Robert Duvall Quotes

Days of Thunder

A Clash of Racing Strategies and Speed

Harry Hogge His way... my way... I was six seconds faster.

[slaps a ruined tire; slaps a lightly worn tire]

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Days of Thunder

Rubbin' is Racin' in NASCAR

Harry Hogge Cole, you're wandering all over the track!

Cole Trickle Well, this son of a bitch just slammed into me!

Harry Hogge No, no, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you, he didn't slam into you, he RUBBED you. And rubbin', son, is racin'. Oh, there goes a fender. There goes a quarter-panel.

[Cole slams into the wall side-ways; Cole slams into another car; Cole slams into other cars and causes a multi-car crash; Harry just shakes his head in disbelief and face-palms]

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Secondhand Lions

A Challenge in Unexpected Encounters

Salesman Don't shoot! Don't shoot!

Garth He's been here before! This is no ordinary salesman.

Salesman Brothers McCann?

Hub Hell, I like me a challenge.

Salesman Can we talk?

Hub Come out where we can see you!

Salesman Put down your guns and I'll come out!

Garth This guy is good.

[''Grins'']

Hub I'll cover him- you sneak around. What're you-what? What?

[Walter tugs at his arm]

Walter Why not see what he's sellin'?

Salesman Let me just show it to you!

Hub What the hell for?

Salesman It's right behind my car!

Walter Well, what's the good of having all that money if you're never gonna spend it?

Salesman Trust me!

Garth Could be the kid has a point.

Hub Well. We'll see what the man's sellin'. Then we'll shoot im.

Garth Good plan.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

Understanding Stock Car Racing Through Television

Harry Hogge What do you know about stock car racing?

Cole Trickle Well... watched it on television, of course.

Harry Hogge You've seen it on television?

Cole Trickle ESPN. The coverage is excellent, you'd be surprised at how much you can pick up.

Harry Hogge I'm sure I would.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Gods and Generals

Strategic Insight on Battlefield Decisions

Gen. Robert E. Lee Colonel Alexander, Federal troops amassed across that river are watching us prepare for them. If I were General Burnside, I would not attack here. I'd move back upstream, come across from above us. But Burnside is not a man with the luxury of flexibility. He's being pushed from behind by loud voices in Washington, by newspapers who demand quick action. No, we're here, and so he will attack us here.

[to artillerist E. Porter Alexander, at Fredericksburg]

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Phenomenon

The Paradox of a Tumor's Effect

Doc Let's see, uh... George... George... there's a tumor in your ], that's spread out like a ], threads of it, you know, everywhere. But instead of dysfunction — now here's the ], George. Instead of destroying brain function, so far it's been stimulating it. We can't understand that. You have more area of active brain use than anybody ever ] — ever — because of those tentacles. I mean, we've seen tumors like this before, it's called ]. And it explains, uh, the dizziness, and... the illusion of ]. But the way it's in there, waking up areas of the brain, it's a... big mystery. So...

[[brain; [hand; [mystery; [tested; [w:Astrocytoma|astrocytoma; [light]

George And it's killing me.

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Network

The Potential of a Captivating News Show

Diana Christensen We just increased our audience by twenty or thirty million people in one night. Now, you're not gonna get something like this dumped in your lap for the rest of your days, and you can't just piss it away. Howard Beale got up there last night and said what every American feels, that he's tired of all the bullshit. He's articulating the popular rage. I want that show, Frank. I can turn that show into the biggest smash on television.

Frank Hackett What do you mean, you want that show? It's a news show. It's not your department.

Diana Christensen I see Howard Beale as a latter-day prophet, a magnificent messianic figure, inveighing against the hypocrisies of our times, a strip Savonarola, Monday through Friday. I tell you, Frank, that could just go through the roof. And I'm talking about a six dollar cost per thousand show! I'm talking about a hundred, a hundred thirty thousand dollar minutes! Do you want to figure out the revenues of a strip show that sells for a hundred thousand bucks a minute? One show like that could pull this whole network right out of the hole! Now, Frank, it's being handed to us on a plate. Let's not blow it!

