"GODLESS"

Part I

Written by

Scott Frank

5/17/16

Copyright © 2016 Storybuilders LLC . All Rights Reserved. No

portion of this script may be performed, published, reproduced,
sold, or distributed by any means or quoted or published in
any medium, including on any website, without the prior written
consent of Storybuilders , LLC. Disposal of this script copy does
not alter any of the restrictions set forth above.
1 WHITE 1
Sound of violent WIND. A faint SONG beneath it...
GIRL’S VOICE
Amazing grace, how sweet the
sound...
A FIGURE ON HORSEBACK emerges from the white background and
we realize that we're smack dab in the middle of one fucker
of A SANDSTORM.
GIRL (O.S.)
...that saved a wretch like me...
SUPER: THE TOMBOY MINE CREEDE, COLORADO Then: 1884.
The Rider, his head ducked into the gale, keeps his anxious
horse to a walk. His duster blows open revealing A SILVER
STAR pinned to his shirt. He looks up and his huge walrus
mustache blows back against his cheeks. JOHN COOK.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
I once was lost, but now I’m
found...
Cook makes out a wobbling sign stuck into the ground that
reads CREEDE. Only someone has altered the "C" with a crude
stroke of red paint, so that the sign now reads GREEDE.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Was blind, but now I see...
OTHER FIGURES ON HORSEBACK emerge from the white behind the
Marshal. These men also have stars pinned to their chests,
though theirs are made of tin.
The POSSE rides through the Rocky Mountain town, warily eying
the BURNING STRUCTURES along the main street, the DEAD HORSES
lying on their sides. Every building either still on fire or
burned to the ground so that the entire town smolders.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
T’was grace that taught my heart to
fear...
Marshal Cook rides under A LARGE WILLOW TREE where A FIGURE
HANGS BY THE NECK, slowly turning in the wind: A WOMAN in a
torn hooped skirt, one remaining shoe dangling from a white-
stockinged foot.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
And grace my fears relieved...
The men ride on past, some crossing themselves as now MORE
BODIES appear, many hanging from trees off the main street;
 2.

others, from exposed rafters in burning buildings. More lie

dead on the sidewalks or in the dirt street.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed...
A TRAIN DEPOT is wedged between two high cliffs at the far
end of the main street. A sign reads, “SAVAGE BASIN LINE.”
The Marshal Rides to the platform and dismounts. Stray CASH
blows past the Marshal’s boots, one of the bills catching on
the rowel of his spur.
He looks to the tracks where a still-hissing LOCOMOTIVE LIES
ON ITS SIDE. Behind it a coal tender stands tipped onto two
wheels while the two cars linked behind it somehow remain
upright.
The Marshal takes in the DEAD ENGINEER hanging out of the
cab, the FIREMAN crushed halfway beneath the engine.
GIRL (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Through many dangers, toils and
snares...
Beside the train, we see a 17 year-old GIRL, dazed, in a
bloodied dress, holding the hand of A DEAD MAN, singing:
GIRL (CONT’D)
We have already come...
We hear a TICKING sound, and the Marshal turns to A DOORWAY,
where the STATION MASTER and AN OLDER TELEGRAPH OPERATOR lay
piled on top of each other, both shot dead, the telegraph
ticking away, waiting for a response that ain’t coming.
GIRL (CONT’D)
T’was grace that brought us safe
thus far...
VOICE
Marshal Cook...
ONE OF THE DEPUTIES points and the Marshal turns to the WATER
TOWER across the tracks, looks up at...
A SMALL BOY hanging from the fill pipe. The child swings to
and fro by the neck in the blowing dust as the anguished
Marshal below him now falls to his knees...
GIRL
And grace will lead us home.
CUT TO BLACK
A moment. Then-- A QUICK FLASH OF LIGHTNING REVEALS...
 3.

2 A RANCH HOUSE - NIGHT 2

Low slung adobe with an adjacent barn. Nothing else around.
SUPER: TWO MILES OUTSIDE LA BELLE, NEW MEXICO.
ANOTHER FLASH, and this time we're CLOSER TO THE HOUSE. The
front door creaks open and the BARREL OF A RIFLE pokes out.
ANOTHER FLASH and we see A WOMAN standing there, holding the
Henry rifle, the features of her face lost to the darkness.
WOMAN
Who's there?
She looks out into the black night. The DRY LIGHTNING moving
off now, but we see a HORSE standing in the dark, fifty paces
away. A RIDER HUNCHED OVER THE HORSE’S NECK.
She cocks the Henry, starts walking towards the rider...
WOMAN (CONT’D)
Declare yourself or I’ll shoot!
No response from the rider. We hear a loud BOOM in the night
as the woman keeps her promise and blows the rider from his
mount. The animal trots off a few tired steps, then stops.
The woman walks to where the rider fell in the dirt, stands
there looking down the length of the rifle barrel at him.
ANOTHER FLASH reveals A YOUNG MAN lying on his back. He's
bearded, dressed in tattered clothing. ROY GOODE. He stares
up at her, and then, oddly, smiles before he passes out.
THE WOMAN
Crouches down and considers him as a SMALLER FIGURE walks up
behind her. She sees a fresh wound where she got him in the
neck, but then sees two more BULLET HOLES in his shirt.
SMALL FIGURE
(a boy’s voice)
Looks like he was already shot.
The Woman doesn’t react to that one way or the other, studies
the man’s face another moment, makes a decision, then stands.
WOMAN
Get him in the barn.
Sound of THUNDER, POURING RAIN...
 4.

3 EXT. TOWN - NIGHT 3

Two dozen men gallop through a heavy downpour. The rider out
front -- poncho covering his face -- tosses an empty whiskey
bottle into the street, hangs onto his horse.
SUPER: LEADVILLE, COLORADO
The group stops at a two-story structure at the edge of town.
A sign sways over the upstairs porch -- “ELIJAH GRAHAM MD.”
We HEAR A HARD KNOCKING OVER...
4 INT. DR. GRAHAM’S PARLOR - NIGHT 4
As the young DR. GRAHAM -- twenties, robe, hair spiked from
sleep -- lights a lamp and carries it to the door.
DR. GRAHAM
Coming!
He opens the door and immediately steps back at the sight of
the dark clump of men standing in the shadow of his porch.
DR. GRAHAM (CONT’D)
Can I... help you gentlemen?
A FLASH OF LIGHTNING as the man in the poncho lowers his hood
to reveal eyes black as ten feet down set into a leering face
now drained of blood. FRANK GRIFFIN. He smiles one of those
smiles that are not about smiling...
GRIFFIN
I believe I got a bullet in m’arm.
DR. GRAHAM
(hesitates, then)
Come inside.
The Doctor steps aside, watches as the room fills with muddy
men. Griffin falls onto a sofa. He pulls the poncho aside so
the Doctor can see his left arm...
DR. GRAHAM (CONT’D)
Good God...
Griffin’s arm, nearly shot off, barely hangs on the shoulder.
The Doctor swallows hard, grabs a pair of scissors from the
table and carefully cuts the poncho away, stopping cold when
he sees Griffin wears a PRIEST’S COLLAR. Griffin looks up.
GRIFFIN
Your name Elijah? Like the prophet?
DR. GRAHAM
Yes, sir. Elijah Graham.
 5.

GRIFFIN
(closes his eyes)
That’s a damn good sign.
(opens them again)
I meant the one you got hangin’ out
front, got your name on it.
Griffin laughs at that, now extends his good hand, which is
also blackened and slick with blood.
MAN
I’m Frank Griffin...
DR. GRAHAM
I know who you are, Mister. I know
who you all are.
GRIFFIN
So tell me, Elijah...
(closes his eyes)
M’arm come off yet?
The Doc works another moment, probes here and there.
DR. GRAHAM
There’s no saving it. I’m surprised
it didn’t fall off on the ride in.
Griffin sighs, looks at his arm, as if to say “Good-bye.”
GRIFFIN
Well, you best go on, take it then.
The Doctor turns and looks at the muddy faces all watching
him. One has a SNAKE wrapped around his neck, dropping off
into his coat like a poisonous muffler. Another has KNIVES
in two long sheaths hanging from his neck.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Don’t worry none. These boys ain’t
gonna blame you, I get dealt out. I
seen my death...
(that smile)
...and this ain’t it.
5 EXT. DOCTOR’S HOUSE - SAME 5
As two young men, both eighteen with bruised faces, DONNIE
and DARYL DEVLIN, stand guard in the rain. Donnie’s in the
middle of the street with his arms outstretched, apparently
trying to get struck by lightning. He’s MISSING TWO TEETH.
DARYL
Fool, you gone get bit!
 6.

DONNIE
(catching rain on his
tongue)
I wanna see what it feels like.
We hear a long, low SCREAM from inside the Doctor’s house.
They both turn and look up at the dimly lit window...
DARYL
You can bet ol’ Roy Goode’s gonna
pay for that arm.
6 INT. BARN - NIGHT (THE RANCH) 6
A MATCH FLARES revealing the face of AN INDIAN BOY, fifteen.
He lights a lamp and examines Roy Goode lying in the straw.
Roy awakens and regards the boy. We hear someone else enter
the barn, bark something in PAIUTE that gets the boy quickly
backing away from the man.
A WOMAN, can’t see her in the dark, squats in front of the
man, tears his shirt open and studies the wounds. She says
something to the boy who nods and hurries out of the barn.
The woman studies Goode a moment before casually inserting a
finger into one of the bullet wounds, grunting without any
sympathy as the man instantly arches away from her in pain.
She sighs, unties a leather pouch and pulls out a pinch of
GUNPOWDER. She then packs one of Roy Goode’s wounds with it.
She strikes a match and we briefly see her OLD FACE before
she LIGHTS THE WOUND ON FIRE. Roy Goode bolts upright...
7 EXT. RANCH HOUSE - NIGHT 7
As the Woman who shot him, her face barred in shadow, leans
against her rifle, calmly listening to the man SCREAM as we:
8 FADE TO BLACK 8
MCNUE (V.O.)
Hello? Anyone there?
9 FADE IN: CLOSE-UP OF BILL MCNUE 9
Fifty. Patches of MUD cover his eyes. We hear CHANTING OS. A
fly lands on one of the mud dressings, then buzzes McNue’s
face. He brushes it away, lies there in the DARK SPACE for
another moment.
MCNUE
Fer cryin’ out loud...
He sits up, starts to wipe the mud from his eyes.
 7.

