Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)

Kirk Douglas: Marshal Matt Morgan

Photos 

3 more photos

Quotes 

• Rick Belden, Craig's Son : Don't take no guts to kill a man when he's cuffed!

  Marshal Matt Morgan : Takes guts not to. Be too easy on ya. You'd die too quick. I know an old man who'd like to kill you, Belden - the Indian way: slow. That's how I'm gonna do it: slow - but the white man's way. First you stand trial. That takes a fair amount of time, and you'll do a lot of sweating! Then they'll sentence ya. I never seen a man who didn't get sick to his stomach when he heard the kind of sentence you'll draw. After that you'll sit in a cell and wait, maybe for months, thinking how that rope will feel around your neck. Then they'll come around, some cold morning, just before sun-up. They'll tie your arms behind you. You'll start blubbering, kicking, yelling for help. But it won't do you any good. They'll drag you out in the yard, heave you up on that platform, fix that rope around your neck and leave you out there all alone with a big black hood over your eyes. You know the last sound you hear? Kind of a thump when they kick the trapdoor catch - and down you go. You'll hit the end of that rope like a sack of potatoes, all dead weight. It'll be white hot around your neck and your Adam's Apple will turn to mush. You'll fight for your breath, but you haven't got any breath. Your brain will begin to boil. You'll scream and holler! But nobody'll hear you. You'll hear it. But nobody else. Finally you're just swingin' there - all alone and dead.

• Gun Hill Sheriff Bartlett : Far as I'm concerned, you can go out on the street and get yourself killed anytime you want to, but, you know something, 40 years from now the weeds'll grow just as pretty on my grave as they will on yours. Nobody'll even remember that I was yellow and you died like a fool. That's your long view, son. Always take the long view.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : I've got two warrants, and I'm gonna serve them. I'm leavin' town with two men, and the long view is this: don't try to stop me!

• Marshal Matt Morgan : Isn't there anybody in this town that's not afraid of Craig Belden?

  Steve, Horseshoe Bartender' : Sure! Graveyard's full of them!

• Harper House Desk Clerk : [indignantly]  You're breakin' the law!

  Marshal Matt Morgan : [angrily]  I AM the law!

• Craig Belden : [trying to plead for his son]  How can we settle this, Matt?

  Marshal Matt Morgan : The law's gotta settle it, Craig. Not us.

  Craig Belden : I saved your life once. You owe me that. You owe me one life.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : I remember you saved my life. But he took a life! He killed a woman! Just for the fun of it! Just...

  Craig Belden : Taking my boy ain't gonna bring your wife back.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : My wife or somebody else's makes no difference. I took an oath for this job. The oath says bring him in. That's what I'll do.

  Craig Belden : What do you want me to do? You want me to beg, Matt? Alright, Matt. I'll beg. He's all I got. Matt, maybe it was *my* fault. You know, it ain't easy to raise a boy without a mother, Matt.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : [coldly]  Yeah. I know, Craig.

• Craig Belden : You're leavin' on the next train. I own the sheriff! I own this town! I own every man in it! You're leavin' on the next train, Matt!

  Marshal Matt Morgan : All right, Craig. The last train leaves at 9:00. I'll be on it... but there'll be two men with me, and one of them'll have a cut on his cheek.

• Linda, Craig's Girl : [after warning Morgan to stay out of Gun Hill]  You see, Marshal; I know who owns that saddle.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : [solemnly]  So do I.

• Marshal Matt Morgan : It's customary for the sheriff to cooperate - furnish deputies...

  Gun Hill Sheriff Bartlett : We've got our own customaries, Mr. Morgan. Anyway, the sheriff ain't around.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : When's he comin' back?

  Gun Hill Sheriff Bartlett : He ain't comin' back.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : [realizing he's being stonewalled, he puts his hands on his hips and smiles ironically]  What are you? Deputy?

  Gun Hill Sheriff Bartlett : Don't matter much what you call me.

  [he takes a badge out of his pocket and throws it on the desk] 

  Marshal Matt Morgan : [looking at the badge]  I'm callin' you yellow!

• Linda, Craig's Girl : Oh, and if any of the girls try and tell you how wonderful you are, don't believe them. I know. I used to deal there.

  [she gets up] 

  Linda, Craig's Girl : Just like Jimmy - stobborn as a mule!

  Marshal Matt Morgan : Next time you see Jimmy, say hello. We seem to have a lot in common.

  Linda, Craig's Girl : Maybe more than you know. He's dead!

• Craig Belden : Suppose I could locate them for you?

  Marshal Matt Morgan : I'd take them both back to Pawley. They'll stand trial for rape and murder.

• Craig Belden : You leave that boy alone! This is my son you're talking about.

  Marshal Matt Morgan : No, Craig. It's my wife we're talking about.

• Craig Belden : What about Petey? You ain't getting out of this alive. Now you know that. That boy is going to be an orphan. You thought about that?

  Marshal Matt Morgan : You've already got me dead. How'd I die? The only way I could die today is for you to kill me and that's a problem... Your problem.

• Marshal Matt Morgan : [after an ambush fails and Craig misses him with a bucket]  I oughta kill you for that.

  Craig Belden : Why don't you? Why don't you kill me?

  Marshal Matt Morgan : You saved my life. I paid you back. But from here on in, they're all free shots.

• Marshal Matt Morgan : You work for Craig Belden? You tell him I'm coming.