-
Sam the Lion: [to Genevieve] What are you grinnin' about? Chicken fry me a steak and try to use meat this time!
-
Lois Farrow: I guess if it wasn't for Sam, I'd have missed it, whatever it is. I'd have been one of them amity types that thinks that playin' bridge is about the best thing that life has to offer.
-
[Telephone Conversation]
Duane Jackson: Hi Jacy, it's Duane.
Jacy Farrow: What's on your feeble mind Duane?
-
Jacy Farrow: [to Lester Marlow] Thank God, I'm glad I weren't on fire - I would've burned to death before you got one button undone.
-
[Telephone Conversation]
Abilene: Hello.
Lois Farrow: Abilene, you asleep?
Abilene: No.
Lois Farrow: You like company?
Abilene: Well, I thought I'd drive out, see how my well was coming.
Lois Farrow: Drill hard. You're better at oil wells anyway.
-
Sonny Crawford: [to the unsympathetic crowd around Billy's body] He was sweeping you sons of bitches, he was sweeping!
-
Sam the Lion: You see? This is what I get for bettin' on my own home town ballteam. I ought'a have better sense.
Abilene: Wouldn't hurt to have a better home town.
-
Genevieve: One thing I know for sure. A person can't sneeze in this town without somebody offering them a handkerchief.
-
Sam the Lion: If she was here I'd probably be just as crazy now as I was then in about 5 minutes. Ain't that ridiculous?... Naw, it ain't really. 'Cause being crazy about a woman like her is always the right thing to do. Being an old decrepit bag of bones, that's what's ridiculous. Gettin' old.
-
Duane Jackson: I'll see you in a year or two if I don't get shot.
-
Jacy Farrow: [to Duane, as they're leaving motel room after having sex] Oh, quit prissing. I don't think you done it right, anyway.
-
Jacy Farrow: Well you married Daddy when he was poor and he got rich, didn't he?
Lois Farrow: Scared your daddy into getting rich, beautiful.
Jacy Farrow: Well if Daddy could do it, Duane could too.
Lois Farrow: Not married to you. You're not scary enough.
-
Sam the Lion: You boys can get on out of here, I don't want to have no more to do with you. Scarin' a poor, unfortunate creature like Billy just so's you could have a few laughs - I've been around that trashy behavior all my life, I'm gettin' tired of puttin' up with it. Now you can stay out of this pool hall, out of my cafe, and my picture show too - I don't want no more of your business.
-
Ruth Popper: Y'see? You shouldn't have come here. I'm around that corner now. You've ruined it and it's lost completely. Just your needing me won't make it come back.
-
Sonny Crawford: Nothin's really been right since Sam the Lion died.
-
Coach Popper: Run, you little pissants, run! Tough it out! Tough it out. You gotta be men like the rest of us. None of you pretty enough to be women. Here, Joe Bob. Quit flappin' your arms. You look like a goddamn goose. Even for a preacher's boy you ought to be in shape. What kind of female you ever gonna get? Come here. Tough it out! Run, you little pissants. All right, off the court. If y'all didn't jack off so damn much, maybe you could stay in shape.
-
Sam the Lion: Bein' crazy about a woman like that is always the right thing to do!
-
Charlene Duggs: [In a snit over breaking up] Now don't go tellin' all the boys how hot I was.
Sonny Crawford: [Sadly] You wasn't that hot.
-
[first lines]
Radio announcer: President Truman'll be here tomorrow, so all you folks in Dallas turn out, chuh hear? This is Cowboy Rhythms on KTRN, Wichita Falls, here's Hank Williams' big hit tune, "Cold Cold Heart".
Sam the Lion: You ain't ever gonna amount to nothing. Already spent a dime this morning, ain't even had a decent breakfast. Gimme the chalk. Why don't you comb you hair Sonny, it sticks up, look like you smelled'm wolf. I'm surprised you had the nerve to show up this morning after that stomping y'all took last night.
Sonny Crawford: It coulda been worse.
Sam the Lion: Whadya say?
Sonny Crawford: It could have been worse.
Sam the Lion: Yeah. You can say that about nearly everything, I guess.
-
[last lines]
Ruth Popper: Never you mind, honey. Never you mind.
-
Sonny Crawford: Say, I hear Duane joined the Army.
Genevieve: Good place for him too.
Sonny Crawford: Oh, he was just holding that bottle. He didn't mean to hit me with it.
