Major Characters
Will Munny.....................Clint Eastwood
A poor pig farmer with two young children who used to be considered one of
the greatest but meanest gun fighters in the West. After years of living without
violence, he agrees to help kill two cowboys who had badly hurt a prostitute,
in exchange for a share of a $1,000 reward.
The Schofield Kid..............Jaimz Woolvett
A teenager from Kansas who had convinced Will to help him kill the
two cowboys in order to get the reward money.
Ned Logan.......................Morgan Freeman
Will’s black friend who agrees to help Will and the Kid.
Little Bill.....................Gene Hackman
The violent Sheriff of the tiny town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming.
English Bob.....................Richard Harris
An English gunfighter who comes to the town of Little Whiskey,
but soon finds himself in big trouble with Little Bill.
Mr. Beauchamp...................Saul Rubinek
A writer from the Eastern part of the United States who writes about
gunfighters, cowboys and others in the Western part of the US.
Skinny..........................Anthony James
A businessman who owns the local bar, and who is also the town pimp
(a person who manages the business affairs of prostitutes).
Delilah.........................Anna Levine
A young prostitute from Boston who is attacked with a knife and whose face
is badly cut up by a male customer, simply because she giggled (laughed gently)
when she saw how small his penis was.
Alice...........................Frances Fisher
The leader of the prostitutes who convinces the others to put together
$1,000 in reward money for any person who will kill Delilah’s attackers.
Quick Mike......................David Mucci
The violent cowboy who badly cut-up Delilah’s face.
Davey...........................Rob Campbell
Another cowboy and partner of Quick-Mike.
Sally Two Trees.................Cherrilene Cardinal
The Native-American wife of Ned, who still does not trust Will.
Plot Summary
This film is considered one of the truly great Westerns, a type of movie that
deals with life in the "Wild West" of the 19th century. It is the story of Will Munny,
a poor Kansas pig farmer who had been considered one of the cruelest and best gunfighters
in the West, but who had become much less violent and gentler ever since he got married.
As the movie begins, Will is struggling to raise his two young children alone because
his wife had died of a disease two years earlier.
Will is pulled back into a life of violence after events that take place in the tiny town
of Big Whiskey, Wyoming, in 1880. One day, a young prostitute named Delilah is horribly
hurt by a cowboy who attacks her face with a knife. The sheriff of the town refuses to
punish the cowboys, but instead forces them to pay the prostitutes’ business manager several horses,
for the loss of income that he will suffer since Delilah will no longer be able to charge much money
for sex. The prostitutes working with her become so offended and angry by this situation that they
soon offer a $1,000 bounty (reward) to the first people that will kill the cowboys who had cut up
Delilah’s face.
Will hears of this news from the Schofield kid, who had come to ask if he would help
him kill the cowboys in exchange for a part of the reward money. Reluctantly, Will agrees,
and soon Will’s old friend Ned also joins them. The three of them travel to Northern
Wyoming in hopes of finding the cowboys and collecting the money, but soon things start
to go wrong in this very violent part of the American West.
An Important Note on the Language Used in the Movie: Although this film is a good look at
life in the last years of the Western frontier, the language that is used should be learned
with caution. This is because while there is a lot of useful vocabulary here, the dialog is filled
with old and ungrammatical English that should be understood but avoided when speaking. Among the
most common examples found throughout the movie are the following:
-Double (and triple!) negatives: "She didn’t know no better."
-The constant use of ain’t: "You ain’t going to whip them?"
-Bad verb conjugation: "We was tired."
-The use of them between verb and noun: "Get them horses in the barn."
Some Words and Expressions that You May not KnowA horrible cowboy attacks Delilah, but Little Bill sees only a crime against property.
She was a comely young woman and not without prospects.
"Comely" is attractive or pleasant, but it’s rarely used. "Prospects"
are possibilities, and in this case, refers to potential husbands.
A man of notoriouslyvicious and intemperate disposition.
"Notoriously" means widely known in a very negative way. "Vicious" is a
useful adjective meaning extremely cruel or dangerous. If a person has
an "intemperate disposition," they have a violent temper.
Smallpox.
A well known disease that has been largely eliminated from the world.
Billiards.
A game played on a cloth covered table with shiny balls and long sticks
which are used to push the balls into pockets on the side of the table.
I’ll brand you like a damnsteer!
"To brand" a cow is to burn letters or numbers into its skin with
a hot iron. "Damn" is a common and vulgar filler word that expresses
anger or other similar emotions. A "steer" is a male cow or ox.
Hold that bitch still! Hold her or I’ll cut her tits off.
"Bitch" is a very crude word for a mean or unpleasant female.
"Tits" is a vulgar slang word for female breasts.
Get off of her, cowboy.
A famous word referring to men in the 19th century who drove cattle
(cows) across the prairies and fields of the American West.
I said let’s get Little Bill here and settle this thing.
"To settle" an argument is to decide on a solution that all can accept.
She didn’t even touch his poke.
A slang word for a penis, but this is never used.
When she seen he had a teensy little pecker, she gave a giggle. That’s all.
"Teensy" (or teeny) means very small or tiny. A "pecker" is a slang
word for a penis, though this is rare. A "giggle" is a soft laugh.
Hang them, Little Bill!
"To hang" a person is to kill them by tying a rope around their
neck and letting them hang from the rope. A popular form of execution.
Step over to the office and get the bullwhip.
"To step over" to a place is to walk a short distance. A "bullwhip"
is a whip, or long leather rope, with a large handle at the end.
A whipping?! That’s all they get after what they done?!
A form of punishment in which a person is hit
repeatedly with a whip, usually across the back.
