SCENE 10
Opens with the same image that we left with, tight close up of one of Foley's men sighting a rifle from between the rails of a fence. Camera pulls back for wider shot, then shifts to show, through an arch, the buckboard rolling past the stone posts of the hitching rail before the hacienda.
Inside, Teresa, her hair still out of place, turns to look at Murdoch. Clearly tense and concerned, ML rises to his feet. Corey turns from the window, and heads towards the front door, the man at the French doors falling in behind him, at a gruff word from Corey.
Outside, the Lancer brothers are both standing at the back of the wagon, about to try to move Polly. Suddenly, a vaquero rides past, yelling at them to "Get out! Get out!"
One of Foley's men is seen firing and the Lancer vaquero goes down.
More gunshots.
(in the script, there is no interior view of Teresa and Murdoch, but shots of the Lancer hands at work, with a focus on one particular unnamed vaquero. There are close ups of this vaquero, Johnny and Scott's approach is viewed from this man's pov and he, after a moment of indecision, finally bolts forward yelling at them to "Go back. . . go back!" The vaquero runs towards Johnny and then is shot down. Johnny wheels his horse and yell to Scott: "Get out of here!" In the script, the brothers never really get into the yard, let alone dismount.)
Scott hurries back into the wagon seat, then quick camera action here: more of Foley's men shooting, Johnny jumping onto his horse, gunshots and men on horses in the background. Johnny fires back, a Foley man falls. The buckboard rolls away, Johnny turns his horse, fires, another man dies, the buckboard speeds past.
Inside, Gant hurries away from the window, crosses the room, uses his pistol to knock a pane out of one of the French door and fires. Johnny is seen bent low over Barranca's back riding hard. He passes a man seated on stonewall who aims a rifle. The man up on the roof of the guardhouse also takes aim. Cut to show Johnny, his hat moving behind him, attached to his neck by its cord, as he shoots. Then the man on the roof dramatically tumbles down the incline to the ground.
The buckboard rolls with a clatter of wheels through the wooden gate towards the Lancer arch, with Johnny close behind.
Cut to the scene inside the Great Room-as a Foley man moves in a blur past the camera, Murdoch gets up and hurries around his desk to open the top center drawer, trying to get to a gun. Over by the French doors, Gant is still firing through the knocked out pane; he and Lew turn and see Murdoch. Lew races over to him, with Gant close behind. When Lew tries to wrench the gun from his hand, ML shoves him into Gant, pushing both men to the floor. Murdoch runs to another of the French doors; we can see Teresa standing off to the side watching. Quick glimpse of Murdoch running out under the portico, then the camera moves back inside to show Gant running towards the same set of doors in pursuit of Murdoch-Teresa steps in to try to slow him down, but he pushes her away. Lew follows Gant.
(the script describes the essentials of this action, but doesn't mention Teresa trying to block Gant)
Outside, Gant and Lew are running. Just as Murdoch clears the house, another Foley comes up behind him and knocks him to the ground using a rifle to strike the back of Murdoch's head. Gant stops the man from hitting Murdoch again by pulling his man away, striking him across the face. GF is clearly not pleased with his action.
(this is not in the script, which has Murdoch struck once, and Gant hauling him up off the ground. There is no real confrontation between Corey and Gant; Gant asks "Well?" Corey says "They got away, and tells the men to mount up. Then Gant says "Hold it!" and "We'll do this my way-")
Corey enters the scene with another man behind him. Corey tosses his own rifle to the man following him. Gant grabs Corey's arm, demanding to know "What happened, Corey?" He pushes his nephew and says "I asked you what happened?" when CF doesn't immediately respond.
CF clearly frustrated): "They got away, Uncle!" He walks away a few steps, then turns back: "Now whatta we waitin' for? Let's go!" He gestures for the men to follow him, then turns his back and heads towards the horses.
Gant: "Hold it! Stay put! (the men freeze in place) We're gonna do this my way."
SCENE 11
Quick shift to the Lancer brothers. Scott is still driving the team of horses pulling the buckboard, Johnny follows on his palomino as they ride down a small hill. Scott reins the horses to a halt and Johnny comes up beside him. Scott's hat is on the wagon seat beside him, Johnny's head is also bare, his hat hangs by a cord on his back.
JL: "Whaddaya stoppin' for?"
