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Dustin Hoffman in Straw Dogs (1971)

Quotes

Straw Dogs

Edit
  • [last lines]
  • Henry Niles: I don't know my way home.
  • David Sumner: That's okay. I don't either.
  • Amy Sumner: David, give Niles to them. That's what they want. They just want him. Give them Niles, David!
  • David Sumner: They'll beat him to death.
  • Amy Sumner: I don't care! Get him out!
  • David Sumner: You really don't care, do you?
  • Amy Sumner: No, I don't.
  • David Sumner: No. I care. This is where I live. This is me. I will not allow violence against this house.
  • Reverend Barney Hood: Radiation. That's an unfortunate dispensation.
  • David Sumner: Surely is. Yes, indeed.
  • Reverend Barney Hood: As long as it's not another bomb.
  • [beat]
  • Reverend Barney Hood: You're a scientist - can you deny the responsibility?
  • David Sumner: Can you?
  • [beat]
  • David Sumner: After all, there's never been a kingdom given to so much bloodshed as that of Christ.
  • Reverend Barney Hood: [beat] That's Montesquieu, isn't it?
  • David Sumner: Oh, really?
  • Louise Hood: Who's he?
  • Reverend Barney Hood: Somebody well worth reading.
  • David Sumner: Jesus. I got 'em all!
  • [singing in a bar]
  • Tom Hedden, Charlie Venner: Now some men goes for women, and some men goes for boys. But my love's warm and beautiful, and makes a baah-ing noise.
  • Tom Hedden: I'll have an answer, or I'll have blood!
  • Reverend Barney Hood: And now for my next trick, the piece de resistance, I present to you an empty glass. I will now fill this glass with milk.
  • Chris Cawsey: Would it work better with whiskey, Vicar?
  • Reverend Barney Hood: Nothing works better with whiskey.
  • Tom Hedden: I do.
  • Reverend Barney Hood: You've never worked a day in your life, Tom.
  • David Sumner: Okay, you've had your fun. I'll give you one more chance, and if you don't clear out now, there'll be real trouble. I mean it.
  • Tom Hedden: John Niles; come to me then.
  • John Niles: Is this for a drink then, Tom?
  • Tom Hedden: This is for the truth. Your brother; been hangin' around the girls again. You'd better keep a closer watch or we'll be puttin' him away!
  • David Sumner: Why don't you grow up?
  • Amy Sumner: I'm trying to!
  • David Sumner: You act like you're fourteen years old.
  • Amy Sumner: I am fourteen years old.
  • David Sumner: Wanna try for twelve?
  • [Amy obliges by chewing gum open-mouthed like a carefree little girl]
  • David Sumner: How about eight? I freak out for eight-year-olds.
  • David Sumner: [after listening to Amy calling the cat] Kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty! Shit!
  • Riddaway: I didn't reckon on nobody getting killed, Norman.
  • Norman Scutt: Yeah, well, that's too bad. We're all in it now. Accessories, we are.
  • Charlie Venner: That's the law.
  • Charlie Venner: Remember when I took care of you, Amy?
  • Amy Sumner: [sighs, shakes her head] But you didn't. Remember?
  • Charlie Venner: There was once a time, Mrs. Sumner...
  • [he puts his hand around the back of her neck]
  • Charlie Venner: when you were ready to beg me for it.
  • Amy Sumner: Take your hands off me!
  • Amy Sumner: [still seething after discovery of her murdered cat] Scutt... or Cawsey.
  • David Sumner: I've locked all the doors and windows downstairs. Let's keep them locked from now on. All right?
  • Amy Sumner: [angrily] Great!
  • [David calmly prepares for bed]
  • Amy Sumner: Did you hear me?
  • David Sumner: Hmm?
  • Amy Sumner: *Scutt or Cawsey.*
  • David Sumner: Why?
  • Amy Sumner: To prove to you they could get into your bedroom!
  • David Sumner: [stares at her a long time] I don't believe that.
  • [shakes his head]
  • Amy Sumner: [as she gets up from chair, tearfully:] Well, who else is around all the time?
  • [climbs under covers]
  • David Sumner: The doors werent locked. I mean, it could have been anybody passing.
  • Amy Sumner: "Anybody passing"? David, a complete stranger comes into our house, decides to strangle our cat and hang her in the wardrobe! Somebody passing?
  • [David remains uncertain]
  • Amy Sumner: Cawsey... or Scutt?
  • Amy Sumner: You're a coward.
  • David Sumner: [puts down his cigarette] No, I'm not.
  • Amy Sumner: Entire coward. Put plain and simple.
  • David Sumner: No, I'm not.
  • Amy Sumner: [through tears] I don't blame you for hiding in your study.
  • [through sobs:]
  • Amy Sumner: But... I don't want to hide there with you.
  • [sniffles]
  • Amy Sumner: I... *I can't anymore!*
  • David Sumner: I'm firing Venner and Scutt tomorrow.
  • Amy Sumner: Hooray for you, Tiger. What for?
  • David Sumner: Because they stuck it to me on the moor today.
  • Amy Sumner: They also serve who sit at home and wait.
  • Amy Sumner: You're a coward.
  • David Sumner: No, I'm not.
  • Amy Sumner: And I'm a coward, plain and simple.

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