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

Optimizing Performance for the Race Track

Harry Hogge I'm gonna give you an engine, low to the ground... extra thick oil pan that'll cut the wind from underneath ya, see. It'll give you thirty or forty more horsepower. I'm gonna give you a fuel line that'll hold an extra gallon of gas. I'm gonna shave half an inch off you and shape you like a bullet. I'll get you primed, painted and weighed, and you'll be ready to go out on that racetrack. You hear me? You're gonna be perfect.

[talking to a race-car chassis]

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

Strategy Under Caution in Racing

Harry Hogge All right. While we're still under a caution, I want you to go back out on that track and hit the pace car.

Cole Trickle Hit the pace car?

Harry Hogge Hit the pace car!

Cole Trickle What for?

Harry Hogge Because you've hit every other goddamned thing out there, I want you to be perfect!

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

Urgent Call for Action in Pursuit

Garth He's runnin for it!

Hub I got im!

Garth Damn. Empty!

Hub Get ammo; I'll keep him covered!

Mae Yoo-hoo!

Garth Huh?

Hub You send for a hooker?

Mae Uncle Hub, Uncle Garth- it's me, Mae!

Mae Mae! Pearl's daughter! And I brought Walter, your nephew!

Garth Relatives.

Hub Damn.

[Groans]

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Kicking & Screaming

The Influence of Fatherhood on Identity

Phil Weston I was born a baby, a blank slate, thinking I was in control of my own destiny. And then I met my father.

Buck Weston You better be good at this stuff.

[offscreen]

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Network

Ethics in Broadcasting and Personal Integrity

Nelson Chaney All I know is that this violates every canon of respectable broadcasting.

Frank Hackett We're not a respectable network. We're a whorehouse network, and we have to take whatever we can get.

Nelson Chaney Well, I don't want any part of it. I don't fancy myself the president of a whorehouse.

Frank Hackett That's very commendable of you, Nelson. Now sit down. Your indignation is duly noted; you can always resign tomorrow.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

The Art of Racing Explained

Harry Hogge No, no, he didn't slam you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you... he rubbed you. And rubbin, son, is racin'.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

Praise for an Exceptional Coon-Dog

Harry Hogge Tim, take a look at that hound. That's the best coon-dog I ever seen or heard about and I didn't teach him a damn thing.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

A Lucky Encounter with a Lion

Garth Howdy, Stan.

Hub You know, you're lucky, Stan. Lucky the lion got to you before *we* did.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

Debating the Fate of a Child

Hub Damn. She doesn't deserve that kid. Maybe we'll get a lawyer.

Garth No judge is gonna take a kid away from his mother, give im to two old bachelor uncles.

Hub Well, maybe she'll sell im to us. How much money we got?

Garth Hub- there's nothin we can do. He's gone.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

The Natural

Mind Reading in Three Seconds

Max Mercy You read my mind.

Roy Hobbs That takes all of three seconds.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

Conflict Over Car and Responsibility

Ralph Hub, I don't see why you have to drive, it's my car!

Hub Quit whinin'.

Ralph We find that kid he's gonna get a piece of my mind.

Garth There he is.

Hub Lawyer! Stay in the car!

Garth Hub, come on.

Hub No, not me. You-

[hesitant]

Garth Hub. Get out of the car. Planning your next move? Where you goin'?

[Garth and Hub go over and sit beside Walter]

Walter Here. Area code 406, Montana.

Garth How come you're not headin to Fort Worth, where your mum is?

Walter She's not there. She lied. Again.

Garth Listen, kid, we know you got your heart set on goin to Montana, but... it's late. Hub, help me out here.

Hub Why? Sounds like his mind's made up. Good luck in Montana, kid.

Garth We got better maps than that one at the house, right Hub?