MCNUE (CONT’D)
Goddamn waste a time...
McNue gets to his feet, feels his way through the dark...
10 EXT. PAIUTE CAMP - DAWN 10
As BILL MCNUE stumbles out of one of the teepees and squints
at the bright sun. We see that he’s wearing not a stitch of
clothing save his boots.
None of the Indians in the camp pay him any mind at all as he
stumbles down a small slope to a stream where he falls to his
knees and starts brusquely washing the mud from his eyes.
VOICE
What are you doing?
Someone tosses A PILE OF CLOTHES to the bank beside him, and
McNue looks up at NARRIENTA -- the tall Paiute Chief wearing
a linen shirt and a broad cloth suit with a colored blanket
draped over one shoulder like a toga.
NARRIENTA
I said wait till sundown.
MCNUE
Yeah, well, I’m through with your
witchy nonsense. It ain’t workin’.
NARRIENTA
My witchy nonsense takes time.
MCNUE
It’s wishful thinkin’s what it is,
and I don’t got none a that in me
no more.
As McNue starts to get dressed, Narrienta looks at McNue’s
reflection in the stream, then up at the sun, then back to
McNue...
NARRIENTA
You lost your shadow, Bill.
McNue chuckles unhappily, “Yeah, well,” stands up and starts
to button his shirt which has a BADGE pinned to it.
NARRIENTA (CONT’D)
Nothing more dangerous than a man,
lost his shadow.
MCNUE
Yeah, and why’s that?
NARRIENTA
He’s got nothing more to lose.
 8.

11 INT. BARN - (THE RANCH) - SAME 11

As Roy awakens and sits up. Shirtless, he shivers in his long-
johns, inspects the nasty bullet hole through his left side,
another one through his left bicep.
There's a clay pitcher of water at his feet. He drinks from
it, gags and spits the water out, touches the newer wound at
his throat.
We hear a HORSE SNORT and he looks off at The HORSE he rode
in on lying on its side, one white eye staring back at him.
12 THE BARN DOOR OPENS 12
And Roy watches THE OLD PAIUTE WOMAN enter the barn.
ROY
(whisper)
This heaven or hell?
She looks at the man as if he’s something a rat dropped from
one of the rafters, GRUNTS, then crouches down in front of
him and begins applying new mud dressings to his wounds.
13 INT. DR. GRAHAM’S PARLOR - DAWN 13
As the young doctor finishes washing his bloody hands and
forearms in a porcelain bowl. He pulls a towel from a peg,
turns to look at the shaft of sunlight illuminating Frank
Griffin now sleeping on the table.
Griffin’s left arm ends halfway down the biceps; the stump,
neatly wrapped in a cloth bandage.
The doctor moves around the table and takes in the pile of
bloody cloth on the floor, the rest of Frank’s arm lying in
the middle of it. Dr. Graham bends down to cover it up when
Frank Griffin reaches out with his remaining arm, and grabs
the young Doctor by the elbow, startling him.
FRANK
Thank you, Doc.
(then)
I hope I can do the same for you
sometime.
He then passes out once more, missing the opportunity to see
the young doctor shiver.
14 EXT. NEW MEXICO COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING 14
Bill McNue rides his horse at a lope through a patch of
WILDFLOWERS. He stops, gets off and drops to his knees. He
puts his face right up close to the blossoms...
 9.

MCNUE
Daisy. Bluebonnet...
(squints)
...Primrose.
(then)
I’m just fine.
He begins picking the blossoms.
15 EXT. GRAVE SITE - MORNING 15
A single stone marker beneath the canopy of a huge oak. McNue
rides up and dismounts. He pulls the bunch of CUT FLOWERS
from his saddle bag and steps through the picket gate.
16 ON A GRAVESTONE 16
ANNA McNUE LOVING WIFE & MOTHER LIVED FOR THE DAY AT HAND
Bill McNue places the flowers at the foot of the stone, then
steps back a few paces and takes off his hat.
MCNUE
Sweetheart, I’m sorry to say that I
ain’t kept a one a my promises. It
seems that, with the exception of
our children, I been a failure at
just about everything. And now, it
seems my twilight has come home and
I didn’t even hear it knockin’. I
guess that’s the one advantage to
bein’ where you are. You don’t
never have to feel yerself get old
or useless in the eyes of everyone
who looks at you. Hell, in my mind,
you’re still eighteen and givin’ me
those kisses that used to untie my
shoelaces.
He stands there a moment staring at the marker, the light
wind blowing whispered messages all around him. Finally:
MCNUE (CONT’D)
Guess we should talk some about our
little Trudy. She and I are havin’
some... trouble. It ain’t that I
don’t love her exactly, it’s just
that I can’t seem to forgive her
for what she done... to you.
(puts on his hat)
Maybe tonight you’ll come, give me
some advice in that direction.
He then turns and walks back to his horse. As he gets on it
and rides off, we then CRANE UP OVER THE CEMETERY to reveal:
THE TOWN OF LA BELLE down below.
 10.

17 EXT. LA BELLE, NEW MEXICO - MORNING 17

Dying. Amidst low hills. The buildings are all tired, in need
of paint. Bill McNue rides past an ABANDONED SILVER MINE. The
tall piles of discarded ore rise in the background of the
main street.
All the souls on the street are WOMEN. They avoid looking at
McNue as he rides through. From somewhere, we hear...
WOMAN’S VOICE
Welcome home, coward.
McNue turns, sees TWO LADIES crossing the street, neither of
them looking at him. No way to know which one spoke.
We hear HAMMERING and a moment later McNue passes A DOZEN
WOMEN building a NEW CHURCH, pounding nails, sawing wood,
laying roof near the newly framed-up spire.
18 EXT. THE RANCH - BARN - MORNING 18
Roy steps outside, squints against the sunlight. It’s bright
even this early. He looks at the house, the low adobe walls,
the sod roof. The old Paiute gal smoking on the porch.
A few head of skinny cattle graze near a small garden. A
corral abuts the barn where some fifty unbroken HORSES now
prance about the dust.
Roy takes a careful step, then walks a few unsteady paces
while he gauges his strength. He pauses, watches the horses
in the paddock. They’re wild -- many still carry their winter
coats -- jammed into the corral.
He squints into the field, studying the fence surrounding the
pasture... a rail broken here and there: No man around here.
He turns back to the crowded paddock, now sees MOVEMENT IN
THE GROUND beyond the corral and starts towards it...
...but stops cold and watches as SOMEONE COVERED HEAD TO TOE
WITH MUD CLIMBS OUT OF THE GROUND fifty feet in front of him.
He blinks. Watches as the muddy figure seems to just rise up
out of the ground, completely covered with brown earth.
The figure straightens up, shakes off long hair, brushes mud
and dirt from the men’s trousers she wears over dusty boots.
The muddy woman sees Roy standing there and starts this way,
smoothly grabbing the RIFLE off the gate as she comes.
He suddenly feels dizzy, reaches out, but only finds air and
drops to his knees. The woman walks up and stands over him, a
muddy-brown apparition. He tries to stand, but she puts a
hand on his shoulder...
 11.

WOMAN
You best stay down there a minute
and collect yourself.
Looking up, he takes in the full of her now. She seems to be
somewhere in her twenties, though it’s hard to tell with all
that mud caked on her.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
What’s your name, Mister?
Her hair is long, set off by the dark green eyes of a witch.
A damn beautiful witch. Even covered with mud. He sits up.
He tries to speak, but clutches the wound at his throat. She
looks back at him, her way of apologizing for giving him that
wound.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
We don’t get many riders come along
the middle of the night. And the
ones we do get only want trouble.
He starts to get up and she extends her hand, still wrapped
in a work glove. He gains his feet, keeps hold of her hand.
WOMAN (CONT’D)
I’m Alice Fletcher.
He nods and looks past her as the Indian Boy climbs up out of
the ground, same as Alice did a moment before. He comes over
brushing mud off himself.
ALICE
This is my son. Truckee.
(to the boy)
He can’t speak as yet.
TRUCKEE
No doubt on account a you shootin’
him in the throat.
Alice gives the boy a look. He ignores it, crouches down in
front of Roy.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
I thought for sure you was dead.
ALICE
Were dead. Not “was.”
Roy contemplates these two strange people as the ground
begins to change places with the sky and he starts to pitch
forward. Alice and the boy just watch him fall. Then...
 12.

ALICE (CONT’D)
(calmly calls out)
Iyovi!
(then to the boy)
Put him back in the barn.
19 EXT. BILL MCNUE’S PLACE (LA BELLE) - DAY 19
Modest, with a few horses and some livestock. McNue rides up
and pulls his saddle. He sets the horse loose in the pasture
and wearily walks to the house.
He pauses in front of his porch and looks down. No shadow. A
FLOORBOARD CREAKS and he puts his hand on his gun and turns
to see a curly-haired little girl of two, TRUDY, her arms
outstretched, taking a couple of unsteady steps towards him.
He just watches her toddle right into his legs and grab hold.
He stares down at her a moment, doesn’t move. When she looks
up at her father, it’s with that pliant gaze of someone “not
quite right.”
WOMAN’S VOICE
You gonna say hello?
McNue looks up and sees his sister, MARY-AGNES MCNUE sitting
inside cleaning a rifle. She’s a handsome woman near forty.
MCNUE
What’s the difference, she can’t
understand a word I say.
MARY-AGNES
There’s plenty a ways, say hello
don’t involve words.
McNue finally reaches down tussles the little girl’s hair,
then quickly walks inside.
20 INT. BILL MCNUE’S HOUSE - SAME 20
It’s a simple cabin with a bed in one corner. McNue peers up
into the sleeping loft where there are two more pallets...
MCNUE
Where’s William at?
MARY-AGNES
School. It’s Monday.
He nods, hangs his hat on a peg, turns to face his sister,
sees now that she’s wearing PANTS. A Man’s Hat. Boots. He
watches her wipe the gun barrel down with a white rag...
MCNUE
Them Albert’s britches you got on?
 13.

