Episode #3 –
“Reconnoitering the Rim”
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(Creekside, Ellsworth’s new dog is busy digging under
a tree)
Ellsworth: He’s
down that hole for a fact. Pitiful
as you pursued him, you better hope he ain’t got the space enough to roll
around, hold his side, bust a gut laughin’. Tell all the other woodchucks at the
club this afternoon…he might not even call it a escape. Might just call it his morning’s
entertainment.
Dan: Hey! Hey, Ellsworth!
Ellsworth: Hey, Dan
Dority! (Dog goes to hide.) Where’s the great
prospector?
Dan: I guess
Brom slept in this morning.
Ellsworth: Suppose
his enthusiasm’s on the wane?
Dan: That’s
always possible. He shows up, you
tell him I quit waitin’.
Ellsworth: Sure
will.
Dan: See ya at
the Gem. (Walks
away)
Ellsworth: Always
possible. (To the dog)
Gone! (Dog returns)
(At the
cemetery, Tom Mason’s funeral)
Rev: The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness
thereof. The world and they that
dwell therein. For He hath founded
it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. (Merrick sneezing) Who shall ascend into
the hill of the Lord? Or who shall
stand (Merrick sneezing) in his holy
place? He that, that hath a clean
hands (Rev hands Merrick a hankerchief)
and a pure heart. Who hath not
lifted up his soul. Unto vanity nor
sworn beseechfully. He, he shall
receive the blessing from the Lord, and (Seth turns and sees Charlie Utter and
Calamity Jane returning with Sophia cradled in Jane’s arms) justice from the
God of his salvation. Lift up your
heads, oh ye gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and the King of
glory shall come in. Who is the
King of glory? The Lord of
hosts. He is the King of
glory.
(The camera
pans down, Wagons are entering the camp carrying Cy Tolliver and the Bella Union
whores.)
Various Male Voices:
Selah! (Cheering) What’s yer name!? Hey! What’s yer name!?
( Al watches from his balcony. Cy is now supervising the hanging of the new BellaUnion sign)
(Graveside again)
Rev: Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the
Lord. Though hand join in hand, he
shall not be unpunished. (Merrick sneezing) By mercy and truth is
inequity purged. And by the fear of
the Lord, do men depart from evil.
A man’s ways please the Lord, when he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him. (Rev and Seth exchange looks)
Amen.
Merrick: Amen.
Seth: Thank
you (Shakes hands with the pallbearers)
Thanks for your help.
Merrick: May we
edify my readers, Mr. Bullock?
Seth: I don’t
know what edify means.
Merrick: Can we
talk about last night’s gunfight?
Seth: (Grabbing a shovel)
No.
Merrick: We can’t talk about last night’s gunfight, either. (Merrick grabs a
shovel.)
(Street, Al
emerges from the Gem Saloon. The former owner of the now-BellaUnion is loading a
wagon)
Al: What the fuck?!
EB: All’s I
can speculate, Al, is whoever these Bella Union people are, they bought Artie
Simpson’s place on the quiet.
Pre-arranged turnin’ it into a joint.
Al: This no
good fucking Judas! (pointing) Hey,
fucknut!
Artie:Just take it easy, Al. (Loading his
wagon)
Al: How long you been hatchin’ this fuckin’
plot?
Artie: I made a practical goddamned business
decision.
Al: No chance for me to match
their fuckin’ offer?
Artie: You
couldn’t have. (Climbs up onto the wagon)
You’da killed me before you’d matched.
But it’s between you and them now. (Sol looks on)
Al: Drive careful, cocksucker!
Artie: Don’t
think I haven’t taken precaution.
Don’t think I don’t know your mind!
(Wagon
pulls off. Sol approaches Al as
he’s walking
away)
Sol: I hate to press you on that lot, Mr.
Swearengen.
Al: I ain’t ready
to settle yet.
Sol: Just,
we’re anxious to start building.
Al: If you
want an answer now, it’s no.
(At
Nuttall’s #10, Wild Bill is playing poker.)
Wild Bill: Two.
Jack McCall: Same for me. Only better.
Stapleton: Yeah, three the dealer, dealer
draws. Trench mouth. Opener bets.
Jack: Well
damn, Wild Bill. Even a stopped
clock’s gotta be right sometime.
Common law just says you gonna win one sooner or later. But I’m gonna keep pushin’ my luck. What do you got there? Eight dollars. Are you ready to stand anymore credit to
Wild Bill here, Tom?
Nuttall: I didn’t
hear him ask for any.
Jack: You want
me just bet eight,
Bill?
(Bill takes
one of his revolvers out of its holster and lays it on the table.)
Wild Bill: May it cover my call.
Jack: Ah,
Bill, I can’t let you put your gun up.
That colt’s worth more than my raise by a good 40
bucks.
Wild Bill: Are you
takin’ the bet?
Jack: I tell
you what, I’ll add 40 bucks to my raise, make the bet fair. And then 50 more, if you’ll put up a
set.
(Wild Bills
draws the other colt quickly. Jack
ducks to the side.Bill puts the gun down next to the other.)
Stapleton: Pot’s right.
Jack: (Lays down his cards) Would a nine high
straight do the
trick?
(Wild Bill
lays down his cards, not taking his eyes off Jack)
Stapleton: Pot to the club flush.
Jack: Well
that’s one in a row for you, Wild Bill. Who’s hungry? What in the hell damn time is it
anyway?
Wild Bill: Sure
you wanna quit playing, Jack? The
game’s always between you and gettin’ called a cunt.
Nuttall: Ah,
meetin’ adjourned, fellas, take it outside.
Wild Bill: That
dropped eye of your looks like the hood of a cunt to me, Jack. When you talk, your mouth looks like a
cunt moving.
