The Last Picture Show (1971)

Ben Johnson: Sam the Lion

Photos 

Quotes 

• 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.

• 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.

• Sam the Lion : [to Genevieve]  What are you grinnin' about? Chicken fry me a steak and try to use meat this time!

• Sam the Lion : Bein' crazy about a woman like that is always the right thing to do!

• [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.

• 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 : 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.

• 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.

• 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'.