The Big Country

Those that are gonna go on, one hour to eat, folks,

while we change the horses.

- Let me help you, ma'am. - Thank you.

- Good bye. - Bye, Mr. McKay.

Look at that.

- All right, Clint, turn 'em around. - Giddup, Robbie! Giddup!

Mr. McKay?

Yes?

- I'm Steve Leech, foreman at Ladder Ranch. - How do you do?

I brought you Pat's Buckboard and team.

She's waiting with a friend just around the corner.

Thank you. That's very kind.

I was beginning to think I was in the wrong town.

This your gear?

That's right.

I don't know as I'd wear that hat too long around here, Mr. McKay.

Why not?

One of these wild cowboys

might take it into his head to shoot it off you.

Thank you, Mr. Leech.

How do you do, Mr. Leech?

Boys, don't you know enough to tip your hats

when the foreman of Ladder goes by?

Come on, let's get outta here.

Pat! Pat!

Jim!

Darling, I can't believe you're really here.

- You don't know how long it's been. - Don't I, though?

If I'd known how much I'd miss you, I'd have made you marry me in Baltimore.

- You haven't changed your mind? - Do I act like it?

Although you must have wondered when I wasn't at the hotel to meet you.

I declare, I wasn't gone more than a minute.

We're gonna be a public scandal.

My hair's still not the way I planned it.

And I know my nose is red from waiting in the sun without a hat on.

I'm so glad to see you, I could cry.

- Thanks for bringing him to me, Steve. - You're welcome.

Anything else I can do?

No. If you're through in town, why don't you go back to Ladder?

Don't you want me to ride back with you?

Heavens, no. We'll take our time. We'd only hold you up.

The reason I mentioned it is that the Hannassey boys are in town.

- They've been drinking. - We'll be all right, Steve.

Just as you say, Miss Terrill.

Thank you, Mr. Leech.

Who lives here?

My friend, Julie Maragon.

She's the local schoolteacher.

- Am I still your girl? - You better be.

All right, Julie, you can come out now.

I've finished kissing him for a minute or two.

Julie?

She's gone.

You know, I think I'm gonna like Julie.

- Don't mind me. I'm just passing through. - Julie, you idiot, come on back here.

This is Jim.

I certainly hope so.

- Hello, Jim. - Hello, Julie.

What do you think of him?

- You don't look like a sailor. - You don't look like a school marm, either.

I didn't say he was a sailor. I said he was a ship's captain.

His family owns a whole shipping line.

But honestly, darlin', you do look funny out here in those clothes.

That's what Mr. Leech said, when he saw me in that hat.

We should've stayed in town, got some girls and more liquor.

Maybe we got us something better.

There's Pat Terrill and her Eastern dude.

Let's give him a welcome.

Get up outta there.

The Hannassey bunch. Local trash. Keep on driving, Jim.

- Looks like they want to talk. - Don't stop. Go right on through.

Let's go after them.

Whoa, DOV!

Whoa, DOV!

Whoa, DOV!

Help!

Howdy, Miss Terrill.

That wasn't very social back there.

Whaddaya know! We got a gentleman with us.

Don't it make you boys feel kind of dirty to look at such a handsome gentleman

all dressed up in a fancy suit?

Miss Terrill, ain't you gonna introduce me to your intended?

I wouldn't introduce you to a dog.

The name is McKay.

Polite, too.

Neat, clean, and polite.

But I sure do like your hat.

- All right, that's enough. - Pat!

Jinq!

Head her off there, Rafe!

Look what I got!

- Buck, I got me a young one! - Stop it! Let me out of here!

Don't you lay a hand on him, Buck Hannassey!

Gimme that hat!

Buck Hannassey!

Don't you touch him! Don't you touch him! You let me out of here!

All right, turn him loose.

Miss Terrill, he ain't much of a man.

You better send him back where he come from.

Jim, are you hurt, darling? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I'm all in one piece, I guess.

