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Anderson: [after the altercation with Ward where Ward pulled his gun on Anderson] Do you think he would have shot me?
Agent Bird: Oh, yes sir.
Anderson: Ballsy little bastard, isn't he?
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Anderson: [Anderson is in a barbershop, shaving Clinton's face with a razor blade and simultaneously interrogating him] This is tricky. They make it look so easy, don't they? I got a question for you, Clinton. You don't mind if I call you Clinton, do you? I feel like I know you so well. The way we have it, on the night of the murders... you made a short speech as the bulldozer buried the kids in the dam. How does Lester tell it? "Mississippi will be proud of you. You've struck a blow for the white man." Is that what you said, Clinton? Hm? Is that what you said? It must've been you... because Clayton Townley and Ray Stuckey, they were too smart to be there. And you was too stupid to think anybody'd remember what you had to say. But old Lester, he got a good memory.
[Anderson groans as he accidentally cuts Clinton with the razor blade]
Anderson: I'm sorry. I haven't done this for a long time. Did you make a speech the night that you beat up your wife, Clinton? Huh? Did ya? Did you strike a blow for the white man that night? Huh?
[Anderson lifts Clinton out of his barber chair and thrusts his face towards a mirror]
Anderson: You got a stupid smile. You know that, Pell?
[Anderson pushes Clinton's face right up against the mirror]
Anderson: Can you see it? Huh? Good!
[Anderson pulls Pell away from the mirror and throws him up against a wall]
Anderson: Did you smile when the bulldozer ran over the black kid's body? Did ya?
[Anderson pulls Clinton away from the wall and walks him towards a sink filled with water. Anderson then pushes Clinton's face into the water then quickly pulls him back out]
Anderson: Did you smile when the bodies were covered over? Did ya?
[Anderson throws Clinton towards a wall. Clinton hits the wall and falls to the ground]
Anderson: Get up here.
[Anderson pulls Clinton up off the ground]
Anderson: Come on. Get up! Did you smile that same stupid smile, huh?
[Anderson smacks Clinton in the face]
Anderson: Did ya? You...
[Anderson throws Clinton towards a line of chairs, knocking them over and landing on the ground]
Anderson: You... Did ya smile, Pell? Did ya smile? Huh? Did ya?
[Anderson pushes Clinton onto a barber chair and holds the razor blade to his face]
Anderson: Make no mistake about it, Deputy. I'll cut your fuckin' head off and not give a shit how it reads in the report sheet.
[Anderson walks away, leaving Clinton lying dazed and beaten in the spinning barber chair]
Robert Glaudini
Extended Reading