How the West Was Won Quotes
A family saga covering several decades of Westward expansion in the nineteenth century--including the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads.
Narrator: The west was won by its pioneers, settlers, adventurers is long gone now. Yet it is theirs forever, for they left tracks in history that will never be eroded by wind or rain - never plowed under by tractors, never buried in compost of events. Out of the hard simplicity of their lives, out of their vitality, of their hopes and sorrows grew legends of courage and pride to inspire their children and their children's children. From soil enriched by their blood, out of their fever to explore and be, came lakes where once there were burning deserts - came the goods of the earth; mine and wheat fields, orchards and great lumber mills. All the sinews of a growing country. Out of their rude settlements, their trading posts came cities to rank among the great ones of the world. All the heritage of a people free to dream, free to act, free to mold their own destiny.
[final narrative from the film "How The West Was Won"1962 - narrated by Spencer Tracy]
[final narrative from the film "How The West Was Won"1962 - narrated by Spencer Tracy]
Parson Alec Harvey: The laddies health the reason you're heading west?
Zebulon Prescott: Partly, only partly. Mostly our trouble east was rocks. I had me a farm where some years I'd raise a hundred bushels of rocks to the acre.
Rebecca Prescott: Now, Zebulon, you hadn't oughta lie to the man like that.
Zebulon Prescott: Wife, I'm a god fearin soul and I tell the truth as I see it. Now I never used a plow, I'd blast out the furrows with gunpowder. And then one morning, I hauled the bucket up from out of the well and so help me the bucket was full of rocks. Rocks! I just stood there, right still, tryin' not to blaspheme, and I said to myself, "You've got a son that's ailin, you've got a twenty year old daughter what won't take to herself a husband, there she sits over there, moonin as usual, and you've got another daughter who just don't seem quite right in the head". Lilith! Now, I remind you sir, I'm still standin' there, holding a bucket full of rocks, and starin into a bleak old age. So I made me a vow right then and there, I said, "If I can find a man with five hundred dollars, who likes rocks, then there's going to be another fool ownin this farm. Well sir, the Lord provided such a man, and here I am.
Rebecca Prescott: He ain't told you one word of truth, Mr.Harvey. We had the best farm in the township.
Zebulon Prescott: Yeah, Rockville Township it was. Stone County.
Zebulon Prescott: Partly, only partly. Mostly our trouble east was rocks. I had me a farm where some years I'd raise a hundred bushels of rocks to the acre.
Rebecca Prescott: Now, Zebulon, you hadn't oughta lie to the man like that.
Zebulon Prescott: Wife, I'm a god fearin soul and I tell the truth as I see it. Now I never used a plow, I'd blast out the furrows with gunpowder. And then one morning, I hauled the bucket up from out of the well and so help me the bucket was full of rocks. Rocks! I just stood there, right still, tryin' not to blaspheme, and I said to myself, "You've got a son that's ailin, you've got a twenty year old daughter what won't take to herself a husband, there she sits over there, moonin as usual, and you've got another daughter who just don't seem quite right in the head". Lilith! Now, I remind you sir, I'm still standin' there, holding a bucket full of rocks, and starin into a bleak old age. So I made me a vow right then and there, I said, "If I can find a man with five hundred dollars, who likes rocks, then there's going to be another fool ownin this farm. Well sir, the Lord provided such a man, and here I am.
Rebecca Prescott: He ain't told you one word of truth, Mr.Harvey. We had the best farm in the township.
Zebulon Prescott: Yeah, Rockville Township it was. Stone County.
Roger Morgan: Well, ain't that what I been doin'? Invitin' you? Invitin' you to share my life, Miss Prescott.
Lilith 'Lily' Prescott: I'm sorry Mr. Morgan.
Roger Morgan: It's somethin' else, ain't it? Must be something else naggin' at ya. Well, I don't aim to let it stop me, Miss Prescott. You can count on that.
Agatha Clegg: What'd he want?
Lilith 'Lily' Prescott: Children.
Agatha Clegg: Children? Well I'll be... Why didn't he come shoppin' at the right store?
Lilith 'Lily' Prescott: I'm sorry Mr. Morgan.
Roger Morgan: It's somethin' else, ain't it? Must be something else naggin' at ya. Well, I don't aim to let it stop me, Miss Prescott. You can count on that.
Agatha Clegg: What'd he want?
Lilith 'Lily' Prescott: Children.
Agatha Clegg: Children? Well I'll be... Why didn't he come shoppin' at the right store?
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: Do you remember the story Pa used to tell us about fightin' that grizzly bear?
Jeremiah Rawlings: Yeah.
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: And I asked him, I said, 'Now, why'd you get in such a fix? Do you like fightin' grizzlies?' He said, 'Well, not 'specially. I just wanted to go somewhere and the bear was there first.' I guess I just wanna go somewhere, too.
Jeremiah Rawlings: Yeah.
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: And I asked him, I said, 'Now, why'd you get in such a fix? Do you like fightin' grizzlies?' He said, 'Well, not 'specially. I just wanted to go somewhere and the bear was there first.' I guess I just wanna go somewhere, too.
Dora Hawkins: [after stabbing Linus Rawlings] Well, he see'd the varmint, Pa.
Col. Jeb Hawkins: Well done, daughter.
Dora Hawkins: I ain't so sure. It was hard muscle and I could feel the blade just kinda skitter along his ribs.
Col. Jeb Hawkins: Oh, you just need more practice, that's all. It's a pity you ain't got the knack your ma had, Lord rest her soul.
Col. Jeb Hawkins: Well done, daughter.
Dora Hawkins: I ain't so sure. It was hard muscle and I could feel the blade just kinda skitter along his ribs.
Col. Jeb Hawkins: Oh, you just need more practice, that's all. It's a pity you ain't got the knack your ma had, Lord rest her soul.
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: Boys, get back from there! Look down there son. Do you know how deep that shaft is?
Prescott Rawlings: Huh uh.
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: That's a thousand feet deep. Do you know how deep a thousand feet is? Well, if you had two hundred brothers all standing on your shoulders, you wouldn't be able to see over the top.
Prescott Rawlings: I'd be squooshed.
Prescott Rawlings: Huh uh.
Zebulon 'Zeb' Rawlings: That's a thousand feet deep. Do you know how deep a thousand feet is? Well, if you had two hundred brothers all standing on your shoulders, you wouldn't be able to see over the top.
Prescott Rawlings: I'd be squooshed.
