Pearl and Laura Belle
Laura Belle tells Pearl that to be happy, she has to be a lady. She's the only girl on the McCanles ranch, and she might fall blindly into the arms of a man who wants to take advantage of her. Pearl promises that she, like Laura Belle, will be a lady.
On her way to her room that night, Pearl gets some verbal abuse from the Senator, who asks her why she's named Pearl, and her parents must have not had an eye for color. Then she runs into Jesse, and Pearl says she wishes everyone was like him. Jesse finds himself attracted to Pearl, and almost kisses her, but stops himself. As Pearl moves on, she comes across Lewt. She bids him a cold good-night and retires into her room. But the good-night wasn't really necessary, because Lewt thinks it's not yet time to turn it.
Lewt and Pearl
Lewt comes in and kisses Pearl, telling her not to pretend that no one has done that before. Pearl says no one has and no one ever will. It's here that we discover how arrogant Lewt really is, and how much Pearl hates him. But Lewt doesn't give up. He tries to get Pearl to like him by giving her his pinto, Dice, and suggesting they take a moonlit walk. But Pearl decides to go with Jesse for a walk. She balances both brothers, having a love-hate relationship with Lewt, and trying to form a real relationship with Jesse.
One of my favorite parts is when Pearl goes for a swim in the sump, and Lewt sees her. She can't get out of the water because she doesn't have any clothes on, and Lewt won't go away. He sits there for hours, telling Pearl that she can get out anytime...he doesn't care! But of course, she refuses, and waits until dark. When the arrive at the ranch, Laura Belle is curious to know where Pearl has been. She says she went swimming, but not with Lewt. Then Lewt makes an appearance, saying how he's going to get a bathing suit for Pearl, because she's a great swimmer. Laura Belle is shocked and leaves the room. Pearl, disgusted by Lewt's all-day antics, throws some jam and bread in his face. But he doesn't care...he just laughs! I think this part is really funny.
One day, Lewt and Pearl get intimate, and Lewt claims that Pearl's "his girl". Jesse, who had a huge disagreement with his father over railroad workers, knows he has to leave his home. The Senator has called him "Judas" and gives his men orders to kill Jesse if he ever sets foot on the ranch again. Jesse goes to say good-bye to Pearl, and tell her that he loves her and will return for her whenever she needs him, "Senator or no Senator". But he discovers Lewt in her bedroom, and realizes what happened. Pearl begs him to forget it, but he says he never can. This shatters Pearl's hope of having a romantic relationship with Jesse. She is devestated, declaring herself trash, like her mother.
Thinking herself worthless, Pearl becomes "Lewt's girl". She follows him everywhere, and suggests that they get married. Lewt refuses, saying he's not going to be tied down to a "half-breed" like her. So Pearl makes plans to marry one of the ranchmen, Sam Pierce (Charles Bickford), who is much older than she is. Once Lewt gets wind of this, he shoots Sam, once again saying, "Pearl Chavez is my girl". He talks as if he owns her. He has to run away because he's wanted by the law, but every once in a while, he pops in to pay a visit to "his girl".
Pearl and Lewt
Hearing about his mother's illness, Jesse comes back to the forbidden land. He discovers that she has died. Senator McCanles is still cold and cruel to Jesse, who is going to leave right away with Pearl. He and his wife, Helen, want Pearl to live with them and help her straighten her life out. But just when Pearl thinks she might be all right, Lewt shows up. He wants Pearl to go with him, but Jesse refuses. So hoping that Pearl gives him a "pretty funeral", Lewt shoots Jesse. Jesse manages to get better because Pearl nurses him back to health. Lewt's henchman, Sid (Scott McKay), stops by bringing a message saying that Lewt wants to see Pearl before he runs across the border. Pearl agrees to go, thinking that she'll settle Lewt once and for all.
Pearl rides up to Squall's Head Rock, where she has agreed to meet Lewt. When she sees him, she takes her huge rifle, and shoots him. She immediately feels a mixture of relief, guilt, and sadness. As she cries, she hears a shot and the words, "Double crossin' bobcat!" from Lewt. The "duel in the sun" takes place, and both Pearl and Lewt are seriously injured from each other's shots.
One side of the "duel in the sun".
But then Lewt has a change of heart. He realizes he's dying, and says that he has to hold Pearl once more. At first she thinks he's not being truthful, until she hears, "I love you! I love you!!!". She climbs the steep rock as best she can, and sees Lewt lying in the ground, dying.
Pearl struggles to see her love for the last time.
It's here in the dust that Lewt utters his last words, "Little bobcat!", and kisses Pearl. He then breaks from the embrace, slumps over, and dies. Pearl strokes his head, then falls against him. She too, is dead.
Links to other sites on the Web
Elizabeth's Jennifer Jones Page
Elizabeth's Joseph Cotten Page
Elizabeth's Gregory Peck Page
Elizabeth's Author's Note
Phillip's Jennifer Jones Page
I would like to thank Phillip Oliver for these great pictures. Please visit his Jennifer Jones Page
Please take a minute to view my note from the author...thank you!
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