Whipping won’t settle this; Here’s a lawful contract
between me and Delilah Fritzgerald, the cut whore.
This is Skinny’s way of saying that punishing the cowboys
who attacked Delilah won’t help him, since if Delilah is left
scarred and ugly, that will ultimately cost Skinny money.
I got a contract that represents an investment of capital.
An expression that refers to the money that a person pays for a legal share in
the profits that a company, or in this case, a prostitute, will eventually make.
Damaged property!
"Damaged" means harmed or broken, and this is a legal term that
usually refers to machinery or buildings. Here though, Skinny is
referring to Delilah as a piece of property.
Like if I hamstrung one of those ponies.
"To hamstring" a horse is to injure it so that it can’t walk. A "pony" is a young horse.
You figure nobody would want to fuck her now.
"To figure" is a common and colloquial way of saying to think. "To fuck" a
person is, of course, a very vulgar way of saying to have sex with them.
Guess you just as soon not have a trial, no fuss, huh?
"To just as soon" do something is to prefer to do it instead of
something else. "No fuss" means without problems or excitement.
Come this fall, you bring in five ponies and give them to Skinny.
One way of saying "When Fall arrives…"
You ain’t gonna whip them? :: I fined them instead, Alice.
If a judge "fines" a person, they order them to pay a certain amount
of money as punishment (rather than putting them in jail).
Hell, Alice, it ain’t like they were tramps or loafers….
they was just hard working boys that were foolish.
"Hell" is a filler word at the beginning of sentences to show emotion.
"Tramps" are homeless people who don’t work, and wander from place to place,
while "loafers" are just lazy people who never work. Both words are a bit dated.
If you do something that is "foolish," it is silly, needlessly harmful or just stupid.
If they were given over towickedness in a regular way….
"To be given over to" something is to be in the habit of doing it,
though this expression is rarely used. "Wickedness" is evil or very bad.
Alice, tend to Delilah.
This is an old-fashioned way of saying to take care of.
Alice and the girls offer a deadly $1,000 reward, and soon the Schofield Kid comes looking for Will in order to help him collect it.
If Delilah doesn’t care one way or the other,
what are we getting so riled up about?
"To get riled up" about something is to get very angry or upset about it.
Just because we let those smelly fools ride us like horses
don’t mean we gotta let them brand us like horses.
Note that "have got to"------>"gotta" in causal speech.
You don’t look like no rootin-tootinson of a bitchcold blooded assassin. :: Say what?
"Rootin-tootin" used to be slang for real or genuine, but it is no longer used.
"Son of a bitch" is a very common and vulgar slang term for a mean or abusive man,
and a person who is "cold blooded" is extremely cruel. "Say what?" is a funny way
of asking for clarification after a person says something you do not understand.
Pa, hey pa!
A word that some children use to address their fathers.
Two more hogs got the fever.
Another word for a pig.
Now, hold on, Mister.
A common way of saying stop or slow down, after a
person starts to say a lot of nonsense or lies.
You don’t look like no meaner than hell, cold blooded damn killer.
One way of referring to a very cruel or savage person.
You’re as cold as the snow, and don’t have no weak nerve nor fear.
If a person has a "weak nerve," they are often hesitant or scared to do
something that would be considered dangerous. "Nerves" are the string-like
parts of the body that carry messages to and from the brain.
I ain’t killed as many as you….because of my youth.
The condition of being (relatively) young.
It’s on account of my Schofield model Smith and Wesson pistol.
"On account of" is another way of saying "because of…," and is very widely
used in this film. The Schofield was a type of gun produced by the
Smith and Wesson Company. A "pistol" is a small handgun.
How about it? How about being my partner?
An excellent way of asking a person whether they would
like to do something that has been under discussion.
I’m heading up to Wyoming. I’m gonna kill a couple of no-good cowboys.
"To head up" to a place is to travel toward it. "No-good" is an adjective
that is still used with insult nouns to describe a very bad person.
They cut her eyes out, her ears off. Hell, they even cut her teets.
This is an old-fashioned variation of tits, which are female breasts.
$1,000 reward, Will. $500 a piece.
"$500 a piece" is one way of saying that each person will get $500.
I can’t move those damn pigs. :: Watch your cussing.
"To cuss" is to use vulgar words like damn, or worse, fuck and shit.
Go to the pump and get yourself cleaned up. Come on.
In this case, a "pump" is a mechanical object that’s used to suck up
water from below the ground. "Come on" means everything from be serious
to stop lying, though here it means hurry up.
It was whiskey done it as much as anything
else; I ain’t had a drop in over 10 years.
"Whiskey" is a type of hard liquor. A "drop" is a tiny amount of liquid.
My wife cured me of drink and wickedness.
This is Will’s way of saying that thanks to his wife, he stopped
drinking liquor and became a better and more humane person.
Well, you don’t look so prosperous.
A useful word meaning financially successful or rich.
She’s passed on.
One way of saying to die, although to pass away is more common now.
If you change your mind, I’ll be riding due West
for the trail headed North into Wyoming.
To go "due" West is to go toward the West. A "trail" is a
path or course across land that people can easily walk on.
Will decides to join the Schofield Kid as Little Bill learns of the bounty.
A couple more days and I was going to call on the sheriff. :: The river was all swollen up.
A "sheriff" is the leader of a local police department. If a river is "swollen," it is
over flowing with lots of water (To swell is to increase or grow bigger in roundness).
She’s the best of the lot.
A way of referring to the group that is available (in this case, of horses).
She ain’t got no face left, and you give her a mangy pony!
A sad little adjective that refers to animals whose
fur is coming out because of disease or old age.
