An aging gunfighter, John Books, seeks a second opinion from a doctor after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The doctor confirms the grim prognosis, giving Books only a month or two to live. As he settles into a boarding house, the son of the owner recognizes him and requests gunfighting lessons, but Books tries to dissuade him, sharing his own regrets about a life of killing.

The Shootist
A weathered gunslinger embarks on a contemplative quest to find a dignified and peaceful conclusion to his existence.