Jack: I ain’t
gonna get in no gunfight with you, Hickok.
Wild Bill: But you
will run your cunt mouth at me. And
I will take it to play
poker.
Nuttall: I’ll
tote up accounts, Mr. Hickok ah, we’ll do whatever rest business we need to next
you’re in.
Wild Bill: Anyone wants to, can find me at the Grand Central.
(Grand
Central, Utter’s room, Sophia is laying down)
Jane: She’s warm isn’t she?
Utter: She ain’t talk
yet, neither.
Jane: That’s beside
the point, you shut up!
Doc:
She will get fever, bein’ wolf bit.
Jane: And the reason
we risked bringin’ her into camp…
Doc:
You don’t need to fear the saloonkeeper. He’s not a danger to her no
more.
Jane: He’s
not?
Doc:
Saloonkeeper worried that the little one said that road agents killed her
people. Who the road agents might
say they worked for.
Jane: Meaning,
him?
Doc: He
took a different approach to the problem.
She would do better indoors.
Utter: I told Jane
she could take my room with the little one, and I’d move back in with
Bill.
Jane: Will not stay
in no fuckin’ hotel! They don’t
want me. They won’t give me a
room.
Doc:
You two keep your voices down.
(Doc pours medicine into a spoon,
gives it to Sophia)
Jane: What’d I say about noise? He snores the whole fuckin’
night!
Utter: Snorin’s past
a person’s control.
(Street,
Seth and the Reverend are walking back to the tent)
Rev: I was a field nurse during the war. At Shiloh in Sanko Manassas. That was a good deal of
violence.
Seth: Is that
when you got your callin’?
Rev: Yes, it
was, Sir. Out of that crucible out
of all that horror to come to God’s grace.
A-a man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord, directeth his steps. H-he directeth all our steps, Mr.
Bullock. All of
us.
Seth: If your
preachin’ at me, Reverend, you need to put some more light on the
text.
Rev: If I am
preaching at you, sir, I do you a
disservice. Good Morning, Mr.
Star.
Sol: Good
Morning, Reverend.
Seth: Can we
get the lot? Can we start
buildin’? The Reverend’s come to
help.
Sol: We’re
still hangin’ fire.
Seth: What’s
the damn holdup?
Sol: New
gambling outfit come into town, Seth.
Time wasn’t right to push and do a decision.
Seth: I got
all the lumber cut.
Sol: And I
warned you that was premature.
Seth: You said
98 percent, after your last conversation with that
sonofabitch.
Sol: 98 is not
a hundred.
Seth:
Goddamnit! (Oops!
Turns his head toward the Rev.)
Rev: Good day,
Sirs.
Sol: Good day,
Reverend!
(Street
facing the Bella Union – we hear Jane talking before the camera goes inside the
Grand
Central)
Jane:
I said they’d find a way
to stop me.
Utter: If it’s
raisin’ room rates, you have to go ahead and raise ‘em.
EB: Rates
aren’t the only factor. There’s a
waiting list for occupancy.
Jane: You undertaker
lookin’ sonofabitch. This little
girl’s doctor ordered to live indoors and I’m assigned to change her
dressings!
EB:A
sad story, that’s none of my affair, Madam. If I guess your sex correct?
Wild Bill: (Entering) What’s the problem,
innkeeper?
EB: Mr. Hickok.
Utter: Little one
took fever in that wagon last night, Bill.
(Brom coming down the stairs,
pauses) And I thought Jane and her could stay in my room and, I’d move back
in with you.
EB:
I’m not in opposition, sir.
Just the opposite. Who
wouldn’t want to accommodate a sick little girl? But the Simpson Hotel’s closed its
doors. If Mr. Utter is vacating,
shouldn’t these people that have been trying me all morning get first call? Isn’t that simple
fairness?
Jane: He don’t give
a fuck all for fairness! He just
don’t want me in here.
Wild Bill: Well
how ‘bout if he stays in his room and the lady moves in with me? (Jane nuzzles Sophia’s neck) That way no
one’s vacating nothing.
EB: That would outflank the checkout issue. But it might raise questions of
decorum.
Wild Bill: With
who?
EB: No one of consequence I
suppose.
Wild Bill: Let her
in. I’m goin’ to get some
breakfast.
EB: There will be a rate
adjustment. (Jane eyes EB)
Brom: (Coming down the stairs) Good
morning.
EB: I’ve
heard the stories, Madam, I tell you that at flag fall. You are here on
sufferance.
Jane: Kiss my ass!
(They go
upstairs)
(Gem, in
Al’s bedroom, Al is seated, Trixie is brushing his
coat)
Al: Cocksuckers.
Where were they when Dan and me were, chopping trees in this gulch? Hands all blistered. Bucktooth fuckin’ beavers rolling around
in the creek. Slappin’ their tails
in the water like we was hired entertainment.
Trixie: I’d
pay a nickel to see you choppin’ wood.
Al: Yeah. Don’t think I wasn’t blow for blow with
Dan. (Trixie helps him put on his jacket) I
can play that shit when I have to. (Straightens his tie) But I been to
Chicago, too. (Turns around, puts his arms out) How do
I look?
Trixie: Like
Christ crucified.
---
(Al enters
the Bella Union)
Al: Guess this ain’t a hotel no
more.
Joanie: Come
see us tonight when we open. We’ll
find ya a place to lay down.
Cy:And someone to keep your feet
warm.
Al: I’m Al
Swearengen. (Puts hand out) I own the
joint across the street.
Eddie: The
Gem?
Al: That’s
it.
Cy: Cy
Tolliver, Al. Ed Sawyer, Joanie
Stubbs.
Al: You
people must’ve trained with the heathens.
Yeah, you know, you come up on us unbeknownst.
