The Sundowners (1960)

Robert Mitchum: Paddy Carmody

Photos 

Quotes 

• Paddy Carmody : Do me a favor, will you? If you're gonna be a drover, look like a drover. Get rid of that silly flaming hat.

  Rupert Venneker : Let me tell you about this silly flaming hat, my good man.

  Paddy Carmody : And don't call me that. I'm not your good man.

  Rupert Venneker : Would you prefer boss?

  Paddy Carmody : Wouldn't be a bad idea.

  Rupert Venneker : This cap belonged to a ship's master in the China trade.

  Paddy Carmody : Oh, what happened to him?

  Rupert Venneker : Nothing happened to him. He's just not going to call you boss, that's all.

• Paddy Carmody : Do you think those cow cockies have an easy time of it?

  Ida Carmody : Nobody has an easy time of it.

  Paddy Carmody : How do you know that bloke don't lie awake worrying about the mortgage? Do I do that?

  Ida Carmody : Well, if you did, you'd be the first man ever mortgaged a tent.

  Ida Carmody : Oh, you're a card, Ide. You're a real card. I don't know why the pictures didn't take you instead of Buster Keaton.

• Paddy Carmody : Do you suppose the poor coot on that farm can just come and go like we do?

• Paddy Carmody : You know something, Ida? You're built the way a woman ought to be built.

  Ida Carmody : [undressing]  Just findin' out?

  Paddy Carmody : No, I noticed it a couple times before. It just came home to me today, when we were passin' through Cooma, seein' all them sheilas. Broomsticks, that's what they are. Nothin' to hang on to.

  Ida Carmody : Did you try?

  Paddy Carmody : Now, you know better than that. I was just lookin'.

  Ida Carmody : And comparin', eh?

  Paddy Carmody : That's right. Lookin, comparin', thinking what a lucky bloke I am.

  Ida Carmody : Oh, glad to know you appreciate me.

  Paddy Carmody : Come on over here, I'll appreciate you.

• Ida Carmody : Aren't you gonna wash tonight?

  Paddy Carmody : I washed this morning.

• Paddy Carmody : The trouble with you, Ida, is you got no imagination.

  Ida Carmody : I got an achin' backside, that's my trouble.

  Paddy Carmody : I know all about that backside. It only aches when you're losin' an argument.

• Paddy Carmody : Head towards town. See if you can find your dad. He ought to have been back long ago. He's either celebrating gettin' the job or drownin' his disappointment.

• Paddy Carmody : A clean-living teetotaler, that's what I'll hire.

  Ida Carmody : Well, you can try a little teetotaling yourself, while you're at it.

• Paddy Carmody : Look, mate, I was a bit shickered last night.

  Rupert Venneker : You looked like something sculptured from the sediment of a beer vat.

• Paddy Carmody : Just like a dingo. Too big a coward to come out in the open and have a go.

• Rupert Venneker : Carmody, do you think that creature is planning to give us our baths?

  Paddy Carmody : I've got Ida to protect me. But I'd watch my step if I was you.

• Paddy Carmody : You know, Rupe, sometimes you make my teeth ache, but there's worse than you.

• Paddy Carmody : Rupe, we'd like you to come to Queensland with us. Now, what do you say?

  Rupert Venneker : I say, you'll hate yourself in the morning. But I think I'll linger a while and investigate the possibilities of Cawndilla.

  Mrs. Firth : Paddy, do you think he means me?

• Rupert Venneker : I didn't investigate the possibilities of Cawndilla, after all. Things got very serious after you left the party and... I'm an old fish, Carmody. I know the hook when I see it.

  Paddy Carmody : You ain't going back to her?

  Rupert Venneker : I probably will, eventually. She's an awfully pleasant little person. I flatter myself I created a rather good impression on her. Pity to waste it.

• Paddy Carmody : That queers it. I never use a woman cook.

  Quinlan : Right-o, well, if the missus ain't good enough for you, neither am I. Come on, love.

  Bluey Brown : Hold your horses. Quinlan, as union representative of this team, I gotta remind you of the rules! It's the men who choose the cook, not the boss.

  Quinlan : Bluey, use your head, man. They've gotta have a cook they can abuse if the tucker's not up to scratch.

  Ida Carmody : Oh, the tucker will be up to scratch, all right!

• Ida Carmody : I'm having a real good time. I got room to put things and a chair to sit on and another woman around if I want a bit of a gossip. She's a nice little piece, not too happy either.

  Paddy Carmody : That Halstead probably gives her a rough time of it.

  Ida Carmody : No, just the opposite. Keeps her wrapped in cotton wool. Women don't like that, you know.

  Paddy Carmody : Educate me, darl. Tell me what women do like...

• Paddy Carmody : What about going to town on Saturday night? You know, have a few drinks, talk. What do you say?

  Ida Carmody : Oh, I'd love it, Paddy.

  Paddy Carmody : Tell you what, you let me have half a quid out of the jam jar, I'll treat you like a bloke with his first girl.

• Paddy Carmody : Spending the night in Cawndilla?

  Rupert Venneker : Would a cup of hot, strong tea be possible?

  Ida Carmody : You know, a few more visits to Mrs. Firth and you're gonna end up married.

  Rupert Venneker : I've paid many visits to many Mrs. Firths all my life and I'm still free. It's all a question of - technique.

• Paddy Carmody : As long as Bluey's nipper gets a big piece of it, I'll be only too happy to give it a go.

• Paddy Carmody : I'm not guaranteein' anything, mind you.

  Rupert Venneker : None of that. No modesty. It's confidence gonna win the day.

  Paddy Carmody : Oh, it is? Well, that's good. I was afraid it was gonna be me.

• Rupert Venneker : Try not to show him that you're nervous. In fact, it might be good psychology if you could manage a hearty laugh.

  Paddy Carmody : You laugh. I can't think of anything funny.

  Ocker : We could tickle you.

• Paddy Carmody : Did you ever dream you'd have 200 quid in the kit - besides owning a racehorse?

  Rupert Venneker : We'll have think of a name for the brute.

  Paddy Carmody : Hey, that's right. We could call him - eh - Dynamite. Or what about Fireball?

  Rupert Venneker : Fireball? Grotesque. No, no. Something classical would be more appropriate.

  Ida Carmody : Wait. Why don't we call him Sundowner?

  Paddy Carmody : Yeah, I like that.

  Rupert Venneker : Sundowner. What does that mean? I've been called that on occasion. I assumed it was a term of abuse.

  Sean Carmody : No, that's the Australian word for people like us. A sundowner is someone whose home is where the sun goes down. It's the same as saying someone who doesn't have a home.