MARY-AGNES
Not anymore.
MCNUE
You wearin’ his hat, too?
MARY-AGNES
(turns, pats the pistol)
And his rig.
MCNUE
You wanna tell me why?
MARY-AGNES
Someone’s gotta look after things
around here.
MCNUE
You look ridiculous.
MARY-AGNES
You ever worn a dress, Bill?
MCNUE
No, and neither do I intend to.
MARY-AGNES
Well, you oughta. You oughta right
now put on a dress. And put on a
damn--
(indicates the white “rag”
she’s using)
--corset while you’re at it.
McNue looks closely at the white rag as she rubs the barrel
down. There’s a STRAP hanging from it. He turns, hangs up his
gunbelt.
MCNUE
I miss anything?
She sets the gun aside, pulls the little girl into her lap.
MARY-AGNES
The Fitch brothers came through
here last week, all three of ‘em,
started shooting off their pistols
and wreakin’ general havoc inside
the saloon. Barney Mutz took care
of it with some help from Whitey.
MCNUE
Well, okay then.
 14.

MARY-AGNES
Course, Barney did express a
general wonderment, I think felt by
all, as to where the damn Sheriff
was off to this time.
He looks at her. She waves him off.
MARY-AGNES (CONT’D)
Don’t worry, your little secret’s
safe with me, though it’s gettin’
harder and harder to keep.
He shakes his head, sits down at the table, watches the odd
little girl in his sister’s lap.
MARY-AGNES (CONT’D)
Well, at least tell me was that old
Paiute warlock of any use or not?
MCNUE
He jammed cold, stinkin’ mud in my
eyes, soaked me in some hot spring
they got bubblin’ near their camp.
MARY-AGNES
Hot spring? Huh. Did that do
anything?
MCNUE
Made me feel like a dern fool’s
what it did. ‘Bout all I came away
with was a raging erection and an
angry demeanor.
MARY-AGNES
I’m sorry I asked. Say g’bye to
Aunt Maggie, sweet pea...
She gives the girl a kiss, then hands her to McNue. She then
starts stuffing her things into a carpet bag.
MARY-AGNES (CONT’D)
You talk to the widow on your way
in?
MCNUE
Which widow would that be?
MARY-AGNES
The one you’re so blame fool in
love with. Alice Fletcher.
McNue’s daughter looks up at him, smiling at nothing.
 15.

MARY-AGNES (CONT’D)
Word is, the Paiutes brung her a
whole herd a Mexican horseflesh.
MCNUE
So?
MARY-AGNES
So I thought maybe you’d ask her if
she’d sell some to the town, seein’
as we sold off everything on four
legs--
MCNUE
I told you you’d regret that.
MARY-AGNES
And you were right as always. But
the fact remains, we need horses.
MCNUE
How y’all aim to pay her?
MARY-AGNES
Man from the Quicksilver
syndicate’s coming to town this
week. They’re offering a ten
thousand dollar down payment on the
claim.
MCNUE
You made a deal?
MARY-AGNES
We’re in the throes. She must have
fifty horses up there.
MCNUE
You know how she feels about you.
MARY-AGNES
That’s why I thought you’d ask her.
As Mary-Agnes starts for the door, he stares at his daughter.
She looks back at him with an empty expression, smiling at
nothing.
MCNUE
He said I lost my shadow.
Mary-Agnes pauses, looks at him.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
Chief Narrienta, he said that I’m
dangerous, on a account of I got
nothing to lose.
(chuckles)
(MORE)
 16.

MCNUE (CONT’D)
He oughta tell that one to folks
around here.
MARY-AGNES
He’s talkin’ about Anna. The part
about the shadow. You two were so
close. Way you never fought about
anything, it was unnatural.
McNue looks down at the little girl.
MCNUE
There was nothin’ to fight about.
21 EXT. LEADVILLE - DAY 21
Frank Griffin and his men slowly walk their horses out of
town. Griffin’s DEAD ARM IS WRAPPED IN CANVAS, TIED TO HIS
SADDLE JUST ABOVE HIS RIFLE SCABBARD. A few bluish fingers
stick out the end of the roll.
No one’s about or on the street. We hear faint SINGING OS and
Griffin turns in his saddle, looks off at A CHURCH...
22 INT. CHURCH - SAME 22
The congregation stands, singing Nearer, my God, to thee!
when the doors burst open behind them and in rides Frank
Griffin, still on his horse, singing right along:
GRIFFIN
...Even though it be a cross that
raiseth me... nearer, my God, to
thee! Nearer to thee!
The entire congregation turns, goes silent as Frank Griffin
walks his horse up the center aisle, the only one singing...
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
There let the way appear steps unto
heaven; all that thou send’st to me
in mercy given; Angels beckon me...
nearer my God, to thee!
(gets to the front)
Nearer to thee!
He sits on his horse, eyes various congregation members:
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Folks, how ‘bout it-- y’all been
Baptized? Y’all wash your bodies
once a week? Have you committed
adultery, ma’am? Have you betrayed
your brother, sir? Do you preside
in your family as a servant of God?
The terrified Methodists just stare back at him.
 17.

GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Y’all know that I don’t ever wanna
come back here and burn this house
of the lord down to the ground.
(takes off his hat)
So let’s all bow our heads and pray
that Roy Goode don’t never show up
here, but that if he does, none of
you well meaning souls take him in.
Else you wanna suffer like our lord
Jesus suffered for all of us.
Griffin sits there a moment staring at each and every face in
the silent, terrified chapel. He finally smiles and says--
23 EXT. ALICE’S RANCH - NIGHT 23
GRIFFIN (V.O.)
Amen.
HIS VOICE ECHOING OVER the soft glow of a lantern inside. The
boy and his mother sit at the table. She’s teaching him how
to read.
Roy Goode steps into FRAME, watching Alice lean close to her
son. He stares at her face glowing behind the lantern -- The
mud all gone, washed away. He can’t take his eyes off her.
TRUCKEE
Boats sail on rivers... And ships
sail on seas; But clouds that sail
across the sky are p-- pr...
ALICE
Prettier.
TRUCKEE
...prettier than these.
Suddenly the door opens and IYOVI, the old Paiute woman,
steps outside, begins rolling a cigarette.
Roy steps back into the shadows and quietly heads back to the
barn.
24 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - NIGHT 24
Alice looks up from the page to Truckee and kisses him.
ALICE
Very good.
(checks a pocket watch)
Now get yourself to bed.
He closes the book, watches Alice blow out a candle, then
looks thoughtfully across the dark yard towards the barn. A
LIGHT on inside.
 18.

TRUCKEE
What all you think happened to him?
ALICE
I don’t know, but whatever it was
it comes under the heading of his
own business.
25 EXT. ALICE’S HOUSE - NIGHT 25
Alice steps out into the yard, stands there looking at the
barn. She starts to walk that way when Iyovi, sitting on a
stump in the dark, strikes a match and lights her smoke.
IYOVI (SUBTITLED)
He stinks of death, that one.
(sits back)
And, if he stays here long enough,
he’ll make us stink of it, too.
ALICE
Go to bed.
She starts for the barn.
26 INT. BARN - NIGHT 26
Alice walks into the barn, the lantern illuminating first the
old pack horse lying in the straw watching her, then a SADDLE
BAG sitting beside it.
She crouches down, looks inside the bag. The only items
inside is a TOY GUN, HAND-CARVED OUT OF WOOD and a tattered
BIBLE. She’s examining the good book when an ENVELOPE slides
from inside the pages to the floor.
She holds the lantern over it...
27 INSERT - ENVELOPE 27
Worn and dirty like the man. Addressed to “MR. ROY GOODE.
C/O LUCY COLE, GUTHRIE NEW MEXICO.”
It’s UNOPENED.
We hear movement and she looks towards the pallet, raises the
lantern and sees Roy Goode standing behind her. She stands.
ALICE
(caught)
Excuse me--
He considers her another moment, then sits down on his
pallet, watches as her deep green eyes now move to the
envelope.
 19.

ALICE (CONT’D)
That your name? “Roy Goode?”
He hesitates, nods. But she doesn’t react at all to the name,
just bends down and picks up the envelope.
ALICE (CONT’D)
And this--
(reads)
--“Lucy Cole?” Is she someone might
be worried about you?
He shakes his head. She doesn’t turn away. Those eyes. Damn.
She seems to be all eyes. She turns over the envelope, looks
at the back now.
28 INSERT - ENVELOPE 28
The return: JIM GOODE. ATASCADERO, CALIFORNIA
ALICE
Jim Goode. He a relation?
Roy doesn’t answer, can’t speak right now anyway, but he
doesn’t want to answer. She examines the envelope--
ALICE (CONT’D)
You’ve not read it.
She looks at him. But he just holds out his hand for the
letter. She returns it, saying--
ALICE (CONT’D)
Don’t mean to pry. Just like to
know who’s lyin here in my barn.
She hands the letter back to him, looks at him, then:
ALICE (CONT’D)
You can’t stay here much longer. I
don’t have enough to feed you and
even if I did, I don’t know you. So
soon as you’re well enough, I’m
gonna ask you to leave.
He nods. She doesn’t move. Looks at his throat--
ALICE (CONT’D)
You know, you’re lucky there wasn’t
more’ve a moon the other night. I
was aimin’ higher.
She walks out of the barn, taking the light with her. Roy
lies there in the dark, listening to her footsteps.
 20.

A.T. GRIGG (V.O.)