Hub Yeah, man needs a good map, that's for sure.

Walter I've been to the orphan home before. I don't wanna go back.

Hub Damn it, kid. It ain't our fault you got a lousy damn mother.

[Garth gives him another look]

Walter I guess I should get going. Which way is North?

Hub I'll say one thing for this kid, he sure pisses off the relatives!

Garth Listen, kid, do us a favor. If you come back to the house and stay awhile... Why, our relatives are going to hate it. I bet they hate it so much, they go away and leave us all the hell alone.

Hub It's crazy enough, it just might work.

Garth Come on, kid. Help us out here.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

Heartbreak Amidst Excitement

Garth Looks like he's going to need stitches.

Hub Yeah, a lot of damn stitches.

Walter What happened to her?

Garth Looks like her heart gave out in all the excitement.

Walter Look. I think she's smiling.

Garth Yeah, I guess she died happy.

Hub She died with her boots on, that's the main thing.

Garth Protecting her cub.

Walter She was a real lion, wasn't she? There at the end. A real jungle lion. A real Africa lion.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Gods and Generals

The Terrible Nature of War

Gen. Robert E. Lee It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.

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Secondhand Lions

Setting Conditions for a New Living Arrangement

Walter If I'm gonna live here, there's gonna be some conditions.

Hub Conditions?

Walter No more dangerous stuff. No more fighting teenagers. No airplanes. More vegetables, less meat.

Hub What do you expect us to die of? Old age?

[''Incredulous'']

Garth Well... welcome home.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Kicking & Screaming

Recollections of Competitive Moments

Mark Avery Hey Buck, remember when we beat you at the championship game?

Buck Weston Oh yeah, well remember the time when I shoved that kid into the pool?

[kicks him into the swimming pool]

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Kicking & Screaming

Family Gathering with Humor and Banter

Janice Weston Hi, you guys!

Barbara Weston Hi! Hi, Buck.

[hugs Janice; she kisses him]

Buck Weston Hey, look who's here! Two of favorite people and Phil!

Phil Weston Very funny, Dad. I've never heard that one before.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Network

The Essence of Management in Business

Frank Hackett The business of management is management.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Secondhand Lions

Unexpected Pet Ownership Discussion

Walter So can I keep him? I'll look after him and take care of him and feed him and everything! I never had a pet of my very own before.

Hub So kid, you want to take care of it, nurse it back to health?

Hub Good. Then we shoot it.

Garth That's some lion you bought.

Hub That's some garden seeds you bought.

Walter Don't worry, they're not as bad as they seem right at first.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Civil Action

The Dangers of Pride in Law

Jerome Facher Now, the single greatest liability a lawyer can have is pride. Pride... Pride has lost more cases than lousy evidence, idiot witnesses and a hanging judge all put together. There is absolutely no place in a courtroom for pride.

[''to law students'']

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Days of Thunder

Understanding Engine Performance and Risks

Harry Hogge Now, Cole, when you shift the gear and that little needle on the tach goes into the red and reads 9000 RPMs, that's bad.

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The Godfather Part II

That Was a Good Break

Tom Hagen When a plot against the emperor failed, the plotters were always given a chance to let their families keep their fortunes. Right?

Frank Pentangeli Yeah, but only the rich guys, Tom. The little guys got knocked off and all their estates went to the emperors — unless they went home and killed themselves. [realizing] Then nothing happened, and the families — the families were taken care of.

Tom Hagen That was a good break. A nice deal.

Frank Pentangeli Yeah. They went home and sat in a hot bath, opened up their veins and bled to death, and sometimes they had a little party before they did it.

Network

The Allure of a Manufactured Prophet

Max Schumacher He could be jumping off a roof for all I know. The man is insane. He's not responsible for himself. He needs care and treatment. And all you grave-robbers think about is that he's a hit!

Diana Christensen You know, Max, it's just possible that he isn't insane, that he is, in fact, imbued with some special spirit.