Did Pa used to kill folks?
Another word for people.
She ain’t a saddle horse no more, Pa.
A "saddle" is the leather seat that is put
on the backs of horses for people to sit in.
She’s getting even with me for the sins of my youth.
"To get even" with somebody is to do something that makes up for what they had done
to you in the past, such as winning a game after having lost earlier. A "sin" is an
action that is considered immoral, or a crime against God.
Before I met your dear departed Ma, I used to be weak and given to mistreating animals.
"To depart" is to leave, though here it means to die. "Ma" is an old-fashioned way
of saying mom or mother. If somebody is "given to" doing something, they are likely
to do it, though this wording is rare.
They are getting even with me for the cruelty I inflicted.
"To inflict" cruelty on a person or animal is to physically abuse or torture them.
I used to be able to whip a horse like this, but your Ma,
rest her soul, showed me the error of my ways.
"Rest her soul" is a way of asking that God treat the dead person with kindness.
The spirit of your dear departed ma watches over you.
Another word for soul, or the non-physical part of a person.
What are you going to do if somebody comes to collect?
"To collect" is to bring or gather together, though
in this case it means to come looking for money.
You going to hump them 1,000 times?
"To hump" is a dated and silly way of saying to have sex.
People coming for that 1,000 dollars won’t tolerate you not having it.
"To tolerate" is to accept or allow.
You stupid bitches.
A crude word for a mean or abusive woman.
Damn it. Jesus.
Two ways of expressing emotion such as anger or surprise.
Hello Skinny. You snuck up on me.
"To sneak up on" a person is to surprise them by approaching
in such a manner that the person doesn’t see you coming.
I’m building my porch here so I can sit……and smoke my pipe.
An outdoor extension of a house without walls, for sitting or relaxing.
We got railroad barons and cattle barons and you’ll be the first billiard baron.
A "baron" is very powerful businessman. "Cattle" are cows.
They’ve been…telling every bowlegged one of them that they’re paying 1,000
dollars to whatever son of a bitch kills the two boys who cut up Delilah.
A person who is bowlegged has legs that bend outward below the knee.
This is Skinny’s way of saying that the women are telling everybody.
Those cowboys are riding the beef down to Kansas and Cheyenne.
Little Bill’s way of saying to move cattle. Cheyenne
is the present capital of the state of Wyoming.
The word has gotten all the way to Texas by now.
"People in Texas now know the news."
You know, women can lie. Knock them around a little bit,
ask them where the money is, and they ain’t got none.
"To knock around" a person is to physically
harm them, usually by hitting or pushing them.
You could run off them two cowboys. :: I could run off the whores.
A way of saying to kill or scare away, but this is no longer used.
They’ll stay out at the Bar T, close to their friends.
The Bar T is a ranch (farm house) that is located near Big Whiskey.
Ned joins Will in the hunt for the reward money.
Sally, see to Will’s horse.
An old-fashioned way of saying take care of.
I don’t know if it was easy back then, but we was young and full of beans.
A ridiculous way of saying full of energy or courage. Fun, but not used.
What did these fellows do? Cheat at cards?
Steal some strays? Spit on a rich fellow? What?
If an animal "strays" from its owner, it wanders or walks away
on its own. "To spit" is to shoot saliva from one’s mouth.
They cut a woman….everything but her cunny, I suppose.
This is not a word, although "cunt" is an extremely
vulgar word for female sexual organs or a mean woman.
I’ll be dogged. Well, I guess they got it coming.
"I’ll be dogged" is no longer used, though "I’ll be damned" is a way of
showing surprise. If somebody "has it coming," they deserve what they are
going to get, perhaps because they did something very bad.
I suppose you wouldn’t mind looking in on my youngsters next week?
"To look in on" children is to stop by and make sure they’re OK.
He must be moving right along.
"He must be going quickly."
We’ll come across him tomorrow, I reckon.
"To come across" a person is to see them, often just by chance.
"To reckon" is a very old (Western?) way to say think or guess.
Don’t fret it. It ain’t nothing.
"To fret" is to worry, or get upset.
She don’t like it…..you’re riding off with me.
"To ride off" with a person is to go with them,
usually while on a horse or while driving a car.
She gave me the evil eye.
A funny way of referring to a very serious and angry facial expression.
Indians ain’t over friendly Will.
A possible alternative adverb to "very."
I won’t hold it against her.
"To hold something against" somebody is to
to be angry at them for what they have done.
Claudia straightened me out. Cleaned me of drinking whisky and all.
"To straighten out" a person is to make them better or more responsible.
He didn’t do anything to deserve to get shot, at least
nothing I can remember when I sobered up.
To be "sober" is to be not drunk, or perhaps in control,
and thus to "sober up" is to get over the effects of liquor.
The boys all thought that I’d shoot them out ofpure meanness.
In this case, "out of" means because of, or thanks to.
"Pure meanness" is complete cruelty or anger.
Eagle, he hated my guts. Bonaparte didn’t think too much of me, either.
"To hate a person’s guts" is to hate them with great emotion
or passion ("Guts" are the intestines found in the stomach).
English Bob and Mr. Beauchamp arrive in Big Whiskey,…..and Little Bill comes to meet them.
Which son of a bitch shot him? Was it one of them John Bulls?
"John Bull" is a symbol of the English government, just as "Uncle Sam"
is of the American government (Few in the US know this today).
I believe the would-beassassin to be a gentleman of French ancestry.
A "would-be" criminal is the likely suspect, though it has not
been proven. An "assassin" is a person who murders well known people.
"Ancestry" refers to a person’s family tree, starting with parents.
