The Not So Magnificent Six - Recap

Pulp novelist Nimrod Bligh approaches his publisher, Sam Durham, and tries to get work. Sam points out that the public wants real-life stories, and Bligh offers to write about Bret Maverick. Bligh is confident that he can do a real-life story about Bret, filled with action and danger, even after Sam points out that the gambler has settled.

In Sweetwater, Bret and Cy are riding cattle through town, disrupting the townsfolk. A young man, Willie Trueblood, offers to help them get the cows out of town. The townspeople go to Sheriff Dowd, who already has the complaint forms waiting. A gunslinger, Cole Farnsworth, rides up and asks Deputy Sturgess if he’s seen Tulsa Jack. When Sturgess says that he hasn’t, the gunslinger says that he will.

Philo Sandine steals one of Bret’s stray cows and leads it away.

At the ranch, Willie asks Cy and Bret and asks them for a job. He explains that he came out west to make his fortune. Bret reluctantly agrees and tells Cy to find some work for the boy.



Two men, Cockeye Pete Shonsey and Sidney Bent, ride into town and Philo offers his services as a guide. When the refuse, he offers them some quality beef. They turn him down and go to the hotel. Meanwhile, Tom and his bartender, Jack, are unloading supplies for the saloon when Tulsa Jack rides into town. He exchanges looks with Tom, but then rides on.

Bligh and his manservant Jasper Weems arrive in town and check into the hotel. While Bligh goes to the newspaper, Philo approaches Jasper and offers him some prime beef. However, Jasper Weems isn’t interested.

Bligh approaches Mary Lou at the newspaper. He’s an old family friend and asks her for help learning about Sweetwater’s history. They agree to have dinner later and Bligh leaves. As he walks down the sidewalk, he signals to four armed men. Phil takes notice of the exchanged glances with interest.



At the church, Bret and Cy finish their work and pay off Willie. Willie spots a sniper, Deacon Tippett, up on the hill and yells a warning, and Bret gets to cover just in time. Deacon takes off and the three men wonder who the killer was.

Philo is sitting on the street when Rodney passes with a paper. When Philo asks who Bligh is, Rodney gives him a newspaper with the recent headline that Bligh is visiting. Philo then runs down to the cellar beneath the church and listens in via a stovepipe as Bligh meets with the five. The writer explains that he will pay a substantial reward to the one who kills Bret and make them famous by writing the killer up in his new series of novels. Virgil LaFleur, a dandy, comes in and disparages the other men. Bligh explains that he’ll decide that night which one of the shooters will be the “star” of his novel. When Farnsworth snaps at the others, Bligh agrees to let him have the first shot at Bret. In the cellar, Philo hauls out a copy of his autobiography and considers it, while the missing cow watches him.



Mary Lou approaches Bret as he rides into town with Willie. She asks him to help Bligh write his next novel, but Bret isn’t interested even when she offers to help find his missing cow.

Sheriff Dowd approaches Bligh and points out that a number of lowlifes have appeared in town since he arrived. Bligh claims that it’s an occupational hazard, and asks him for an interview so he can feature him in his book. Flattered, the sheriff agrees.

Willie finds Bret in the saloon, checking on the profits, and asks Tom to give Willie some work. Tom agrees to put Willie to work, and then tells Bret that he’s spotted several shooters in town. Bret figures that they’re after Tom, but admits that he cleaned out Deacon on three occasions. Bret gets a telegraph that a woman named Irish Annie is coming to town to see him, but he realizes that she’s in Hong Kong and figures that something is up.



LaFleur talks to Bligh privately and demonstrates his sword cane. He offers to challenge Bret to a duel and then kill him with a hidden knife. Bligh promises that he’ll get every consideration and sends him over to where Mary Lou is taking photos of Cockeye Pete and Sidney. Philo runs up and suggests to Mary Lou that he would be a suitable interview candidate for Bligh. Mary Lou is skeptical but directs him to Jasper, who makes all of Bligh’s appointments.

At his hotel room, Bligh meets with the six men and informs them that he’s going to choose the best candidate. They object and inform him that they’ll handle it their way. Deacon takes out a deck of cards and they draw for who will take on Bret in which order. Farnsworth wins the first chance and goes to Bret’s room at the saloon.

Willie, working as a bell boy at the saloon, brings Bret a pitcher of hot water and coffee. He’s checked on the telegram to Bret and confirmed that it came from New York. As he washes up, Bret spots Farnsworth in the mirror, turns and wounds him. The outlaw runs away and Bret figures that he’s had enough.



Bret goes to see Sheriff Dowd, who is out. He wants the deputy to arrest Farnsworth and bring in Bligh for questioning, but Dowd comes in and says that he’s not going to put up with Bret harassing distinguished visitors. He agrees to track down Farnsworth, but warns that Bret hasn’t endeared himself to the townspeople after the cattle drive that morning.

