About ten minutes into The Shootist, Doctor Hostetler tells aging western gunfighter John Bernard Books that he has cancer. Knowing that his death will be painful and lingering, Books is determined to be shot in the line of "duty". In his remaining two months, Books settles scores with old enemies, and reaches out to new friends. In the end, is shot to death, but in so doing he is able to dissuade another from following his blood-stained example.