The French are known to be a race of assassins who can’t shoot worth a damn.
If you can’t do something "worth a damn," you do it very poorly.
Any Frenchmen in the present company are excluded, of course.
If a person insults an entire race or group of people, they can say
"present company excluded" to show they make an exception for those
people of that race or group who are in the same room as the speaker.
Sure as hell sounds like a John Bull to me.
A common colloquial way of saying definitely or certainly.
The majesty of royalty, you see.
"Majesty" is greatness or great dignity and grace, and
"royalty" refers to the families of kings and queens.
It might be that this dude here is English Bob.
"Dude" has recently become a popular colloquial word for guy.
He’s waiting for some crazy cowboy to touch
his pistol so that he can shoot him down.
"To shoot down" a person is to shoot and perhaps kill them.
Let’s shoot some pheasant. Let’s say one dollar a pheasant.
A type of large bird.
No doubt your aim was affected by your
grief over the injury to your President.
A person’s "aim" is the ability to shoot accurately or straight. "Grief" is
the great sadness that follows a tragedy, such as the death of a child.
It’s the climate….and the infernal distances that
induces people to shoot persons in high places.
"Infernal" is a way of saying hellish or horrible. "To induce"
a person to do something is to convince or persuade them.
It’s a savage country; That’s the second one they shot in 20 years.
"Savage" means uncivilized, wild or cruel. This refers to the fact
Presidents Lincoln (1861) and Garfield (1881) were both shot to death.
It’s uncivilized shooting persons of substance.
This is English Bob’s way of referring to important people.
The local ordinanceobliges you to surrender all
sidearms to the proper authorities during your visit.
An "ordinance" is a law, often passed by a city or town. "To oblige" a person
to do something is to require or force them to do it. "Sidearms" are guns,
and the "proper authorities" are the police, or here, sheriff.
Neither my companion or I carry firearms on our person.
Another word for guns.
We rely on the good will of our fellow man and the forbearance of reptiles.
"Good will" is kindness. "Forbearance" is an educated word for restraint
or self-control. "Reptiles" are animals like snakes, lizards, etc.
Unarmed, my ass.
If a person is "unarmed," they are not carrying any guns or other
weapons. "My ass" is a funny way of expressing disbelief or cynicism.
You boys clean my Remington? :: Clean and loaded.
Remington is a famous brand of gun. If a gun is
"loaded," it has bullets in it and is ready to shoot.
Where’s Little Bill, for Christ’s sake.
A common way of expressing anger or frustration.
He don’t have a straight angle on that whole god
damn porch, or on the whole house, for that matter.
A "straight angle" refers to space that is formed when two perpendicular lines cross
(as in "+"). "For that matter" is a set expression that is used when a statement
applies to more (or less) than what was being described.
He is the worst damn carpenter.
A person who builds structures and building that are made of wood.
Maybe he’s tough, but he sure ain’t no carpenter.
A useful word for strong and not easily weakened, or perhaps violent.
There’s a dignity in royalty, a majesty which
precludes the likelihood of assassination.
"To preclude" is to prevent," and an "assassination" is the murder of
a important person. This is English Bob’s silly way of saying that people
would be too scared to shoot a king or queen, but not a president.
If you were to point a pistol at a king or queen,
your hand would shake as if palsied.
"Palsied" is a medical term that is recognized from the disease
Cerebral Palsy, in which people’s arms shake uncontrollably.
That’s a wisepolicy.
"Wise" is a good word meaning smart or prudent. "Policy" is
an important political word meaning a plan or course of action.
The sight of royalty would cause you to dismiss all thoughts of bloodshed.
"To dismiss" a thought is to reject or not allow it. "Bloodshed" is
the word used for the blood and injuries that result from violence.
You would stand….how should I put it?...in awe.
To be "in awe" of something is to be totally amazed by it.
Greely’s Beer Garden and Billiard Parlor.
A "parlor" is a type of bar or room that is put aside for something
specific, like billiards or cards (This is the parlor that Skinny owns).
Shit and fried eggs.
A ridiculous and never used way of expressing anger or other emotion.
It’s been a long time; Did you run out of Chinamen?
"Chinamen" is a ridiculous and no longer used word for Chinese men.
I see you’ve shaved your chin whiskers off.
"Whiskers" are the long stiff hairs that grow out from cats mouths,
but it can be used, as here, to refer to hair that men have on their faces.
Even I thought I was dead, until I found out I was just in Nebraska.
Nebraska is the state East of Wyoming and North of Kansas.
Actually, he’s my biographer.
A "biographer" is a writer of biographies, which are the
life stories of people that are made into books and movies.
You saw the sign outside of town saying surrender your firearms.
"To surrender" a gun is to hand it over, in this case to the police.
I got a peacemaker, but that wouldn’t worry you.
A type of gun.
Charlie, see what kind of book Mr. Beauchamp is packing here.
"To pack" a gun is to carry one, often hidden inside a coat.
No shit?
A crude but common and fun way of asking if something is really true.
The Duck of Death? :: The Duke of Death.
A "duke" is an offical (and srtupid) title used in England for
people born to parents of the highest social rank or level.
I’ll have that 32, Bob.
Another type of gun.
You will leave me at the mercy of my enemies.
To be "at the mercy of" somebody else is to be in a
situation where you can’t defend yourself against them.
You been talking about the queen again….on independence day.
The day the US celebrates becoming an independent nation (July 4th).
I’m talking to all them villains in Kansas….Missouri….
A funny word for very bad or evil people who are often criminals.
Tell them there ain’t no whore’s gold.