Bligh meets with Philo but has no interest in his memoirs. When he threatens to have Dowd arrest Philo, Philo hints that he heard everything in the church. He threatens to tell Dowd and Bret unless Bligh publishes his book, and the writer quickly agrees. Philo insists on a $200 advance and Bligh has no choice but to pay. Bret comes in and tells Philo to leave, and then tells Bligh that he knows all about his plan, and the phony telegram to keep him in town. Bligh denies it and points out that Bret has no proof, and even if he was run out of town, the killers will come after him. Bret tells Bligh that the next time someone comes after him, he’ll come after Bligh. Bligh is unconcerned until Bret hints that he has a killer of his own on retainer.



Later, Bret meets with Tom, who suggests they find a way to take Bligh out so that the killers leave. Bret suggests that Tom do it, but Tom isn’t thrilled. Deacon arrives and Bret reluctantly goes out to meet him, removing his coat and gunbelt. The killer offers him a game of poker and Bret turns him down. Bret then points out that since he’s unarmed, Deacon will hang for murdering him. Deacon just laughs and says that it’s not his turn, and then walks out. As he goes, Willie comes up behind Bret and tells him that a man in the alleyway said he needs to talk to Bret privately. He gives a message from the man and Bret recognizes it, and sends Willie back to work. Mary Lou comes in and Bret tells her that Bligh is setting him up, but she doesn’t believe it.

Bret goes to meet Philo, who wants to set up a fake death for Bret. He even offers to return Bret’s cow back. Bret figures that Philo will also be immortalized by Bligh, and wants nothing to do with Philo’s plan.

That night, Cy meets with Bret in his room and suggests that they make a stand at the ranch. Bret refuses to cower, and goes to find one of the killers so he can learn the rules of the “game.”

In the saloon, Tom and Jack watch as Tulsa Jack comes in and orders a drink. Tom notes that the gunslinger said he’d kill him next time they met. As Bret walks past, Ggg says that he has more important things to do first.

Bret breaks into Bligh’s room and finds a copy of his new cover... “The Death of Maverick.” Someone opens the door and prepares to shoot Maverick.

The next morning, the church bells toll and Deacon shows Bligh a newspaper headline confirming that Bret was killed by an unknown assailant. Bligh says that there’s nothing to write about if no one saw the killer, and wonders if the story is true. Meanwhile, the townspeople gather at the church and Cy gives the eulogy. Outside, Cockeye Pete takes credit for the murder. They notice that Tulsa Jack is absent. Sidney complains that Cockeye Pete killed Bret on his own. LaFleur arrives and takes credit for the murder, and Bligh says that he won’t pay anyone until he confirms that Bret is dead. He goes to the church and watches as Cy finishes the eulogy. Mary Lou and Tom approach Bret’s coffin to pay their respects and then leave. Bligh goes to the coffin and opens it, confirming that Bret’s corpse is inside.



Once everyone leaves, Philo opens the coffin and licks at the jelly he used to make the bogus bullet wound on Bret’s forehead.

Outside, Mary Lou confronts Bligh and accuses him of arranging Bret’s death to get his book publish. She kicks him in the leg and walks off.

Tom goes to the barn where he’s tied up Tul. He unties him and tells him to get up so that they can shoot it out. Tul says that he doesn’t want to use it on Tom and says that it’s over. He regrets the six years in prison that he spent due to Tom, and Tom says that he had it coming. Tul concedes that maybe he did, and he’s getting scared and he’s getting old. He was going to warn Bret about Bligh and ride out, and asks if Tom will let him go. Tom hands him his gun and tells him not to go into the saloon business, admitting that it doesn’t pay either.



As Bligh prepares to leave town, LaFleur confronts the writer and promises that all of the gunfighters will find a way to get even on him. Philo approaches him and asks about the book, and Bligh tells him that he burned it. When Philo draws a knife, Dowd ushers him away and tells Bligh he’s no longer welcome in Sweetwater.

At the saloon, Mary Lou and Tom order drinks for everyone and call Bret out of hiding. He apologizes to everyone for the grief but thanks them for turning out for the service. Mary Lou figures that it’s over, but Bret says that there’s one thing left. He calls to Willie, having figured him as Bligh’s last killer. Willie admits that he’s there to kill him, and Bret explains that he has a gunfighter’s callus on his thumb. Bligh comes in and tells Willie to finish Bret off. Bret point out that he’s unarmed, but Bligh won’t write it that way. He warns the boy that he’ll soon have fame, and people will come gunning for him, but Willie will get used to it. Bret also points out that Willie won’t be able to get out of town without being hung. Willie tells Bligh that it’s nothing like what the writer promised, and that so far he’s never shot a man. Willie admits that he could shoot Bret, but figures he’d be shooting the wrong man. He draws on Bligh, who hastily runs out the door.



As the townspeople celebrate, Bret turns to Phil and asks for his cow. He reluctantly takes them to his cellar and explains that he took it into his home. He wants them to compensate him for the damages and the shovelage. When they realize that they can’t get the cow out, Cy and Bret drop the rustling charges against Philo and leaves. Philo realizes that he’s stuck with the cow, threatens to cut it up, and finally backs down.



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