Fact1: small town of Appaloosa is being terrorized by local rancher Randall Bragg, Fact2: Bragg has meeting with Cole and Hitch initiating standoff, Fact3: Hitch refuses advances out of loyalty to Cole, Fact4: trial finds him guilty and sentences to death, Fact5: Cole and Hitch catch up with outlaws
Output: In 1882, the small town of Appaloosa, New Mexico, is being terrorized by local rancher Randall Bragg Jeremy Irons, who killed the towns marshal, Jack Bell, and two deputies when they came to Braggs ranch to arrest two men. The town hires lawman and peacekeeper Virgil Cole Ed Harris and his deputy Everett Hitch Viggo Mortensen to protect and regain control of the town. The pair agrees on one condition: that the town follow Coles law and essentially cede control to him. The lawmen begin by confronting four of Braggs men who are causing a disturbance in the saloon. Three men refuse to allow themselves to be arrested, forcing Cole and Hitch to kill them. The fourth man surrenders and leaves the saloon. Bragg has a meeting with Cole and Hitch, initiating a standoff. Hitch sees a woman, Allie French Renee Zellweger, who just came to the town and immediately takes an interest in her. He follows her to the diner where Cole is having a breakfast. They make acquaintance with her and observing Cole and Allie are getting together well, Hitch keeps his silence. Soon, Cole and Allie begin a romantic relationship and buy a house together. However, Allie attempts to seduce Hitch when they are alone but Hitch refuses her advances out of his loyalty to Cole. When one of Braggs men tells Cole and Hitch that he will testify against Bragg on the triple murder case, they arrest Bragg and keep him locked up until the trial in spite of the attempts of Braggs gang to free him. The trial finds him guilty and sentences him to death. Cole, Hitch and several deputies transport Bragg via train to the prison where he was to be hanged but when they stop for refueling over a bridge, hired guns Ring and Mackie Shelton Lance Henriksen and Adam Nelson, old acquaintances of Cole, appear with Allie at gunpoint, forcing Cole to release Bragg to them. Cole and Hitch catch up with the outlaws and see Allie and Ring Shelton frolicking naked together in a stream. When the outlaws are attacked by Chiricahua Apache, Cole and Hitch force the Indians away. Hitch tells Cole that Allies promiscuity is the result of her insecurity and she really likes Cole. They then turn Bragg over to the sheriff of Beauville; unbeknownst to Cole, the sheriff is a cousin of the Shelton brothers. Knowing that Cole is determined to bring Bragg to the gallows, the Sheltons and the sheriff free Bragg and engage Cole and Hitch in a gunfight. Cole and Hitch are wounded but manage to kill Ring, Mackie and the sheriff. Bragg escapes on horseback and Cole and Hitch return to Appaloosa with Allie. After some time, Bragg is granted a full pardon by President Chester Arthur whom he previously claimed to have known and returns to Appaloosa in an attempt to publicly reform himself. He buys the hotel and ingratiates himself with the locals. Privately he brags before Cole and Hitch to infuriate them over their failure to hang him. Cole tells Hitch that he still wants to be with Allie, despite her fickleness. Hitch decides to leave the town to make some money and resigns as deputy. Later he discovers that Allie is having a relationship with Bragg and challenges Bragg to a duel. Cole attempts to stop him, but Hitch remains steadfast and asks Cole to permit the gunfight to occur. Hitch manages to fire first just before Bragg fires but Braggs shot misses, and Hitch hits Bragg in the throat, killing him. Hitch leaves town, seeing that Allie and Cole are together; his parting thoughts express his hope that Cole can find happiness with Allie and for him, he gladly walks into uncertainty in hope of finding adventure and fortune.