Little Bill’s way of referring to the money that the prostitute’s
offered for the killing of the men who cut up Delilah.
Go on, get out of here. Scoot!
A funny little way of saying "leave!"
Go on, mind your own business.
"Stop looking into the personal lives of other people." A widely used expression.
Will, Ned and the Schofield Kid Head toward Big Whiskey, as Little Bill teaches Mr. Beauchamp about English Bob’s past.
Only woman a man like me can get is one he’d
have to pay for, and that ain’t right, buying flesh.
Will’s way of saying that he thinks prostitution is immoral.
He’ s shooting way over yonder.
A very old-fashioned way of saying over there.
What’s he shooting at over there? :: Beats the hell out of me.
A colloquial way of saying "I don’t know."
I figure I can take care of them two cowboys myself.
"To figure" is to a way of saying to think or guess (Note that
in this case, to "take care" of the cowboys is to kill them).
Ned’s an awful good shot with a rifle.
"Awfully" is a curious word that when used as an adverb means very.
To be a "good shot" is to be able to shoot a gun with great accuracy.
I thought maybe something was bent.
If an object is "bent," it is curved or forced into an angle
(This is the past participle of the verb to bend, which is to curve).
You were shooting all over creation.
"Creation" in this context refers to the creation of God, and thus,
the entire planet or universe (i.e.…."You were shooting everywhere").
What’s it come to, three ways?
This is the Schofield Kid’s way of asking how much money each
person would get if they divided the reward money by three people.
What are you pissing on about?
This probably means getting angry about, though this is no longer used. However,
to be "pissed off" about something is a common way of saying to be angry about it.
We got a storm riding up our ass.
Ned’s colorful way of saying a storm is quickly approaching!
See your canteen?
A small container for water or other liquids.
You bet your ass I can see 50 yards.
"You bet your ass" is a slangy way of saying that a
person is certain about what they are talking about.
Hold on!
A common way of saying wait, or perhaps calm down.
That’s you, embalmed on the cover?
"To embalm" a dead body is to treat it with chemicals in order to preserve it.
It’s generally considered desirable in the publishing business
to take a certain liberty when depicting the cover scene.
"To take liberties" with the truth is to exaggerate, distort or change it.
"To depict" a scene is to describe it, or as here, to draw or paint it.
For reasons involving the marketplace.
A general economic term that refers to the economic marketplace,
in which people buy and sell goods and services.
The events that are described in there are
taken from the account of eyewitnesses.
In this case, an "account" is the description of an event told by one
person to another. An "eyewitness" is a person who sees an event take
place with their own eyes, and who may later testify about it in court.
You have insulted the honor of this beautiful woman, Cochran.
"To insult the honor" of a person is to insult or question
their honesty, integrity or perhaps reputation.
"Hot lead blazed from his smoking six-gun."
A dramatic writing style!; "Hot lead" refers to bullets, and if something
"blazes," it moves extremely quickly. A "six-gun" is a type of hand gun.
First off, Cochran never carried two guns, though he should have.
A good way to start a sentence when you want to say a list of things.
That wasn’t because he was sporting two pistols, but because he had a dick
so big that it was longer than the barrel of that Walker Colt that he had.
"To sport a pistol" is to carry a gun, but this is rarely used. A "dick" is a
common slang terms for a penis, and the "barrel" of a gun is the long tube that
the bullets come out of. A Walker Colt is a type of gun.
The only insulting he did was stick that thing into
the French lady that English Bob was kind of sweet on.
To be "sweet on" a person is to like them romantically, though this
expression is rare. This is Little Bill’s way of saying that English Bob
was angry at Cochran for having had sex with the French woman .
That bullet whizzing by panicked old Cochran and he did the wrong thing.
"To whiz by" is to travel through the air at very high speed.
Bob here, he’s aiming real good, and he squeezes off another.
"To aim" a gun is to point it exactly where you want to shoot.
"To squeeze off" a shot is to fire a gun.
He aims real careful, no hurry, and bam!
"Bam" is the word ones uses to make the sound of an explosion.
The Walker Colt blew up in his hand, which
was a failing common for that model.
"To blow up" is an important phrasal verb meaning to explode.
That business in Jackson county.
A "county" is an area of land that is usually bigger than a city,
but smaller than a state. States are divided into counties.
Two deputies pointing a rifle right up close at you, got you dead to rights.
A "deputy" is a police officer who serves under a sheriff. "Dead to rights" is
an interesting though never used expression which probably means with the absolute
ability to kill a person at that very moment.
You pulled out your pistol and you blew them both to hell.
"To blow a person to hell" is a slangy way of saying to shoot and kill them.
Only took a scratch yourself.
In this case, a "scratch" is a slight cut or very minor injury.
Well, I don’t recollect.
A rare but still used way of saying to remember.
What the hell is that to you? :: I like to know what kind
of fellow I’m riding with, in case we get into a scrape and all.
Note that "the hell" is added to Wh questions in order to show anger or
other emotion. A "scrape" is a tearing of the skin from rubbing too much,
though here it’s used to mean a dangerous situation.
You boys are as crotchety as a couple old hens.
"Crotchety" means easily irritated, ill-tempered or in a bad mood.
A "hen" is a female chicken. This is a fun but never used expression!
Actually then, Mr. Cochran was faster on the draw than the duck.
To be "fast on the draw" is to be able to grab a gun from it’s holster
(the leather pocket it sits in) and then shoot it very quickly.
Being quick….don’t do no harm, but it don’t
mean much next to being cool headed.
A person who is "cool headed" remains calm and thoughtful,
even during very dangerous or difficult situations.
A man who’ll keep his head, and not get rattledunder fire.
