The Driver (1978)

Ryan O'Neal: The Driver

Photos 

7 more photos

Quotes 

• Blue Mask : [the Driver and two robbers are divvying up a pile of loot after a robbery and a wild car chase]  You sure none of those people got a good look at you?

  Green Mask : See, we wanna keep you healthy for the next time.

  The Driver : There isn't gonna be a next time. You were late.

  [takes his share of the money and walks away] 

• The Detective : I really like chasing you.

  The Driver : Sounds like you got a problem.

• The Detective : A friend of yours told me where to find you in the middle of the day.

  The Driver : I don't have any friends.

  The Detective : That's right. No friends. No steady job. No girlfriend. You live real cheap, you never ask any questions... boy, you got it down real tight. So tight that there's no room for anything else. And that's a real sad song. Only trouble is, eh, sad songs ain't sellin' this year. Maybe I'm your friend.

• The Detective : [the Driver has just been caught redhanded retrieving the money bag from the train station locker.]  Caught ya.

  The Detective : [the Driver hands the bag to the Detective, who smilingly opens it. His smile disappears: it's empty.]  What happened?

  The Driver : Looks like we both got swindled.

  The Detective : Looks like we both got ripped off. By the Exchange Man.

  The Driver : Lotta crooks around these days.

  [walks away.] 

• Glasses : [pulls a gun on The Driver]  Can't get over the mistake you made. You've been set up, you know.

  The Driver : By a cop.

  Glasses : That's right. He's waiting for you right now at the wrong place. Me and my buddy don't wanna show up. You two hot-shots have both been set up, haven't you? You know what always amazed me about you? A guy with your attitude - never carries a gun. That's stupid... very stupid.

  [the Driver suddenly whips out his own gun and shoots Glasses dead] 

• The Driver : [at different times to different lowlife types]  Go home!

• The Driver : [setting up a deal to drive]  My price is double.

  Glasses : Aw c'mon... that's 30% of the take!

  The Driver : My price... for working with second-raters.

  Glasses : We'll make you a deal.

  The Driver : One more thing...

  [looks at Teeth] 

  The Driver : *You're* not coming.

  Teeth : [to Glasses]  I don't like that.

  The Driver : That's the whole idea.

  [walks out] 

• The Driver : You know I don't like guns.

• Teeth : How do we know you're that good?

  The Driver : Get in.

• The Driver : [after methodically destroying a Mercedes-Benz for his "audition"]  Better get new plates if you plan on taking it out again. People might be looking for it.

  Glasses : You're crazy.

• The Detective : Now, about last night... oh, I forgot.

  [chuckles] 

  The Detective : Your memory's not too good about last night.

  The Driver : I remember everything.

  The Detective : Alone in your room.

  The Driver : Yeah.

  The Detective : You can do better than that.

  The Driver : I don't have to.

  [the Detective dumps a full cup of hot coffee in The Driver's lap; reacting to the pain, he jumps up into a fighting stance] 

  The Detective : Go ahead, throw it! It'll cost ya two years.

  [Goads The Driver by offering his chin] 

  The Detective : You wanna throw it, go on! Go on! *Go on.* Now, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna catch the cowboy that's never been caught - cowboy desperado. Now get outta here.

• Teeth : [Teeth unexpectedly shows up on the stairway outside The Driver's apartment]  I just want to talk. We need you. You're valuable.

  The Driver : I already gave you an answer.

  Teeth : [pulls a gun]  Well, we don't like that answer. Be friendly. Do things our way.

  The Driver : Go ahead and pull the trigger.

  [Teeth hesitates; Driver punches him in the face, he tumbles down one flight of stairs] 

  Teeth : You... you do anything else, I'll come back, I'll kill you.

  [Driver wallops him again, sending Teeth down a second flight of stairs] 

  Teeth : [groggy, bleeding slightly]  I'm just trying to do my job.

  The Driver : So am I. Go home.

  Teeth : I just wanted to talk.

  The Driver : You did.

  [Teeth leaves] 

• The Driver : [the bank-robber gang pull into a parking garage where The Driver is waiting; the two drivers acknowledge each other]  How've you been?

  Fingers : I'm okay.

  Glasses : You two know each other?

  Fingers : A couple of years ago we worked a two-car job.

  The Driver : You already have a driver.

  Teeth : He doesn't have the balls for driving anymore.

  [Fingers looks hurt] 

  Glasses : You work for a piece, right?

  The Driver : Ten thousand up front, against fifteen percent.

  Teeth : How do we know you're that good?

  The Driver : Get in.

• The Detective : Planning on looking for work soon?

  The Driver : My line of work is kind of hard to come by.

  The Detective : It depends on where you look.

  The Driver : It depends on who you are.

  The Detective : I dunno. Some of the criminal types these days, they, eh, think that they're real cowboys. Think they can just, eh, drive around...do whatever they wanna do...whenever they wanna do it.

  [chuckles] 

  The Detective : I respect a man who's good at what he does. I'll tell you something else: I'm *very* good at what I do.

• The Driver : Maybe we are alike.

  The Player : No. When I lose, I just go broke. You go to jail.