How was it, exactly, you come to
realize you were facing the vile
Roy Goode?
29 INT. THE DAILY REVIEW - TAOS - DAY 29
Where a young NUN sits across the desk from the editor, A.T.
GRIGG, a small man with a weeping eye he continually dabs at
with a handkerchief.
NUN
By descriptions I’d read in your
newspaper.
She indicates a SKETCH OF ROY GOODE on the wall. The face is
exaggerated, the expression is fierce. A PHOTOGRAPH beside it
is of FRANK GRIFFIN in the collar standing before his gang.
NUN (CONT’D)
That captures him exactly right. I
saw him and with rather crushing
vividness, the phrase No virtuous
woman is safe near Roy Goode came
back to me.
The Nun sits back in her chair, fans herself, glances at the
young APPRENTICE who works the press in the b.g.
NUN (CONT’D)
I made an act of contrition, and
concentrated my thoughts on the
presence of God.
GRIGG
(dabs at his eye)
You recall was his pistol black
boned in the handle? And did he
carry it on his right or his left
side?
NUN
His pistol? I really couldn’t say.
I was too busy paying attention to
the coffin...
30 EXT. MOSES, NEW MEXICO - DAY (FLASHBACK) 30
The Nun sits under a tree eating lunch. She watches as the
adult Roy Goode walks up the road on horseback DRAGGING A
WOODEN CASKET BEHIND HIM. He slowly turns, looks down at the
now terrified young woman as he passes...
31 INT. THE DAILY REVIEW - DAY 31
As the Nun shivers at the memory, looks at Grigg...
 21.

GRIGG
You sure it was a coffin?
NUN
Yes, for some time later I saw him
in our church graveyard, digging up
a grave...
32 EXT. CHURCHYARD CEMETERY - MOSES, NEW MEXICO - DAY 32
The Nun watches from a church window as Roy Goode finishes
digging, now jumps down into the hole--
NUN (V.O.)
He took the bones from the dirt and
put them into the casket he brought
with him--
--and pulls up an armful OF OLD BONES drops them into the
casket.
NUN (V.O.)
--then re-buried them.
33 INT. THE DAILY REVIEW - DAY 33
Grigg dabs at his eye. Scribbles in a NOTEBOOK.
GRIGG
And what town was this you say?
NUN
Moses. Which until then had always
been such a tranquil place.
GRIGG
(interested)
You recall the name on the grave he
dug up?
NUN
There was no name, just a stick for
a marker. But that weren’t the
worst part...
She leans closer to Grigg, whispers...
NUN (CONT’D)
He took the clothes.
34 EXT. CHURCHYARD - MOSES, NEW MEXICO (FLASHBACK) - DAY 34
As a half-naked Roy Goode, his bullet wounds visible, pulls
on the ratty clothes from the grave. UNION ARMY SHIRT and
coat-- the clothes he had on when he showed up at Alice’s.
 22.

NUN (V.O.)
He took the old rags from the dirt
and put them on.
35 INT. THE DAILY REVIEW - DAY 35
As she gasps at the memory, clutches her heart...
NUN
It was as if I’d seen the devil
himself.
36 EXT. “DOUBTFUL CANYON” - FROM UP HIGH - DAY 36
As Frank Griffin and his men gallop to the mouth of a box
canyon, then slow to a walk, the DUST rising around them.
GRIFFIN (V.O.)
(shouts)
Roy Goode!
37 DOWN IN THE CANYON 37
Griffin’s voice echoes. Here and there, we see a DEAD HORSE
lying on its side.
GRIFFIN
Keep yer eyes open. He could still
be about.
Griffin then looks into the canyon. He eyes a picked-clean
corpse wedged into the rocks. Takes in two more corpses.
Then another. He bows his head...
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
I’m sorry, my sons.
DYER HOWE throws one of his knives into the dust beside one
of the corpses, SPLITS A LIZARD IN HALF.
DYER HOWE
Looks like the coyotes et half of
‘em.
AMOS GREEN holds onto his King Snake, lets it slither up his
sleeve.
AMOS GREEN
Saves us the trouble a buryin’ ‘em.
ALONZO BUNKER, almost as big as his horse, takes in the
bodies.
ALONZO BUNKER
Damn, that boy could always shoot.
 23.

GATZ BROWN, along with Griffin, the oldest of the bunch,

rides beside an unsteady Frank Griffin.
GATZ BROWN
He had hisself a good teacher.
(looks around)
All one shot to the skull.
GRIFFIN
Not all.
Griffin stops, lets his poncho fall off the stump on his left
side and we see fresh blood soaking through the bandages.
Griffin looks at it, his expression almost bored...
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Fuckin barber surgeon.
GATZ BROWN
It ain’t good, you doin’ so much
ridin’. We oughta ride back to the
Knob, let you heal up some.
GRIFFIN
(ignores him)
That’s his horse.
FLOYD WILSON, the tracker in the group, one milky blue eye
alongside one green eye, dismounts, crouches down beside a
dead horse -- BLACK WITH A WHITE FORELOCK.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Musta been hard for Roy, put him
down like that.
GATZ BROWN
He couldn’t a gotten far on foot.
FLOYD
(examining the tracks)
Cept that he ain’t on foot.
(turns)
He got onto another animal, this
one only shod on the back...
GRIFFIN
The pack horse...
(scans the horizon)
One with all my money.
They look up the canyon. An INDIAN BRAVE sits his horse,
backlit by the sun, a mongrel DOG pants beside him.
GATZ BROWN
Wonder how many more a him there
are?
 24.

GRIFFIN
He looks too hungry to be with
anyone else.
(smiles at the brave)
And we will make them white and
delightsome people...
The Brave turns and rides off. And the smile fades.
FLOYD
The trail stops here.
He looks out over a wide stone shelf, scratches his head.
FLOYD (CONT’D)
He knew there ain’t no way to track
him over the rocks. And he’s got at
least a three day head start.
GRIFFIN
So?
FLOYD
So... he coulda head south to the
Gunnison River and crossed or, if
he was smart, rode right down the
middle -- seein’ as it’s shallow
and sandy all the way into New
Mexico.
GRIFFIN
Or?
FLOYD
He coulda head north to the
Purgatory, followed it for a bit to
lose any trail, and then turned and
headed up into Wyoming. He coulda
even circled around and gone east.
(stands)
It’s any man’s guess which way he
chose.
Griffin looks off into the distance, then--
GRIFFIN
Well, go ahead, then...
(looks at Floyd)
Guess.
38 INT. BARN - ALICE’S RANCH - DAY 38
Roy rubs mud on the lame leg of the old horse he rode in on.
The mare lifts her head at the sound of the animals outside.
 25.

ROY
(whispers)
You lonely, girl?
39 EXT. ALICE’S RANCH - DAY 39
Roy steps outside, leads the mare into the corral. He then
watches the horses inside. There’s admiration in his eyes,
genuine regard. He steps inside the gate...
TRUCKEE (O.S.)
I wouldn’t do that, I was you.
Roy sees the boy standing there by the well, covered in mud.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
Those are wild animals.
Roy nods, then moves to the center of the corral. The horses
snort and paw at the ground. Truckee comes over and watches.
40 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 40
Alice and the old woman make bread, FLOUR DUST all over them.
Alice looks up, stares out the window as Roy calmly moves
among the unbroken horses. He reaches out to one or two of
them and, remarkably, none shy or move away.
ALICE
Iyovi.
IYOVI, the old woman, stops kneading, wipes her hands on her
skirt and moves to the window beside Alice.
41 EXT. CORRAL - SAME 41
Roy makes a kissing sound with his tongue as he moves to one
of the horses and gently rubs its neck. The horse quivers,
but allows Roy’s hand along its back and hindquarters.
42 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 42
Alice watches him calm the animal with long gentle, strokes.
43 EXT. CORRAL - SAME 43
Roy spots a BLACK HORSE WITH A WHITE FORELOCK idling alone at
the back of the corral, carefully watching Roy with one eye.
ROY
(whispers)
A damn ghost...
He starts to move towards the stallion...
TRUCKEE
Uh, Mister...
 26.

Roy slowly approaches the horse, the animal just watching him
come. The horse lets him get right close--
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
That one’s really--
--then rears up, paws Roy hard in the chest.
44 INT. ALICE’S CABIN - SAME 44
Alice watches Roy go down and hurries outside. Iyovi mutters
something in Paiute and turns away from the window.
45 EXT. CORRAL - SAME 45
Roy picks himself up and smiles at the wild animal, who now
bucks and rears its way around the paddock. Roy turns, sees
Alice by the house watching. Seeing now that he’s alright,
she goes back inside.
46 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 46
The Old Woman shakes her head, goes back to her kneading as
Truckee follows his mother inside and sits at the table.
TRUCKEE
He knows horses.
Alice says nothing. Truckee looks out into the yard as Roy
now washes up at the bucket. Truckee WHISTLES...
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
Hey, Mister! Come on in and eat
somethin’!
He turns, sees Alice and Iyovi now both glaring at him.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
What? You shot him. Least you could
do is feed him.
Roy walks up to the house, pauses in the doorway.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
S’okay. We don’t bite.
Roy sits down at the table and watches the two women.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
That’s my Grandma, Iyovi.
Roy looks up at the old woman who now brings a bowl of BROTH
to the table and looks at him.
IYOVI (SUBTITLED)
He looks simple.
 27.

Truckee tucks into his stew without saying anything. Iyovi

stands over Roy, staring down at him. Roy looks at Truckee.
The boy looks up from his food, smiles...
TRUCKEE
She says you look strong.
IYOVI (SUBTITLED)
(still staring at him)
I will call him “Stray Dog.”
TRUCKEE
And that she’s going to call you...
“Wandering... Star.”
Alice sits down, gives Iyovi a look that says “knock it off.”
The old woman shrugs, starts to eat. Roy looks at the stew.
ALICE
We don’t have much.
Roy suddenly becomes alert, looks off towards the pasture.
The others turn and look now as well and, sure enough-- A
WAGON APPEARS AT THE FAR END OF THE FIELD.
Alice glances at Roy (How’d you know?), then grabs her rifle
from behind the door and gets up. Roy clocks the HOLSTERED
REVOLVER hanging on the peg above it.
TRUCKEE (O.S.)
Was my Daddy’s.
Roy turns, sees the boy looking at him.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
(re: the gun)
Lotta good it did him.
47 EXT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 47
As SADIE ROSE, a young mother, rides across the pasture in a
rickety wagon pulled by a single mule. Alice walks out into
the field and levels the rifle.
ALICE
That’s far enough!
Sadie stops the wagon and we hear A BABY screaming behind
her, bundled in blankets.
SADIE
I’m sorry, but I didn’t know what
else to do...
Alice lowers the rifle and walks to the wagon. She gently
unwraps the blankets. The baby, not yet two, is beet red.
 28.