Cy: How long
you been in camp, Al?
Al: Well,
this year, Cy, since March. I was
here last year, too. But the
fuckin’ cavalry drove us out.
Cy: Butt all the whites out, didn’t
they?
Al: Oh deep
fuckin’ thinkers in Washington put forward that policy. This year though, so many soldiers
desertin’ to prospect, give up the ghost let us all back in. And of course, Custer sorted out the
fuckin’ Sioux for us, so now we’re all as safe as in our mother’s
tits.
Cy: Did a job
for our side, didn’t he, Al?
Al: How
‘bout that long haired fuckin’ blowhard, huh? I’ll tell you this, son, you can mark my
words. Crazy Horse went into Little
Big Horn, bought his people one good long term ass fuckin’. You do not want to
be a dirt worshipping heathen, from this fucking point forward. (Turns to Joanie) Pardon my
French.
Joanie: Oh
I speak French.
Al: Well, here we
are, settin’ in the world’s problems and I been wonderin’, Cy, um, perhaps we
should talk about our areas of overlap so we’re not at each other’s throats,
huh?
Cy: Give me a for instance,
Al.
Al: Ah,
women. Would we want to agree on
rates?
Joanie: Well,
far as pussy, Al, we’ll want to let the market sort itself
out.
Al: Sounds to me
like I’m up against specialty acts.
How ‘bout table games? Any
overlap there?
Eddie: We’ll be
featuring craps, Al.
Al: I played
that in Chicago. I don’t offer it
myself, gets these hoople heads confused, hmm? That’s one area of overlap avoided. What about faro?
Eddie: We’ll have it.
Al: That
decision hard and fast?
Cy: I just
don’t see overlap bein’ a problem, Al.
Even where we duplicate.
We’re offerin’ differing atmosphere, you’re a pioneerin’ type, a
trailblazer type. You’re gonna draw
a trailblazin’ element.
Al: Meanin’ I
get the one’s that don’t wash?
Eddie: Must cut
through the stink though when they walk in with those sacks full of
gold.
Al: Oh, the
money spends definitely.
Cy: Anyways, thanks for the neighborly
visit.
Al: Yeah,
good to meet you. Very good luck to
you. You’re opening at eight
o’clock, huh?
Eddie: That’s what we’re aimin’ at.
Al: Eight o’clock.
Good for you. (Al
leaves)
Eddie: Wouldn’t set a fire right
away.
Cy: Come to cases, though, he would set a fire. (Watching Al leave – in the street, Al turns
and looks up at the sign)
(Grand
Central dining room)
Wild Bill:
Way you tell it, Mister,
man didn’t sell you that claim holding a gun to your head.
Brom: And
frankly, Mr. Hickok, being a novice in these matters, I was duped. And now the seller’s disappeared. You checked into his room. (Looking at
Charlie)
Utter: Sound like you’re up shit’s
creek.
Brom: Seller
had accomplices, gentlemen. Men
of…what passes for position in this place.
Now I would pay a handsome bounty, if they were brought to make
restitutions.
Wild Bill: Sorry you lost your money, Mister. But I ain’t for hire to rob it
back.
Brom: I make no
terms as to method.
Wild Bill: You don’t figure a good talkin’ to would do the
trick?
Brom: I’m not
leaving camp…without my money.
Utter: Mister, that
fella you said had my room before me?
Brom: Yeah, a
man named Tim Driscoll, yes, pure charlatan.
Utter: Fresh stain on
the floor when I moved in. He may a
checked out, short a useful amount of blood.
Brom: Wouldn’t
surprise me in the least.
Utter: That would
make these accomplices you’re talkin’ about, dangerous people to deal
with.
Brom: Yes, I
quite take your point. No honor
among thieves. Well…thanks for your
time. I’ll pursue my remedies in
some other fashion. (Brom leaves)
Wild Bill: I
don’t think he took you point…quite.
Utter: I think he
quite missed it.
Wild Bill: I believe I’ll pass out,
Charlie.
Utter: I guess you
were playin’ poker all night, huh?
Wild Bill: Yes, Sir.
Utter: When we was
comin’ into camp I saw that ah, Montana fella you seemed to
like.
Wild Bill: Bullock had my back again last
night.
Utter: Why, he was
seein’ to the results this mornin’.
Wild Bill: Man has an act of conscience.
Utter: What would you
think of us and him and his friend ah, havin’ dinner
tonight?
Wild Bill: Why?
Utter: People gotta
eat, don’t they, Bill? And maybe
you’d enjoy sittin’ with someone who wasn’t lookin’ to beat you at cards. Or blow your fuckin’ head
off.
Wild Bill: True enough.
Mark me down for a yes. (Wild Bill
heads upstairs)
(Al’s
office, Al is sitting at his desk with Johnny, EB and Jimmy
Irons.)
Al: I want to know who did that
legwork.
EB: You
hit the nail square, Al. Whoever
went between them Bella Union people and Artie Simpson would be a prime source
of information.
Al: Do not
repeat back to me, what I just said in different fuckin’ words! And
I wanna know who cut the cheese? (Al,
makinga face – goes to the balcony doors) I’ll tell you this for
openers. We are gonna set off and
area on the balcony. (Opens doors) And God help whoever
doesn’t use it because the next stink I have to smell in this office, and
whoever doesn’t admit to it is going out the window, into the muck onto their
fuckin’ heads and
we’ll see how they like fartin’ from that position. Okay? (High mocking voice) Oh, I hate to press
you on the lot, Mr. Swearengen. (normal)
Wouldn’t that be a setup If
they were all of the same fuckin’ party?
EB: You
think them hardware guys and Hickok, might be the advance party for them saloon
operators, Al?
