The Shootist 1976

As he nears the end of his journey, John Bernard “J.B.” Books, a seasoned lawman turned gunslinger, rides into Carson City, Nevada, during the cold days of January 1901. With over thirty years of violence etched into his life, he bears the burden of his past like the dusty boots he wears. His arrival sparks an unexpected confrontation when he encounters an armed robber. Demonstrating his legendary reflexes, Books swiftly disarms the attacker, leaving him wounded on the ground.

While maneuvering through the town’s fringes, he meets Jay Cobb, a local dairyman, and his assistant, Gillom Rogers, who steps in with a steadying presence to diffuse the tense situation. Searching for solace, Books pays a visit to Dr. E.W. “Doc” Hostetler, the physician who once treated his gunshot wounds. The doctor’s straightforward diagnosis reveals a grim truth: terminal cancer has claimed Books’ body, granting him only a few months left to live. Though a prescription for laudanum temporarily eases his suffering, the relentlessness of his diagnosis haunts him daily.

In desperate need of a sanctuary, Books finds a place to stay at the quiet boarding house owned by Bond Rogers, Gillom’s widowed mother. Attempting to remain inconspicuous, he adopts a false name. However, Gillom’s keen observation soon reveals his hidden identity when he spots Books’ name etched on his saddle at the stable. This revelation sends Bond into a state of shock, prompting her to call upon Marshal Walter Thibido to address the notorious figure directly. Upon hearing Books’ story—especially the gravity of his terminal diagnosis—Bond’s perspective shifts, leading her to invite him to church in hopes of offering him some semblance of comfort.

The whispers surrounding Books’ infamous presence spread rapidly, attracting a flock of opportunists eager to exploit his legend or eliminate him. Local journalist Dan Dobkins attempts to get an interview with him but is swiftly chased away. Adding to the drama, an old flame named Serepta reenters his life, proposing marriage only to unveil her ulterior motive: a sensationalized biography, rich with embellished tales of his gunfighting life.

Reacting in his typical fashion, Books orders a headstone, but declines the undertaker’s offer for a complimentary funeral, wary that it would only serve to line someone’s pockets in his absence. Attempting to finish him off, two assassins sneak into his temporary lodgings, only to be swiftly dealt with by Books himself. With growing admiration for Books’ skills, Gillom becomes increasingly aware of the dangers they encounter, stirring fears about his own future and the absence of a father figure in his life.

As the bond between the two deepens, Books takes it upon himself to instill valuable life lessons in Gillom, imparting his personal code: > “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” With this philosophy guiding them, Books tasks Gillom with informing three notorious men—Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford, and Cobb—that he will confront them at the Metropole Saloon on his upcoming birthday, January 29th.

With the arrival of his headstone, inscribed with the words “Books died in 1901,” the clock begins to tick. Books passes on Ole Dollar, his cherished horse, to Gillom, bidding farewell to Bond as he prepares for the inevitable showdown. Boarding the trolley to the Metropole, anticipation and unease mix within him.

As the saloon doors swing open, Books encounters three uninvited guests, each positioned at their own table, eyes glued upon him. He nonchalantly orders the best whiskey available, raising a glass to his own birthday and the ominous assortment of adversaries who have come to rain gunfire upon him. Tension fills the air as Cobb strikes first, forcing Books to take cover behind the bar. Seizing the moment, he hurls a whiskey bottle at Cobb, effectively disorienting him just long enough to turn the tide against his foe.

Sweeney crouches behind his table, using it as a shield against the onslaught. Books capitalizes on this opportunity, expertly firing a shot that dismantles Sweeney’s defenses, taking him out of the fight. As the chaos unfolds, Pulford attempts to close in on Books, who lays low, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Spotting a whiskey glass on the bar, Books takes aim with fateful accuracy, striking Pulford down in the heat of battle.

As gunfire subsides, curious onlookers are drawn to the uproar outside the Metropole. Among them is Gillom Rogers, who rushes into the saloon at the peak of the chaos. His frantic warning goes unheard, and in a moment fueled by panic, the bartender mistakenly fires a shotgun blast that strikes Books down, leaving him bleeding and vulnerable.

In a desperate act, Gillom grabs the fallen gun and confronts the bartender, exacting swift vengeance. Yet, as reality sinks in, he looks down at Books’ still form, tragedy painted across his face. With a slight smile and an approving nod from Books, the legendary gunfighter slips away, leaving Gillom in a cloud of grief. Slowly, he drapes his coat over the body of Books and exits into the world outside, his heart heavy and his mother watching with concern just beyond the threshold.