SADIE (CONT’D)
I think maybe it’s Scarlet Fever.
Iyovi now slowly makes her way to the wagon, nudges Alice
aside and looks at the boy, prods the blanket.
SADIE (CONT’D)
There’s no doctor in town and the
preacher don’t arrive for another
week.
Iyovi says something in Paiute. Alice nods as Iyovi picks up
the baby from the blankets.
ALICE
She says it’s just Roseola, but
you’re gonna have to burn these
blankets...
Iyovi starts to walk with the baby to the house. Sadie starts
to follow. Alice puts a hand on her arm.
ALICE (CONT’D)
It’s alright. Let her work.
48 INT. HOUSE - SAME 48
As Iyovi comes in and barks at Truckee who gets up from the
table, grabs a pot and runs outside. Roy watches as Iyovi
gently sets the baby down on the cool, flour-dusted floor,
instantly quieting the child.
49 EXT. HOUSE - SAME 49
Sadie watches Alice pile the baby’s blankets in the dust.
ALICE
What’s your baby’s name?
SADIE
Luke. After his father. He was born
the day a the accident.
Alice turns to her. Sadie looks distraught.
SADIE (CONT’D)
Lord was with me an’ Luke that day.
That’s why all them men died. Lord
was elsewhere...
50 INT. HOUSE - SAME 50
Roy eats the stew, wincing with every swallow. He watches as
Iyovi pulls some LEAVES from her pouch and begins to chew on
them.
 29.

THE BABY lies on the floor, entranced by the flour dust all
around him. The baby’s eyes move to the doorway where--
--A SIDEWINDER now rises up from the threshold, the snake
smelling the air with its tongue...
51 EXT. HOUSE - SAME 51
Sadie watches Alice pull a match from her apron, strike it
with her thumbnail, kneel down over the blankets.
SADIE
The other ladies’d chastise me if
they knew I come up here. They
think you have a dark influence.
Alice says nothing, just drops the match on the pile of
blankets and watches them flare.
52 INT. HOUSE - SAME 52
As Roy watches Iyovi take the chewed up leaves from her mouth
and mash them into paste in her fingers, unaware of...
...THE SNAKE now slowly scooting sideways across the dusty
floor towards the dumbstruck infant.
Roy sits back, now looks down at the floor, sees the WINDING
PATH through the white flour dust, follows it with his eyes.
53 EXT. HOUSE - SAME 53
As Truckee starts back with a pail of water...
54 INT. HOUSE - SAME 54
As Roy follows the path in the floor to where THE SIDEWINDER
NOW RISES UP HISSING IN FRONT OF THE MESMERIZED CHILD.
Roy reaches back, and in one fast, fluid motion pulls the
pistol from the holster hanging beside the door.
Iyovi sees this and lunges at Roy who holds her back with his
free palm... and FIRES right at the baby.
55 EXT. HOUSE - SAME 55
As Alice and Sadie react to the GUNSHOT.
SADIE
Luke...
56 INT. HOUSE - SAME 56
Sadie runs to her once more screaming child. Alice sees the
gun, still smoking in Roy’s hand, a glassy look on his face.
 30.

ALICE
Mister?
Roy looks at her and slips out of his trance. He looks at the
gun in his hand, quickly puts it down on the table, then
gets up and walks out of the house...
57 EXT. HOUSE - SAME 57
As Roy stumbles out of the house past the now frozen Truckee.
Roy pauses, listening to the baby squealing inside and Sadie
screaming, and then hurries away from the house.
58 INT. HOUSE - SAME 58
As Alice quickly examines the baby with Sadie, relaxes...
ALICE
Doesn’t seem to be hit anywhere...
Iyovi GRUNTS and they both turn as now Iyovi straightens up,
holding the BODY of the snake in one hand, it’s HEAD in the
other. Alice turns, watches Roy walk out into the pasture.
She leaves him be, goes back into the house to help with the
baby.
59 EXT. ALICE’S RANCH - THE PASTURE - DUSK 59
Roy fixes the buck and rail fence. In the distance, we see
Alice crossing his way. He doesn’t look up as she arrives.
She stands there watching him a moment. He whispers...
ROY
Boy alright?
She nods, watches him work.
ROY (CONT’D)
I’m very sorry, ma’am.
ALICE
For what? Savin’ that little baby’s
life?
ROY
I’ll be gone in the mornin’.
(looks up at her)
Like you say, you don’t know me.
She watches as he digs out a crooked fence post.
ALICE
You needn’t fix that.
 31.

ROY
For the horses--
(indicates the corral)
They gonna need the space.
She watches him work a moment. He’s focussed, almost angry
the way he stabs at the dirt with the shovel. He starts to
straighten an old post--
ALICE
Here...
She crouches down beside the hole, starts to help, pulling
dirt from around it. She sees the question on his face...
ALICE (CONT’D)
There’s some lore about finding
gold under the fence posts.
(resumes digging)
They say that’s where the old
ranchers used to hide it from
Indians and outlaws. Course I’ve
never found any myself...
(then)
Never had that kinda luck.
Roy cuts a look at her as they work.
ROY
You mind my asking how you odd
three ended up in this place?
She keeps working as if she didn’t hear him. He’s about to
forget about it when she suddenly sits back, claps the dirt
from her hands.
ALICE
I was only seventeen when I came
out here to marry the son of my
father’s business partner.
Roy turns to her, watches her brush hair from her face with
the back of a dirty hand.
ALICE (CONT’D)
All I knew about him was that his
name was Henry and that he was to
meet me at the train station. He’d
sent me a new dress -- yellow so
I’d stand out -- and told me to
wear it the day I arrived, so he’d
know me.
(then)
On the way back from the station,
Henry wants to take a ride around
the property, show off his land.
Our land, he said.
(MORE)
 32.

ALICE (CONT’D)
After a while, the horse pulling
the buggy starts getting antsy. I
look up and I see this strange
cloud -- black with green around
the edges. Henry says, “Looks like
we got a bit of rain coming.” Next
thing I knew the cloud was gone,
just vanished.
(then)
Now the horse starts to rear in the
traces. Henry helps me out of the
wagon when I hear a rumble, I turn
around and see a six-foot wall of
water coming right at us.
She looks off, seeing the image again in her mind.
ALICE (CONT’D)
Henry, the horse, the buggy-- they
all got washed away right in front
of me. I almost did, too, but my
new yellow dress got hung up on
some mesquite, saved my life.
She looks at Roy, shakes her head.
ALICE (CONT’D)
I wandered off for eight days in
the wrong direction before I was
found.
ROY
Found by who?
ALICE
That’s another story.
(looks at him)
You’re too young to be a soldier.
ROY
Ma’am?
She nods at the tattered Yankee blouse he’s wearing.
ALICE
I’d offer to wash your clothes, but
they look like they’d come apart in
the creek.
(stands up)
My husband’s stuff should fit you.
ROY
Man who drowned?
 33.

ALICE
(shakes her head)
My second husband. Truckee’s
father.
She leaves it at that. He watches her walk back across the
field to the house.
60 EXT. LA BELLE - MORNING 60
As JOHN COOK, the MARSHAL from the opening scene rides into
town alone. He nods as he rides past Sadie Rose’s shanty, one
of dozens of identical one-room structures. WOMEN come out of
some of the shanties to take in the male stranger.
WOMAN
You from the mining company?
COOK
No, ma’am.
SADIE
(hopeful)
You the new preacher?
COOK
(smiles at that)
No ma’am...
(opens his coat)
I’m the law.
The Marshal rides on, takes in the piles from the SILVER
MINE. The town is its usual quiet.
He passes A. LEOPOLD DRYGOODS. An OLD MAN’S FACE in the
window, watching him pass. Another, one-legged, man sweeps
the porch in front of THE GOOD LODE SALOON. An old negro
sleeps in the shade of an empty LIVERY STABLE. HIRAM.
These old and broken men are the ONLY men amongst all the
women.
The Marshal nods to a BLONDE BOY -- eighteen, whiter than
white skin, long white hair in a ponytail -- slouched against
a door frame, the kid giving the Marshal his best bored look,
his palms resting on a pair of big Colts nestled in twin
holsters. Wears a Badge.
MARSHAL
(nods)
Deputy.
A GROUP OF KIDS come running out of a building near the end
of the street. A sign above the front door, weather faded and
barely legible, reads, "MAGDALENA'S HOUSE OF RAPTURE."
A newer sign hanging just below it reads, "SCHOOL."
 34.

A WOMAN, pretty, but worn in an old soul sort of way, helps

some of the smaller ones tie their shoes and get their things
together. She sees the man on the horse and brightens.
COOK
Afternoon.
He watches as she shoos the last of the kids off and then
stands up. He leans over in the saddle, extends a hand...
MARSHAL
Marshal John Cook.
WOMAN
Callie Dunne.
COOK
Miss Dunne, if’n I had me a teacher
as pretty as you, I don’t think I’d
a learned a dern thing.
CALLIE
Oh, I don’t know, Marshal, I can be
pretty persuasive.
He smiles. No doubt about that. But he has other business.
COOK
I'm looking for Sheriff McNue.
CALLIE
You try the undertaker?
COOK
Undertaker... Why? Someone finally
shoot the old raccoon? Or’d he do
it hisself on accident?
She smiles back at him.
CALLIE
They play chess about now.
(points)
It's just there beside the jail.
COOK
How convenient.
CALLIE
Used to be.
He touches the brim of his hat and moves off as we now...
61 CUT TO: A DEAD MAN 61
Eyes closed, hands folded across his chest in serene repose.
 35.

