Great Day in the Morning

Thank you, gentlemen, and ma'am.

I've always been lucky, but I never expected

to draw three aces.

Were you alone down there? No one else with you?

I'm most always alone, but I welcome company now.

Where are you from, mister? Georgia? Louisiana?

- North Carolina. - Just as bad.

Il can smell a southerner a mile off.

A smell I don't like nor the breed.

Ungodly, slave beatin', slave tradin', rebel secessionist.

Not fit to live, none of you.

Sorry we saved your worthless hide.

Well, you did and I owe you something for that.

I'm asking you not to make me forget my debt.

Listen to that fancy talk,

just like that low down, whiplashin®' Johnny reb.

And a tinhorn cheat to boot judging by your looks.

Put that gun away, zeff.

You might wait for the war to start before fighting it.

I agree.

My name is Owen pentecost. I'm going to cherry creek.

Or Denver as I hear they're calling it now.

So are we. I'm Stephen Kirby.

This admirer of yours is zeff Masterson.

I hired them both at fort laramie

to ride with me to Denver.

They're taking orders from me.

If you're willing to take orders, you can ride with us.

Yours to command, ma'am.

Forget it, zeff.

Aim those whiskers of yours at pike's peak

and keep them pointed that way. Now move.

As soon as I find what I want, I'd like you to feed the mules

and watch over my belongings until tomorrow morning.

Then your job is done.

Those all your pretties?

All those packs, all those mules?

Well, not all mine to wear, mine to sell.

I'm opening a store here.

Catering to my lady at the wild frontier?

Why not?

I know style, had a little money.

Took a chance on Denver women.

Holy jehoshaphat!

I've been riding shotgun on a load of lace drawers.

Good evening. I'm father Murphy. My church is right over there.

Mass tomorrow morning at six and nine.

Thank you, father.

Crossing the rockies safely is something to be thankful for.

Lucky trip for me too. I wouldn't mind saying thank you.

I like to sleep late on Sunday morning.

I'm always willing to gamble on anything, even going to church.

Toss a coin. You call it, miss Ann.

- Heads for the church. - Tails for the devil.

Tails it is.

Only fair to make it two out of three.

No thanks. I'd rather make my conversions the hard way.

The young lady looks rather tired.

Perhaps I can help you get settled. Come along.

This is Phil, Porter and room clerk.

These folks just got into town.

Before somebody tells, you might as well know.

They call me Phil the cannibal.

Don't be scared. It was only once.

Man eats somethin' he shouldn't just once.

Right away they start callin him names.

This young lady wants a room. Hot water and a bathtub.

Hey, boys! Look at the free leg show!

Every girl oughta wear them pants. There oughta be a law.

There oughta be a law every girl got a figure like that!

They don't mean any harm. They used to make fun of my skirt.

I'll see you to your room, Ann.

I paid you to see me across the rockies, Stephen.

I think I can cross the room alone.

No Southern chivalry. Please, Mr. pentecost?

Worth the excitement. They sure are tight pants.

Must make you uncomfortable.

- Your wife? - No.

- Your girl? - No.

Are you thinking about stakin' a claim up there?

Will you sleep better tonight if I tell you?

I won't sleep at all.

I just got up. Time to go to work.

Go ahead. Tell me.

Well, she and I were traveling companions.

To save you asking the next couple of questions

so are... two other men.

What's a man from that dear old dixieland doing way out here?

Most southerners are thinkin"

about leaving before the war starts.

Gettin' out while the gettin's good.

You must like to take chances.

What's your name?

Owen pentecost.

High-soundin' name.

Guess maybe that's why you took it.

Oh, I just heard you got back, zeff.

Folks around about are anxious to hear the latest news.

- Will there be a war? - What'd you hear?

- Are we gonna fight or talk? - There better be a war.

There's good men in north

who ain't standin' for shillyshallyin'.

Just itchin' for that day we march down south and stamp out

the whole dirty breed of slavers and rebels.

It's gonna be a dirty war.

It ain't natural for brother against brother.

Don't you go callin' that Southern scum my brother.

I had me a brother.

He stood side by side with John brown

from bloody Kansas to Harpers ferry.

And they hung him like a dog. Alongside John brown.

Stay away from him.

Nobody helps him.

He's got it comin' to him.

He's one of those Missouri men.

Half north, half south.

Roostin' on the fence lookin' for the safest side to light on.

Well, this ain't no soft war and there ain't no brothers!

Just friends and enemies!

And every loyal man knows that's the truth.

- Sure, sure we do. - Let's teach him a lesson.

All right, zeff.

You've won the round and the fight.

Zeff makes a lot of sense, Mr. means.

Us loyal men got plenty of enemies in this town.

We don't want to see your ugly face in town.

So get movin'.

I told you once before

stop shootin' off your mouth and crackin' heads.

They need crackin'. Need it real bad.

Sure they do, but at the right time.

With them all riled up here, they'll be startin' a riot.

Next thing, in comes the military.

Let 'em come. We'll start the war here.

There's plenty of southerners to shoot at.

Don't need any soldiers comin' and givin' orders.

It took me a long time to get things runnin' the way I wanted.

You got a good part of this town in your pocket.

I've more pockets. All I heed is a little more time.

Then we can take care of the army.

Say, boss.

There's a new man inside.

A southerner to boot. Calls himself pentecost.

Been puttin' a big dent in the federal bank.

All right, I'll be right there.

I'm all for you, zeff. We're both on the same side.

Only wait a little.

Might be a long war.

What are you waiting for? Start the game.

Mr. pentecost. I'm jumbo means, proprietor.

When I first set out to see the world,

a drunkard took one look at me

and yelled, "the elephant's loose"

and immediately signed the pledge.

Since then, an elephant's been my good luck charm.

Now.

What is the secret of your remarkable luck?

A complete indifference to elephants.

One of us must be wrong.

Which one, Mr. pentecost?

Shall we see?

I'll pass the time with you.

I'll get a table ready, sir.

Why are you so good to me?

I get a percentage of the profits.

Doin' all right, aren't you?

There's always room for improvement.

For a smart girl?

For a smart girl, and this is the spot.

The best place in downtown Denver.

You found elephants?

Trained ones.

When they get wild, they can be dangerous.

Heard there's a man who arrived from our part of the country.

Oh, yes. Uh, Mr. Owen pentecost. Are you acquainted?

No. But if he's from the south, we'd like to welcome him.

We could use friends on our side.

So few of us, so many of them.

I hope it'll be peaceful.

Sunday morning, too.

Your luck still holds, sir.

This is the second straight hand you've won.

You're not betting?

I don't think the hand's worth it.

It's a pretty hand to throw away.

But it can't beat four kings.

Yes, four kings, Mr. jumbo.

I know your hand as well as you know mine.

Then you're cheatin', sir.

Maybe you might call it that.

You rung in a deck of marked cards.

I can read them as well as you can.

What do you expect me to do? Shut my eyes and lose my shirt?

Thanks, pentecost. And he did have four kings.

That was fast work, Mr. pentecost.

You'll be a useful man to know.

Dirty Southern trash.

If I had my way, I'd run you all out.

Not if Abe Lincoln's in the white house. He'll back us up.

This is no put in of yours, Rogers.