Genevieve: That boy always had meaness in him. Of course, Jacy's just the kind of girl that brings out the meaness in a man. She's just like her grandmother. Oh, I hadn't ought to talk about them, anyhow. We was all good friends once. Dan roughnecked with Gene Farrow. He and Lois, they used to live in this little one-room place over the newspaper office. Lois couldn't afford a flour sack, much less a mink. I've always had a soft spot for her, though. Yeah, I wondered a lot of times what would've happened if Dan made the strikes that Gene made. They offered that rig to him first. Dan Morgan never took a chance in his life.
Sonny Crawford: Don't you wish y'all had made it?
Genevieve: Sure, I wish we made it.
-
Jacy Farrow: [Duane is having trouble "performing" with Jacy in a motel room] Just go on and do it! Oh! What's the matter with you?
Duane Jackson: I don't know, I don't know... something's happened.
Jacy Farrow: Well, get off me a minute, for goodness sakes, you might fall down and mash me.
[He does]
Duane Jackson: Well, I don't know what happened.
Jacy Farrow: [furious] It was Mexico! No tellin' *what* you got down there... I just hate you! I don't know why I ever went with you!
Duane Jackson: I don't know what happened.
Jacy Farrow: [exasperated] Well, put your clothes on, you think I wanna sit around here lookin' at you naked? I might've known you couldn't do it. Now I'll never get to not be a virgin. What'll we tell everybody? The whole class knows! I just want to cry! You're about the meanest boy I ever saw! My mama was dead right about you.
Duane Jackson: Well, I don't know what happened.
Jacy Farrow: Don't go out there! We haven't had time to do it. They'd know! I don't want one soul to know. You'd better not tell one soul!
[picks up her clothes]
Jacy Farrow: You just pretend it was *wonderful*!
Duane Jackson: Well, I'm sorry, I don't know what happened.
Jacy Farrow: Oh! If you say that one more time, I'll *bite* you!
-
Bobby Sheen: Hey, new victims!
-
1st Mechanic: Look at that Larry, they can catch.
Larry: Feisty sons-of-bitches, ain't they. Wish they could tackle.
1st Mechanic: Or, do somethin' useful. The team wasn't worth a kiss-my-ass this year.
-
Sonny Crawford: My goodness, Sonny! Frank oughtn't work you so late on weekends.
Miss Mosey: That's what I tell him.
Sonny Crawford: You ain't got in in time to see the comedy in three weeks. Hope you don't want no popcorn; because, there ain't none. And you missed the newsreel too. The main show's done started, so I'll just charge you 30 cents.
-
Charlene Duggs: Guess what?
Sonny Crawford: What?
Charlene Duggs: It's our anniversary.
Sonny Crawford: What?
Charlene Duggs: We've been goin' steady a year tonight.
Sonny Crawford: Really? Seems like a lot longer.
-
Charlene Duggs: You should've got me some anniversary present.
Sonny Crawford: You can have another stick of gum. That's all I got on me.
-
Jacy Farrow: Hi. What'ch y'all doin' back here in the dark?
-
Charlene Duggs: I don't see why they should get the pickup first all the time. All they ever want to do is neck anyway.
-
Charlene Duggs: [fondles Charlene's naked breast] Your hands are like ice!
Sonny Crawford: [rubs his hands together] I can put on my gloves.
[resumes fondling]
-
Charlene Duggs: What's the matter with you? You act plain bored.
[Sonny places his hand under Charlene's skirt]
Charlene Duggs: Quit!. Quit!
Sonny Crawford: You said this was our anniversary. Let's do something - different.
Charlene Duggs: Well, I like that! You cheapskate. Didn't even get me an anniversary present and now you want to go and get me pregnant.
Sonny Crawford: Oh, my God, Charlene. It was just my hand!
Charlene Duggs: Yeah! One thing leads to another. My Mama told me how that old stuff goes.
-
Sonny Crawford: You wasn't no livelier than me.
Charlene Duggs: That's 'cause you ain't good-lookin' enough. You ain't even got a ducktail.
-
Genevieve: I hope you ain't down in the mouth about Charlene.
Sonny Crawford: I ain't blue about her.
Genevieve: She doesn't have a good disposition. What are you blue about then?
Sonny Crawford: Ain't nobody to go with in this town. Jacy's the only pretty girl in school and Duane's got her.
Genevieve: You know, I'd call that his tough luck.
-
Teacher: Well, I wonder what are my chances this morning of interesting you kids in John Keats?
Duane Jackson: None at all.
-
Joe Bob Blanton: Well, I read that poem of his about the nightingale. And I didn't think it was so good. Sounded like he wanted to *be* a nightingale.
Teacher: Well, I - I don't think he wanted to be a nightingale, Joe Bob. Maybe he just wanted to be immortal.