If a man "keeps his head" in a stressful situation, he remains calm. To get "rattled"
is to become nervous or shaken. To be "under fire" is to literally be shot at,
or to face very strong criticism or pressure.
Unless it’s a barn.
A large wooden building for housing horses, cows and other animals.
If somebody is shooting back at you….that will just flat rattle some folks.
"To rattle" a person is to make them nervous or shaken up.
Is it loaded? :: Wouldn’t do any good if it wasn’t.
If a gun is "loaded," it has bullets in it and is ready to use.
First, you got to cock it.
"To cock" a gun is to set the hammer in place so it’s ready to shoot.
You gotta point it.
Note that "have got to"----->"gotta" in fast speech.
Now all you gotta do is pull the trigger, Mister.
"To pull the trigger" of a gun is to actually shoot it.
You no-good god damn pig fucking whore.
A very strong insult! "No-good" means, of course, all bad. A "whore"
is a prostitute, few if any who would actually have sex with a pig!
English Bob leaves Little Whiskey as Will, Ned and the Kid arrive, and soon Will finds himself facing the anger of Little Bill.
You still think it will be easy to kill them cowboys? :: If we don’t drown first.
"To drown" is to die in the water after being unable to breathe.
Give these keys to the conductor and tell him he can
lose old Bob’s cuffs as soon as he is outside the county.
A "conductor" is the person who drives a train (or perhaps a carriage
pulled by a horse). "Hand cuffs" are the metal tools that police use to
keep the hands of suspected criminals trapped and close together.
If I see you again, I’ll just start shooting and figure it’s self-defense.
A legal term that means the act of protecting oneself, which
is often used to justify the harming or killing of another person.
He’s staying on his own account. :: He can go stuff himself as well, can’t he?
If a man does something "on his own account," he does it because
he wants to, though this expression is rarely used. "He can go
stuff himself" is a gentler insult than "he can go fuck himself"
(Note that "to stuff" a box means literally to fill it with things).
A plague on the whole stinking lot of you!
A "plague" is a horrible and very contagious disease. This is English Bob’s
way of saying that he hopes everyone in town gets sick and dies.
You’re all savages. Bloody savages, a curse on you!
A "savage" is a brutal and uncivilized person. Note that "bloody" is a widely used
and loved adjective for many British people that simply means "very" or perhaps
"complete." A "curse" is a magical wish from a witch that brings bad fortune.
A fellow asking for you, Alice. :: Tonight, you ain’t joshing?
"To josh" is a rarely used word meaning to tease or joke around.
Must be randy as hell to come out in this shit.
"Randy" is a slangy adjective for a person who is very much in the
mood to have sex. Here, the shit referred to is the rainy weather.
He started crying and sobbing and just carrying on.
"To sob" is to breath heavily while crying, and to "carry on" is
one way of saying to cry, scream or act with great emotion.
I can’t abide them kind.
"To abide" a person is to accept or tolerate them.
You see them in the taverns, ya know. Tramps and drunk teamsters.
A "tavern" is a bar or saloon. A "tramp" is an old-fashioned word
for a poor person with no home who wanders from place to place.
A "teamster" is a person who leads a team, though today it is only
used in the context of the Teamsters labor union (of truck drivers).
Crazed piners, sporting their pistols and acting like they were bad men.
To be "crazed" is to be extremely emotional, perhaps to the point of being crazy.
"To pine" is to suffer intense longing or desire, but this word is rarely used.
But without any character, not even any bad character.
In the first usage, "character" refers to honor, integrity or good morals, though
in the second usage above, it means simply any qualities that a person has.
Bob was no coward, you know.
A "coward" is a person who is unable to face fear
or danger without being extremely scared or nervous.
I don’t have any more receptacles.
Another word for a container to hold water or other liquid.
Who the hell is it?
Note that "the hell" is added to wh questions
to show anger, frustration or other emotion.
His head was broke open….and worms were coming out.
Note that that past participle of to break is broken, not broke.
"Worms" are tiny and slippery tube-shaped animals.
Maybe he’s getting an advance on one of them sporting ladies.
In this context, an "advance" is a payment made before a service
is actually provided ("Sporting ladies" is Ned’s words for prostitutes).
If it worked out that I could take a little time for myself….
In this context, if something "works out," it becomes possible.
I says give me over your pistol.
Note that Little Bill occasionally says "I says," which
is a very strange verbal conjugation, and never used.
Ordinance says you got to turn in your firearm to the county office.
"To turn in" an object to the police is to physically give it to them.
I ain’t armed.
A person who is "armed" is carrying a gun or other weapon on them.
Spilled your whisky.
"To spill" a drink is to accidentally let it
fall out of its glass and on to the ground.
You shit in your pants because of a cowardlysoul.
A crude expression which refers to a person who is probably
extremely scared. "Cowardly" means scared or without courage,
and the "soul" is the non-physical or spiritual part of a person.
I bet you’d show me that pistol, right quick, and shoot me dead. Isn’t that so?
"I bet" is a very common way of saying "I am sure that…"
What’s this for, snakes and such?
An interesting expression that means "and other similar things."
It ain’t loaded. Powder’s wet.
"Powder" in this case refers to gun powder, which is used to cause an
explosion that sends a bullet into the air. If it’s wet, the gun can’t fire.
You find this in all the saloons in all your prosperous communities.
A "saloon" is a type of bar, and if a community is "prosperous,"
this means it has many financially successful people.
Wichita. Cheyenne. Abilene.
Three well known cities of the old West. Cheyenne is now the capital
of Wyoming, and the other two are in the state of Kansas.