ELMER (O.S.)
It’s a good thing his mouth is
sewed shut...
62 INT. THE TOWN UNDERTAKER - DAY 62
As ELMER KNOWLAND -- seventy, dark suit -- places an already
wilting carnation in the dead man's lapel. Behind him, Bill
McNue sits at a table studying a chessboard.
ELMER
The man had two kinds a teeth...
Elmer makes another adjustment then comes over and sits down.
He watches as Bill McNue makes a move.
ELMER (CONT’D)
Rotten and Gone.
(makes a move)
Checkmate.
We hear CHUCKLING in the doorway and McNue looks up to see
John Cook standing there.
COOK
Look at you, McNue, gettin’ old and
playin’ board games.
MCNUE
You ain’t exactly covered with
morning dew yourself, Marshal.
Cook comes over and studies the board.
COOK
I recall you were always more of a
checkers man.
MCNUE
(re: the moustache)
You gonna swallow that squirrel, or
just keep chewin’ on him?
COOK
(strokes it)
I’m emulating ol’ Jacob Lee from
Abilene.
MCNUE
Oh, Jesus...
COOK
(more to Elmer)
One of the great fornicators of all
time. He also had hisself a finely
groomed patch of facial hair that I
hear served all sorts of purpose.
 36.

McNue gets up and shakes hands with the Marshal.

MCNUE
Man also had hisself a pecker
weighed as much as his .45.
(turning)
Elmer Knowland, say hello to
Marshal John Cook.
ELMER
(setting up a new game)
I’ve heard of you, Marshal. And
your moustache.
COOK
(pulls up a chair)
Man needs something to proceed
hisself, other than mere rumor.
(studies McNue)
How are you, Bill? You bein’ a good
mama to them little ones?
MCNUE
You kidding? Round here, they got a
hundred mama’s.
COOK
(looks out at the street)
They ready to fire you yet, bring
in some real law?
MCNUE
Ain’t no need, seein’ as they ain’t
nothing much boisterous goes on out
here anymore.
ELMER
(makes a move)
Was a time, though, a gun was a
necessity around here after dark
and all day on Saturday.
MCNUE
So what brings you all the way out
here John, besides interrupting my
leisure time?
COOK
I’m looking for Frank Griffin.
And suddenly all good humor drains out of the room.
ELMER
You think he might be here?
 37.

COOK
There’s a regiment up in Olagrande.
I’m on my way up there, see if the
captain’ll help me out.
MCNUE
You goin’ to the army?
COOK
Ain’t no reg’lar posse willin’ to
go after him no more... not after
they seen what he left behind in
Creede.
MCNUE
What happened up there?
COOK
Jesus, Bill, ain’t you been readin’
the Daily Review?
MCNUE
I don’t read much of anything these
days.
COOK
(pulls a clipping from his
pocket)
Well, that A.T. Grigg’s been
sellin’ papers like bullets.
McNue looks at the clipping, glances at Elmer. Cook gets up
and pours himself some coffee from the stove.
COOK (CONT’D)
Griffin’s been hittin’ mines all
over the territory the last six,
seven months. Lately, though, he’s
run hisself into a problem, goes by
the name a Roy Goode.
ELMER
Boy from Moses?
MCNUE
Moses?
ELMER
Town up near Oklahoma. Actually,
there’s Moses and Old Moses. I
remember I got lost up there one
time when--
MCNUE
(impatient)
--So you know him?
 38.

ELMER
I knew his victims. Kid was a dead
gun at sixteen. Put a bullet in a
rancher named Ben Broome just cuz
he preferred his horse.
COOK
That’s the one. Only he’s not a kid
no more. He’s all growed up. Been
ridin’ with Griffin for least a
dozen years till he disappeared a
while back. Word was, Goode drowned
six months ago, tryin’ to cross
Harlin Creek. But then he showed up
at Griffin’s last robbery.
MCNUE
‘Showed’ up’?
COOK
And stole’ the whole take. About
fifty thousand dollars worth.
(taps the article)
Grigg’s taken to callin’ him “Robin
Goode” even though the man stole
from the crooked and ain’t gave a
dime so far to nobody.
McNue strains to see the newspaper, sets it aside.
MCNUE
You say this was where again?
COOK
Up in Creede. Griffin hit the
Tomboy Mine up there...
We hear A TRAIN WHISTLE OVER...
63 EXT. CREEDE - TRAIN POV - DAY 63
As the small train passes beneath the two sheer-wall cliffs.
Three MEN IN SUITS stand on top of the cars with rifles.
COOK (V.O.)
Payroll comes into town on this
little narrow gauge, spurs off
Savage Basin...
The ENGINEER looks through the cut-outs and sees MEN HIDING
IN THE ROCKS on either side of the train. He shouts out...
ENGINEER
LeRoy!
 39.

The FIREMAN, a question on his tired face, climbs down from

the coal car just as A HUGE EXPLOSION detonates directly in
front of the engine, knocking the guards from the train...
64 FROM THE DEPOT 64
The TELEGRAPH OPERATOR sticks his head out the door, watches
as the engine, several tons of steel, rears up on the track
like a spooked horse, then falls onto its side, pinning the
bottom half of the fireman beneath it.
The cars behind tilt to one side but remain upright, their
topple arrested by the big rocks at the base of the cliff.
A moment of dust and then we hear CRIES OF PANIC from inside
the cars. QUICKSILVER MINING INC. is stenciled on the side.
65 INT. TOWN UNDERTAKER - DAY 65
McNue and Elmer stare back at Cook.
ELMER
They blew up the whole train?
COOK
Weren’t just no train neither.
Cook makes a move on the chessboard for McNue.
COOK (CONT’D)
Turns out, aboard was J.B. Sloan,
President of the outfit holds the
claim on the Tomboy.
66 EXT. CREEDE - DEPOT - DAY 66
As the dust clears and several more MEN IN SUITS jump off
from one of the rear cars, all carrying rifles.
COOK (V.O.)
Man travels with his own security.
Frank Griffin and his men, numbering well over thirty, aim
back at them from the rocks.
COOK (V.O.)
But that didn’t matter much...
Several other gang members now stand atop the tilting train
car and aim down at them from above.
The Security Detail instantly drops their rifles. As now a
WELL DRESSED MAN with a mound of grey hair steps out of the
car. J.B. SLOAN. Still in shock, he looks around.
 40.

SLOAN
What in the good holy hell’s goin’
on here?
GRIFFIN (O.S.)
Hey there...
He looks at Griffin who rides up on his horse from the rocks,
THE PRIEST COLLAR, grin on his face.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
S’pose you just tell us where the
payroll’s at, save us all some
time?
67 FROM INSIDE THE TRAIN - LOOKING OUT 67
As a YOUNG GIRL, 17, peers out the window of the tilted car,
watches as Sloan now steps forward, puffed up, spitting with
anger.
SLOAN
Goddammit! Do you boys have any
Goddamn idea who I am?
Frank Griffin draws his gun and shoots the man in the face.
The girl inside the train SCREAMS.
68 OUTSIDE THE CAR 68
As the Devlins hear the girl, exchange a look and move closer
to investigate.
Frank Griffin, meanwhile, rides right up to the dead Sloan,
his horse stepping on the body with one hoof. Frank looks
down at the dead man...
GRIFFIN
I know that you were Jimmy Sloan.
And I don’t appreciate you usin’
the lord’s name in vain as such.
(looks up, yells)
Everybody outside!
SCREAMS as Griffin’s men begin hauling people off the train.
We hear GUNSHOTS here and there. Griffin sits his horse and
calmly watches the chaotic unloading.
69 EXT. DEPOT - CREEDE 69
BILL CHICK, a once-cowboy stands atop the train car, firing
his gun into the dust near the security detail...
BILL
Y’all take off them fancy trousers!
 41.

GATZ BROWN sits on his horse beside Frank, watching it all

calmly.
GATZ BROWN
Sometimes it takes more emphatic
measures, get folks’ attention.
70 INT. TRAIN CAR - SAME 70
The girl stares at the dead Sloan out the window...
GIRL
Papa...
She hears a commotion, turns as AMOS GREEN, his pet king
snake wrapped around his neck, physically throws passengers
from the car next door.
She makes her way to the other end of the car, peers out at
the opening where BUD LEDBETTER, in a huge Stetson, always
grinning, through broken teeth, calmly sits his horse, roping
passengers as they clamber off the train.
The girl turns around and bumps smack into THE DEVLIN TWINS
who smile at their lucky-day discovery.
DONNIE
Look at you. My-oh-my...
71 EXT. DEPOT - CREEDE 71
As Frank sees the trapped fireman squirming and moaning from
beneath the engine and rides over to him.
GRIFFIN
Don’t fear death, son. Death holds
no terror. For you shall never go
to a worse place’n you’re at right
now.
And with that, he shoots the man.
72 EXT. EDGE OF TOWN - SAME 72
The tracker, FLOYD WILSON, his one milky blue eye to the
ground, leads his horse on foot, follows a series of horse
tracks.
He comes to the sign that now says GREEDE and crouches down,
studies the tracks there, then looks at the freshly altered
sign, red paint still dripping from the “G.”
FLOYD
Shit...
(looks around)
He’s here.
 42.

73 AT THE DEPOT 73
DYER HOWE, a pair of knife scabbards hanging from leather
chords around his neck, stands holding a long blade to the
CONDUCTOR as he pulls a key, shakily opens the lock. Dyer
Howe looks around as...
The WIND RISES and DUST begins to kick up. Griffin looks
around, suddenly anxious. He watches as his men all pull
their shirts or bandanas over their faces.
GRIFFIN
Where’s that cashbox at?!
The BOXCAR is opened and we see a GIANT STRONGBOX inside.
The giant ALONZO BUNKER tosses the box out of the car. The
locks are shot off and stacks of CASH are revealed inside.
Griffin nods.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Load it up.
One of Frank’s men leads a PACK HORSE with large saddle bags
on either side. He starts to transfer the cash. SOME OF IT
BLOWS AWAY. Floyd rides up in the b.g., calling out:
FLOYD
He’s here!!
Griffin looks around as the wind grows stronger. He follows a
bank note as it flies away... and sees ONE RIDER on a black
horse, riding up between the cliffs. A RIFLE across his lap.
A scarf covers the lower half of his face against the dust.
He ducks behind the train, is gone...
74 INSIDE THE TRAIN 74
As Donnie holds the girl down, Daryl lifts her dress up over
her head, his whole body shaking with dark energy.
GIRL
Please... don’t...
Daryl unbuckles his britches and covers her with himself, now
buries his face in her neck while his hands explore their way
under her dress.
DARYL
Damn, you smell good, girl...
75 THE GIRL’S POV - THROUGH HER WHITE DRESS 75
Roy Goode, rifle in hand, his face covered, quietly moves
into the car. All we see are his eyes over the scarf as he
calmly considers the girl’s predicament.
 43.

