The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

The Frontier Theater, in 1875,

was almost as rough and tough

as the Frontier Saloon.

Wyatt Earp, as Marshal of Wichita,

found himself saddled with the job

of keeping order at the town's music hall,

where all kinds of shows and all sorts of characters

bid for popular favor.

Usually, the shows were pretty good.

But usually, the cowboy audiences were full of liquor

and bad temper.

They're response to the drama was simple and primitive.

If they liked the show,

they threw money on the stage.

If they didn't like it,

they started a riot.

But in the case of Jeff Pruitt

and his carnival Honky Tonk...

Come on, girls. Rehearsal's over.

The hall's closed. Don't worry about it.

You've got no right to close my show, Earp.

It isn't a show.

You don't know nothing about it.

You're a Johnny Law. You're no show expert.

I know enough to know what you're running.

Your girls are underpaid, and they were rolling drunken cowhands.

That's a lie.

And the music hall's owned by this City.

You're closed, Pruitt.

I fight with my fists.

I don't wear guns with two deputies to protect me.

If that's the way you want it, I'll take 'em off.

Not now.

I want to get you all alone,

where nobody can save you from a beating.

Okay, you arrange that, Pruitt.

You fix it up real soon.

You take him and the girls to the hotel.

Archie, put up that sign.

Hey, aren't you gonna have him fined

for putting on an off-color show?

No, our job is to keep cowhands from being robbed,

not to protect their morals.

Wyatt,

we're gonna have more trouble over at that music hall.

Oh, Jeff Pruitt?

No, it's that new company. The High-Low Players.

What's their problem?

Well, Harlow's been making the cowhands sore.

And Mr. Murdock says you better come right away.

Show business.

I've had more trouble with the music hall

then ten saloons put together.

Now, remember my darling,

a child's duty is to be honest,

cheerful, and obedient.

Do I have to obey him, Mama?

He is not my real Poppa.

Hush, my dear.

You must obey Mr. Lash.

I, myself, have vowed

to love, honor, and obey him.

But he is cruel.

He makes you cry.

The truth

from the lips of my own little girl.

How could I have consented

in a moment of weakness,

to marry Mr. Lash?

Well, ya shouldn't have done it.

Quiet. Aw, shut up.

Hark, it is he.

It is Mr. Lash.

Oh, Mama, I am afraid.

Do not be afraid. So...

I find you whispering.

What is it this time? Hmm?

Well, answer me!

Don't tell him nothing.

If she tells on our little Mary,

we're gonna... Shh!

It's too late for subterfuge, Agatha.

One hour ago, I intercepted a letter

which this ungrateful child wrote

to her maternal grandparents in Schenectady.

- No. - Yes!

Leave the room, Agatha.

Please, Mr. Lash,

I beg of you.

Don't you leave, ma'am.

You stay with little Mary.

I am your husband.

Leave the room.

Heaven help us.

Now, you ugly little fiend,

I'll teach you to write lies about me.

It is true.

You are mean and cruel to my mama.

Oh, indeed. Well, I can be meaner.

I'll teach you what cruelty feels like.

You have presumed to sneer at me.

You have dared to write

your maternal grandparents in Schenectady

that I am a secret drunkard.

You have spied upon me,

you ungrateful child.

Let's get him.

All right! All right!

Quiet, quiet, quiet!

It's only a play. It's only a play.

Get away from him.

Oh, Papa, are you hurt?

No. Thanks to this officer, here.

I love my papa. I'm not crippled,

and he doesn't spank me in real life.

Go finish your show.

I'll see there's no more trouble.

Come on, take 'em inside.

Come on, come on. - Get in there.

We've put on Suffer the Little Children

a hundred times.

I had no idea the audience here

would react the way it did, Mr. Earp.

Well, you, ah... ever been out west before?

No.

You just don't understand cowhands, Mr. Harlow.

Just like other people, aren't they?

Sure, when they're sober.

Trouble is that most of 'em are never sober.

You see, Wichita's the end of a long cattle drive

for most of 'em, and they...

Well, their stay here

is their one big holiday of the year.

Hmm, I see.

Now, before your show opened,

I had to close an all-girls show.

They probably resented that.

What you're trying to say is I...

I should have put on a more cheerful play.

Yeah, I guess that's...what I want to say.

You see, they don't, uh, they don't care much for villains.

Great! Then, we're finished.

How's that?

I'm down to two sets.

The one we used tonight,

and one for Death to the King.

Most of tonight's audience demanded their money back.

Oh.

You've, uh...you've got financial troubles, huh?

I haven't told my wife,

but they held are other sets and most of our costumes

in Kansas City.

Panic of '73 is still lurking in the wings, you know?

Can't you put on the other play?

I'm an even worse villain in that one.

Hmm?

Poppa?

Can't Mama and I come in now?

Well, all right.

The dying swan. Catch!

Oh, it isn't proper.

Papa should have caught me.

You're a strange man.

Jeannie.

Don't scold her, hon.

Jeannie's just putting that on, Mr. Earp.

She aimed herself straight at you.

Why, Papa, I did not.

Well, it's all right, Jeannie.

I like you, too.

Mrs. Harlow, uh, your husband and I

talked it over, and we, uh...

decided you oughta put on Death to a King tomorrow night.

Uh, bu...

Yes, we'll put on the King, hmm?

Won't that start another riot?

Well, I hope not.

Anyway, my deputies and I will be on hand.

It seems I have no choice.

That's right. Our company's financially embarrassed

and down to two sets.

Papa doesn't think Mama knows, but we both know.

Jeannie!

That's all right. I've been broke a few times, myself.

You won't let those cowhands hurt my papa, will you?

Jeannie, I give you my word of honor.

Good luck tomorrow night.

Thank you, sir.

The swooning princess...

I fell right into the arms of the law.

You 'd better fall right into the arms of Morpheus.

Yes, Mama.

Good night, Mr. Earp.

Good night, Jeannie.

Good night.

Eh, she's very sweet.

Good night.

Thank you.

Stupid cowhands.

Yeah, they didn't get that actor away fast enough.