Max Schumacher My God, I'm supposed to be the romantic. You're supposed to be the hard-bitten realist.

Diana Christensen All right. Howard Beale obviously fills a void. The audience out there obviously wants a prophet, even a manufactured one, even if he's as mad as Moses. By tomorrow, he'll have a 50 share, maybe even a 60. Howard Beale is processed instant God, and right now, it looks like he may just go over bigger than Mary Tyler Moore.

Max Schumacher I am not putting Howard back on the air.

Diana Christensen It's not your show any more, Max, it's mine.

Frank Hackett I gave her the show, Schumacher. I'm putting the network news show under programming. Mr. Ruddy has had a mild heart attack and is not taking calls. In his absence, I'm making all network decisions, including one I've been wanting to make a long time - you're fired.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

The Godfather

It's Strictly Business

Michael Corleone Where does it say that you can't kill a cop?

Tom Hagen Come on, Mikey...

Michael Corleone Tom, wait a minute. I'm talking about a cop that's mixed up in drugs. I'm talking about a - a - a dishonest cop - a crooked cop who got mixed up in the rackets and got what was coming to him. That's a terrific story. And we have newspaper people on the payroll, don't we, Tom? And they might like a story like that.

Tom Hagen They might, they just might.

[Tom nods]

Michael Corleone It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business.

[to Sonny]

Days of Thunder

Caution in Racing: Protecting a Vulnerable Driver

Harry Hogge I'm settin you up for cool weather... but if that sun breaks, after you're out on the track, you're liable to run real loose real quick. Now I don't wanna worry you or nothin, but, Cole's not ready for that... he's changed, see, he's changed. You cannot get out of control and expect him to bring you right back. He's liable to hurt you, you're liable to hurt him, and... I couldn't handle that, so, ah, you've gotta take care of him... see... you gotta take care of him.

[talking to "his" race-car]

Days of Thunder

The Reluctance of Drivers to Face Reality

Harry Hogge Drivers can't stand to be reminded of what can happen to em in a racecar. They, they don't go to hospitals, they don't go to funerals. You get a driver to a funeral before he's actually dead, you've made history, darlin'.

Falling Down

Questioning Identity and Morality in Conflict

Sergeant Prendergast Now let's go meet some nice policemen. They're good guys. Come on, let's go.

Bill Foster I'm the bad guy?

Prendergast Yeah.

Bill Foster How did that happen? I did everything they told me to.

Phenomenon

Confronting Hypocrisy and Judgment in Society

Doc Why do ya have to tear him down? What are you so ] of? What have you got to lose? He wasn't selling anything! He didn't want anything from anybody! He wanted nothing from nobody! Nothing! NOTHING!!! And you ] have to tear him down so you can ] better tonight! So ya can prove that the ] is flat and sleep better toniight! Am I right?... I'm right... The ] with all of ya. The Hell with everyone of ya.

[fuming off at his and George Malley's common friends belittling George's abilities; [afraid; pauses; [people; [sleep; [world; pause; calms down, in soft voice; [Hell; leaves the bar]

Kicking & Screaming

Divorce Misunderstood as Death

Buck Weston You know it hasn't been easy for me since your mom died.

Phil Weston She didn't die, she divorced you.

Buck Weston Ehh... tomatoes, tomahtoes.

Secondhand Lions

Discipline and Courage in Youth

Hub See, this here is exactly what I've been talkin bout. Ever since this kid was suckin on his momma's titty he's been shown everything but discipline. And now his idea of courage is ridin around botherin folks too good-natured to put a stop to it.

Hood 1 Hey, who do you think you are, huh?

Garth Just a dumb kid, Hub. Don't kill him.

Hub Right.