Al: You just
did the same fucking thing I told you not to. (Turns head to Johnny) Get them two, say
I’m ready to conclude on their offer.
Stop at Wu’s on the way. (Johnny jumps up from his chair to leave)
Tell him either he feeds his pigs Persimmon Phil tonight, or I serve him…raw
loin of oriental.
Johnny: I though you
forgot all about that, Al. I
thought it just sorta slipped through the cracks. (leaves)
Al: (To Jimmy) Faro dude at the new joint. Dope fiend. Tall guy skanky red
beard.
Jimmy:You want me to get next to him, Mr. Swearengen? Let me take a few dollars, I’ll go play
at his table.
Al: Stop
hustling. I’ll give you dope when
you bring that cocksucker here.
Jimmy: He’s as good
as standin’ in front of you, Mr. Swearengen. (Jimmy gets up and leaves. EB stands up also
– Al puts his hand out to stop him.)
Al: Stick around. (EB sits, Al sits in the chair next to him)
Help me measure where their loyalties lie.
EB:These hardware guys? (Al shuts his eyes and
sighs)
(The
Garret’s room at the hotel…)
Brom: The burden falls on me, Alma. That much is now
clear.
Alma: Do you think
there’s any possibility that Mr. Hickok might reconsider? (Brom gets up)
Brom: None.
Nor was I sure that, if he’d agreed the man before me at that breakfast
table was equal to the task. (Alma gets up and stands behind Brom,
putting her arm around him)
Alma: Promise me one thing then,
Brom.
Brom: Don’t ask me to amend my
purpose.
Alma: That before
seeing Mr. Swearengen, you take your walk.
(Brom turns and hugs
Alma)
Brom: To clear my head and reflect?
Alma: If only to
perfect your arguments.
Brom: I
see. I accept the suggestion and a
feeling for it’s author.
Alma: Thank
you.
Brom: If
I’m stooped when next you see me, Alma, won’t be worry weighing me down, but
bags of our recovered gold.
Alma: Take your
walk, dear.
(Brom hugs her again and leaves, as Alma is shutting
the door she sees Jane peeking out from behind her own door, their eyes lock for
a moment and Alma opens her door wider as if to speak, Jane quickly slams her
door shut. Brom is bent over
looking at something –Wild Bill Hickok who’s sleeping on the landing.)
Brom:
It’s Hickok, Alma. Unconscious.
Alma:
I
see.
Brom:
I take this as proof my
reservations were well founded.
(Alma shuts the door and walks over to her vanity and
prepares another drink)
(Hickok’s room, Jane is talking to Sophia, who is
sleeping)
Jane:
Too considerate to disturb
us. Wouldn’t have truck with
that…room clerk ghoul to get let into Charlie’s rather than sleep in the fuckin’
hallway, that’s the kind of man he is.
I own you another fuckin’ penny.
Owe you another one. I don’t
know if you should ever learn English, never mind foul, spare you knowin’ how
ignorant people are. But then I
could tell you about Bill…sleepin’ in the hallway out a thought for others. And I know some other fuckin’ stories
too. Owe you another
penny.
(Street, Jack McCall is checking out the goods at Sol
& Seth’s tent.)
Seth:
Look at that
jackass.
Sol: Help you with anything?
Jack: I tell ya, he’s bein’ done a
favor this exact moment. Or would
you care to take a guess. A favor
in this tent.
Sol: I’d guess it’s you doin’ one for yourself,
Sir, considering quality goods.
Jack: Favor here’s bein’ done for Wild Bill
fuckin’ Hickok.
Seth: What are you talking
about?
Jack: ‘Cause if I’m out prospectin’ in the
hills, then he ain’t gettin’ his just desserts. At the poker table or otherwise. Don’t ask me what I mean by the last
part.
Seth: What do you
mean?
Jack: And I said you’d do better not
askin’.
Seth: Get outta
here.
Jack: I’ll buy this one. What’s the price on
that?
Seth: You ain’t buyin’ nothin’. (Jack turns around and sees Charlie)
Jack:
I know
you. Where I know you
from?
Utter:
Can’t help you
with that, partner.
Jack:
You follow him
around. (Laughs. Seth grabs him and runs him forward,
tossing him in the muck) Hey!
Seth:
That tent’s
shut to you. Don’t come back
there.
Jack: (talking to himself) Fuck you. Any plans I might’ve had to buy
somethin’, or prospect.
Utter: I’d be lousy at retail. I guarantee you that much. Wouldn’t have the patience for
it.
Sol: I’m not sure how much future
he’s got.
Utter:
Anyways I want
to tell you fellas, several days I’ll be goin’ back to Cheyenne. Try and secure a mail route. I operate a freight business outta
there. You need re-supply, I’ll be
bringin’ several wagons back.
Sol: That’s good to
know.
Utter:
And ah, I was,
ah (takes hat off) half wonderin’ too
if…if you’d want to join Bill and me for dinner. Tonight or some other time.
Seth: Let’s do it
tonight.
Utter:
Feel like I
should’ve brung posies. (Johnny
approaches.)
Sol: Afternoon. Can I help you find
something?
Johnny: Mr. Swearengen wants to see ya. (Leaves)
(Alma is looking out the window,
drink in hand, she sees Brom approach the Gem, he pauses, puffing a cigar, then
continues on his walk.)
(Gem, Al is seated downstairs
with Sol and Seth. Dan and EB are
seated on either side of Al,
nearby but not at the
table.)
Al:
I only hope
you understand my being short with you out in the street this
morning.
Sol: You had a lot on your
mind.
Al: I had a lot of what’s left of my fucking
mind, these new interests coming in.
I only hope you understand and see my thinking in not selling you that
lot outright.
Seth: What’s your thinkin’
today?
