The Searchers Quotes

Ethan: Our turnin' back don't mean nothin', not in the long run. She's alive, she's safe... for a while. They'll keep her to raise her as one of their own till, until she's of an age to...

Martin: Don't you think there's a chance we still might find her?

Ethan: Injun will chase a thing till he thinks he's chased it enough. Then he quits. Same way when he runs. Seems like he never learns there's such a thing as a critter that'll just keep comin' on. So we'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as the turnin' of the earth.

Reverend Clayton: Ethan, I gotta ask you and Martin to take a ride to State Capital.

Ethan: Is this an invite to a necktie party, Reverend?

Ethan: Well Reverend, looks like you've got yourself surrounded.

Reverend Clayton: Yeah and I figure on getting myself unsurrounded.

Reverend Clayton: I say we do it my way. That's an order!

Ethan: Yessir. But if you're wrong don't ever give me another.

Reverend Clayton: You wanna quit, Ethan?

Ethan: That'll be the day.

Martin: I hope you die!

Ethan: That'll be the day.

Ethan: What you saw wasn't Lucy.

Brad: But it was, I tell you!

Ethan: What you saw was a buck wearin' Lucy's dress. I found Lucy back in the canyon. Wrapped her in my coat, buried her with my own hands. I thought it best to keep it from ya.

Brad: Did they...? Was she...?

Ethan: What do you want me to do? Draw you a picture? Spell it out? Don't ever ask me! Long as you live, don't ever ask me more.

Lars Jorgensen: It's this country killed my boy. Yes by golly I tell you, Ethan...

Mrs. Jorgensen: No Lars. It just so happens we be Texicans. Texican is nothing but a human man way out on a limb. This year and next, and maybe for a hundred more. But I don't think it'll be forever. Some day this country's gonna be a fine, good place to be. Maybe it needs our bones in the ground before that time can come.

Reverend Clayton: Well, the prodigal brother. When did you get back? Ain't seen you since the surrender. Come to think of it, I didn't see you at the surrender.

Ethan: I don't believe in surrenders. Nope, I've still got my saber, Reverend. Didn't beat it into no plowshare, neither.

[Reverend Clayton delivers a prayer at the Edwards' funeral for Aaron, Martha, and Ben]

Ethan: Put an amen to it!

Reverend Clayton: I ain't finished yet.

Ethan: There's no more time for praying! AMEN!

Brad: There's only one way you can stop me from looking for Lucy, mister, and that's kill me!

Martin: That's the way I feel, Uncle Ethan

[Edwards glares at him]

Martin: Ethan... Sir.

Ethan: Alright, but I'm giving the orders here. I'm giving the orders and you'll follow 'em, or we're splitting up right here and now!

Martin: Well, sure, Ethan. Just one reason were here, ain't it, is to find Debbie and Lucy?

Ethan: If they're still alive.

[after a double-take, Ethan and Martin recognize Debbie as the captive who shows them a lance of human scalps in Chief Scar's tent]

Ethan: We've seen scalps before.

Chief Scar: [shows them the gold locket that Ethan gave Debbie] This before?

Ethan: [to Figuroa] I came to trade, not to admire his collection. Tell him we'll pitch camp the other side of the creek. Talk tomorrow.

[Brad Jorgenson takes a small boulder and attempts to crush the skull of a dead Comanche warrior]

Reverend Clayton: Jorgenson!

Ethan: Why don't you finish the job?

[shoots out the eyes of the Comanche warrior]

Reverend Clayton: What good did that do ya?

Ethan: By what you preach, none. But what that Comanche believes, ain't got no eyes, he can't enter the spirit-land. Has to wander forever between the winds.You get it, Reverend.

Ethan: [to Martin] Come on, blanket-head!

Ethan: [tucking Martin in] Comfortable?

Martin: Ethan, are you all right?

Ethan: Well, I'm just saying goodnight to you.

Martin: Well, goodnight!

Martin: You know, Laurie, I was just thinking that maybe it's about time you and me started going steady, huh?

Laurie Jorgensen: Why, Martin Pawley, you and me been going steady since we was three years old!

Martin: We have?

Laurie Jorgensen: 'Bout time you found out about it.

2nd Lt. Greenhill: Can't I stay? Please?

Reverend Clayton: Oh, all right. But you watch me, boy! I'm the hardcase you're up against out here, not them childish savages! And if you don't hear my first holler, you better read my mind 'cause I don't aim to raise no two hollers on any subject at hand!