Joe Bob Blanton: All you have to do to be immortal is lead a good Christian life. Anyone can do it if they love the Lord.
Teacher: Well, maybe so, Joe Bob. Maybe so. Here now, let me - let me read you this: "When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,'-that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
-
Jacy Farrow: You married Daddy when he was poor and he got rich, didn't he?
Lois Farrow: I scared your daddy into gettin' rich, beautiful.
Jacy Farrow: Well, if Daddy could do it, Duane could too.
Lois Farrow: Not married to you. You're not scary enough.
-
Lois Farrow: You slept with him?
Jacy Farrow: Mama!
Lois Farrow: Go to the doctor sometime and arrange something so that you don't have to worry about babies. You do have to be careful of that, you know.
Jacy Farrow: But, Mama, it's a sin isn't it? Unless you're married? You know I wouldn't do that.
Lois Farrow: Don't be so mealy-mouthed! I thought if you slept with him a few times you might find out that there isn't anything magic about him.
-
Jacy Farrow: I don't want to leave. Why can't I stay and just go to college in Wichita Falls?
Lois Farrow: Because. Everything is - flat and empty here. And nothin' to do!
-
Lois Farrow: Just remember, beautiful, everything gets old if you do it often enough. So if you want to find out about monotony real quick, marry Duane.
-
Lester Marlow: You know Bobby Sheen don't you? Over at Wichita Falls?
Jacy Farrow: Sure. I met him at the country club.
Lester Marlow: Well, he's gonna have this midnight swimmin' party tonight. You want to run over there with me later?
Jacy Farrow: I can't.
Lester Marlow: I guess you heard about the last one? His folks were gone to Miami and everybody swam naked.
Jacy Farrow: Yeah?
Lester Marlow: His folks are gone again, so it'll probably be pretty wild! I sure wish you could come.
-
Lois Farrow: Hey, there. Hi.
[long kiss on the lips with Abilene]
Lois Farrow: Merry Christmas.
Abilene: This here is Jackie Lee French. Jackie Lee, this is Lois Farrow, my boss's wife.
Lois Farrow: Hi Jackie.
Jackie Lee French: [to Abilene] What do you mean, kissing her like that?
[to Lois]
Jackie Lee French: I ought to slap your face.
Lois Farrow: Well, why don't you just kiss my ass?
-
Jacy Farrow: It's too hot in here! Let's go outside. I don't want a lot of drunk hillbillies trompin' on my feet.
-
Annie Annie Martin: You want to join the club?
Jacy Farrow: Sure.
Annie Annie Martin: Well, you got to get undressed out there on the diving board.
Bobby Sheen: Where everybody gets to watch.
Annie Annie Martin: We all do it the first time.
Bobby Sheen: That's the rule.
-
Bobby Sheen: Everybody out for the strip show!
-
Bobby Sheen: Don't pay attention to Sandy. He's my brother. If he gooses you or anything, I'll make him go to bed.
-
Jimmie Sue: Well, now I know. Idiots as bad as Mexicans! Don't bother me no more for that crazy thing. I wouldn't mess with him again for less than three and a half.
-
Ruth Popper: Can't seem to do anything without crying about it.
-
Genevieve: One thing I know for sure, a person can't sneeze in this town without somebody offering them a handkerchief.
Sonny Crawford: What cha mean?
Genevieve: Nothin'. It's an awful small town for any kind of carrying on.
-
Sonny Crawford: How come you've stayed with the coach? You don't like him much.
Ruth Popper: I wasn't brought up to leave my husband.
-
Sonny Crawford: Why'd you marry him?
Ruth Popper: I don't know. My mother didn't like him. Maybe that was it.
-
Ruth Popper: When I was 20 years old, I thought hairy-chested football coaches were about it.
-
Sam the Lion: I just come out here to get a little scenery. Too pretty a day to spend in town. You wouldn't believe how this country's changed. First time I seen it, there wasn't a mesquite tree on it. Or, a prickly pear neither. I used to own this land, you know. First time I watered a horse at this tank was more than 40 years ago. I reckon the reason why I always drag you out here is probably l'm as sentimental as the next feller when it comes to old times. Old times. I brought a young lady swimming out here once - more than 20 years ago. It was after my wife had lost her mind. And my boys was dead. Me and this young lady was pretty wild, I guess. In pretty deep. We used to come out here on horseback and go swimmin' without no bathin' suits. One day she wanted to swim the horses across this tank. Kind of a crazy thing to do, but we done it anyway. She bet me a silver dollar she could beat me across. She did. This old horse I was riding didn't want to take the water. But she was always looking for somethin' to do like that. Somethin' wild. I bet she's still got that silver dollar.