Al: Gets dead set at the fucking point which I
like in most situations. Do you know these new saloon
interests? Are you acquainted with
them at all?
Sol: Nope.
Seth: Not them and not Bill
Hickok. And all we want to do is
run a hardware business.
Al: I have got to be satisfied. See, I’m the simple type
cocksucker. That when he sees
lightening, readies for thunder.
And takes the thunder if it comes from part of the same fuckin’
storm.
Sol: Why wouldn’t ya, Mr.
Swearengen?
Al: Well thank you for sayin’ that, even if
you don’t fuckin’ mean it.
Seth: What would make you comfortable sellin’
to us? (Al looks at EB, EB raises his head and
eyebrows)
Al: Thousand. Plus right of first refusal on any
further sale.
Sol: Accepted.
Al: And right to buy back at the
original price, plus the cost of your improvements.
Sol: Accepted.
Al: No gambling on the fuckin’
premises. No association of any
kind with these Bella Union cocksuckers.
Sol: Accepted.
Seth: We can’t sell ‘em our
goods?
Al: No. What do you think of
that?
Sol: Accepted.
Al: What do you
think?
Seth:(pauses) Accepted.
Al: Or, they could buy your wares in
your normal course of your normal fucking business. I’d guess it’d be okay to transact with
these cocksuckers.
Seth:So we can sell ‘em our
wares?
Al: Your normal fucking wares. No gambling, whoring or whiskey on the
fucking premises is the chief fucking point.
Sol: Agreed. (Puts his hand
out)
Al: I spit in my hand. (Does so) Will that drive you screaming
into the hills? (Sol spits in his own hand and they shake,
Al then shakes with Seth – hmm, no spit there) The ah, thousand’d be
nice.
Sol: (counting) 20, 40, 60, 80,
100
EB: Happy
outcome.
Sol: 20, 40, 60, 80,
200…
(Street, Charlie is talking to
the Soap Guy)
Soap Guy: A shootin’
exhibition.
Utter:
That idea for Mr. Hickok’s been had and acted upon. By a few people before
you.
Soap Guy: And then, afterward, we cut the bullets
out. And (Charlie spots EB leaving the Gem) the
fuckin’ playin’ cards he was usin’ as targets. That’s the point I was tryin’ to get
to.
Utter:
How ‘bout the tree bark (Seth and
Sol emerge) behind the fuckin’ playing card targets, huh? (walks away towards Seth & Sol)
Soap Guy: (running after
Charlie) Hell, yeah, we’ll sell the
fuckin’ bark.
Utter: What do you say,
fellas?
Sol: We got our lot, Mr.
Utter.
Utter:
Well, Hooray for you boys.
Soap Guy: Two days, for me to get the word
out. 10 cents to watch, and we’ll
charge for the souvenirs.
Utter:
I ain’t gonna take you up on that, Mister.
Soap Guy: Another 20 for you on the
quiet.
Utter:
No. And the talk between us
is over.
Soap Guy: Soap! Soap with a prize inside! (walking away) Soap!
Utter:
Got that man to sell, ah?
Sol: Never had to strain to spend a thousand
dollars.
Seth: Will you let us outta
dinner?
Utter:
You a soon not do it, ah?
Seth: We’d like to get to
buildin’.
Sol: Will we see you tomorrow for
breakfast?
Utter:
Sure. Maybe we’ll catch Bill
comin’ back from cards, huh? Well
ah, congratulations to both of ya.
Sol: Thanks, Mr. Utter. (Shakes
hands with Charlie)
Seth: Thank you.
(Shakes hands with him as
well)
Utter: Ah, good luck to ya. (Leaves)
Sol: Looks like we’re in business, huh?
(We see EB sneaking into the
Bella Union)
EB: My goodness, my heavens. My
goodness gracious. Heaven’s to
Betsy.
Eddie: What do you
think? Hiram, ever seen a craps
layout?
EB: My
first.
Eddie: Shall I
show you how it works?
EB: I
might could follow. I do, read and
cipher.
Eddie: Well,
you’re well on advance of the pack.
Tell me what this says.
EB: C-O-M-E. It says “come.”
Eddie: You
really can read, can’t ya?
EB: I
wasn’t raised to lie. I’m liable to
be killed, Eddie. He’s on my scent
and closin’.
Eddie: Curious tactics your comin’ here
then, E.B.
EB: To
remind you secrecy’s of the essence.
Al Swearengen’s a dangerous man.
Let him doubt those he’s trusted, this camp will run red with
blood.
Eddie: Argues
for raising your room rates, at least make the game worth the
candle.
EB: I
wonder how cavalier your attitude’ll be with a pig gnawing through your
vitals.
Eddie: Bet on me
screaming for mercy.
EB: urn down your offer to buy and
pointed you to Artie Simpson. Whole
damn extent of my involvement. And I’m starin’ straight at
extinction.
Eddie: He may
get you anyway, E.B., but if your nerve goes, he’ll get you
sure.
(Al’s office, Jimmy has brought
Leon to see him)
Al: Now, dope is not my own
preferred form of relaxation, but I did try the shit and believe me…I nearly
converted.
Leon: And Jimmy said
you’d do right by me, Mr. Swearengen.
Al: Everything…that goes on at that
place.
Leon: I’ll give you
a daily report.
Al: Yeah. (Hands Leon the dope and walks to the
window. He sees E.B. emerge from
the Bella Union, E.B. pockets something.
Al’s face changes.) He’s the type I’d wanna know about. Just left your joint. Judas goat lookin’ fella. (Grabs Leon’s head and holds it looking out
the window) Hey, you see him?
Coyote movin’ type? You see
him?
Leon: The short
guy?
Al: Yeah,
with is paws always damp like he just shit fuckin’ turd. That’s the type I’d wanna know about.