Camera angle from behind Johnny. Scott looks over his shoulder at Polly, who is struggling to sit up a bit in the back of the wagon. He shakes his head slightly as he speaks. "She's had it. Couple more miles of this and she'll never make it." Scott looks around. "Maybe we'd be better off if we hid the buckboard and holed up right here." (note his accent on 'buckboard' and 'here'! dropping those "Rs".)
(small detail, that in the script Polly was seated beside Scott rather than lying in the back of the wagon. Also, Johnny is directed to ride over and give her a sip of water from his canteen.)
Close up of Johnny as he looks around. "Better for us, but not for her." Scott's voice, off camera asks: "Got any better ideas?"
JL, to Polly: "C'n you hang on for another quarter mile?" Camera returns to angle behind JL. We can see Polly shake her head with a tired 'yes'. Scott looks up at Johnny.
Camera returns to Johnny: "Head for Maria's place."
Scott puts on his hat, slaps the reins on the horses back and they take off again. Polly is lying down once more and Johnny follows behind. Lancer theme music plays confidently.
SCENE 12
Interior shot of an older Mexican woman seated at a cloth covered table, knitting. In the foreground is a kerosene lamp and also a condiments tray on the table. Interesting camera angle yet again, it seems as if the viewer is sitting across from her at the table, sharing her quiet company. She reacts to the sound of approaching horses, setting down her needlework and getting up to go to the door. She has her dark hair pulled back and is wearing a green embroidered blouse and a blue skirt. She opens the door and steps out onto the porch of her cabin and we see from her pov Johnny on Barranca and Scott driving the wagon into her yard. Scott halts the horses beside a water trough and ties the reins. The Lancer theme music is softer now.
Close up on Maria's concerned face, then shift to show Scott jumping down from the wagon and going around to the rear of the buckboard. Scott picks up Polly and carries her past the horses, with JL following behind.
Scott: "Maria! We're gonna need some help." He starts up the cabin steps.
Maria (accepting): "Of course." Scott carries Polly through the door, stepping sideways carefully, so as not to hit her feet on the door frame. He carries her very easily. Maria says "In the bedroom," as he moves past her.
Outside, Johnny is keeping watch. The camera alternates between close ups of him and his pov looking at the road behind them. We can detect faint movement that may be approaching riders in the distance; the ominous music gives us another clue that Johnny sees something. JL doesn't look especially concerned, he's just waiting. But now he glances toward the cabin and back.
(in the script, Maria helps Polly into the cabin, and Johnny draws Scott's attention to something off screen. Following Scott's pov, "a lone rider can be seen slowly approaching from about 100 yards away." Scott says the name "Foley." Johnny instructs him: "You stay with the girl," and SL goes inside while his brother waits for Foley.)
Back inside, Scott and Maria are facing each other. The top of her head might reach his shoulder, so she is looking up at him. Behind them we see items on a mantle piece and a set of antlers hanging on the wall.
SL: "Is she all right?"
Maria hesitates a bit. Then, emphatically: "You'd better go and talk to her."
Scott looks towards the bedroom, then starts towards it. Camera shows his back as he approaches the closed door while Maria is heard to say: "Maybe in a few hours. Maybe more." Scott drops his hat on a table beside the door and opens it.
Shift to inside the bedroom. Polly is standing, buttoning up her blouse as Scott enters. He pauses momentarily as he sees her. He has a serious expression and continues into the room, only half-closing the door behind him. Polly turns away and continues working the buttons of her blouse. Behind them we can see details of the furnishings of the bedroom. A window, a wood-framed mirror on the wall above a dresser, a chair and clothing hanging from pegs on the wall behind Scott.
SL, putting hands to hips with an audible sigh: "What do you think you're doing?"
Polly, without turning: "Gettin' outta here."
SL: You gonna have that baby on horseback or on foot?"
PF, reacts to that, half glancing at him. "I'll be all right." She continues working on her buttons. "Look, I thank ya for what ya done, you and your brother, but I'm (she faces him) I'm getting' outta here before something happens to that lady."
Scott turns to push the door fully closed. Polly looks up at the sound, then brushes the hair out of her eyes.
SL, in a low voice: "She knows what she bought. Even if I didn't stop you, she would, now you get back in that bed." He gestures off camera towards the bed. Polly looks down.
PF: "Look, can't you just leave me alone?"
