The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap

Synopsis: Chester Wooley (Lou Costello) and Duke Egan (Bud Abbott) are traveling salesmen who make a stopover in Wagon Gap, Montana while en route to California. During the stopover, a notorious criminal, Fred Hawkins, is murdered, and the two are charged with the crime. They are quickly tried, convicted, and sentenced to die by hanging. The head of the local citizen's committee, Jim Simpson (William Ching), recalls a law whereby the survivor of a gun duel must take responsibility for the deceased's debts and family. The law spares the two from execution, but Chester is now responsible for the widow Hawkins (Marjorie Main) and her seven children. They go to her farm, where Chester is worked by Mrs. Hawkins from dawn to dusk. To make matters worse, Chester must work at the saloon at night to repay Hawkin's debt to its owner, Jake Frame (Gordon Jones). Her plan is to wear Chester down until he agrees to marry her. Chester quickly learns that no one will harm him, for fear that they will have to su
Genre: Action, Comedy, Family
Director(s): Charles Barton
Production: Universal
 
IMDB:
7.3
APPROVED
Year:
1947
78 min
40 Views


Whoa.

All out, all out! What's

the matter, a holdup?

Nope, they missed us.

This is as far as we go.

Wait. It says

three miles to Wagon Gap.

That's as close

as we go, partner.

That sign is a warning. Nobody

that ain't loco ever goes closer.

I hope you sell

your wares.

I hear tell there's a lot

of money in Wagon Gap.

The only problem is to live

long enough to get it out.

Partner, which way you say

it was to Wagon Gap? That way.

That way? Come on, Duke. Wait a minute.

What are you scared of? Wagon Gap.

We'll sell our wares tonight and

leave for California in the morning.

If you boys are going into Wagon Gap,

strap on a couple of shootin'irons.

If you can bluff'em,

you might live till morning.

He's got

something there.

How much will you take for

those guns? Fifty dollars.

It's a deal. There you are. Thanks.

Aw, Duke, that ain't fair. What's wrong?

Look. Yours is much

longer than mine! So what?

All you have to do is stand closer

to whoever is shooting at you.

As long as you boys are going into Wagon

Gap, would you mind taking this mail?

Why, certainly!

There you are.

Giddyap, horse.

"Joe Bazzo,

Erskine Lakes.

"Dear Sal, this is

to let you know...

"we are building a new log house

where the old log house stood.

"We are using the logs from the old

log house to build the new log house,

but we are going to let the old log house

stand until the new log house is built. "

I don't get it. What are you

reading other people's mail for?

What are you ducking for?

You scared?

Come on, get with it.

Duke, let's go in here.

It's safe.

Chester, come out of there!

You don't belong in there.

What's the matter? Tired? Sit down. Yeah.

Come on.

Let's go.

Chester, don't let this town

scare you. You gotta keep saying,

"I must be brave. I must be

strong. " Say it to myself?

Certainly! I must be

brave. I must be strong.

Now you're talking!

I must be brave.

I must be strong.

I must be nuts!

Oh, no, you don't!

Come back with that merchandise!

What are you gonna do?

Be just as tough as they are!

You never shot one of those.

What's the difference?

Get out your gun.

I never shot one either. Take

the gun out. We'll fix them.

What am I gonna do with it?

Shoot it off! Up in the air.

But it makes a noise. C'mon, shoot it off!

It's Fred Hawkins!

That's nice shooting, partner.

And you got him

right through the heart.

I got him? I shot over

there. He fell over here.

Then that really is

nice shooting!

Jake Frame's been tryin'

to get rid of this varmint!

C'mon inside.

He'll set up the drinks free.

I told you shooting was the

only way to come into this town.

Wait a minute.

This man's just been killed.

So? Who's upset? I am.

Judge?

Judge Benbow?

Judge?

Jim, what are you and the

Citizens' Committee riled about now?

I demand that those men be charged

with murder and held for trial.

Well, now,

I don't know, Jim.

It looks like a friendly shootin'

affair to me. Self-defense.

Fred there's

got a gun in his hand.

