Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) Plot Summary Explained

Latigo flees the train to escape Goldie, a wealthy woman who wants to marry him. He tips the headwaiter to help him sneak off without her noticing, as he doesn't want to be trapped in a marriage with her.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Goldie's persistent pursuit and Latigo's desire to avoid commitment.

• latigo smith
• goldie
• escape
• purgatory
• train

When Latigo arrives in Purgatory, the townspeople automatically assume he's the legendary gunslinger Swifty Morgan because of his mysterious reputation and the timing of his arrival. Latigo doesn't correct them and uses the misunderstanding to his advantage.

Foreshadowing: The town's fear and reverence for Swifty Morgan sets up the confusion from the start.

• swifty morgan
• latigo smith
• impersonation
• gunslinger
• mistaken identity

Taylor Barton and Colonel Ames, the rival mining company leaders, each want to hire Swifty Morgan (who they believe Latigo to be) to gain the upper hand in their fight over the mother lode. They hope the legendary gunslinger will tip the balance and drive the opposition out of town.

Foreshadowing: The fierce rivalry between the two companies is established early, with both willing to use any advantage.

• taylor barton
• colonel ames
• mining companies
• mother lode
• swifty morgan

Latigo sees an opportunity to exploit the town's confusion for profit. He persuades Jug May to pose as Swifty Morgan to stir up trouble and create opportunities for his schemes, while Latigo works behind the scenes to benefit from the chaos.

Foreshadowing: Latigo's gambling debts and need for money drive him to increasingly desperate schemes.

• jug may
• latigo smith
• impersonation
• scheme
• swifty morgan

Latigo arrives on a donkey loaded with dynamite crates during the showdown with Swifty. The donkey bolts into the Bartons' saloon, and the dynamite explodes. The blast not only destroys the building but also uncovers the legendary mother lode that both mining companies have been searching for.

Foreshadowing: The constant dynamite blasts throughout the film hint at the mining danger beneath the town.

• donkey
• dynamite
• explosion
• mother lode
• bartons saloon

Latigo has a large tattoo of Goldie carved on his chest, which he visits the doctor about. The tattoo reveals his conflicted feelings about her, he wants to escape her but remains symbolically tied to her. The explosion unexpectedly removes the tattoo, freeing him from this burden.

Foreshadowing: The tattoo is revealed early in the film and symbolizes his weakness for unlucky romance.

• latigo
• tattoo
• goldie
• chest
• tattoo removal

Patience Barton dreams of attending Miss Hunter's College in New York to escape frontier life, but her plans don't come to fruition. Instead, she ends up marrying Latigo and boarding a train to Denver. However, her seven daughters later attend the college, fulfilling her dream in the next generation.

Foreshadowing: Patience's desire to leave the frontier is established early as her primary motivation.

• patience barton
• miss hunter college
• daughters
• new york
• escape

Number 23 is Latigo's self-proclaimed lucky number, which he uses at the roulette table throughout the film. After losing everything earlier, he bets $10,000 of the Bartons' money on 23 and wins, turning his fortunes around completely.

Foreshadowing: His roulette addiction and the number 23 are introduced when he loses everything at the table.

• latigo
• roulette
• number 23
• winnings
• bartons money

Colonel Ames loses his financial grip on the town after the explosion and subsequent chaos. His schemes collapse along with his mining operations, and with the mother lode revealed and the power balance shifted, he loses everything.

Foreshadowing: Ames's reliance on underhanded tactics and Swifty Morgan's involvement sets up his downfall.

• colonel ames
• broke
• mining
• defeat
• power loss

Jug May, who impersonated Swifty Morgan, goes on to become a big star in Italian Westerns. He narrates the outcomes from the train as it heads to Denver, revealing this career change as part of his positive fate.

Foreshadowing: Jug's ambition and willingness to go along with Latigo's schemes hint at his entertainer qualities.

• jug may
• italian westerns
• actor
• fame
• career

Latigo initially planned to escape Goldie and move on, but he stays in Purgatory because the confusion around his identity as Swifty Morgan presents lucrative opportunities. The rivalry between the mining companies gives him chances to scheme his way to fortune.

Foreshadowing: His gambling debts and need for money keep him seeking opportunities in town.

• latigo
• purgatory
• stay
• opportunity
• schemes

Swifty Morgan receives Colonel Ames's telegram about someone impersonating him and rushes to Purgatory. However, he underestimates the situation and doesn't expect to face a fake gunslinger. When he confronts Jug May, he's caught off guard by Latigo's donkey/dynamite setup and fires accidentally.

Foreshadowing: Swifty's reputation as a dangerous gunslinger makes him overconfident.

• swifty morgan
• jug may
• gunfight
• underestimate
• challenge