Comings, goings, and dealings with your bosses.
Leon: I keep a
special eye on him.
Johnny:
Al?
Al: Yeah.
Johnny: That
cherry New York dude is downstairs askin’ for ya.
Al: No good. Charlie him the fuck out. (Johnny approaches Al’s
side)
Johnny: He
keeps talkin’ about the Pinkertons.
(Downstairs, Brom is smoking his
cigar)
Al: Dan Dority, thought you were
dead.
Brom: Yes, I
didn’t go to the claim this morning.
Al: You should’ve told
him. I’ve had him here the last
several hours in tears. Dan! Look! He’s alive!
Dan: Thank
God.
Brom: Yeas, I chose not to go to the
claim.
Al: Whiskey
Brom, snatch?
Brom: Frankly,
Al, I’m here to speak with you. And
I’m not to be distracted.
Al: Then
proceed, my son, speak frankly.
Brom: We
needn’t reach the question of whether my claim has…pinched out, as the saying
goes. Or whether it was a sham
proposition to begin with. Let’s
just say, I’ve lost faith in the property.
(Dan. Listening, sits down close
the conversation)
Al: Have you?
Brom: And I want my 20,000 dollars
back.
Al: In the
heat you’ve confused me with Tim Driscoll.
Brom: I think
we’re both aware, Al, that Driscoll’s no longer in camp. And because I believe you colluded with
Tim Driscoll and perhaps were in cahoots with other parties as well, I require
satisfaction from you.
Al: It’s the heat
again, Brom, I don’t collude and don’t cahoot.
Brom: Al, are
you familiar with the Pinkerton agency?
Al: Why?
Brom: Pursuing
its business interest my family’s had several occasions to engage the
Pinkertons. We maintain friendly relations. And I’d prefer we two settle this as
gentlemen, but if need be, the Pinkerton’s can be made a party to our
dispute.
Al: Has he
asked you to reconnoiter the rims with him at all?
Dan:Never.
Al: Did he
ask to and you refused?
Dan: Didn’t
get around to it, Al. I thought he
was in for the long haul.
Brom: But what
are you talking about specifically?
Al: The gold
you found washed down from somewhere, that’s the law of gravity. And your claim runs rim to rim, the
width of the fucking gulch, so the original deposit of gold you found washed
down from is likely on your claim above, near one of the
rims.
Brom: And
that’s what you feel I should reconnoiter?
Al: First
place the Pinkertons would look.
Unless I’m fuckin’ wrong.
Dan: No,
that’s how they operate.
Al: So if he
asks you, would you reconnoiter the rims with him?
Dan: Al, I
waited out there all morning for him—
Al: Is that a
yes or a no?
Dan: Yeah. I’d be happy to reconnoiter the rims
with him.
Brom: And if
Dan’s in my good faith reconnoitering don’t show the source of the gold, do you
then make restitution, Al? Or do I
have recourse to the agency?
Al: If at
that point you ask, yes, I’ll make restitution. All rights, all wrongs aside, ‘cause
you’ve got me by the fuckin’ balls.
Brom: Let me go home
and change. (Brom turns to leave and Dan gets up)
Ah, do I need climbing gear?
Dan:
You might want to bring a pickaxe.
Brom: Fine,
then. (Leaves)
Al: (To Dan) Make
it look like an accident.
(Grand
Central hotel stairs…)
Utter:
(Whispering) Ain’t this a pretty picture.
Jane: (Whispering) I can’t (??)
what I don’t know about.
Utter:
Passed out in the public
hallway.
Jane: He never
knocked on the damn door. By the
time I looked out he was already snoring.
Did you want me to drag him in by the damn heel?
Wild Bill: I says leave him where he is and go about your own
business.
Jane: He’s up. I hope you’re happy. Congratulations,
cocksucker.
Utter: Dinner’s been
cancelled, Bill.
Wild Bill: Alright.
Utter: Them two
fellas got their lot bought and they’re ah, started right ahead with the
buildin’.
Wild Bill: Sure.
Jane: I-I was that
shocked seeing you sleepin’ out here, Bill. First saw ya maybe an hour ago. Didn’t want to disturb me and the child,
Charlie. Why, he must’ve sought
entry to your room, wherever the fuck you were at.
Utter: Well, I’d like
to know where that goddamned inn keep was!
He could’ve let Bill in.
Wild Bill: You’re not gonna let me sleep, are
ya?
Jane: Well, I’da let
you sleep as long as you wanted, Bill.
Wild Bill: (Gets up,
sighing) How’s that little
one?
Jane: Good.
She’s nappin’. More than I
can say for you.
Wild Bill: Are those hardware boys lookin’ for extra
hands?
Utter: In a round
about way.
(Brom &
Alma’s room)
Alma: I
don’t agree with this plan.
Brom: Reconnoitering the rims is exactly the
sort of due diligence that father would ask if I’d done.
Alma: Nor do I see
the need to involve your father.
Brom: It was my
mentions of the Pinkertons, Alma, which brought Al Swearengen around and the
Pinkertons can’t come into this unless father does as well. I wouldn’t even know where to look for
them.
Alma: Ought’n we
possibly to take a different view of this, Brom? Consider we’ve had an adventure, costing
us $20,000. And let matters rest
there.
Brom: Let them
rest?
Alma: Yes. If you still want to see more of the
west, let’s go now and see it. Or
else return to New York. I don’t
think we should linger here.
Brom: I have no
abiding affection for this camp, Alma.
But I won’t leave without my money.
(Alma turns and sits at her
vanity, preparing another drink) Why do you take that
medicine?
Alma: You know
why. To relieve my
headaches.
Brom: The other
day I had a whopper of a headache and I sampled a bit. I would hardly call the dull, numb
floating feeling I experienced relief.