SL: "No. Now unless you want me to do the honors, you'll do as you're told."
Suddenly she cries out in pain and clutches at her abdomen. Scott moves in behind her, grasping her arms and guiding her to the unmade bed. She continues to make noises as he lifts her feet up onto the bed, then sits on the edge of it and picks up a bottle from the bedside table. He pours some of it into a class, as he keeps an eye over his shoulder at the now silent Polly. Scott recorks the bottle, says "Here." And offers her the glass. Polly shakes her head 'no.' Scott reaches for her hand.
PF: "Maria already gave me some, I don't want to be drunk when my baby comes."
SL, forcefully: "Take it." He puts the glass in her hand and then uses his still bandaged right hand to lift up her head a bit so that she can drink. She does. Just a sip, then he takes the glass and places it on the table as she sinks back against the pillows. Still glancing over his shoulder at her with concern, Scott reaches for a cloth which he dips in the basin of water also on the table, wrings it out and then dabs her face. Close up of Polly's face as the cloth is applied to her cheek, across her forehead, to the other cheek and back around. Shot also features Scott's bandaged hand. Polly stares up at him.
(there is much more here than what is written in the script, which has Polly crossing to the bed on her own. Scott pours her the drink and that exchange takes place, but the script doesn't mention the action with the damp cloth.)
Close up of Scott, looking very serious and concerned, mouth tightly closed. He seems to react to her gaze. Camera pulls back to show Scott sitting on the bed and Polly looking up at him. He gestures with the cloth, then tosses it aside as he speaks.
SL: "There now. You lie there and you rest. If you need anything, (he gestures) I'll be right in the next room.
(script: Scott delivers this line from a standing position, and then moves to the door. The rest of the conversation takes place across the room.)
He starts to rise and Polly reaches for his arm.
Polly: "Scott?" He stops.
Close up on Polly. PF: "There's something I want to say to you, and yet. . . (long pause, she lowers her eyes and swallows, then looks up at him again) The reason I lied to you about . . . who I was and what I was is. . . .
Camera shifts to Scott, his face no longer tight - his lips and eyes have softened. "Is what?"
Back to Polly, gaze lowered once more. She looks up and him and the camera shifts back and forth between them. Polly: "Forget it. It's too late." She closes her eyes and turns her face away. Another close up of Scott, looking at her. Background music includes harps. He lowers his own eyes and then camera pulls back to show the two of them, Polly's hand still clutching the sleeve of SL's jacket. He gently removes her hand and places it on her stomach, giving it a squeeze with his own injured hands as he gets up to leave. Scott moves off camera and Polly lies there watching him go.
Shift back to the outside and Johnny watching as a lone rider enters the front yard. It is Gant Foley. He dismounts as Johnny approaches.
GF: "I'm alone." (close up on Johnny and back to Gant) "Touch me and your father's dead. Our business is with the girl. Where is she?"
Johnny gives him a steely look, then the camera pulls back to show JL reaching for Foley's gun and removing it from the holster.
JL: "Inside."
GF walks towards the steps and the front entrance of the cabin with JL following behind.
Cut to interior shot with Scott seated in the foreground and Maria in the background tending the fire in the fireplace. Scott reacts to the sound of footsteps and rises from his seat as Gant Foley comes through the door. Foley stares at Scott. Johnny enters behind GF.
JL: "He wants to talk to the girl." Johnny tosses Gant's gun to Scott. SL catches it and the camera closes in on his face as he looks at Gant. Shift to Foley as he recognizes the man facing him.
GF: "So you're Scott Lancer. Well . . . I guess maybe you know now we ain't farmers (close up on Scott, as Foley continues speaking, then back to Gant) don't ya? Well, no matter. Right now all I wanna do is talk to the girl." Another nice close up of Scott. SL doesn't speak, just gives Foley a level look, then turns and leads the way to the bedroom door, carrying Foley's gun in his hand.
(script has Scott emerge from the cabin when Foley rides up. Gant delivers his lines, Johnny takes his gun and they go inside. The above exchange, with references to their encounter at the doctor's house, also not in the script, is missing.)
Shift inside to show Polly's face as her head rests on the pillow. She turns at the sound of the door opening and we follow her pov to see Gant Foley entering. Scott is close behind.
Back to Polly, her eyes widening dramatically in fear and disbelief.