He’s desiring to leave the hospitality of Big Whiskey behind him.
"Hospitality" is the kindness and warmth that people show a visitor.
Easy, Little Bill. She’s got to work and she’s got to turn a dollar at a time.
"Easy" is short for take it easy, or calm down. "To turn a dollar a time" is Skinny’s
way of saying that Alice must make a dollar every time she has sex with a man.
How come they lit out the back window?
On account they seen you beating on their friend.
"To light out" is to leave quickly, though this is no longer used.
"To beat" a person is to physically attack them (beat on is rarely used).
You just kicked the shit out of an innocent man.
"To kick the shit out of" a person is a crude but common
way of saying to physically attack and badly hurt them.
Will, Ned and the Kid trap their first victim.
You done this before? :: Plenty of times.
"Plenty of" is a useful alternative way of saying a lot.
His pistol must have jammed.
If a gun or other machine "jams," it becomes stuck and will not work.
At least I would have pulled my pistol. :: Well
you did; Right out of the lady and out the window.
Note the play on words; A pistol is, of course, a gun, though
in the second sentence it is treated as a slang word for penis.
We don’t need him. He ain’t nothing but a broken down pig farmer.
If a person is "broken down," they are physically or emotionally
exhausted or no longer with energy, desire or happiness.
You mean will I help you to kill them
cowboys? :: Well, I can’t spot them myself.
"To spot" a person or object is to see, often from far away.
Some big fellow….He really kicked the hell out of me.
"To kick the hell out of" a person is a softer version of to kick the shit out of.
No offense meant.
"I didn’t mean to offend or hurt you…."
They went out scouting when they saw your fever broke.
"To scout" is to go looking for something, though this is rarely used today.
If a "fever breaks," the temperature begins to drop and the sick person gets better.
I though I was gone.
Will’s way of saying that he thought he was going to die.
Are you really going to kill them cowboys? ::
There’s still a payment coming, isn’t there?
A "payment" is the act of paying money that is owed by a certain time.
Alice and Silky have been giving them free ones.
Delilah’s way of saying Alice and Silky have been having sex for free,
or at least giving "advances" to Ned and the Schofield kid.
You ain’t ugly likely me. It’s just that we both got scars.
A "scar" is a mark still left on the skin from a wound or injury. Note
though that a person can be both physically and emotionally scarred.
I admire you…for being true to your wife and all.
To be "true to " a person is to be loyal to them,
in this case by not having sex with other people.
Is she back in Kansas? :: Yeah, she’s watching over my young ones.
"To watch over" children is to take care of them and make sure they’re OK
(though here, it is the "spirit" of Will’s wife who is doing this).
I’m pinned, boys!
To be "pinned" is to be stuck or trapped between two objects.
Better finish him before he gets clear.
In this case, "to finish" him is to kill him, instead of just injure him.
How many more shots do I have, god damn it?!
In this context, a "shot" is a bullet.
You shouldn’t have cut up no woman, you asshole.
One of the most widely used insult words. Vulgar, but useful.
Will you give him a drink of water, for Christ’s sake?!
A common expression to show emotion such as anger or frustration.
When are we going to double back? :: After a ways.
"To double back" is to go back in the direction from where you came,
though this is rarely used. After a ways means in a little while.
Want the Spencer Will? :: This ain’t no time to quit.
The Spencer is the name of the type of rifle that Ned has.
Me and the kid will head over to the ranch, and….we’ll kill him.
"To head over" to a place is to start travelling toward it.
He’ll hole up at the ranch.
"To hole up" in a place is to stay inside it, hoping to
avoid being caught or hurt by people who are outside.
I’ll bring your share….the kid’s full of shit.
In this case, Ned’s "share" refers to his part of the money. If a person is
"full of shit," they’re saying a lot of nonsense or lies. Vulgar but common.
Ned faces a horrible fate, and Will and the Kid find the cowboy they want.
Fatty, you just get out to the bar and make sure that
the other cowboy stays put and don’t expose himself.
If a person "stays put," they stay where they are. In this case, if a
person "exposes himself," he allows other people to see him.
I didn’t think they’d really do it. :: You think
they came clear up from Kansas to fuck us?
A funny line. To come "clear up" from a place is a way of saying
to come all the way from there, even though it is very far.
He ain’t got no wife. Not above ground, anyway.
Alice’s way of saying that Will’s wife is dead (and perhaps buried).
Murdering whores! :: He had it coming for
what he done, and the other one too!
If a person "has it coming," they will likely be
punished for something bad that they have done.
Those cowboys mess him up? :: A little bit, I guess.
In this case, to "mess up" a person is to beat or hurt them.
They said they want Quick Mike’s ass.
"To want somebody’s ass" is one way of saying you want to hurt or even kill them.
You’ll want to tell me and Mr. Beuachamp about your two villainous friends.
A "villainous" person is very bad, evil or wicked.
I’m always glad to hear the name and whereabouts of those two murderous son of bitches.
"Glad" means happy or satisfied. The "whereabouts" of a
person is the place that they are at any given time.
This sure is ripe.
"Ripe" means ready. It can apply to a situation in general, or a fruit.
You said Henry Tate out of Cheyenne. :: Hell if I did.
A slangy way of saying "I did not" when the
person wants to show anger or defiance.
I’m going to the shithouse.
A very old slang word for a bathroom.
Let me finish this hand. :: What are you going
to do, protect me while I take a dump?
A "hand" in poker is the playing of one set of cards. "To take a dump"
is a vulgar but not uncommon way of saying to go to the bathroom
(Note that this is to shit, and not to piss, which is to "take a leak").