[''to Garth'']

Hub I'm Hub McCann. I've fought in two World Wars and countless smaller ones on three continents. I led thousands of men into battle with everything from horses and swords to artillery and TANKS! I've seen the headwaters of the Nile, and tribes of natives no white man had ever seen before. I've won and lost a dozen fortunes, KILLED MANY MEN! And loved only one woman, with a passion a FLEA like you could never begin to understand. That's who I am. NOW, GO HOME, BOY!

[''Throws Hood 1 at the other teenagers.'']

Hood 1 Let's show this old bastard who's tough! Get out your knives!

Garth Now, boys, you're fixin to let those teenage hormones get you into a world of trouble.

[the thugs immediately drop their switchblades]

Hub Damn it, Garth, did I ask you to butt in?

Garth Hub, you've just come out the hospital.

Hub There's only four of em.

Garth Well, look, look. You fight this one first, then I'll let you fight the other three after, okay?

Hub Yeah! Watch this, kid.

[''To Walter'']

Garth Now, you- you better pick that knife up. Cause, son, you're gonna need all the help you can get.

[''To Hood 1'']

Gods and Generals

Loss and Sacrifice in War

Gen. Robert E. Lee He's lost his left arm...I've lost my right.

[after Jackson's wounding]

Days of Thunder

Life's Simple Pleasures and Conversations

Tim Daland See you're enjoying the good life, Harry?

[Walks to tractor]

Harry Hogge Yeah. Well I don't mind spreadin a little fertilizer round now and then. There's worse things.

Tim Daland How's the truck runnin'?

Harry Hogge Runs good.

Tim Daland I... uh... I want you to build me a car.

[pause]

Harry Hogge Now, Tim, everyone knows some downtown car dealer can't afford a race team. And no driver worth a damn is gonna sign with you. Cause they wreck one car, you can't afford to build them another, and their out of the deal, you know. And no car's gonna win without a driver, not even mine.

[stops tractor]

Tim Daland If you built the car, I'd get a damn driver.

[points to Harry]

Harry Hogge What kinda driver you gonna find after the season's started? Some ole boy that's washed up, and wasn't worth a shit to begin with.

[starts driving tractor]

Tim Daland You can work with him. You can build a driver like you build a car, Harry.

Harry Hogge Tim, take a look at that hound. Now that's the best coon dog I ever seen or heard about, and I didn't teach him a damn thing.

[points to dog]

Tim Daland Well I got somebody.

Harry Hogge Who?

Tim Daland Take a look at him.

Harry Hogge Anybody I gotta take a look at ain't somebody.

Tim Daland Then take a look at nobody.

Harry Hogge Tim, I give up racin', you gotta know that.

[stops tractor]

Tim Daland Ah, you didn't give up racin', Harry. You quit to avoid investigation into Buddy's crash at Daytona.

Harry Hogge Hey, I didn't avoid any God-damn investigation.

Tim Daland Well, anyway, I... uh... I talked to NASCAR and if you come back in there won't be any investigation.

[rolls eyes]

Harry Hogge How they hell you sell em on that deal?

Tim Daland I'm a helluva salesman.

Tim Daland What's wrong with him?

Harry Hogge I'll tell you what wrong with this deal is you, Tim. You're a victim of your own god-damn creation! Two race teams? That's one too many roosters in the henhouse.

Tim Daland It doesn't seem to bother Russ Wheeler.

Harry Hogge Oh, no, no, ever since that Daytona crash Cole's been called a troublemaker. Wheeler figures he can bump and bam Cole all he wants.

Tim Daland I don't see Russ doing anything like that. NASCAR doesn't see Russ doing anything like that.

Harry Hogge Oh I guess it ain't happening then under the watchful eyes of experts like you and NASCAR!

Tim Daland I'll tell you what is happening—Cole's not running good, he's not looking good and now he's got sponsor trouble!

Harry Hogge But you don't, is that it?

Tim Daland As far is that goes, no, I don't, but I want to keep the sponsor and Cole, he's the one that made this happen and I haven't forgotten that, Harry.

Harry Hogge Right, right.

Memorable Quotes from Robert Duvall