Shot of Gant in the doorway. Scott is still right behind him and Johnny is leaning on the doorframe. Foley reaches for the brim of his hat and says her name.
Back to Polly, still staring, then she turns her head away from him. Camera pulls back to show GF approaching the bed.
GF: "There's, uh, no need to be afraid girl, I just come ta talk. (She looks up at him, he pauses) You feelin' all right? The baby?"
PF, defiant: "You got somethin ta say, you just say it and you get outta here."
She turns her head away so she doesn't see him reaching into his jacket and removing an envelope. He checks inside and then talks to her profile as she lies in the bed.
GF, speaks haltingly as he holds the envelope towards her: "There's three thousand dollars in that envelope, Polly. (She turns back, glances at it) It's all yours. (close up on GF) All you gotta do . . . is deliver that baby, hand it over to me, and just go away. (close up on Polly) I'll take care of 'im."
Polly doesn't speak.
Camera shifts to Gant. "Count the money, Polly, then I want your answer."
Quick shot of the Lancer brothers, in the doorway listening and watching this scene with serious expressions. Then back to Polly.
PF, turning her face away from him: "You must be crazy."
GF's face hardens. He's been reasonable to this point. "I'm givin' you your life, Polly, yours and the Lancers. (this gets Polly's attention, close on her as she turns to look at him) Understand? It's a whole lot more than you deserve. (back to Gant) But that baby's mine, it's all I got left.
Tight shot of Polly: "You are crazy." She turns her face away again.
Close on Gant, the camera continues to shift back and forth between them during the following exchange: "Three thousand dollars, Polly. It'll, it'll buy you all them things you always wanted."
Polly turns to face him. She's angry and her voice rises with emotion. "I got what I want. And I'm not gonna turn it over to you!"
GF: "Three thousand dollars Polly, listen, it---"
PF: "I heard you, and I gave you my answer. (Speaks rapidly now) Now, you can bribe me, you can threaten me, you can do what you want, but I'm not givin' you my baby. I'd rather be dead than see it raised by you!"
GF: "Raised by me? Who are you to judge me?"
She doesn't respond, just turns her face away.
GF: "Don't you think I know how Frank met you, where he met you?"
PF, without looking at him: "You know why Frank died? (she turns the full force of those large and angry eyes on him) You know who really killed him? You did! (close up on Gant as he furrows his brow and her voice continues) From the day he was born you led him step by step right into the barrel of a shotgun."
(script has her address him here as "Mr. Foley.")
Close up on Polly. "He didn't come after me because he loved me, he came because he was your son (slight pause) and because he only knew one thing, to hurt, to kill!"
GF: "That's not so!"
(script: "Shut up!")
PF, vehemently: "You killed him! But you're not gonna do it to my baby. They're not gonna find him riddled with bullets in some ditch, (sounding more tired now) not twenty years from now, not ever. (she turns aside) And just take your money and get outta here."
GF: "Is that your final word to me?"
PF: "No! (her lip trembles, she tosses her head on the pillow, gathering some strength before looking directly at him once more) No, it's not my final word. (dramatic pause) My final word'll come if you try to take me by force. Because I'll put a gun to my head . . at the first sight of you or your men. And my baby'll never get born. (shot of Foley, then cut to the Lancers, still listening. Johnny bows his head. Then we see Polly lying in the bed and Foley standing, looking down at her.) Now get out!"
She turns her face away and he stuffs the money back into his envelope. Gant walks slowly to the door. He stops, glances back at Polly. Scott has been perched on a dresser near the door. He stands up.
GF, to Scott: "You'd better change her mind. Either that or clear out!" Johnny in the background starts to turn away with his head bowed.
SL (coolly): "And if we don't?"
Before Gant can answer, there is a sound of approaching horses. GF moves to the window to look out, SL, still holding Foley's gun, goes to the other side of the window and does the same. Johnny moves in behind, resting one hand on a trunk at the foot of the bed to take a look out. From their pov, we see several men on horseback, with Murdoch Lancer in the middle. His hands appear to be tied behind his back. Zoom in on ML's face as he sits grimly, and we hear GF talking to the brothers.
(script has Johnny answer Scott's question: "Just look out the window." Then Gant and Scott cross over to look.)
GF: "Looks like my boys got a little eager. But that don't matter. (back inside, we see the three men) He's got til midnight. Otherwise I'll have him shot down where he stands." Gant brushes past Johnny and makes for the door. Then he stops and turns. "If he was my father, I know what I'd do. I surely do."
