1. Edgar J. Scherick & Associates
DATE: September 17, 1999
COVERAGE: By Nancy Miles
TITLE: RIDERS IN THE SKY
AUTHOR: PATRICK DUNCAN
GENRE: WESTERN
FORM: SCREENPLAY, 124 PGS.
LOCATION: Gilead, Texas
CIRCA: 1950's.
LOG LINE: Five dangerous criminals aim to pull off a train heist in a small town.
EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR NEEDS WORK POOR
Premise *
Characters *
Dialogue *
Setting *
Overall Writing *
PRIMARY CHARACTERS:
ROY LASSITER: An anomalous, self-confident, bank/train bandit who would like to
become a wealthy Jesse James some day. He grew up in a very small and poor town,
which he was considered the black sheep of the family where he classifies his father as a
loser and his mother as a saintly Christian loser. Lassiter tries to be a villainous hero to
his younger and naïve brother Ruben.
JEHOVAH PENNEY: A raven, shrewd and composed man who is Lassiter's sidekick.
He is also a bank/train robber. Penney plays by his own rules and his own game. He loves
to converse with his own kinsmen instead of hanging out with the other ignorant bank
robbers. Penney is quite knowledgeable about car mechanics.
FRANCAIS CALLANAN: A Chickasaw Indian/Irish gentlemen who use to ride along
with the Texas Rangers in his prime. Currently he writes western and detective novels
under the pseudonym of Winters Van Ness.
AARON GUTHRIE: A mature gentlemen who also use to ride along with the Texas
Rangers. Aaron spends most of his time living in the past instead of the present. He loves
his daughter Ida and thinks the world of his granddaughter Lila.

2. SYNOPSIS: In the opening, a crowd of people is waiting for a Sheriff's car to pull up
in a small Oklahoma town. Two handcuffed convicts get out and approach the
courthouse. Roy Lassiter and Jehovah Penney enter the courtroom where the judge is
ready to give his final word.
Just then, a logging truck driven by Lassiter's younger brother Ruben plows into
the side of the courtroom. All three men scramble to get the Sheriff and his deputies guns.
Just then, a car pulls up outside the courthouse to see what all the commotion was
about. Lassiter pulls the driver out while Penney, Ruben and a kidnapped deputy is in the
car and on their way down the road.
The deputy admits that he would rather be shot then be alive with this superficial
and soon-to-be-dead bunch of hoodlums. Ruben admits to his brother that he has been
keeping a scrapbook of Lassiter's run-ins with the law for quite awhile until their mother
threw them out.
In the meantime, sixty miles away in a small Texas town several mature men are
getting ready for their weekly poker game at Irish Kerby's bar. Kerby Guthrie, owner of
the bar, Jack Mulcahey the town sheriff, Francis, Aaron and a empty seat in honor of
their deceased friend, Preacher Owen.
At the same time, Lassiter's bunch also are reaching the border of Oklahoma and
Texas, where they pick up three more of Lassiter's acquaintances, Slick, a contemptible
gentlemen, empty-headed Slick and their bouncer buddy Tommy. In addition, they leave
the handcuffed deputy behind tied to Slick's harlot friend and with the impression that
they are going to Denver instead of Texas.
In Gilead Texas, the gentlemen have started their poker game and are reminiscing
about days gone by when Lassiter and his bunch show up in town at Kerby's bar.
He asks if Kerby rents rooms to colored people since African Americans were
considered taboo back in the 1950's. Kerby admits that if they have the room they usually
do. Lassiter pays for three rooms for two nights. Lassiter and Slick seem smitten with Ida,
Aaron's daughter and Kerby's niece.
Lassiter admits to buying and repairing old automobiles as his business endeavor.
He also asks if anyone in town has any automobiles, they might be willing to part with.
Poker player Jack tells him to ask for Elmo Williams a.k.a. Mean Nigger Bill. He tells
Lassiter that Bill has his finger on the pulse of the town. Moreover, he would know who
is selling what.
While Lassiter's flock munches on sandwiches, Lassiter strolls over to see what Ida
is typing. Ida admits to typing books for Francis after he writes them. Ruben learns that
Francis is Winters Van Ness, a novelist and one of his favorite writers.