DONNIE
--Roy!
Donnie reaches for his gun, gets a face full of rifle butt
and falls back against the wall. His eyes watering as he
spits out pieces of broken teeth...
Daryl scrambles off the girl, stands trying to haul up his
britches when Roy brings the rifle barrel up into his balls.
Then, just as he did to his twin brother, he butts him across
the face with the hardwood stock.
Roy looks down at the girl, puts his fingers to his lips.
ROY
Shhhhh.
76 INT. TOWN UNDERTAKER - LA BELLE - DAY 76
As McNue looks at Cook.
COOK
I’m not sure how reliable a witness
she is, seein’ as they had--
(then)
Well, anyhow, she said they called
him “Roy”, and that they was all
afraid of him...
77 EXT. DEPOT - CREEDE - DAY 77
As Roy Goode walks along the roof of the train, drops onto
his waiting horse...
GRIFFIN (O.S.)
Roy!
Frank Griffin sits his horse, looking through the dust as Roy
comes around the train at the other end of the station now.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
(over the wind)
Why you doin’ this?
ROY
Ride out, Frank.
GRIFFIN
What all got you so mad at me?
Roy doesn’t answer.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Dammit! I raised you up, Roy!
 44.

ROY
(puts the rifle on Frank
Griffin)
Ride on out or I’ll take your
fuckin head off.
GRIFFIN
(calm as can be)
This ain’t my death.
Roy moves the rifle slightly and shoots the man leading the
pack horse. Blows him out of the saddle. He then WHISTLES and
the horse runs to him, loaded with the payroll.
Roy turns and rides off. Suddenly GUNSHOTS erupt from the
roof of the depot as MINERS from the town now converge and
start to fire at the gang.
GRIFFIN (CONT’D)
Time to move on!
Griffin’s men mount up and take off after Roy and the money.
78 EXT. TRAIN - SAME 78
As the Devlin Twins come stumbling out of the train only to
find out they’ve been left behind.
DONNIE
Where is everybody?
VOICE
They’s right here.
They freeze. The GUARDS, still in their longjohns, have all
picked up their rifles and now hold them on the Devlins.
79 INT. TELEGRAPH OFFICE - DAY 79
The TELEGRAPH OPERATOR rushes in, starts sending a message.
COOK (V.O.)
Town sent word they had two of
Griffin’s boys, so I put a posse
together and headed up that way...
80 INT. TOWN UNDERTAKER - DAY 80
As Cook sits there a moment, watching the street, then...
COOK
Couple things happened while I was
en route. First, the good people of
Creede decided to lynch the Devlin
Twins...
 45.

81 EXT. JAILHOUSE - CREEDE - DAY 81

The wind is blowing hard as Daryl and Donnie, their hands
bound behind them, are dragged from the jailhouse. Every
person in town -- miners, their wives, their children -- is
out here now... watching quietly.
Ropes are put around their necks and then several men, miners
all, hoist Daryl, then Donnie onto the back of a horse. Both
have bruised faces, tears in their eyes.
Two men, each with a cut switch in one hand, move to the back
of each horse and gets ready to strike their rump.
MAN
Who wants to watch the other get
hung first?
DARYL
I’ll go first, brother.
One man nods to the other and they each raise whips fashioned
from tree branches when a KNIFE suddenly appears in the chest
of one man.
Everyone turns as now dozens of FIGURES ON HORSEBACK slowly
ride up the main street...
COOK (V.O.)
Second thing was, Frank Griffin
decided to turn around and come
back...
Dyer Howe throws his other knife, sinking it in the other
man’s chest and now panic ensues as Griffin and his men start
shooting. Griffin, HIS ARM SOAKED WITH BLOOD NOW, drinks from
a whiskey bottle, his eyes on fire...
GRIFFIN
You folks want a lynchin’? You got
one!
From his horse, Bud Ledbetter ropes a woman by the neck and
drags her off towards a tree, her children running after her.
Bill Chick and Alonzo Bunker drag men behind their horses.
Amos Green locks the Deputy and several people inside the
jailhouse, sets fire to the building.
Griffin watches all of it with the weary sadness of a
disappointed parent inflicting a harsh but necessary
punishment.
82 INT. TOWN UNDERTAKER - DAY 82
As Cook shakes his head...
 46.

COOK
Them sons of bitches lynched the
damn mob, every last one of ‘em.
83 EXT. CREEDE - LONGSHOT - DAY 83
As gunfire erupts. We hear screams. Horses are shot right out
from under the men riding them. All of it played to the score
of a now searing wind. And as buildings begin to ignite...
COOK (V.O.)
Then he burned the whole town to
the ground.
84 ON THE TRAIN 84
As Frank Griffin rides along the mangled train, peering in
the windows. His skin is white and his arm is slick with
blood. Behind him, his men slaughter everyone in sight.
Exhausted, Griffin leans his head against the train...
GRIFFIN
Their blossom shall go up as dust,
because they have cast away the law
of the lord...
85 INT. TRAIN - SAME 85
The YOUNG GIRL the Devlin’s had assaulted sits frozen on the
floor of the train, staring at Griffin’s head pressed against
the window... a few feet away from her... she doesn’t move...
COOK (V.O.)
I come riding through the next
morning.
86 EXT. CREEDE - DAWN 86
From the opening. As Cook and his posse ride through town.
GIRL (O.S.)
Amazing Grace, how sweet the
sound...
87 EXT. DEPOT - CREEDE 87
From the opening as Cook discovers the girl singing beside
her dead father, then looks up at the boy hanging from the
water tower.
COOK (V.O.)
Tears come to my eyes.
88 INT. TOWN UNDERTAKER - DAY 88
Cook shakes his head. There are tears now.
 47.

COOK
I just couldn’t reckon with it.
McNue gets up and moves to the window, rubs his chin a moment
in thought.
ELMER
But you think Griffin might be
headed here?
COOK
They been robbin’ mines all over
Colorado and Wyoming. S’only a
matter a time fore they come this
way.
ELMER
But we’re shut down.
COOK
Frank Griffin don’t know that. And
when he finds out who all’s mostly
livin’ here, that ain’t exactly
gonna be a discouragement.
89 EXT. ALICE’S RANCH - DAY 89
As Roy exits the barn leading the mare he rode in on...
ROY
(raspy voiced)
Let’s get some air, shall we?
He stoops to check her leg when there’s a commotion in the
corral as a couple of the wild horses begin to tussle and
bite at each other.
Roy ties his horse to the rail and slowly climbs over. He
eases his way through the herd.
He moves to one of the agitated animals and rubs it under the
tail. The horse starts, then calms, giving Roy the chance to
come around and take his head and now whistle in his nose.
The animal closes his eyes as Roy puts a finger in the corner
of its mouth, then comes around and rubs its belly button. He
then steps back as the HORSE LAYS DOWN.
ROY (CONT’D)
(softly)
Good boy.
Roy then moves to another horse and does the same thing. And
then another. Until he’s standing there amidst a corral full
of decumbent horses. All except one...
 48.

90 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 90

Alice and Truckee and Iyovi all stand at the window watching.
Gobsmacked by what they just saw.
TRUCKEE
Like I said.
(looks up at Alice)
He knows horses.
91 EXT. CORRAL - SAME 91
The black horse stands away from the others. Roy looks at him
across the corral, and as they make eye contact, Roy winks at
him.
ROY
Soon enough, friend.
92 INT. “THE GOOD LODE” SALOON (LA BELLE) - DAY 92
John Cook walks up to the bar, nods to BARNEY MUTZ, the one
legged barkeep.
COOK
Glass a bonded, you got any.
Barney gets the bottle and Cook nods to Asa Leopold, the
drygoodsman, the only other person in here. Cook then watches
Barney pour, motions him to stop with his hand.
COOK (CONT’D)
My daddy always said it was bad
luck, spill even a drop of fine
whiskey.
BARNEY
Would certainly explain things
‘round here.
ASA
Ain’t spilt whiskey causin’ all our
problems. It’s that damn Fletcher
witch, cursed this place.
Cook tips his glass down his throat, looks at a tintype that
hangs behind the bar-- an image of the miners who worked the
La Belle Mine, posing in front of the dark mouth.
BARNEY
Too much coal dust in the shaft.
It ignited and the fire drunk up
all the air.
(indicates the photo)
Eighty-three good men. Gone in less
than five minutes.
(MORE)
 49.

BARNEY (CONT'D)
(looks at Asa)
Just plain ol’ bad luck.
COOK
Why’s your livery empty?
ASA
Stupid women sold off all the
horses to a cattle outfit was
passing though last winter.
BARNEY
We needed the food, and they said
they’d cut a hundred beeves from
the heard. But once they savvied
our situation, they left us a
couple scraggly heffers and move
on.
Cook looks out at the street a moment, sees the blonde kid
with the two guns, loitering nearby, then...
COOK
Outside a the sheriff and that boy
deputy, how many folks left around
here can fire a gun?
BARNEY
Why? There gonna be trouble?
COOK
Just askin’ is all.
ASA
Well... if there’s trouble, the
sheriff won’t be around anyhow.
BARNEY
But his sister can sure shoot.
Cook looks at the two men as they burst out laughing.
93 INT. BARN - DAY 93
Roy comes in with a bucket of water, starts to splash himself
with the water, but stops when he sees Alice standing there.
ALICE
That was something.
ROY
Yeah, well, puttin’ a saddle on ‘em
all’s a whole other matter.
(puts his shirt back on)
Thank you for your hospitality.
 50.

