Robert Duvall credited as playing...
Augustus 'Gus' McCrae
- Gus McCrae: Lorie darlin', life in San Francisco, you see, is still just life. If you want any one thing too badly, it's likely to turn out to be a disappointment. The only healthy way to live life is to learn to like all the little everyday things, like a sip of good whiskey in the evening, a soft bed, a glass of buttermilk, or a feisty gentleman like myself.
- Woodrow Call: [Call thinks Gus has died] Augustus.
- Gus McCrae: [opens his eyes] By God, Woodrow; it's been one hell of a party.
- [dies]
- Woodrow Call: You ever get tired o' loafin' I reckon you can get a job waitin' on tables.
- Gus McCrae: Oh, I had a job waitin' tables once. S' on a riverboat. I wasn't no older than Newt, there, but I hadda give it up.
- Newt: How come?
- Gus McCrae: Well I was, too young and pretty and the whores wouldn't let me alone.
- Gus McCrae: I'm just tryin' to keep everything in balance, Woodrow. You do more work than you got to, so it's my obligation to do less.
- Woodrow Call: I guess it's our fault we should've shot sooner.
- Gus McCrae: I don't want to start thinking Woodrow of all the things we should have done for this good man.
- [referring to the Hat Creek Cattle Company sign]
- Woodrow Call: ...and if that ain't bad enough you got all them Greek words on there, too.
- Gus McCrae: I told you, Woodrow, a long time ago it ain't Greek, it's Latin.
- Woodrow Call: Well what does it say in Latin?
- [Gus blusters some gibberish]
- Woodrow Call: For all you know it invites people to rob us.
- Gus McCrae: Well the first man comes along that can read Latin is welcome to rob us, far as I'm concerned. I'd like a chance t' shoot at a educated man once in my life.
- Gus McCrae: I could kick you for givin' him all them ideas about Montana. Now we're gonna suffer for the rest of our damn lives.
- Jake Spoon: Yeah, I forgot how determined he can get, once an idea takes root.
- Woodrow Call: We come to this place to make money. They wasn't nothin' about fun in the deal.
- Gus McCrae: What are you talkin' about? You don't even like money. You like money even less than you like fun, if that's possible.
- Woodrow Call: [riding in San Antonio] Things sure have changed since the last time I was here. It's all growed up.
- Gus McCrae: Of course it's growed up, Woodrow. He killed all the Indians and bandits so the bankers could move in.
- Woodrow Call: Only a fool would want the Indians back.
- Gus McCrae: Has it ever occurred to you, Woodrow; that all the work we done was for the bankers? Hell, we killed off everybody made this country interestin'!
- Gus McCrae: [Call and McRae are about to hang the Suggs brothers] Say goodbye to your brothers; I expect you got them into this.
- Dan Suggs: The hell with them! They ain't worth a red piss; and neither are you!
- Gus McCrae: I'll say this, Suggs; you're the kind of man it's a pleasure to hang. If all you can talk is guff, you can talk it to the Devil.
- [Hits Dan's horse with a quirt causing his and Eddie's horse to bolt]
- Roy Suggs: I shoulda been second. Little Eddie was the youngest.
- Gus McCrae: I apologize, son; I never meant to scare his horse like that. Well, are you ready?
- Roy Suggs: [Shrugs] Yeah, I guess so.
- Joshua Deets: [in the Wyoming Badlands] What we doin' up here, Captain? This ain't our land.
- Gus McCrae: Woodrow is determined to be the first man to graze cattle in Montana, even if it kills all of us.
- Joshua Deets: Don't seem right, Captain. A man ought not to leave his land and his people.
- Gus McCrae: It's an accident she is even on this trip.
- Clara Allen: I never noticed you having accidents with ugly girls.
- Gus McCrae: [Coming upon the sodbusters killed by Dan Suggs] I'god, a man could get rich in the grave digging business around here. Pea, you ought to get a long shovel.
- Pea Eye Parker: I don't think I'd want to do that.
- Woodrow Call: This is a bad bunch we're after.
- Newt: Gus, Jake wouldn't have nothin' to do with something like this!
- Gus McCrae: Jake's always been a drifter Newt. Any wind can blow him.
- Gus McCrae: [to Jake about his riding with the Suggs] A man that will go along with five killin's is taking his leaving awful slow.
- Jake Spoon: A man that will talk to a pig ain't no better than a farmer.
- Gus McCrae: I expected you to own a bank or at least a whorehouse by now Jake. It seems life has been a disappointment to both of us.
- Jake Spoon: That might be so, but by God, I ain't never said a word to a pig.
- Newt: Captain, can I go with you down to the river next time you go? I believe I'm gettin' old enough.
- Woodrow Call: You get old quick, sittin' out here on the porch, talkin'. Best go on to bed.
- Newt: It's still early, Captain.
- Woodrow Call: You go on to bed now, like I told you to.
- Gus McCrae: Now, why did you do that? Best chance the boy's got at a education is listenin' to me talk.
- Woodrow Call: What kinda education is that?
- Gus McCrae: You think he'll learn more shovelin' horse poop for you?
- Woodrow Call: I shoveled my share of it, it ain't hurt me none.
- Gus McCrae: Well, it's fine with me if that's how you wanna make your fortune.