3. Lassiter's entourage soon learn that the four men and their one deceased friend use
to ride along with the Texas Rangers and the posters on the walls are convicts that were
in jail or that they proudly killed. This seems very entertaining to Lassiter, Slick and his
bunch because they are pondering how this group of mature men ever could ride along
with the Texas Rangers because they seem so doddering.
Later that night, Lassiter admits to his followers that they are waiting for a train to
come through the town. The train comes from Denver, it has a car from the U.S. mint on
it, and that is what they will hit. On the other side of town, Jack and Francis are trying to
guess why Lassiter and his group are in their town. Jack tells Francis that he will call the
state police to see if they can find anything on Lassiter's background.
The next morning Slick and Tommy find out from Silas an Indian statue carver that
the Denver train comes by the town at around eight but does not stop in Gilead. Lassiter
and Ruben are at the drugstore having breakfast and awaiting a telephone call from their
contact at the mint. Lassiter hits upon Ida and asks her out on a date. Lassiter and Ida
leave while a perturbed Ruben awaits the phone call.
While Lassiter is getting to know Ida, Ruben is talking to Lila about her uncle's
books. Ruben admits to Lila (and later on Francis) that the bad guys should win some but
Francis admits that its not who wins but its who writes the novels.
Later on, Slick, Penney, Francis and Lila are at Mean Nigger Bill's stable and Lila
is getting ready to saddle up for her weekly ride. Slick and Penney ask Bill if anyone is
willing to sell/give up their car in town. Bill admits there are a few people in town with
trucks who might sell them. Simple sees Lila on a horse and he thinks he can ride one as
well. Simple pays Bills for a horse while Penney nudges him and tells him that he has
never been on a horse before but Simple is eager to try anything.
Simple soon learns that the horse he has chosen distinctively knows that he is an
inexperienced rider and starts to whine. Simple gets ready to smack the horse again when
Bill smacks Simple on the head with a sledge hammer. Simple starts to pull out his gun
but Penney stops him and pays Bill the money that Simple owes him and the two men
walk away.
Later that evening, Lassiter escorts Ida to the movie and her home. Lassiter learns
that Ida's husband died several years before and that law student Wade Hatton also
Kerby's bartender, wants to marry her but Ida is hesitant because Wade reminds her too
much of George, her deceased husband. She tells Lassiter that Wade and George had
many of the same qualities. They were both dreamers and that their dreams never will
come true.
While the rest of Lassiter's group finds something to do that night, Penney goes to
share a bottle with Bill and finds out why they call him Mean Nigger Bill. Bill admits that
he killed the town racist back in 1908 and he was wanted in Oklahoma and Arkansas for
awhile but he never stirred up any trouble for Francis and his group of fellows. He warns
Penney that he should do the same.
Aaron catches Lassiter and Ida in a tryst and explodes with rage at Lassiter. Aaron
and Lassiter start fighting while Ida grabs her father and tells Lassiter to leave. Simple in
the meantime gets in a fight with Wade for making remarks about town harlot Ida.
Simple kills Wade in the fight. Jack is ready to haul Simple in when Tommy draws his
gun and tells Jack to back off. Lassiter enters and demands to know what's been going on.

4. Lassiter admits that they do not have time to watch the whole bunch and takes
Lila hostage as their protection. Lassiter tells the rest of his crew to cut the phone lines
and line the town's car on the railroad track for the train to come while. Lassiter tells Ida
that she will have her daughter back safely tomorrow after they are gone.
Jack, Kerby, Francis and Aaron are playing poker to kill time. Aaron's luck
seems to be changing; he is finally winning some hands. The men are astonished at his
luck also at Aaron's new carefree attitude. Aaron confesses that he killed their fifth friend,
Preacher Owen because he was having an affair with his wife. He also admits that he
made it look like a suspect they were chasing back then killed Owen. Aaron sheepishly
concedes that he loved Owen just like he loved his wife but he found out that she was the
town harlot and that she was going to leave with Owen someday.
The next day, Lassiter, Penney, Tommy goes to the train depot and set up their
plan while Slick and Ruben watch Lila in their hotel room. Aaron is also getting ready for
his confrontation with Lassiter's bunch to rescue Lila. He puts on his badge and gets his
gun ready to kill Lassiter. All the while, Francis, Kerby and Jack are also trying to devise
a plan to stop Lassiter.
While Ida is looking at Wade's body, Francis sneaks up the stairs with his rifle but
only sees a part of Simple's body that he cannot shoot him properly. There is a knock on
the hotel door, Simple gets up and aims his gun at the door. He finds out its Mean Nigger
Bill who is there to show Penney his collectible gun but Simple shoots him through the
door. Bill falls back against the wall and drops dead to the floor. Ida grabs Bill's gun and
fires it at Simple. Simple falls back into the room just then another gun goes off and
shoots Simple several times that the force pushes Simple through the hotel window.
Lassiter and his friends see Simple fall to the ground and he tells the others that
they need to go on with their plan. Just then, the train whistle is heard, Lassiter and his
men prepare themselves by hiding behind some of the parked cars at the depot.
The train hits the cars and trucks that were on the track. Kerby, Jack and Francis
all prepare to go to the train depot with their guns in their hands. Lassiter and his men run
to the train, find the Fireman, and ask him where the U.S. Mint cargo is. Lassiter tells on
of the injured trainmen to open the safe. While the man is opening the safe, Lassiter turns
around and finds Aaron pointing a gun at him. Tommy is ready to shoot Aaron but his
gun jams. Aaron shoots Tommy several times. Tommy then blows Aaron away with the
machine gun. Aaron drops to the ground. Ida turns away as Lila clutches to her mother.
The trainman opens the safe and the men find a safe deposit box. Penney beats on
it until it opens. Inside are five one hundred thousand-dollar bills. Lassiter and Penney are
upset because they cannot cash the money. Slick does not understand. They inform him
that only banks can cash this kind of money. Lassiter, Penney and Slick see Francis,
Kerby and Jack all pointing guns at them and heading their way.
Lassiter and his bunch hide for cover while they all prepare for a shootout. Jack
shoots at Slick and the bullets glaze into the counter at the baggage room where Slick is
hiding behind. The wood slits hit Slick in the neck Slick screams while he grabs for his
gun. Jack moves upon Slick and shoots him in the chest. Slick jerks backward and falls.
Penney is hiding behind a car while Kerby is hiding behind another one. Bullets
are flying at each other. Kerby is hit by one of Penney's bullets. Penney runs to Bill's
horses stable and hides, Kerby follows. Kerby notices a horsewhip hanging near the door
he takes it in his hand and has in gun in the other. Kerby opens up the stall of one nervous