(script direction calls for Gant to exit and then a fade out here)
Foley exits to dramatic music. Close up on the Lancer brothers standing facing, but not looking at each other with serious expressions. JL's left hand can be seen twitching in this shot. Scott cocks a glance towards Polly and the camera follows to her face. She looks unhappy, turns away from the boys. Camera goes back to them, and they give each other a look. Johnny moves off screen, probably following Foley. Scott shifts Gant's gun from one hand to another, then turns back towards the window and peers out again.
Shot of Murdoch and his escorts and we fade to commercial.
ACT FOUR
SCENE 13
Opens with Johnny in profile looking out of the window. It's dark. We follow his pov to see the trees and moonlight outside from behind the cover of the cabin porch with its hanging plants in the foreground. Then back inside and Scott is in the background, moving an item aside and bending to look out of another window. JL turns to look at Scott, then back to the outside.
Interior shot. Scott reaches into his right front pants pocket and withdraws an item. He is holding this object in his hands as he moves to the foreground. It appears to be a watch that he holds up to the moonlight coming in through Johnny's window. He shifts it to his left hand to check the time then snaps it shut.
(script has Johnny checking the time on his watch, then Scott enters after JL snaps the watch closed.)
SL: "Anything?"
He's bareheaded, has his lips pressed together and gaze lowered. He's not looking at Johnny. JL's attention is focused on the window; he's still wearing his hat. His right arm is raised and resting on the window frame.
JL, lowers his arm and stands still looking out. (At first it seems that he is rolling his shoulders as if to relieve tension, but apparently he is removing his gunbelt, since later on he sets something down on the table. But this all seems to happen below camera level.
JL: “Yeah, they’re still out there, somewhere. I figure there’s two things we can do.” We see Scott’s profile as he listens to Johnny continue. “Turn the girl over to ‘em so we can get outta here. (he turns away from the window towards Scott) Or make a stand and our old man will probably be killed.”
Scott’s head is bowed. “And you, uh. . . vote that we sell the girl out.”
JL, smiles in the darkness: “No Brother, that ain’t the way I vote at all.”
Scott doesn’t speak, but looks over his shoulder as Johnny goes out the front door.
Alone inside, SL moves to JL’s window, resting both arms on the window ledge and staring out. He gives a little smile before the scene shifts.
(script: has Johnny deliver his line and then start for the door, followed by a quick cut to the next scene. In other words, no shot of Scott alone, it wouldn’t even be certain whether or not SL followed JL out.
Some other differences in wording and direction here:
Johnny: “Two things we can do—we can turn her over and clear out—or we can make our stand and let the old man be killed.”
Scott (coldly, stopping him): “And you vote to sell the girl out—”
A long beat as their gaze locks, then:
Johnny (with a faint smile): “No, Brother. . . that ain’t the way I vote at all . . . ”)
SCENE 14
It’s still dark outside, and we see the Foley’s gathered in a campsite. There is a fire in the foreground. Corey, still in his vest, string tie and bright white shirt, is standing taking a swig frorm a bottle. He’s hatless. He looks down, and the camera shifts to show his pov: Murdoch, wearing his hat, seated with his arms behind him. Then we see Corey again, he says Lew’s name and tosses the bottle to him.
Next we are looking up a hill and see a shadowy figure. Most of us will immediately recognize Johnny moving amongst the rocks up above.
Back to Corey: “What’re we waitin’ for? (he puts his hands on his hips) Hmm?”
He crouches down near his uncle, who is sitting and staring into the fire.
(Note in the script here points out that Gant has replaced the gun that Johnny took from him)
Gant: “You’re waitin’ on me, Corey.”
CF: “Stallin’s what yer talkin’ about, Uncle.”
Close up of Gant’s grim face, with Corey slightly behind him. Gant looks grim. He’s still wearing his hat.
CF: “Those boys ain’t gonna move outta that spot and you know it. Four and a half hours, now, four and a half hours.”
GF, over his shoulder: “You’re getting’ a little too big in the mouth ta suit me, now why don’t you shut it!”
Corey gets up and turns away, Gant rises as well, and checks the time on his watch. The camera shifts to the hillside, and we again see Johnny moving through some brush. Back below, Gant walks away from the camera, towards Murdoch.