I'm so humiliated having this happen to you your first clay here.

Don't worry about it.

Greenhorns always have to get knocked around.

Why did you take the rifle away from me?

- I didn't even know you had one. - Why did you take it?

Why? I didn't think you wanted to shoot anybody.

The Hannasseys? I'd just as soon shoot 'em as look at 'em.

You don't mean that. They were just showing off.

I didn't want to let it get serious.

Jim, you didn't think that was serious?

Not really, no.

Aren't you even angry?

No.

- I wish you hadn't taken my rifle. - It's all over now.

We're both all right.

Not very good shots, are they?

Or maybe this is a better hat than I thought.

- Glad we're getting there. - Yeah. We'll be there before dark.

- Where you goin'? - I'm in a mood to go courtin'.

The school ma rm?

How are the lessons coming? You gonna get promoted?

Surprised you, didn't I?

You should've seen yourself. You jumped like a shot deer.

- Knock before you come in. - I knocked. You didn't hear me.

Don't come in until I hear you. What do you want?

I just dropped by to see how you was.

You ought to keep your door locked.

- Why? - Why, ma'am, a pretty woman living alone?

That's kind of a temptation in the land of men.

That's soup, ain't it?

Looks thin.

Don't stick to your ribs like beef and beans.

But it ain't bad. You're a good cook for a school marm.

Thank you.

Julie, I can just picture us, together out on the Big Muddy.

The lamp lit, you cookin', me eatin'.

Happy as two little doggies at a water hole.

I'm enchanted.

That's another thing I like about you, teacher, all them words you know.

And the way you sashay down the street,

smilin' when we meet, passing a word or two.

You been leading me on, teacher.

You're crazy. I been pleasant to you, that's all.

You ain't foolin' old Buck.

By the way, I just stopped to pass the time of clay

with your high-and-mighty friend, Pat Terrill, and her intended.

He sure is a dude. That the kind of a man you want?

With a bow tie and fancy hat, no nerve to hold a gun.

That's enough out of you, Buck. You'd better leave.

You know something, Julie?

If we was to join your Big Muddy with our place,

the Terrill's would dry up like jimsonweed.

- Will you leave? - I talked it over with Pa.

He likes the idea. So do I.

Let go of me.

You're scared, ain't ya? I like a woman that's scared of me.

And if a woman was to tell the truth, she likes a man who scares her a little.

You must be drunk.

All right, teacher.

Remember, the Terrills ain't no friends of ours.

I'll choose my own friends.

That won't do.

You gotta be on one side or the other. You can't have it both ways.

School's over for today, teacher, but I'll be back.

- Morning. - Howdy.

- Morning. - Howdy.

- Howdy. - Good morning.

Buenos dias, senor.

Buenos dias.

How do you do? My name is McKay.

- Buenos dias. - Buenos dias!

Tell me.

How many head of cattle do you have here?

- You speak Spanish? - No. I understand you though, perfectly.

Que bueno.

- Morning. - Morning, Mr. Leech.

- You care to go riding this morning? - Yes. I'd like to very much.

Ramén, saddle up a good horse for Mr. McKay.

Yes, sir.

- How well you ride? - I've ridden some in the East.

Different saddle, though.

If you can sit one saddle, you can sit 'em all.

Ramén, put him up on Old Thunder.

Right over here.

Any time you're ready.

Nice clay, isn't it?

Some other time, Leech.

Whoa!

We got a chuck wagon horse down at the big barn.

- Morning, Jim. - Morning, Major.

Whoa! Whoa!

Morning, Major.

The boys always try to put a stranger on Old Thunder.

- It's sort of a standing joke. - I see.

What time do you want to get started, Major?

Any time. Just let me know when you're ready.

- Have some breakfast with me, Jim. - Thank you.

My daughter's not an early riser, as you'll soon discover.

Don't let anything Steve Leech said bother you.