "If I promise not to kill anymore game, will you give me another chance?" "Well, I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands." "You've been ruled out and I can't change the ruling." "Well, thanks anyway, fellas." "Hey, hold on." "RUSTY:" "Hey, bub!" "Wait a minute." "You forgot your wages." "I didn't earn any." "Well, you didn't have a chance." "What chance do I ever get?" "Now, I know it's been a little tough," "But things will get better." "So long, bub." "I'll be seeing you." "So long, Rusty." "(CATTLE MOOING)" "(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)" "If Parker runs true to form, he won't go home without meat." "We'd better spread out." "WARDEN:" "Hold it, Parker." "We finally caught you with the goods." ""Parker has always maintained that the right of human beings to eat"" ""Is higher than the right of game to live."" ""He claims the state owes its first duty to its citizens, not to animals."" "Sounds like pretty good sense." "I've called an emergency session of this committee" "To hear a startling story of corruption." "I want you to hear it as I have it." "From an eyewitness whose character and integrity I can vouch for." "Mr. Brooke." "Thank you." "Lady and gentlemen," "I'm here to tell you about voters." "Voters dissatisfied, not with their government," "But with a man in their community appointed by you." "He dictates their very existence." "Citizens regimented under threat of starvation" "Forced into paying him for jobs." " This is serious." " Serious?" "There's going to be a lot of people around here glad to testify." "Nobody is going to testify." "Hey, the old man must be in the shed." "Oh, I am not threatening you, Parker." "I'm just reminding you that you've got a family." "And you better think of them before you go shooting off your mouth" "To any investigating committee." "I am thinking about my youngsters," "And I'm thinking about the sort of country" "They ought to have to grow up in." "Even if it is only a dust bowl," "They've got the right to be free in it." "Now you go back to that tinhorn dictator and tell him," "Here's one man you couldn't buffalo." "That I'll tell the world about him and his gang of buzzards." "(CHUCKLES) Old timer, I certainly admire your speech." "Shake." " (GRUNTING)" " You asked for it." "I wouldn't do that." "Thanks, boys." " Are you hurt, Dad?" " No." "But if I didn't have a story to tell before," "I've sure got a good one now." " And witnesses to prove it." " Mmm." "All right, on your way." "You shouldn't have said that, Father." "Balsinger would know it anyway." "But now he'll do anything to keep you from testifying." "That's right." "Now we'll have to see that you and the rest of the witnesses have protection." "I suspect we better see the Sheriff right away." "Boys, you mustn't go into town." "The Sheriff has a warrant out for your arrest." "What for?" "Wrecking Balsinger's office." "Well looks like he's trying to keep us away from that hearing too." "Yeah." "We'll notify the other witnesses," "But we'll keep clear at town." "Be careful, won't you?" "Hello, Sheriff." "The Mesquiteers are out at the Parker place." "Get out there and serve that warrant." "Right away." "(GUNSHOTS)" "What are you in for?" "Well, according to the warrant," "We're guilty of assault and battery and disturbing the peace." "Did Balsinger have you arrested?" "He did, huh?" "Hearing must have started by now." "Just how long, are we supposed to wait?" "I don't know, I can't understand this." "Well, maybe you're convinced by now that you were misinformed." "Looks like Balsinger won this hand." "I can't figure Parker not showing up." "Well he might have seen to it that he didn't." "You think they might..." "Well, boys, I'm turning you lose." "How come?" "Balsinger dropped the charges." "Mighty nice of him, now that the hearing's over." "Keep your chin up, kid." "You'll be out of here in no time." "Yeah." "We better get out to the Parker place." "(KNOCKING)" "How bad is he hurt?" "We don't know yet." "Anybody see who did it?" "He went out to hitch up the horse to take us to the hearing" "And we found him like this." "Please, don't do anything more." "We can't let Balsinger get away with this." "Don't you see that there's no use fighting." "She's right, Stony." "We appreciate what you're trying to do for us, but it's hopeless." "Yeah, looks like all we've done is make things worse." "Get Will a good lawyer." "Stony, we sure want to compliment you." "How's that?" "Well, you're getting better all the time." "It only used to take you about a week or so to get us into trouble." "This time, you done it in nothing flat." "All right." "We gummed things up," "But I'd still like to get a crack at that guy." "You and me both." "Well, it's on our way." "Well, looks like your old man got quite a working over this afternoon, Will." "(CLATTERING)" "Unlock that door." "Unlock that door!" "Come on, hurry it up." "(LOCK CLICKING)" "Get