Durango Trail 
Two men meet on the trail to Durango, circa 1880s.

As a genre, Westerns have grown mighty rare. But between the cinematic tumbleweeds, gold sometimes still glints, here and there. Unforgiven comes to mind. As does The Assassination of Jesse James. And – of course – No Country for Old Men. 

Whether the evil confronted is a man with a black hat, a gun or the land itself, plenty of Westerns are truly dramas: tales of survival, and the exploration of moral gray vs. black and white.

Such drama can be found in Jack Schaberg’s Durango Trail – a short which packs in touches of emotion, conflict, action and mystery… despite being a mere 4 pages long.

As the script opens, twenty something Carson lugs a heavy satchel towards Durango.  The sun’s too hot to be on foot – but walkin’s Carson’s only option now – the stagecoach broke down two miles back. So the kid’s on his own…

Until he meets a haggard Boone heading the other way. For at least a moment, the two have “company”. Not to mention, an odd sense of balance: as one heads in, another leaves. Allegedly, rendering the population of Durango stable. Given the rough and ready old West, that’s a surprisingly peaceful outcome, right…?

Well, until the two exchange friendly traveler’s conversation. That doesn’t stay “pleasantries” for long. 

The first echo of trouble happens when Carson explains he’s heading in for a job. 

BOONE
Not many people hurrying to get to Durango.
                      
CARSON
Promised my new boss I'd be there by noon.

Boone looks him up and down.

BOONE
Funny. My old one gave me
the same deadline for getting out.

So Carson’s taking Boone’s job. More than just balance, that’s karma… In more more ways than one, as readers will soon find out. 

Because there’s more at stake shared between these two than initially meets the eye – or ear. As the men chat, uneasiness, suspicion and half-answered questions grow. What’s the job Carson’s fixin’ to take? Why’s Boone heading out of town? Will Carson make it to town at all?

An easy shoot in more ways than one, Durango Trail doesn’t even need a horse (Boone doesn’t have one – and you have to wonder why.)  Play your cards right, and all you need for this Western dust-up is a desert road, and two fabulous actors who can channel the best of Western drama… cinematic partners who can make it an emotional, tense and real ride.