(script calls for a close up of the watch face, with the time at 11:30)
Close up of Gant leaning down face to face with ML.
GF: “Do you value your life, Lancer? Do ya?” There is no response from Murdoch, he doesn’t even make eye contact with Gant. Foley reaches out and grabs Murdoch.
GF, roughly: “I asked you a question.”
Finally Murdoch looks at him: “What do you want me to do, Foley, go out and plead with my boys? Even if I did, it wouldn’t do any good.”
GF lets go of ML, giving him a push as he does so. Camera pulls back to show Corey standing center screen, and Gant moves towards him, rubbing at his face with one hand as he does so. Another quick shot to remind us that Johnny is still maneuvering into position.
(script also points out that during the following, Gant’s men watch carefully. “It is their lives which are being argued about as well.”)
Murdoch speaks, causing Gant to turn back towards him: “Foley—give it up.”
The camera moves back and forth between them in close-ups during the following exchange.
GF, incredulously: “Give it up!?”
ML: “You storm that shack and the only thing that’s gonna happen---”
GF cuts him off: “ Men’ll bleed. (quick cut to ML, then back to GF) Foleys have bled before, this time at least it’ll be for one a their own.”
ML, louder: “One of their own, Foley, or one of your own? Your grandson—if it’s a boy.” Murdoch gestures with his head towards some of the men. “Look at ‘em. . .
Murdoch starts to rise and the camera pulls back to show Corey and Gant standing facing each other. ML walks to position himself between them.
ML: “You think they’re gonna risk their lives for that?”
Again the camera shifts back and forth between the faces of the two men.
GF: “They’ll do what I tell ’em.”
ML: “Oh, they will. . . (ML nods, he’s skeptical) And what if in the killing and the shooting Polly and the baby--- ”
GF interrupts: “I’m doing. . .what I have to --(rapidly) Don’t you understand?”
ML: “Look, I know what it’s like to lose a son---I lost both of mine for the last twenty years. They were taken away from me when they were babies—”
GF: “Yeah—but you got’em back, didn’t ya? You got the whole world, ain’t ya? (pause) Me, all I’ve got is the hope of that kid and nobody’s gonna take that away from me, nobody!”
Johnny, shouting from the top of the hill: “Foley!” Murdoch, Corey and Gant all turn to look up the slope behind them. Back to Johnny, holding his gun with both hands, on the group. “Nobody moves. Untie ‘im.”
(the script reads as if Johnny is at closer range. His line is “Anybody moves---you’re dead!” and he is targeting Gant. Johnny tells Lew to cut Murdoch loose and when Lew hesitates, JL fires a shot at Lew’s feet. Johnny tells Lew to “Hurry up.”)
Gant nods at Lew, who gets up and moves to untie ML. Meanwhile, Corey cuts between Gant and Lew and moves to the right and off screen. Once Lew has untied him, ML turns and backhands Lew across the face, the man goes down, then ML takes off running.
Johnny fires a shot, the Foleys duck and Murdoch keeps running.
Close up of Gant, shouting: “It’s all for nothin’ Boy, you know that! The girl’s still trapped in the shack, you got no time to get help!”
Shot of Murdoch nearing the top of the slope and Johnny extending a hand to help him up the last few steps. JL fires and Gant ducks, Johnny fires again and then he and Murdoch disappear over the hill.
(script has Murdoch take Lew’s gun when he hits him and Gant’s line above is delivered with “eyes locked on Johnny’s, coldly” rather than being shouted up the hill. Johnny’s reply to Gant is “I don’t need help. . I’ve got you. Up here. . . Foley. . . join the--” He never finishes as he spots one of Foley’s men going for his gun. Johnny whirls and fires. Before the man has hit the ground, the Foleys go into action, diving for cover. Johnny “rips off another shot” and then another covering burst as Murdoch rushes past him. Close up on Gant as he fires directly into the camera and there is the sound of other gunshots. Then shift to Polly, lying in bed in labor, hearing the sounds and reacting, shots of Johnny and ML running, Scott answers Polly and it’s only after ML and JL burst into the cabin that the camera goes back to Gant to deliver his order to “Move out!”)
Close up of GF: “All right, mount up!”
