1961 - TALL MAN: A Gun is For Killing

Dir: Franklin Adreon
Writer + Producer: Samuel A. Peeples
Ex prod.: Nat Holt

Pat Garret: Barry Sullivan
Deputy Johnny Swift: Leonard Nimoy
William H. Bonney (Billy the Kid): Clu Gulager
Blanchard: Greg Palmer
Marion Swift: Mary Webster

Deputy Johnny Swift brings Billy the Kid a coffee. At ease, he enters the cell and talks to his old friend. It becomes obvious: Johnny has locked Billy in to protect him from the cowboys passing by. They had created trouble and Johnny had driven them out of town. To protect Billy Johnny offers to set him free if Billy promised to stay out of town for a while.
Billy makes clear what he thinks of him: Johnny has changed his freedom for a badge and "spends more time in jail" than he does. Turning the offer down Billy insists to be free to go where he wants, even when he knows that it might harm him.

Pat also comes into the cell. He makes the same offer and is turned down as Johnny was before. In the sheriff's office Pat and Johnny talk about lasts night's events: The cowboys on the trail are coming to town to look for fun which they spell "t-r-o-u-b-l-e" as Johnny puts it. In full support Pat backs him up: They are going to stop the cowboys. Before Johnny leaves he tells Pat that his wife, Mary, invites him for dinner. 

After dinner, Johnny quits his job. "I don't know how to say it," Johnny regrets. He has to change his job because the couple is expecting a baby. All know that Johnny is doing a dangerous job and understand the decision. When Johnny wants to go for patrol, Pat takes his badge to make sure he will stay out of tonight's trouble with the trailing cowboys. Thanking Mary for the meal Pat, leaves. Soon afterwards the cowboys ride in and shooting begins.

Knowing that Pat is in trouble Johnny runs out. As Mary tries to stop him, he tells her that he is no coward. In the darkness Johnny shoots at a man firing a gun. The man, Pat, does not recognize Johnny, shoots back and kills his friend. Only much later he finds out that it has been Johnny who has been killed. When Mary comes in to see her dead husband, she accuses Pat of having shot a man he could not see clearly. "A gun is for killing", she says and confronts him: He only lives for that badge. 

When she has left, Pat decides to take off his badge. He cannot be a sheriff any more after he has shot his friend. Consequently he releases Billy telling him that he has shot the only witness for his arrest: Johnny Swift. By now the town is in danger. The cowboys shoot and do what they want. Urgently a lawman is needed. Billy hurries to Mary and convinces her: "You have killed Pat tonight as he has killed Johnny- but not by accident."

Now Mary regrets her words and consequently sees Pat. She has realized that Johnny always wanted to be like Pat and that this badge has meant a lot for him. "A gun is not for killing when it is worn by a man like you or like Johnny," she says to Pat. Knowing Mary has forgiven him, he accepts the badge and the gun Mary is handing him and resumes his duty.