inside." "Balsinger had my old man beat up, did he?" "Yeah." "I'll kill him for this." "Oh, you'll hang for it." "It'll be worth it." "Newt!" "Hey, Newt!" "Get word to Balsinger right away." "Parker's loose and he's on his way to kill him." "Wait a minute." "We'll take care of it." "(GUNSHOTS)" "That Parker kid's out to get you, Joe, and you better be careful." "You're probably as much to blame for these dead men as he is." "I heard you joined the posse." "We had to." "I suppose you think we're hiding him." "Irene, the posse has orders to shoot on sight." "IRENE:" "Without giving him a chance?" "If we can get to him first, we'll see that he gets a fair trial." "If we can find him." "I think I know where he is." "He may be up there." "Boy he's sure got a bird's eye view of the country." "You wait here." "(STONES CLICKING)" "Hold it, Will!" "We'll never find him in here." "You have just been transferred directly" "To manhunt headquarters at Gunsight Ridge." "Flash." "Wild man Parker has finally been cornered in a trap." "(GUNSHOTS)" "(GUN COCKS)" "Sheriff Nolan has worked his men up" "Within striking distance of the killer." "So far, they've been protected by the rocks" "But now a hundred yards of open country lie between them and the outlaw's fire." "Will any of them dare risk it?" "(GUNSHOTS)" "Parker has stopped firing." "Maybe one of those bullets has found its mark." "Apparently, the Sheriff thinks so" "Because he's ordering his men to move in." "(GUNSHOT)" "We're asking you to withdraw the posse for a few hours." "If we can only get to Will, we are certain we can persuade him to surrender." "I can't risk it, boys." "He'd probably shoot you down before you can get near him." "Well, he had a chance to shoot Stony the other night," "And he didn't do it." "He knows we're his friends." "And that's why I'm sure he'll come with us." "Well, it might be worth taking a chance." "(TELEPHONE RINGING)" "Marshal Gregg speaking." "Oh, hello, Sheriff." "Well, stand by, but don't take anymore chances." "I'm sending out the cavalry." "Boys, Parker's killed two more men." "Operator, operator." "Get me Fort McGuire." "RUSTY:" "Once the cavalry gets there, Will won't have a chance." "Unless we get there first." "(GUNSHOT)" "(GUNSHOTS)" "Remember, Sheriff," "No shooting, no matter what happens." "Well, boys, you heard him." "No shooting under any circumstances." "Standby, The Mesquiteers are just starting." "Looks to me like they're dead set on committing suicide." "Up to now, no one has even dared venture out" "To bring back the bodies of their dead comrades." "Brooke!" "Don't come any closer!" "Don't come any closer, Brooke!" "Will!" "I'm gonna let you have it, Brooke!" "Well, it looks like he's outsmarted us again." "And he's probably headed back into the hills." "I don't blame you for giving up that manhunt." "Those nervous deputies are more dangerous" "Than that goofy wild man, Parker." "So you think he's crazy too?" "Why, sure he is." "Crazy as a tick." "I know all about him." "I'm with the broadcasting company that's been sending out the news." "If he only knew of all the lies we've been telling about him." "(LAUGHING)" "Maybe he doesn't care." "Maybe he's used to lies by now." "What do you mean?" "Everything's a lie here in this dust bowl." "What's the use in trying to be good and work hard" "When you can't get work to do?" "What's the use in trying to get ahead and save money when you can't earn it?" "DOYLE:" "Sort of radical, aren't you?" "Maybe." "Are you going all the way to town?" "No, I want to stop by and see my folks first." "You can drop me off at the Parker place." "The Parker place?" "Yeah." "That's where I live." "I'm Will Parker." "(BRAKES SCREECHING)" "Maybe you'd better get out and walk, we'd both be safer." "Hello, Sheriff's office?" "This is Doyle." "Radio operator." "Sheriff, we just got word on the short wave that Parker's headed for his home." "Mount up, men." "Hello, Dad." "You shouldn't be here, son." "Yeah, I know." "I come to say goodbye." "Before they put me away." "Goodbye." "Mother?" "My son." "(TIRES SCREECHING)" "Good morning, Mr. Balsinger." "Any news?" "No." "Now I'm not worried." "Parker's 40 miles away from here and surrounded by an army." "In fact, he's probably dead by now." "(DOOR OPENS)" "Take a good look at that money, it's the last you'll ever see." "Look, kid." "You can have it all if you let me go." "There's nearly 5,000 there." "Getting kind of generous, aren't you?" "I've often wondered what it'd feel like to have this much money." "Now I don't guess it will do either one of us any good." "Get on outside and you can tell 'em I'm here." "Come on." "There's hardly a man in this town you haven't hurt or robbed" "In some way or another." "Any one of them would like to take a shot at you if they dared." "Well, I'm gonna give them a chance." "(GUNSHOT)" "That's just to let 'em know we're coming." "(CROWD TALKING INDISTINCTLY)" "Gosh." " So long." " Bye."