-
Sam the Lion: Her and her husband was young and miserable with one another - like so many young married folks are. I thought they'd change with some age; but, it didn't turn out that way.
Sonny Crawford: Is being married always so miserable?
Sam the Lion: No. Not really. About 80 percent of the time, I guess.
-
Bobby Sheen: Nice. You a virgin?
Jacy Farrow: Guess I am.
Bobby Sheen: Too bad.
Jacy Farrow: I don't want to be, though.
Bobby Sheen: I don't blame you. Come see me when you're not.
-
Duane Jackson: Why don't we just go someplace? I'm sick and tired of this town.
-
Sam the Lion: Need any money?
Duane Jackson: No, we got plenty.
Sam the Lion: Well, you'd better take some for some insurance. Take money below that border, it sort of melts sometimes.
-
Sam the Lion: Try not to drink too much of that buggy water.
Sonny Crawford: Oh, we'll just drink beer and tequila.
Sam the Lion: Yeah. You catch the clap, you'll wish you hadn't drunk nothin'.
-
Jacy Farrow: I wish I could go to the pool hall. I've always wanted to! It's terrible, the things girls aren't allowed to do.
-
Lois Farrow: I guess Ruth Popper's got about as good a setup as anyone.
Jacy Farrow: Ruth Popper?
Lois Farrow: Why, sure! I think Sonny's reasonably good-looking.
Jacy Farrow: Sonny?
Lois Farrow: And he's young.
Jacy Farrow: And Ruth Popper?
Lois Farrow: Oh, don't you know about that? Well, It's been going on about six months now! I thought you kids knew everything.
Jacy Farrow: Oh, it's silliest thing I ever heard of. She's 40 years old.
Lois Farrow: So am I, honey. It's kind of an itchy age. You want an orange?
Jacy Farrow: I don't believe it. Sonny's *always* wanted to go with me.
-
Jacy Farrow: I called you before.
Sonny Crawford: You did?
Jacy Farrow: Mmm-hmm. I felt lonesome. Thought you might want to drive around awhile.
-
Jacy Farrow: Not here. I'm too old for screwing in cars.
-
Sonny Crawford: She's not your girl anymore.
Duane Jackson: She is my girl! I don't care if we did break up.
-
Genevieve: That boy's always had meanness in him. Jacy's the kind of girl that brings out the meanness in a man.
-
Sonny Crawford: Sure weren't out of Texas very long.
Lois Farrow: Well, Oklahoma's not much of an improvement.
-
Coach Popper: Now, listen. See if we can't stretch that goddamn thing a little. You know a man never ought to cheat, unlessin' it's for a good cause.
-
Sonny Crawford: I thought you might want to go to the picture show? Miss Mosey's havin' to close it. Tonight's the last night.
-
Duane Jackson: Sorry you're closing the show.
Miss Mosey: Nobody wants to come to shows no more. Kid baseball in the summer, television all the time.
-
Duane Jackson: Won't be much to do in town with the picture show closed.
-
Duane Jackson: Sure weren't no women around. I guess the next piece of ass I get will be yellow.
-
Sheriff: Here, knock off that shit, boys. This is the Christmas season.
-
Sheriff: Run along, Wichita. I can't stand here all night protecting your shoeshine.
-
Sonny Crawford, Duane Jackson, Jacy Farrow: [singing] Whether in defeat or victory, We will always be true, Anarene High School we love you, And we'll fight for you!
-
Ruth Popper: [to Sonny] What am I doing apologizing to you? Why am I ALWAYS apologizing to you, you little bastard? Three months I've been apologizing to you without you even being here! I haven't done anything wrong. Why can't I quit apologizing? You the one ought to be sorry! I wouldn't still be in my bathrobe if it hadn't been for you. I'd have my clothes on hours ago. You're the one made me quit caring if I got dressed or not! I guess just because your friend got killed, you want me to forget what you did and make it all right? I'm not sorry for you. You'd have left Billy too, just like you left me. I bet you left him plenty of nights, whenever Jacy whistled. I wouldn't treat a dog that way. I guess you thought I was so old and ugly, you didn't owe me any explanation. You didn't need to be careful of me. There wasn't anything I could do about you and her, why should you be careful of me? You didn't love me. Look at me. Can't you even look at me?
[long pause, as Sonny slowly turns to look at Ruth, blankly]
Ruth Popper: See? Shouldn't have come here. I'm around that corner now. You've ruined it. It's lost completely. Just your needing me won't make it come back.
The Last Picture Show Quotes
Extended Reading