Alma: Perhaps the sexes experience the medicine
differently?
Brom: In any case, I
um, hope you feel better. (Turns and starts to
leave)
Alma: Thank you.
(Gem
balcony, Al is watching the opening of the Bella
Union.)
EB: (Clearing
throat)
AL:
EB. Thanks for coming.
EB: Whistle (Whistles) and I’m underfoot. Loyal as a damn dog. I tell you what, Al, you got a hell of a
nice turnout downstairs. Hell of a
nice Monday crowd.
(Cy checks
his pocket watch and motions to the gunman who steps forward and fires several
shots into
the
air. The crowd
cheers.)
EB:Jesus
Christ Almighty.
Al: Go ahead in, E.B.
EB:I’m
not in dutch, am I, Al?
Al: Go ahead
in.
(EB turns
inside. Al watches Cy eye him and
enter the Bella Union. A crowd
surges into the
new
saloon.)
(Hardware
store construction, Wild Bill is working)
Nathan: Mr. Hickok?
I’m Nathan Gordon. I come up
from Murphy’s Borough and…
Wild Bill: How are you, Nathan? (Smiles)
Nathan:
Fine. See, I’ll tell you this much, Mr.
Hickok. And I’d say the same to the
angels in heaven, as a stage performer, you cannot act a single damn
lick.
Wild Bill: (laughs)
I’d call that a fair
judgment.
Nathan:
I-I saw you on a stage in Hartford, Connecticut and I’da bet U.S. currency that
you’d been strangled and killed, you just didn’t know you was dead
yet.
Wild Bill: Was you born patient, Montana, or did you cultivate
it?
Seth: I guess
I’m patient for labor.
Man: Now why the fuck tell him that type
story?
Nathan: Why I
saw him perform with Buffalo Bill Cody and, Texas Jack Omaha and threw on a
stage in Harford, Connecticut.
Man: Who gives a fuck? You think he was put on earth to hear
you run him down?
Wild Bill: I’m alright, friend.
Man: No, why don’t you get outta my
sight, before I do somethin’ I’ll fuckin’ regret.
Nathan: Well
I’ll tell whatever kinda story I feel like tellin’.
Man: That’s right, tell it
walkin’.
Seth: Anyways,
me and Sol are sure grateful you and Mr. Utter are takin’ the time to
help.
Man: Go ahead about your work, Mr. Hickok. He won’t bother you no
more.
Wild Bill: Charlie encourages me bein’ in your company. He feels you’re a positive
influence.
Man: No reason you’d remember me but I saw you
marshal at Abilene. Saw you blow
one cocksucker’s head right the fuck off his neck. I also saw you…dead center three bullets
on a ace of spade playing card at 25 goddamned paces. Some other loud-mouth like this
loud-mouth I just sorted out, said you’d doctored that playing card before you
ever tacked it to that tree.
Wild Bill: And did you sort him out, too?
Man: Goddamned right.
Wild Bill: Well thanks for all that help. Now it’s time you moved
along.
Man: I sorted him out proper. Gouged out the both of his fuckin’
eyes.
Utter: Alright,
friend!
Wild Bill: Move along, I’m tired of listenin’ to
ya.
Man: You’re tired of
listenin’?
Seth: That’s
what he said.
Man: Oh, I guess everybody’s talkin’ to me
now.
Wild Bill: Get the fuck outta here!
Man: Alright, I hear you, Wild Bill. You don’t need to insult me twice. (Starts to leave, turns back around)
I’ll tell you what. I hope you
get what’s coming to you and I hope it’s sooner rather than later. I hope they sort you out! And I get to see it! I hope you’re gut shot and die
slow! And I hope they get ya in
this camp!
(Everyone
is quiet while the man walks
off)
Utter:
Hand me, hand me some of them
pegs, would ya? Hey, want some
pegs, Bill?
Wild Bill: I’m gonna desert you. (Gets up and puts his hammer away) Play
some poker. Drink some
whiskey. (Puts on his hat)
Seth: Thanks for your help.
Wild Bill: See ya later, Charlie.
Utter: Alright,
Bill.
Sol: Ready, Lift! Oh, there we go. (They all help to raise one of the wall
frames)
(Al is
watching the hardware store from his window)
Al: For havin’ nothin’ to do with him, these hardware
cocksuckers sure seemed to be joined to Hickok at the hip.
EB: You make your judgment on that situation,
Al. And I believe you judge
correct.
Al: No connection between them and him? Or between any of them, and these new
saloon people?
EB: You saw it like that and I did too. To the best of the both of our
thinking.
Al: Which was important to
me.
EB: Which was?
Al: What?
EB: When you said which was, I didn’t follow
what you were askin’.
Al: I wasn’t askin’ nothin’. I was sayin’, I didn’t have full
information so your impression on this was important. Someone I could trust. What’s wrong? What’s the matter?
EB: Ah, my palms are
damp.
Al: They’re always damp.
EB: Yes, sir.
Al: So is something…wrong?
EB: no, no.
(Creekside,
Brom and Dan are walking along the creek – Ellsworth is at his camp,
observing)
Ellsworth: Well, the great prospector’s found his second
wind.
(Al’s
office…)
EB: You tell me, Al. Have you a doubt or misgiving? You tell me.
Al: Generally, if I have a misgiving, or a
doubt, I kill the cocksucker I have a doubt and misgiving
about.
EB: But these are special
circumstances.
Al: I don’t know what you mean by special
circumstances. If I want to, I can
burn the whole fuckin’ camp down.
EB: Yes, you can.
Al: Cut your throat first, and them burn down
the whole fucking camp.
EB: You can---
Al: So I don’t know what the fuck you
mean.