Shift to the cabin and we see Scott still sitting and looking out the window, keeping watch. The we see the riders, their horses pass by en route to the cabin. Next Murdoch and Johnny are seen on foot, heading towards the front of the building, Johnny stops to shoot a few more times. Quick shot of Scott reacting to the noise, then back to show Johnny.
Next cut to Polly, lying in the bed as she also reacts to the sound. Maria is standing in the foreground, but all we see of her is an arm. Polly is upset, she asks what is wrong and then calls Scott’s name, partially lifting herself up off of the bed.
Shift to Scott, who yells back: “It’s all right—it’s Johnny and my father!” He moves to the door, gun in hand, opens it and then returns to his window position.
Cut back to Polly, now apparently reacting to a contraction.
Back to Scott at the window, with the door partially open. Murdoch hurries inside, turns directly to Scott and asks if he has an extra gun. Scott nods, hands him a weapon and ML moves to take up a position at the window on the other side of the door.
(the script has Scott respond audibly “Foley’s,” as well as nodding. But this is still forgetting that Murdoch was directed to take Lew’s gun)
Johnny was directly behind Murdoch and closes the door behind them. Scott hands Johnny his gunbelt, while keeping his gaze on what is happening outside. JL holsters his gun, kneels and reaches for a rifle that is leaning against the wall by the door. JL eases the door open a bit so he can point the barrel of the rifle through.
Outside, we see Foley and seven of his men on horseback in the front yard.
GF: “Lancer! It’s midnight! D’ya hear me? All of ya, clear out!”
While he’s shouting, we get glimpses of Murdoch at his window and then Scott in profile with Johnny in his background. “Leave the girl and there won’t be any more trouble.”
Scott turns to look towards ML. Close up of Murdoch, who takes off his hat.
Outside, close up of Corey, then shift to Gant who is still shouting and is starting to have a bit of desperation in his voice. “We’re all around you!”
The camera shows us this is true. A couple of the men are holding torches.
GF: “It’s eight against three! You’ll be killed, and for what?”
Inside, we see Johnny in profile. He glances at Scott, who looks back at him.
GF: “All right, for the last time. . . (quick shot of Corey) Come on out!”
CF: “I say we oughta burn ‘em out---(quick reaction shot of the Lancer brothers as Corey’s voice continues) They got it comin’!”
Full shot of the mounted group.
GF: “You move and I’ll blow your head off!” Corey turns his horse so he’s facing towards his uncle. “I want the girl alive, I’m takin’ no chances!”
CF: “You’re takin’ nothin’. Without old man Lancer, you got nothin’!”
Quick shot of a grim-faced Gant. Corey moves his horse aside and gestures to one of the men holding a torch. “Now go ahead and do it, Lew!”
Lew rides forward, Gant draws his gun and fires, Lew goes down!
Quick reaction from Johnny and then we are back outside where Corey rides up past Gant and forces his gun out of his hand; it falls to the ground. CF wheels his horse about, pointing his own weapon at his now unarmed uncle. He gestures with the gun as he’s speaking. “All right, now we’re gonna do it my way, or we’re not gonna do it at all. You understand? Me, I don’t care about that kid, cause the boys and I got other things to do.”
Shot of Murdoch listening intently. Outside, Corey continues speaking. The camera shifts to Gant midway and then back to Corey when he gets to his question.
CF: “Besides, this is your fight. . and we’re not gonna sit around forever just waitin’ for you to finish it! Now, (pause) what’s your answer?”
GF: “There’ll be no blood bath. No killin’ for the sake of it.
CF: “All right---you just go get that kid by yourself” He holsters his weapon and starts to ride away, addressing the other men. “Let’s go.”
As Corey rides away, Gant dismounts and picks up his gun. Corey turns and shoots, hitting Gant in the midsection!
Gant clutches his stomach, grimacing in pain. Reaction shot from ML.
Corey, to the other man with a torch: “Give me that.” He starts his horse in the direction of the cabin, riding right past his wounded uncle. Inside, we have reactions from Murdoch and Scott. Johnny stands, moves through the open door with his rifle and calmly shoots Corey off of his horse.
ML exits the cabin and hurries past Johnny, who follows.
The camera shows us the confused faces of the remaining Foleys. After some hesitation, they ride away.
Murdoch gets to Gant: “You plan to bleed to death, man?”
GF: “Get away from me. I don’t need no help.”