2nd Lt. Greenhill: [salutes with his saber and nearly decapitates the Reverend] Yes sir!

Reverend Clayton: Boy, watch that knife!

Martin: [speaking to Debbie for the first time in five years] Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, don't you remember? I'm Martin, I'm Martin, your brother, remember? Debbie, remember back.

Martin: [pause] Do you remember how I used to let you ride my horse? And tell you stories? Oh, don't you remember me, Debbie?

Debbie Edwards: I remember, from always. At first I prayed to you: "Come and get me, take me home." You didn't come.

Martin: But I've come now, Debbie.

Debbie Edwards: These are my people. Go. Go, Martin, please!

Laurie Jorgensen: [Martin is preparing to join a raid against the Indians and rescue Debbie] You're not goin', not this time.

Martin: Are you crazy?

Laurie Jorgensen: It's too late. She's a woman grown now.

Martin: But I gotta go, Laurie, I gotta fetch her home.

Laurie Jorgensen: Fetch what home? The leavings of a Comanche buck, sold time and again to the highest bidder, with savage brats of her own?

Martin: Laurie, shut your mouth.

Laurie Jorgensen: Do you know what Ethan will do if he has a chance? He'll put a bullet in her brain.

[pause]

Laurie Jorgensen: I tell you, Martha would want him to.

Martin: Only if I'm dead.

[preparing to lead a charge into the Comanche camp]

Reverend Clayton: Brethren, leave us go amongst 'em!

[first lines]

[seeing a horseman in the distance]

Aaron Edwards: Ethan?

Debbie Edwards: Hush, Prince.

Lucy Edwards: That's your Uncle Ethan!

Martha Edwards: [he approaches] Welcome home, Ethan!

Ben Edwards: Uncle Ethan, will you tell us about the war?

Ethan: Oh, the war ended three years ago, boy.

Ben Edwards: It has? Then why didn't you come home before now?

Ethan: A fella could mistake you for a half-breed.

Martin: Not quite, I'm eighth Cherokee, the rest is Welsh and English. Least that's what they tell me.

Reverend Clayton: [Runs out of bullets] Dang! Blast it!

Ethan: [Tosses him his gun] Watch it, it's loaded.

Brad: They gotta stop sometime. If they're human men at all, they gotta stop.

Ethan: No, a human rides a horse until it dies, then he goes on afoot. A Comanche comes along, gets that horse up, rides him 20 more miles... and then he eats him.

Laurie Jorgensen: Ethan rode on an hour ago. Now Martin I don't know what you can do about finding Debbie that he can't. He'll find her now, Martin. Honest he will.

Martin: That's what I'm afraid Of Laurie, him finding her. Oh I've seen his eyes at the very word "Comanche". I've seen him take his knife and - - Never mind. He's a man that can go crazy wild and I intend to be there to stop him in case he does.

Martin: Well, why don't you say it? We're beat, and you know it.

Ethan: Nope. Our turnin' back don't mean nothin'. Not in the long run. If she's alive, she's safe. For a while, they'll keep her to raise as one of their own until... she's of an age to...

Martin: Do you think maybe there's a chance we still might find her?

Ethan: An Indian will chase a thing till he thinks he's chased it enough. Then he quits. Same way when he runs. Seems like he never learns there's such a thing as a critter who'll just keep coming on. So we'll find 'em in the end I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as the... turnin' of the earth.

Ethan: We did all right.

Martin: We? Why you just staked me out there like a piece of bait. You built up the fire. You fixed it so I could get my brains blowed out! What if you'd missed?

Ethan: It never occurred to me.

Ethan Edwards: What's she followin' us for?

Martin Pawley: Oh, you go on back now. Go on. Look, I changed my mind. You can keep your blanket. Look, you don't understand. I don't want it.

Ethan Edwards: You don't understand, you chunkhead. You didn't buy any blanket, you bought her. You got yourself a wife, sonny.

[laughs]

Martin Pawley: What do you mean you don't have any blood kin? Debbie's your blood kin.

Ethan Edwards: Not any more she ain't.

Martin Pawley: If we go chargin' in there, they'll kill her and you know it.

Ethan Edwards: That's what I'm countin' on.

Ethan Edwards: You remember that scalp string on Scar's lance? Long and wavy?

Martin Pawley: Yeah, I saw it, and don't try to tell me it was Aunt Martha's or Lucy's.

Ethan Edwards: It was your mother's.