| Afflicted with a terminal illness, John Bernard Books (John Wayne), the last of the legendary gunfighters, returns to Carson City for medical attention from his old friend Dr. Hostetler (James Stewart). Aware that his days are numbered, John Books seeks solace and peace in a boarding house run by a widow (Lauren Bacall) and her son (Ron Howard). Instead, Books is embroiled in one last valiant battle and dies with honor. |  |
| John Books is riding towards Carson City. Not far out of town he is the victim of an attempted hold-up. Reaching for his wallet as instructed, John also pulls out a derringer pistol, shooting and disabling the man; who he then forces to retrieve his fallen wallet and give back to him. |
| Riding into town, John heads for the home of his old friend Dr. Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart). This is more than a social call though, Books has been feeling ill. Having seen a doctor in Creed Colorado, John decided to check the man's diagnosis with someone he trusts. |  |
| Looking for a boarding house to spend the last couple of months he has to live (Doc Hostetler dianosed him as having inoperable cancer), John meets Gillam (Ron Howard) and rents a room from his mother (Lauren Bacall). |
| John has told Mrs. Rogers that his name is William Hickock, but as her son (Gillam) takes John's horse to the stable he discovers his true identity by checking the saddle. Gillam informs his mother who then asks Mr. Books to leave her home. John refuses and she calls the local marshall who pays a visit to run the aging gunslinger out of town. John explains why he won't leave to the marshall and asks him to keep the matter quiet. The Marshall agrees and is jubilant over the fact that John Books will soon be dead. |  |
 | John is visited by Dan Dobkins, a pompous young newpaperman who wants todo a story on the life of the last living gunfighter. However, Dan is rather insensitive and obnoxious -- John quickly invites the man to leave. |
| News about the presence of John Books, famous gunfighter, in town. In the local saloon, gambler and gunfighter Pulvert hears that that John is dying. He passes a remark that it's too bad, he could have taken the gunman. One of the others gambling with him laughs. Pulvert does not like to be laughed at. |  |
 | John Books, meantime, is trying to enjoy life a little with the bit of time he has left. He invites the Mrs Rogers out for a ride in the country. Initially turned down, he appeals to her and finally wins a friend. |
| John's presence is a problem in the town though. Last evening two men looking to make a name for themselves came in through John's bedroom window. He killed them both, but the shootings are causing Mrs. Roger's boarders to leave. The Marshall also comes by and gloats over Books deteriorating condition. He suggests that he might tell Pulvert at the saloon about John and hurry up the dying process. |  |
 | Meantime, John has befriended Gillam, Mrs. Roger's son. The boy idolizes the gunfighter and asks him for a shooting lesson. John takes him out to the back of the house and discovers that the lad can shoot almost as well as he can. |
| One of John's old flames, Sarah, visits him -- having heard that he's ill. It's one of those cases where they should have married, but didn't. However, John soon discovers that the only thing Sarah wants is to marry him now, so that she can share in the profits that the Newspaperman, Dobkins, will make in selling a book on the life and times of John Books by his widow. He refuses her scheme and gives her train fare to go back where she came from. |  |
 | It seems that no one will leave John in peace. While getting a shave in the local barber shop, a passing undertaker, Mr. Beckham approaches with an offer of services. He, like the others, is looking to the money that can be made from John Books death. John cuts a deal with him, but not the one that Mr. Beckham had in mind. |
| John has been making arrangements. He's asked Gillam to go around and tell three local toughs that he would be in the lobby of the Metropol on Monday morning -- January the 29th. He's had a haircut and had his best suit cleaned for the anticipated meeting. Those invited are Mr. Cobb, a cranky man who fancies himself to be tough; Mr. Sweeny who's brother John killed in years gone by; and Mr. Pulford, the gambler we met earlier. John Books hopes the three will come looking for him, giving him a dignified death -- the way he lived, instead of the lingering death of cancer. |  |
 | John goes into the saloon at the appointed time and sees the other three men waiting there. Raising a glass he toasts each of them. Cobb, a coward at heart, pulls his gun and shoots while Books back is turned. He misses though and Books, who has jumped behind the bar, guns him down. |
| Sweeny is the second to try his luck. As soon as Cobb falls, he draws and shoots - hitting John in the shoulder. Sweeny picks up a table and tries to advance on Books by using the table as a shield. John Books fires through the table killing Sweeny. |  |
 | As Sweeny falls to the floor, Mr. Pulford tosses the cards he was shuffling into the air and draws, hitting John and knocking him to the floor. Pulford creeps around the bar, but Books sees him in a glass on the counter. |
| Waiting as the gambler crawls around the edge of the bar, Books shoots him dead as Pulford extends his head around the bar frame. |  |
 | Unable to resist his curiosity any longer, Gillom runs into the Metropole to see what the outcome of all the shooting was. He finds John Books standing, surveying the now empty saloon. He also sees the bar tender approaching the gunfighter from behind with a shotgun and shouts a warning -- but too late. The bartender fires both barrels into Books back. |
| Gillom rushes over to the fallen Books and snatching up his gun, kills the bartender. The boy looks at his friend and what he's just done, then tosses the gun away. Seeing this, Books nods in agreement as he dies. |  |