To hell with him. If the man ain’t polite, he should get shot.
"To hell with" somebody is a way of showing anger or contempt for them.
"Polite" is an important word meaning well-behaved or having good manners.
Cover me!
In the context of a gun fight, one way of saying "protect me!"
Was that what it was like in the old days? Everybody riding out
shooting, smoke all over, folks all over, bullets whizzing by.
"The old days" is a common way of referring to many years earlier, often when the
speaker or listener was young. When a bullet "whizzes by," it flies by extremely quickly.
I shot that fucker three times! He was taking
a shit, he went for his pistol, and I blazed away!
Note that "fucker" can be a crude insult noun that simply refers
to a person. "To take a shit" is a vulgar but common way of saying
to go to the bathroom (to shit, poop, or of course, take a dump).
In this case, "to blaze away" is to begin to fire a gun very quickly.
We’ll give Ned over his share together, and that
way you know that I’m not holding out on you.
"To hold out on" a person is to try and secretly keep
something that you may owe them, such as money.
He was making him answer questions and beating him up, and Ned just died.
"To beat up" a person is to physically attack and hurt them.
Little Bill said you was Will Munny out of Missouri….the same Will Munny
who dynamited the railroad in ’69, killing women and children.
"To dynamite" a building is to make it explode using strong chemicals.
Ned said you was more cold blooded than Will Bonney.
A person who is "cold blooded" is extremely cruel and violent.
Like you killed the US Marshals in ’70.
"Marshals" are police officers who often work for the federal or national government.
What about the spectacles and the fancy clothes.
"Spectacles" are eye glasses. "Fancy" is an important adjective
that means brightly colored or nicely decorated, but not ordinary.
I guess I’d rather be blind and ragged than dead.
"Ragged" means old, and torn, and is often used to describe clothes.
You stay clear of folks you see…they’ll be a lot out to hang you.
"To stay clear of" people is to try and
avoid them, or perhaps not be seen by them.
That’s two drinks, but after that, it comes out of your own pocket.
If something "comes out of your own pocket," this means that you have to pay for it.
We’ll hit all the farms and trails.
In this case, "to hit" is used to mean carefully search.
We’re bound to come across somebody who has seen the skunks.
If a person is "bound to" do something, this means that it’s almost
certain that they will do it. A "skunk" is a cute little animal that
protects itself by spraying a horrible smelling liquid at its enemies.
Will returns to Big Whiskey to teach Little Bill a final lesson.
Who is the fellow who owns this shithole?
An interesting insult for a small store, bar or other type of building.
I own this establishment. I bought it from Greeley for $1,000.
In this context, an "establishment" is a small business.
You better clear out of there.
"To clear out of" a place is to quickly leave it.
Hold it!
A common way of screaming "wait!"
Sir, you are a cowardly son of a bitch.
A strong word for a person who is fearful and has no courage.
Well, he should’ve armed himself if he is
going to decorate his saloon with my friend.
"To decorate" a building is to make it look nice with new paint or
wall paper or the like, though here it is used in a very cynical way.
I killed just about everything that walks or crawls, at one time.
"To crawl" is to move on both arms and legs, like a baby.
All right, gentlemen, he’s got just one barrel left.
The "barrel" of a gun is the part where the bullet is housed.
When he fires that, take out your pistol and shoot
him down like the mangyscoundrel that he is.
If a dog is "mangy," it has poor quality hair that is falling out and leaving bald spots.
A "scoundrel" is an excellent word for an immoral, selfish and evil person.
Misfire! Kill the son of a bitch!
If a gun "misfires," it fails to shoot.
Pick up that rifle. The shells too.
In this case, the tiny metal containers that house the bullets of a gun.
I write. :: Letters and such?
In the 19th century, "letters" meant articles, essays or possibly
books. "And such" is a way of saying "and similar things."
I don’t believe it; You killed five men single handed.
If a person does something single-handedly,
he does it alone, without the help of others.
When confronted by superior numbers, an
experienced gun fighter will fire on the best shot first.
If a person is "confronted" by others, they are threatened or attacked by them.
Note that a "shot" can refer to a person, and a good shot is a person who shoots well.
I don’t deserve this. :: Deserve has got nothing to do with it.
"To deserve" something is to merit, or be worthy of it.
Some years later, Mrs. Ansonia Feathers made the arduous journey to
Hedgemena County, to visit the last resting place of her only daughter.
"Arduous" is an interesting adjective that means exhausting or very difficult.
In this context, a "resting place" is the cemetery where a body is buried.
Note that Mrs. Feathers is the mother of Will’s wife.
It was rumored that he prospered in dry goods.
If something is "rumored," it is discussed by many people who think
that it may be true. "To prosper" is to do well financially, and
"dry goods" are such items as canned foods and grains.
A man of notoriouslyvicious and intemperate disposition.
As noted at the beginning of this glossary, "notoriously" means widely known in
a very negative way. "Vicious" is a useful adjective meaning extremely cruel or
dangerous. If a person has an "intemperate disposition," they have a violent temper.
Unforgiven
Possible Topics for ESL Class Discussion
1. Is there a time or place in your country that has some of the same lawlessness
or other features that were part of the American West?
2. Were there any admirable characters in this movie?
3. Do you think Alice and the other women were justified by offering a bounty, after it
became clear that Little Bill would not try to get real justice for the attack on Delilah?
4. Do you think Will really changed since he had stopped drinking whiskey?
If so, why did he agree to go to Wyoming with the Schofield kid?
5. Were you glad when Will shot Little Bill?
6. What does this film tell us about violence,
guns and American culture today?
7. In this movie, how many people were left unforgiven?