5. horse, the horse snoots and hollows, Kerby hits it's rear, the horse leaps and crashes into
the sides and the door of the stall, Kerby hears Penney scream before the horse is released
from its stall. Kerby waits for Penney to come out. Kerby sees that Penney was trampled
to death by the nervous horse.
Meanwhile Francis is still chasing Lassiter who is now hiding behind a railroad
car. A long slither of wood from the railroad car is in Francis cheek, he pulls it out and he
sees Lassiter firing at him from an overturned wheat car. Francis hides under a cattle car
and fires at Lassiter's legs. Lassiter screams and falls down an embankment. Lassiter
admits to Francis and that was not fair. Francis tells him that this is not a game and fires
the final bullet into Lassiter chest.
Francis, Kerby and Jack stand quietly in the town's main street while the town
starts to come out of their homes. Ida and Lila run over to Aaron body. Ruben approaches
them with Simple's gun in his hand demanding to know who killed his brother. All of the
men tell him to go home and forgot about the whole situation. Francis tells Ruben that
killing does not make a man strong and that the good guys do win more often than the
bad. Ruben aims the gun at Francis. Francis fires his gun at the dirt and the rickashay hits
Ruben in the legs, he screams as he falls to the ground. Kerby admits that Ruben will
never walk again but he will live.
All of the men line up the dead bodies of Lassiter, Penney, Simple, Slick and Tommy
in front of the hotel while Ruben is loaded into an ambulance. Two men carry Aaron's
body into the hotel while Francis takes off his hat and tosses it into the street; the wind is
seen carrying it down the street.
COMMENTS: The story reminds me of an episode of "Lonesome Dove", "The
Riflemen" or the western "High Noon". It is a good story but there are flaws. For one
thing the way Lila acts, she should be around age nine or age ten instead of a teenage girl.
Most teenage girls do not act so childish and most teenage girls do not ask their mothers
for permission to do something they go ahead and do things anyway.
And beside Aaron being killed, Kerby, Jack or Francis should be shot or bleeding
because beside Kerby, it seems the other men came out rather well in a bloody shoot-out.
One other man should be killed or severely injured.
RECOMMENDATION: PASS

6. horse, the horse snoots and hollows, Kerby hits it's rear, the horse leaps and crashes into
the sides and the door of the stall, Kerby hears Penney scream before the horse is released
from its stall. Kerby waits for Penney to come out. Kerby sees that Penney was trampled
to death by the nervous horse.
Meanwhile Francis is still chasing Lassiter who is now hiding behind a railroad
car. A long slither of wood from the railroad car is in Francis cheek, he pulls it out and he
sees Lassiter firing at him from an overturned wheat car. Francis hides under a cattle car
and fires at Lassiter's legs. Lassiter screams and falls down an embankment. Lassiter
admits to Francis and that was not fair. Francis tells him that this is not a game and fires
the final bullet into Lassiter chest.
Francis, Kerby and Jack stand quietly in the town's main street while the town
starts to come out of their homes. Ida and Lila run over to Aaron body. Ruben approaches
them with Simple's gun in his hand demanding to know who killed his brother. All of the
men tell him to go home and forgot about the whole situation. Francis tells Ruben that
killing does not make a man strong and that the good guys do win more often than the
bad. Ruben aims the gun at Francis. Francis fires his gun at the dirt and the rickashay hits
Ruben in the legs, he screams as he falls to the ground. Kerby admits that Ruben will
never walk again but he will live.
All of the men line up the dead bodies of Lassiter, Penney, Simple, Slick and Tommy
in front of the hotel while Ruben is loaded into an ambulance. Two men carry Aaron's
body into the hotel while Francis takes off his hat and tosses it into the street; the wind is
seen carrying it down the street.
COMMENTS: The story reminds me of an episode of "Lonesome Dove", "The
Riflemen" or the western "High Noon". It is a good story but there are flaws. For one
thing the way Lila acts, she should be around age nine or age ten instead of a teenage girl.
Most teenage girls do not act so childish and most teenage girls do not ask their mothers
for permission to do something they go ahead and do things anyway.
And beside Aaron being killed, Kerby, Jack or Francis should be shot or bleeding
because beside Kerby, it seems the other men came out rather well in a bloody shoot-out.
One other man should be killed or severely injured.
RECOMMENDATION: PASS