(in the script, Murdoch only says his line after Foley has heard the baby crying and tried to struggle towards the cabin on his own. Also in the script, Johnny remainsin the doorway of the cabin while Scott assists Johnny with Gant Foley.))
Murdoch says Scott’s name and asks him to give him a hand. SL seems to be stamping out some flames on the ground. It’s Johnny who comes up on the other side of Gant and he and Murdoch begin helping the man to the cabin.
Shift inside to show Polly with her eyes closed in bed. Her eyelids flutter and we hear a baby crying.
Back outside, Foley is still being assisted by Johnny and Murdoch and Scott is behind them.
GF: “I wanna see that baby, get me inside, please. . . ”
They get him inside and sit him in a chair. Johnny, still holding the rifle, goes into the bedroom.
Close up of Gant as he speaks to ML: “If I don’t make it, Lancer—there’s . . three thousand still in my pocket. Give it to Polly.”
Close up of ML: “You’ll make it, Foley. You may have a lot to answer for, but you’ll make it.” Camera shifts to Gant, who doesn’t respond, but can be seen breathing hard, he’s in pain.
(script has these lines as written, but also refers to Gant as “the dying man” and describes him as collapsing, kneeling across a table, once he gets inside. Maria comes out of the bedroom to help and Murdoch tells her to go back and “Bring the baby.”)
Camera pulls back to a position behind the seated Gant as Maria comes out of the bedroom carrying the baby. She approaches GF.
Close up of him as he removes his hat. “What is it? . . . . a boy---- or a girl?”
Another view of Maria holding the child, with Johnny behind her leaning on the doorframe. Maria looks at Murdoch, close on him, then back to the larger view as she answers in a heavily accented voice: “A girl.”
Reaction shot of Gant. He looks down before speaking softly. “A girl. Well, . . .(he looks up at Murdoch) maybe it’s better.”
Close up of Murdoch, whose face softens but doesn’t quite smile. Then we see Polly lying in bed with her eyes closed. She does smile.
Back to GF, then Maria bends to lower the child so that he can see her. Close up of him and then the image of the child fills the screen. Back to Gant again. “Maybe. . . it’s better.”
(no script direction for a shot of Polly here, but this was originally the last line of the show and then “Fade Out.”)
SCENE 15
First we have a transition scene of the hacienda with cows in front. The we are inside.
Teresa is carrying the baby. Behind her we see a doorway and also the Lancer liquor table with the map of the ranch hanging on the wall above it. Murdoch and Johnny are on the right, leaning over something on ML’s desk.
Teresa: “Polly’s upstairs resting, but. . she wanted me to formally introduce to you all: Miss Martha Anne Foley.”
Scott comes around behind her to stand near Teresa’s right shoulder, (our left). He has a white bandage on his right hand. Murdoch moves around the far side of the desk to the middle of the screen. Johnny stays behind the desk, then edges off the screen as the shot centers on the trio of Scott, Teresa and Murdoch all looking at the child in T’s arms. Murdoch says “Martha Anne” and chuckling, reaches out to pull the edge of the blanket aside to look at the baby.
TO: “And, she wanted me to explain, it was the best girl’s name she could come up with.” The baby starts to make some noise. Johnny moves into the foreground, coming around the desk to perch on the edge of it and leaning in to look at the baby. We only see the back of his head, not his face.
TO: “No matter how she tried, she. . she couldn’t do anything with Johnny, Scott or Murdoch.” They all smile and chuckle at this.
ML, to T: “Did you tell her she’s free to stay on as long as she wants?”
TO: “Um-hm. But she still wants to move on. Put all this as far behind her as she can.”
ML: “Well, you can’t blame her for that, I suppose.”
Close up of Johnny, as he speaks to Murdoch, then the camera moves back and forth between them during the following exchange. “You know, it doesn’t add up, Polly passin’ up three thousand dollars. . .”
ML, small smile: “Is it so hard to figure, Johnny?”
JL: “For that girl I used to know back in that dance hall (pause, small nod) Yes.”
ML: “Well, that only leaves one answer.”
Jl, half smile: Yeah . . . it’s not the same girl.”
Camera pulls back to show that Scott is now holding the baby. The concluding music begins. Murdoch reaches to pull the blanket again, talking to the infant asking “Is that a baby?”
Scott and Teresa smile down at little Martha and Johnny cranes his neck around to look at her again as well.
Fade out
THE END
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