MovieChat Forums > The Shootist (1976) Discussion > Something I've never understood

Something I've never understood

posted 20 years ago by frog-34
16 replies | jump to latest

I've seen "The Shootist" many times over the years and really enjoy it, but there's one thing I've never understood. In the barbershop scene, Hezekiah Beckum (the undertaker) tries to sell Books on the idea of what wonderful funeral services he--Beckum--can provide. Books sees through this, of course, as an attempt to cash in on someone's famous name. He says to Beckum, "No, I'll tell you what you're gunna do--first thing you're gunna do is . . . [dramatic pause] . . . give me fifty dollars cash."
I have never understood why Beckum had to pay Books fifty dollars. "The Shootist" came on Turner Classic Movies a couple of weeks ago, and I tried to pay as close attention as possible to make sure that I wasn't missing a word or gesture that I had never seen before. As it turns out, I didn't miss anything and it still doesn't make sense to me. Is this scene in the original novel, and if so, is there some dialogue or anything else that didn't make it into the movie?

"[M]y fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended."--George W. Bush, 1 May 2003

[–] jedimickey 20 years ago

I found this odd too, but I believe Books was making Beckum pay him for the privilege of burying him, sort of a paid endorsement for the rights to bury the famous Books.

[–] kip595 20 years ago

Books makes him pay the money against the profit Books figures he'll be making in burying him, if he does indeed show the body, as was common practice in those times.

[–] tstein5 20 years ago

I agree; it was popular in those days to display famous/infamous corpses in a sideshow. I think Books expects Beckum to do just that, and Books wants his cut.

[–] theplanworks 20 years ago

Yes, he did this because he knew the undertaker was going to make a small amount of money off him and he was also thinking of Bond. Remember, she lost all her "boarders" and he was trying to make up for it. On the last day, his "birthday", just before he went to the saloon he left her all his money including the money he got from Moses for the horse.

[–] pgharett-676-553123 11 years ago

including the money he got from Moses for the horse

Actually, he bought the horse back, and he gave Gillom the horse and the bill of sale.

[–] Razzell 20 years ago

Not sure if i've seen the same version as you, but the version i saw explains it quite well... first he asks the undertaker how much he's gonna make off of the funeral, and that the undertaker is going to parade his body and charge 10 cents per adult, 5 per child, so he aks for a pencil and paper from the barber, then demands 50$ for the royalties of his own funeral...

[–] alrobertson1973 20 years ago

Yeah it seemed straight forward to me as well, Books mentions to the undertaker the profit he will make by displaying his body.. like John Wesley Hardin (reputed to be the meanest man alive, an accolade he supposedly earned by killing a man for snoring. He admitted to killing more than 40 men over 27 years)

The undertaker will profit from Books death by far more than the 50 Dollars advanced to Books for the honor of burying him, It's the same for the Barber who charges Books nothing for his haircut and shave as he knows he will profit for having the legendary Books hair :)

What a great final film for Wayne, a true Legend...

Anyone who believes you can't change history has never tried to write his memoirs.

[–] sbscout 20 years ago

I thought he used the $50 to buy back his horse, which he then gave to Gillem.

[–] jim-1266 20 years ago

I doubt he used the $50 to buy the horse- he originally sold it for $298! (I watched the movie this morning) My best guess is that he bought the horse back with the money he originally sold it for...

[–] ragreen259 20 years ago

Which brings us to... J.B. Books is the second best haggler... he's haggling with the undertaker to let him know that nothing in life is free.

[–] knight_hawk2002 19 years ago

Thats a great scene with three great characters on top form, Duke was right to take the 50 dollars from the undertaker but Im not sure if Gillon and Bond would allow his body to be publicly displayed.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] fhschellenberg 18 years ago

One more theory: On Book's last day (his birthday) he left behind all but a certain amount to take with him to the shootout. Could this have been the $50???

[–] gearyz 18 years ago

I think he was keeping just enough money to pay for the birthday drink that he had just before the shootout. I just watched the movie again on TCM today, 8/5/07. What a fine film. I'll have to purchase it.

[–] rwsmith29456 15 years ago

He knew the undertaker would make a lot of money from his death.

[–] Counter-Sniper 15 years ago

Books clearly tells the Mortician that he knows he will take his dead body and show it for .50 cents a head and .10 cents for kids as if it was a sideshow attraction so he made the mortician pay him up front for the privilege.