ALICE
I nearly killed you.
ROY
Yes, ma’am. Too bad about that dark
moon.
She looks at him. A strange thing to say.
ROY (CONT’D)
Anyway, I’ll be goin’ now.
ALICE
Are you sure you can ride? Or if
your horse can even carry you?
ROY
Well, I’ll probably just lead her
for a few days. Take care a both
our problems.
She stands there, nodding, looking around. Finally--
ALICE
Thing of it is...
She steps aside to reveal A PILE OF MENS CLOTHING on the bale
of straw beside her.
ALICE (CONT’D)
I was wondering if you might wanna--
She stops as we hear SOMEONE RIDE UP. She looks off. Then
back at Roy.
ALICE (CONT’D)
Excuse me.
She walks out. He moves to the door, watches as Bill McNue
gets off his horse and exchanges greetings with Iyovi, then
playfully boxes with Truckee. Roy sees the STAR pinned to his
chest.
Alice comes out of the barn and McNue immediately takes off
his hat. Even a man such as Roy Goode can see the buried
devotion in that small gesture.
94 EXT. ALICE’S RANCH - DAY 94
As Bill now smiles at Alice who walks over from the barn.
MCNUE
Afternoon, Miss Fletcher.
ALICE
Sheriff.
 51.

McNue studies her a moment, then smiles at the muddy boy when
the moment gets awkward.
MCNUE
How’s that well comin’, son?
TRUCKEE
We’re almost there.
ALICE
If he spent more time diggin’ down
there and less time pondering the
universe, we’d have water by now.
McNue smiles, but she can see there’s something on his mind.
ALICE (CONT’D)
Truckee, why don’t you water the
Sheriff’s horse.
McNue watches as Truckee hurries off, then...
MCNUE
There was some bloody business up
North with Frank Griffin.
ALICE
What sort of bloody business?
MCNUE
Griffin robbed the Tomboy Mine in
Creede, ended up killing everyone
in town.
ALICE
My God.
MCNUE
He and one of his boys got into it
over the money, and now Griffin’s
tearin’ up the territory lookin’
for him-- fella named Roy Goode.
Boom. Alice turns to McNue, looks off at Truckee leading the
sheriff’s horse towards the barn. Not sure what to do now.
ALICE
Let’s go inside.
95 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - DAY 95
As Alice sits down at the table, McNue moves to the window.
Alice glances nervously out the door towards the barn. No
sign of Roy. McNue looks at the horses...
 52.

MCNUE
Looks like you got yourself quite a
herd out there.
ALICE
A gift from Narrienta.
MCNUE
A gift or a bribe? His other son
just lost his wife to Rubella.
ALICE
(ignores that)
Tell me about this Roy Goode.
MCNUE
(still looking at the
horses)
What’re you gonna do with ‘em all?
ALICE
I been talking to some ex Buffalo
Soldiers, having a go at their own
town outside Easton.
MCNUE
You mean Blackdom? That’s more a
few sod huts than any kinda town.
You sure them folks got the money?
ALICE
They say they do. And I see them
doing odd jobs in town sometimes.
What all you know about this Roy
Goode?
MCNUE
Marshal in Santa Fe tells me he’s
killed least a dozen men.
She looks off towards the barn, more sad than afraid.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
Listen, I was thinkin’ it might be
a nice gesture, you sold a few of
them animals to the ladies down in
La Belle.
ALICE
Nice gesture? They shot my husband
in the back--
MCNUE
You don’t know that--
 53.

ALICE
I know they left him in the mud to
die.
MCNUE
That was a long time ago. They’ve
all had their own heartache since
then. Maybe it’s time y’all buried
the hatchet.
(looks at her)
Hell, maybe it’s time we all moved
on.
He now sits down across from her, worries the brim of his hat
in his hands.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
Truth is, I come out here to talk
about just that. The future.
She’s anxious, keeps looking out the door toward the barn.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
If I don’t say this now, I never
will.
He takes a deep breath, looks up at her.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
It seems Anna’s been comin’ to me
in my dreams less’n less. Thing is,
I can’t tell if it’s because she’s
fading away for me... or if it’s
because I see you there more’n
more.
She looks at McNue, realizes where this is going.
96 INT. BARN - SAME 96
As Roy thoughtfully examines the chambray shirt and dungarees
that Alice left for him.
TRUCKEE (O.S.)
Those were my daddy’s.
Roy turns, sees the boy standing in the doorway.
TRUCKEE (CONT’D)
His name was Egan. His Paiute name
E-he-ghant, but folks in La Belle
either couldn’t say it or didn’t
bother trying, so they just called
him Egan.
Roy nods, sets the clothes down and starts out of the barn.
 54.

ROY
Nice meeting you, boy.
97 INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - SAME 97
McNue reaches across the table for her hands...
MCNUE
Alice, I need to know where I stand
with you.
She glances out the door and sees Roy walk out of the barn
and freezes up. McNue sees her hesitation.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
I’m bein’ foolish, ain’t I?
ALICE
No, you’re not--
MCNUE
S’alright, you don’t have to say
anything.
(puts his hat back on)
Ain’t the first time the wish was
feather to the thought.
He smiles the best he can, stands up, turns, then stops cold
as Roy Goode steps into the house. Truckee is behind him.
ROY
(to Alice)
S’cuse me, ma’am.
(then, to McNue)
You the local law?
McNue glances at Alice who doesn’t move.
ROY (CONT’D)
I’m Roy Goode, sir.
Roy extends his hand and a startled McNue shakes it.
ROY (CONT’D)
And if it’s alright with you, I’d
like to turn myself in.
Nobody moves for a moment. Truckee stares wide-eyed at Roy.
TRUCKEE
I knew it! I knew you were
somebody!
ALICE
Truckee, go outside.
 55.

TRUCKEE
What-- why can’t I--
ALICE
Go!
Truckee leaves the house. McNue takes in Roy, then:
MCNUE
You’re Roy Goode?
ROY
Yes, sir.
(to Alice)
Ma’am we may need to borrow your
mare or even the old lady’s burro,
seein’ as the little pack horse I
rode in on’s still--
MCNUE
--Whoa- wait just a minute here.
Just-- Dammit, just... wait.
McNue is completely flustered.
MCNUE (CONT’D)
Alright, suppose you start by
tellin’ me exactly what all you’re
doin’ right here?
ALICE
He showed up the middle of the
night, about a week ago.
MCNUE
A week ago? Just when were you
plannin’ on tellin’ me--
ROY
She didn’t know who I was.
MCNUE
What’re you talkin’ so soft for?
TRUCKEE
(from the doorway)
Ma shot him in the throat! But he’d
already been shot two times!
Alice shuts the door on her son. McNue takes in the wound on
his arm...
ROY
I got into it with Griffin and his
boys, place called Doubtful Canyon.
 56.

MCNUE
Don’t believe I’ve heard of it.
ROY
It’s up north, in Colorado, a few
miles outside a town called Creede.
McNue goes stiff. Creede he’s heard of.
ROY (CONT’D)
Frank had just robbed the payroll
when I went ahead and took it from
him.
MCNUE
And why’d you do a thing like that?
ROY
Because I knew he’d chase me. I was
tryin’ to draw ‘em as far away from
the folks in that town as I could,
but things didn’t quite work out
the way I planned.
MCNUE
I’d say not. What happened?
ROY
Well, I seen from his mouth that my
horse was fleckin’ blood, and then
he began to flounder, and I could
see the poor boy didn’t have much
life left...
McNue cuts a look at Alice.
ROY (CONT’D)
Anyhow, it wasn’t long before he
bottomed out altogether and I had
to--
MCNUE
--I wasn’t asking about your damn
horse. I asked you what happened?
ROY
Oh. Well, we ended up shooting it
out in the canyon.
MCNUE
You against all of them?
ROY
Yes, sir.
 57.

MCNUE
Griffin’s got thirty-men riding
with him.
ROY
Thirty-two that day.
MCNUE
And you held them off? By yourself?
ROY
Well, sir, situation like that, a
rifle can be mighty comprehensive.
MCNUE
Still, there was thirty-two of them
and just one of... you.
ROY
Yes, sir, but there was no way they
was gonna work through that gorge,
boxed up the way it was, without
getting shot to a man.
McNue just nods, still trying to picture this man as the
“dead gun” Roy Goode.
MCNUE
And that black handled .38 I heard
so much about? Where might that be?
ROY
I lost it -- and my rifle --
crossing the San Juan.
MCNUE
Uh-huh... and what about all that
cash you stole from Griffin? You
lose that in the river, too?
ROY
I lost everything.
McNue takes in Roy another moment, scratches his chin.
MCNUE
You don’t look all that much like a
desperado to me so much as you just
look desperate.
ROY
I am who I say.
MCNUE
Well, if that’s true, son-- if you
are Roy Goode, they gonna hang you
for sure.
 58.

ROY
Yes, sir. I reckon so.
The three of them just look at one other, stuck as to the
next move. Finally, Roy holds out his hands...
ROY (CONT’D)
You best get me to the jailhouse.
98 EXT. ALICE’S HOUSE - DAY 98
Alice stands in the doorway with Iyovi as Mcnue and Roy ride
off. Truckee runs a little of the way with them.
TRUCKEE
Good-bye, Mr. Goode!
Then stops at the edge of the pasture, watches sadly as the
men urge their horses into a canter and move away from him.
He then looks back at his mother and Grandmother, the old
woman spitting into the dust before going back inside. Alice
watches the two men riding away another moment, then follows.
Truckee turns back, watches as Roy and Mcnue disappear.
99 EXT. HILL ABOVE LA BELLE - DAY 99
John Cook stops on his way out of town and takes it all in.
He looks at the few women out on the street. The one-legged
barkeep sweeping the porch. The old blacksmith. And knows
they’re all fucked. As he turns his horse to the trail...
COOK
God help you folks.
100 EXT. GUNNISON RIVER - DAY 100
A moment of quiet and then suddenly THIRTY HORSES LEAP FROM
THE BANKS INTO THE WATER and start to make their way across.
Frank Griffin’s empty sleeve flaps freely behind him as he
leads the way southward. The BOOMING HOOVES ECHOING as we--
CUT TO BLACK