Shane (1953)

Jean Arthur: Marian Starrett

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Quotes 

• Marian Starrett : Guns aren't going to be my boy's life!

  Joey : Why do you always have to spoil everything?

  Shane : A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.

  Marian Starrett : We'd all be much better off if there wasn't a single gun left in this valley - including yours.

• Marian Starrett : You're both out of your senses. This isn't worth a life, anybody's life. What are you fighting for? This shack, this little piece of ground, and nothing but work, work, work? I'm sick of it. I'm sick of trouble. Joe, let's move. Let's go on. Please!

  Joe Starrett : Marian, don't say that. That ain't the truth. You love this place more than me.

  Marian Starrett : Not anymore.

  Joe Starrett : Even if that was the truth, it wouldn't change things.

• Joe Starrett : What's the matter, honey?

  Marian Starrett : Joe, hold me. Don't say anything, just hold me - tight.

• Marian Starrett : You were through with gun-fighting?

  Shane : I changed my mind.

  Marian Starrett : [softly]  Are you doing this just for me?

  Shane : For you, Marian... for Joe, and little Joe.

  Marian Starrett : Then we'll never see you again?

  Shane : Never's a long time, Marian.

  [looks at Joe, who he knocked out] 

  Marian Starrett : Tell him... tell him I was sorry.

  Shane : No need to tell him that.

• Joe Starrett : I know one thing, the only way they're gonna get me outta here is in a pine box.

  Joey : What do you mean, Pa?

  Joe Starrett : Well, I mean son, they'll have to shoot me and carry me out.

  Marian Starrett : Joe, I wish you wouldn't talk like that.

  Joe Starrett : Well, that's the truth! You love this place. We've got our roots down.

• Joe Starrett : These old-timers, they just can't see it yet, but runnin' cattle on an open range just can't go on forever. It takes too much space for too little results. Those herds aren't any good, they're all horns and bone. Now, cattle that is bred for meat and fenced in and fed right - that's the thing. You gotta pick your spot, get your land, your own land. Now a homesteader, he can't run but a few beef. But he can sure grow grain and cut hay. And then what with his garden and the hogs and milk, well, he'll make out all right. We make out, don't we, Marian?

  Marian Starrett : Of course.

• Marian Starrett : Isn't there anything I can say that'll change things?

  Joe Starrett : Can't you see, honey, maybe this is the chance. Morgan and them boys went home.

  Marian Starrett : You don't really believe that. That's not the reason.

  Joe Starrett : It's just too much for me to give up, this place and the valley. All the things that will be.

  [Marian makes Joey leave] 

  Marian Starrett : It's just pride, that's all, a silly kind of pride! Don't I mean anything to you, Joe? Doesn't Joey?

  Joe Starrett : Mariaon... Honey, it's because you mean so much to me that I've GOT to go. Do you think I could go on living with you and you thinking that I showed yella. Then, what about Joey? How do you think I'd ever explain that to him?

  Marian Starrett : Oh Joe, Joe...

  Joe Starrett : I've been thinkin' a lot and I know I'm kinda slow sometimes, Marian, but I see things. And I know that if... if anything happened to me that you'd be took care of, took care of better than I could do it myself. I never thought I'd live to hear myself say that, but I guess now's a pretty good time to lay things bare.

  Marian Starrett : It's as though I'd be glad for you to go.

  Joe Starrett : Honey, you're the most honest and the finest girl that ever lived and I couldn't do what I gotta do if I hadn't always knowed that I could trust ya.

  [puts on his gun holster] 

  Joe Starrett : Now don't you go countin' me out. I wouldn't have lived as long as I have already if I wasn't pretty tough.

• Marian Starrett : Ready for pie?

• Joey : Goodnight, Ma.

  Marian Starrett : Goodnight, Joey.

  Joey : Goodnight, Pa.

  Joe Starrett : Goodnight, son.

  Joey : Goodnight Shane!

• Rufus Ryker : I don't want no trouble, Starrett. I came to inform ya. I got that beef contract for the reservation.

  Joe Starrett : Did it take this many of you to tell me that?

  Rufus Ryker : I mean business.

  Joe Starrett : Then you tend to your own.

  Rufus Ryker : That's just what I'm doing! I'm telling ya now, I'm gonna need all my range.

  Joe Starrett : Now that you've warned me, would you mind gettin' off my place?

  Rufus Ryker : Your place! You're gonna have to get out before the snow flies.

  Joe Starrett : And supposin' I don't?

  Rufus Ryker : You and the other squatters...

  Joe Starrett : Homesteaders, you mean, don't you?

  Rufus Ryker : I could blast you out of here right now, you and the others.

  Joe Starrett : Now you listen to me, the time for gun-blastin' a man off his own place is past. Why, they're building a penitentiary right now...

  Marian Starrett : Joe, that's enough.

• Marian Starrett : Oh, Ernie, you wouldn't leave your home and land. Oh, Ernie, you...

  Ernie Wright : I'm worn down and out. I'm tired of bein' insulted by them fellers. Called a pig farmer. Who knows what comes next?

  Joe Starrett : Well, don't throw your tail up.

• Marian Starrett : You'd think I could get ready in the time it takes you to hitch up a team.

  Joe Starrett : Now, hold your horses. We just wanted to see how purty you were. We couldn't wait. Come on in.

• Marian Starrett : [after he's been insulted by the homesteaders]  Shane?

  Joey : Shane, I know you ain't afraid.

  Shane : It's a long story, Joe.

  Marian Starrett : I think we know, Shane. Shane, don't just stand there in the rain, you'll catch your death of cold.

• Marian Starrett : Joey, don't get to liking Shane too much.

  Joey : Why not?

  Marian Starrett : I don't want you to.

  Joey : Is there anything wrong with him?

  Marian Starrett : No.

  Joey : Then what, Mother?

  Marian Starrett : He'll be moving on one day, Joey. You'll be upset if you get to liking him too much.

• Shane : Been a long time since I've seen a Jersey cow.

  Joe Starrett : Well, you'll see a lot more: Jerseys and Holsteins and the like. Can I offer you some water?

  Shane : Thanks.

  [as Joey walks away in back of Shane, he cocks the rifle. Shane spins around ready to draw] 

  Joe Starrett : You're a little touchy, aren't ya?

  Marian Starrett : Joey, you know better than to point guns at people.

  Joey : I wasn't pointing at anybody, Mother.

  Shane : You had me snortin', son.