Secondhand Lions (2003) - Quotes

Confirmation of Historical Figures in Family Tales

Sheikh's great-grandson: So, the two men in Great-Grandfather's stories: they really lived?!

Walter: Yeah. They really lived.

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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: [''Incredulous''] What do you expect us to die of? Old age?

Garth: Well... welcome home.

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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.

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.

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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.

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Betrayal and Deception Among Family Ties

Walter: What kind of greedy, no-good scum would turn in Uncle Hub for money?

Garth: [''Leans in and grins''] Well, I would.

Walter: [''eyes widening with realization''] Ah, it was a trick.

Garth: Yeah, it was a trick.

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

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 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: [''Grins''] This guy is good.

Hub: [Walter tugs at his arm] I'll cover him- you sneak around. What're you-what? What?

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.

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: [''to Garth''] Right.

Hub: [''Throws Hood 1 at the other teenagers.''] 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!

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

Garth: [the thugs immediately drop their switchblades] Now, boys, you're fixin to let those teenage hormones get you into a world of trouble.

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: [''To Walter''] Yeah! Watch this, kid.

Garth: [''To Hood 1''] Now, you- you better pick that knife up. Cause, son, you're gonna need all the help you can get.

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

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: [hesitant] No, not me. You-

Garth: [Garth and Hub go over and sit beside Walter] Hub. Get out of the car. Planning your next move? Where you goin'?

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: [Garth gives him another look] Damn it, kid. It ain't our fault you got a lousy damn mother.

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.

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: [Groans] Damn.

A Unique Aviation Incident Involving Elderly Pilots

Sheriff Brady: Best I can figure, they were trying to fly through that barn, upside down. Had a bunch of reporters out here earlier; CNN. I guess it is news, when you got a tiny World War I biplane bein flown by two 90-year-old men, neither one of em with pilot's licenses... Well, they had a good, long run, the both of em. And they went out with their boots on!

The Importance of Belief and Values

Hub McCann: Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things that a man needs to believe in the most: that people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love, true love, never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. No matter if they're true or not, a man should believe in those things because those are the things worth believing in.