The Shootist Quotes
A dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity.
Gillom Rogers: [Books is giving Gillom a shooting lesson] Mr. Books, How is it you've killed so many men? My spread wasn't much bigger than yours.
John Bernard Books: First of all,friend, there's no one up there shooting back at you. Second, I found most men aren't willing, they bat an eye, or draw a breath before they shoot. I won't.
John Bernard Books: First of all,friend, there's no one up there shooting back at you. Second, I found most men aren't willing, they bat an eye, or draw a breath before they shoot. I won't.
Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido: Books, I want you out of town. These are law-abiding people here and I don't want any trouble. I can deputize as many men as I need to see that you leave.
John Bernard Books: I'm not going anywhere, Marshal. I'm dying and I intend to die right here.
Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido: Really? You're really dyin'?
John Bernard Books: Ask Doc Hostetler.
Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido: Hot damn! You know, Books, that's the best news I've had all day. While I was walking over here I was thinking, what if Books decides to kill me? Who will take over as marshal? Will the town council pay my pension to my wife? Damn, that's good news.
John Bernard Books: I'm not going anywhere, Marshal. I'm dying and I intend to die right here.
Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido: Really? You're really dyin'?
John Bernard Books: Ask Doc Hostetler.
Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido: Hot damn! You know, Books, that's the best news I've had all day. While I was walking over here I was thinking, what if Books decides to kill me? Who will take over as marshal? Will the town council pay my pension to my wife? Damn, that's good news.
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: Books, every few days I have to tell a man or a woman something I don't want to. I've been practicing medicine for 29 years, and I still don't know how to do it well.
John Bernard Books: Why don't you just say it flat out?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: All right. You have a cancer - advanced. Is that what that fella up in Creed told you?
John Bernard Books: Yeah.
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: And you didn't believe him.
John Bernard Books: No.
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: Do you believe me?
John Bernard Books: Can't you cut it out, Doc?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: I'd have to gut you like a fish.
John Bernard Books: Well, what *can* you do?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: There's... just, uh... very little I can do. Uh, if... when the pain gets too bad, I can give you something.
John Bernard Books: What you're trying to tell me is that I...
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: Yeah.
John Bernard Books: Damn.
John Bernard Books: Why don't you just say it flat out?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: All right. You have a cancer - advanced. Is that what that fella up in Creed told you?
John Bernard Books: Yeah.
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: And you didn't believe him.
John Bernard Books: No.
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: Do you believe me?
John Bernard Books: Can't you cut it out, Doc?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: I'd have to gut you like a fish.
John Bernard Books: Well, what *can* you do?
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: There's... just, uh... very little I can do. Uh, if... when the pain gets too bad, I can give you something.
John Bernard Books: What you're trying to tell me is that I...
Dr. E.W. Hostetler: Yeah.
John Bernard Books: Damn.
Gillom Rogers: Bat Masterson told Cobb...
John Bernard Books: [Interrupts] Bat Masterson?
Gillom Rogers: Yeah, he said that a man has to have guts, deliberation and a proficiency with fire arms.
John Bernard Books: Did he mention that third eye you better have?
Gillom Rogers: Third eye?
John Bernard Books: For that dumbass amateur. There's always some six-fingered bustard that couldn't hit a cow in the tit with a tin cup. That's the one who usually does you in. But Masterson always was full of... sheep-dip.
John Bernard Books: [Interrupts] Bat Masterson?
Gillom Rogers: Yeah, he said that a man has to have guts, deliberation and a proficiency with fire arms.
John Bernard Books: Did he mention that third eye you better have?
Gillom Rogers: Third eye?
John Bernard Books: For that dumbass amateur. There's always some six-fingered bustard that couldn't hit a cow in the tit with a tin cup. That's the one who usually does you in. But Masterson always was full of... sheep-dip.
Pulford confidante: Pulford, J.B. Books over at Mrs. Rogers'...
Jack Pulford:
Pulford confidante: Yeah, but I just heard he's dyin'.
Jack Pulford: Dyin'?
Pulford confidante: A friend a' mine got it from Marshal Thibido himself. Ol' Books is cashin' in.
Jack Pulford: That's hard news. That's a man I coulda taken.
Gambler: [laughs] My ass.
Jack Pulford: You have two ways of leaving this establishment, my friend. Immediately or dead.
Jack Pulford:
Pulford confidante: Yeah, but I just heard he's dyin'.
Jack Pulford: Dyin'?
Pulford confidante: A friend a' mine got it from Marshal Thibido himself. Ol' Books is cashin' in.
Jack Pulford: That's hard news. That's a man I coulda taken.
Gambler: [laughs] My ass.
Jack Pulford: You have two ways of leaving this establishment, my friend. Immediately or dead.