EB: I mean, short of burnin’ it all down, you
gotta trust someone. (EB is very
nervous)
Al: What were you doing over there?
EB: Where?
Al: Where?
EB: At the Bella Union? Got an impression scouting. Listen to me, listen to me. I was the go-between, it was me. But without, m-malicious
intention.
(Brom and
Dan are now climbing the rim – Dan sets down his
lantern…)
Brom:
Well, I confess to being winded.
(Turns around, sees Dan coming towards him.)
Oh no, Dan. No. No. (Dan grabs him) Mother. (Dan throws him from the
cliff)
(Al’s
office…)
EB: Simple greed.
One less hotel in camp, shorten up the room supply, no conspiracy, no
betrayal. If you’re gonna murder
me, I’d appreciate a quick dying.
And not getting’ eat by the pigs.
In case there is resurrection of the flesh.
Al: (Licks his lips and leans in close to EB’s
ear) Stay friendly with them cocksuckers.
EB: With them Bella Union people?
Al: You can’t help yourself, can you? (EB leaves)
(Creekside,
Dan is heading down to the rocks where Brom landed. Brom is breathing. Dan feels around Brom’s neck and picks
up a gold nugget)
Dan: You
fell, but ah, but you’ll be alright.
(Puts the nugget in his pocket)
I’m gonna take care of ya. Just
ah, just hold on a second. No
hollerin’. (Ellsworth is watching, with the dog by his
side. Dan picks away at the moss
covered wall revealing a quartz outcrop.
He covers it with some branches and returns to Brom who is still
breathing) I’ll take care of ya.
(Grabs Brom’s head and lifts it
up) Now, hush. (Grunting, Dan smashes Brom’s head into the
rocks and Ellsworth takes off. Dan
looks up.)
(Bella
Union, Bill is playing cards. Cy is
watching him…)
Joanie:
Tina and Molly can be quiet
if you want him kept company.
Cy: That man’s already doin’ all he wants
to. If I send him anyone, it’d be
you. (Joanie smiles and walks off. Cy nods to
Eddie and motions Leon over to him) Are you loaded,
Leon?
Leon: Well on the
path, Mr. Tolliver. That man at the
Gem has got some serious shit.
Cy: I know when you make you first report on
us to him, you’ll remember to say thanks.
Eddie: I hope
you’re not too fucked up to deal the deuce for us, Leon.
Leon: Opium ain’t
been made yet, Mr. Sawyer, that can fuck me up that bad. (Cy laughs, Leon goes back to his
table)
Eddie:
I’ll tug his
reins.
Cy: I hope our hero
wins.
Eddie: Count on
it. (Looking at Wild
Bill)
(Wild
Bill’s room, Jane is watching Sophia, who is awake.)
Jane: If
Bill comes, I’m gonna move you to that nice pallet over there, only ‘cause he’s
far too big for it and so too would I be.
So if you wake up on the pallet, that’s what happened. And him and me bein’ where we are, is
the circumstances of the room period and the grownups are just sleepin’. But don’t be afraid to, to, to, wake me
up. Alright sweetheart, go to sleep. I’m right here.
(Al’s
office, Trixie is scraping Al’s feet with a straight
razor)
Al: Not too fucking deep, huh?
Trixie: I
won’t.
Al: Trust. Hell of a way to operate, huh? Look at all the ins and outs of gettin’
killed. Not too fucking deep. (Trixie brushes the side of his foot and
scrapes again, gently) Every
fuckin’ beatin’ I’m grateful for.
Every fuckin’ one of them.
Get all the trust beat outta you.
And you know what the fuckin’ world is. (Trixie looks up at him, they look at each
other a moment. Someone knocks on
the door)
Dan: Al, open up, it’s me, it’s Dan! You’re gonna wanna hear this, open
up! (Trixie opens the door)
Al: Come here, sit down. (Points to the stool at the foot of the bed
where Trixie was just sitting – Trixie goes out to the
balcony…)
Dan: Well, it’s a mixed report.
Al: You just tell me, is it
done?
Dan: Oh, it’s done. Yeah, he’s gone.
Al: So what’s the
mixture?
Dan: He went ownin’ one hell of a fuckin’ gold
strike. (Trixie, out on the balcony, sees Alma
looking out her window, their eyes
meet)
Al: Where’s the dude
now?
Dan:
Splattered at the bottom of the
ridge.
Al: Ride back out. Bring him back in at
dawn.
Dan: Alright. (Dan leaves)
Al: Trixie!
(Trixie comes back in and sits
back down)
Trixie: You want the other foot?
Al: Yeah. Please. (Their eyes meet)
The End
Written by Jody Worth
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Al Swearengen: Ian McShane Dan Dority: W Earl Brown
Wild Bill Hickock: Keith Carradine
Seth Bullock: Timothy Olyphant
Alma Garret: Molly Parker
Ellsworth: Jim Beaver
Doc Cochran: Brad
Dourif
Sol Star: John Hawkes
Trixie: Paula
Malcomson
Tom Nuttall: Leon Rippy
Cy Tolliver: Powers Boothe
Leon: Larry Cedar
Sophia: Bree Seanna Wall |
E.B. Farnum: William Sanderson
Calamity Jane: Robin Weigert
Charlie Utter: Dayton Callie Johnny Burns: Sean Bridgers
Jack McCall: Garret Dillihunt
Jewel: Geri
Jewell
A. W. Merrick: Jeffrey Jones
Rev. Smith: Ray McKinnon
Brom Garret: Timothy Omundson
Mr. Wu: Keone Young
Joanie Stubbs: Kim Dickens
Con Stapleton: Peter Jason
Eddie Sawyer: Ricky Jay |
Transcription last updated on 02/06/2007 | |
Deadwood transcription from
www.CalamityDan.com These transcriptions are the property of
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