Blackthorne--Scene 74

painting by Marcia Baldwin

Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Seventy-Four

Preface

“Everything before the ride is preface--everything 

after it is appendix; love is the story.” --Glenn B.

1(two-shot) Johnny: Hey--none of that now--you

know me. You can smell the past on me. I have oats

for you, and gentle hands. So calm down fierce one.

Forget about all these bastards on the fence. Just

see me and the Buck. Come to me, eat.

2(sound cue) piano and harmonica--gentle riff.

3(medium wide shot) the Eagle extended his handful

of oats.

4(cut to overhead drone shot) the man and horse 

still as statues

5(close up) the Appaloosa showed his teeth.

6(sound cues) horse nickering softly, harmonica,

mild buzz of the crowd.

7(two shot) Johnny remained rock-still. The stallion’s

ears came up. He moved slowly toward Johnny, but

while watching Buck. Chatawa began muzzle down 

into Johnny’s big right hand, chomping at the oats, but

picking them up delicately with his lips, careful to bite,

chewing around the bit.

8(medium close-up) Johnny: That’s right, thank you, 

eat--it’s good for you, makes your coat shiny. Now,

come over here, boss--stroke his shoulder.

9(three-shot) Buck moved up slowly: Yes, easy, my

stippled boy. We are here now. 

The oats were consumed. Johnny rubbed the horse’s

face. Buck reached out and stroked a muscular

freckled shoulder. The stallion turned his head and 

looked at the hunter. He shivered a little to the touch,

stamping one of his shapely legs.

10(close up) A little girl can pet a horse, Breed--but

it takes a man to ride one”, taunted Graff.

11(two shot) The Eagle unlatched the thick black

bridle, and carefully slipped the cruel Spanish spade

out of the stallion’s mouth. Hey, Valiante--we don’t 

need this, do we? Johnny worked the rope not 

lashed to the breaking post free, and tossed it to 

Buck. The hunter recoiled the rope, took the bridle

and draped the both over the sawhorse. Johnny

rubbed the horse’s forearms. The stippled stallion

calmed. The Eagle turned to the rails: Ryker, have

you got a halter in your gear?

12(medium close-up) Ryker: Yeah, I do--but Jesus 

Christ, don’t tell me you going to ride this devil 

without a saddle or a bridle with a bit?

13(two-shot) over Ryker’s shoulder. Johnny: 

Get it for me. please.

14(medium close-up) Bronson: Come on, Johnny,

this ain’t no rodeo. I want this animal saddle-broke.

15(two-shot) Johnny turned to face Bronson, and he 

spoke evenly and unemotionally.

16(close-up) Johnny: Mr. Bronson, this is a 

magnificent medicine horse, but still he is an Indian 

pony. He can run like the winds of hell. but who 

knows how long he’s been running wild. He’s never 

had a saddle on him, so the first ride now must be 

Nez Pierce style; bareback and bold. Once he gets 

used to the weight of a man again, then we can 

introduce him to a saddle.

17(two-shot) Ryker handed him the chest halter.

Shit, we all see the fucking split ear, but Mr. Bronson 

wants it broke today. Indian horses respect authority. 

You are just wasting our time here.

Johnny paused a moment, and stared a hot hole in

Ryker’s forehead: A man who beats a horse can 

never understand them. For me, Ryker, you have

no opinion. I will break him properly and he will have

a saddle on him in an hour.

18(medium close up) Good enough, boomed Cash

Bronson, ending the conversation.

19(sound cue) blues guitar slide, harmonica, & banjo

20(medium close up) Thor was leaning against the top 

rail, his chin on his crossed arms, watching Buck. His

dark eyes were like slits of coal in this lean face. His 

golden buckle flashed in the sun.

21(medium wide shot) Johnny took the halter from 

Buck, and let the marbled stallion smell it, then he

slipped it on smoothly; without a bit, Chatawa 

accepted it as Johnny deftly buckled it. He lay the 

reins gently on the horses back. Buck handed him a

lariat surcingle, with a hand-hold loop at the top. He

wrapped it slowly around the belly, cinching it up

Glenn Buttkus

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