There have been 10

killings in the last week...

and not one man has

been brought to trial.

What sort of law do we have

here? All right, if you insist.

What's the deceased

got on him?

Twelve dollars and this knife

in his hip pocket.

I hereby fine the deceased $12

for carrying concealed weapons.

Just a minute, Judge. You

heard what the judge said.

Yeah, just a minute, Judge.

Stay out of this, Frame.

This is one pair of killers

you're not getting off.

Simmer down.

I'm on your side.

Just what kind of a

trial was that? Jake, I...

Strangers come into town and shoot

down one of our best-beloved citizens...

And you want to let them

get away with it.

What's got into you? That's the

fellow that was gonna buy us a drink?

It isn't safe for a man to

walk the streets of Wagon Gap.

You said it. That

fellow almost fell on me.

If the law won't do something,

we better do something.

I'm thinkin' a little taste

of rope is called for!

Wait a minute.!

Judge Benbow, stop this. You nor anybody

is stopping this hanging, Simpson.

Get outta the way.

You're obstructing justice!

Is that hard to do? No, no.

You'll soon get the hang of it.

Try this on for size.

Sixteen and one-half.

How's that?

That tickles.

Yeah? That did it. It don't tickle no more.

The Citizens' Committee is

headed this way. Get goin', boys.

We gotta stall 'em.

Stall 'em? Oh, stall 'em!

Ever hear the story about the

traveling salesman? They've heard that.

Yes, and it ain't funny. Wait a minute!

What about our

personal possessions?

Don't you want to send something

to your dear mother for a keepsake?

My mother? Yes! To your mother.

Oh, my mother! I would like to

send some stuff to my mother.

Would you take care of this

stuff for me? I'd be happy to.

It's priceless,

this stuff.

Hold that please.

Give it to him.

String 'em up!

Sorry to spoil your party.

This is gonna be done legally.

Since when are you the law? I

don't see the sheriff's badge.

Somebody put a

bullet hole through it.

Till we can keep a live sheriff,

the committee's taking over.

We're seeing that these men

get a fair trial. Fair enough.

And I'll see to it thatJudge

Benbow gives it to 'em.

C'mon, boys!

Just because he don't like you,

he's mad at us. Don't be ungrateful.

If it wasn't for Mr. Simpson,

we'd be dead.

If it wasn't for Mr. Simpson,

we'd be on our way to California.

Give us a couple of horses

and show us the road.

We'll call it even. The only road

you're taking is to Wagon Gap.

You're charged with a killing,

and you're gonna stand trial.

You can figure out

your plea.

I'll plead insanity.

And I can prove it too.

This court

will now come to order.

Close down

that bar!

And quit gambling

for a few minutes!

Will the jury file in.

I object!

Order in the court!

He objected...

to what you said.

I figured you might

be wanting a jury...

so, to save time,

I picked one for you.

Look!

That's the gang

that was gonna hang us.

To keep everything legal,

in case you don't like any member

of thejury, you can challenge him.

I'll fight that little shrimp there. Order!

Order in the court!

Young man, in about two shakes,

I'll hold you in contempt.

Judge, quit stalling. Let's

get this over with. Okay, Jake.

Hmm.

As the judge, I hereby

sentence you two coyotes...

Just a minute,

Your Honor.

I'd like the court's permission to

say a few words to the defendants.

I don't know, Jim. We're keeping

Jake's business shut down,

and these delays

are costing him money.

But go ahead and make it

snappy. Thank you, Your Honor.

Boys,

it strikes me mighty curious thatJake

Frame's so anxious to get you hung.

I'd like to know why. Don't

ask us. We're strangers.

If you'll string along with me,

I've got an angle to keep you alive.

All right, Mr. Simpson.

We're in back of you. Good.

Your Honor, the defendants

are willing to plead guilty...

to the charge of killing

Fred Hawkins in a gun duel.

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Robert Lees

Robert Lees (July 10, 1912 – June 13, 2004) was an American television and film screenwriter. Lees was best known for writing comedy, including several Abbott and Costello films. more…

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