“True Grit” quotes

(1969)
Movie True Grit
Title True Grit
Year 1969
Director Henry Hathaway
Genre Drama, Adventure, Western
Plot – Mattie Ross, a young woman who owns a farm, hires Rooster Cogburn, a senior sheriff with "True Grit", to capture the outlaw Tom Chaney, who killed her father. Mattie and Rooster Cogburn set off towards the mountains where the criminal has allegedly found refuge. La Boeuf, a young Texas Ranger in search of the same outlaw, soon joins them. During the trip, the harmony of the trio is frequently shaken by the strong personality of the three components, each of whom believes he knows best.
All actors – John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Jeremy Slate, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Alfred Ryder, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, Ron Soble, John Fiedler, James Westerfield, John Doucette, Donald Woods, Edith Atwater, Carlos Rivas, Isabel Boniface, H.W. Gim, John Pickard, Elizabeth Harrower, Ken Renard, Jay Ripley, Kenneth Becker, Wilford Brimley, Gene Coogan, Myron Healey, James McEachin, Dennis McMullen, Boyd 'Red' Morgan, Robin Morse, General Sterling Price, Stuart Randall, Connie Sawyer, Jeffrey Sayre, Jay Silverheels, Dean Smith, Vince St. Cyr, Max Wagner, Guy Wilkerson, Hank Worden
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  • “- Rooster Cogburn: Why, by God, girl, that's a Colt's Dragoon! You're no bigger than a corn nubbin, what're you doing with all this pistol?
    - Mattie Ross: It belonged to my father, he carried it bravely in the war, and I intend to kill Tom Chaney with it if the law fails to do so.
    - Rooster Cogburn: Well, this'll sure get the job done if you can...” (continue)
    (continue reading)
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    [Tag:revenge, weapons]
  • “- Rooster Cogburn: When's the last time you saw Ned Pepper?
    - Emmett Quincy: I don't remember any Ned Pepper.
    - Rooster Cogburn: Short feisty fella, nervous and quick, got a messed-up lower lip.
    - Emmett Quincy: That don't bring nobody to mind. A funny lip?
    - Rooster Cogburn: Wasn't always like that, I shot him in it.
    - Emmett Quincy: In the...” (continue)
    (continue reading)
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    Jeremy Slate - Emmett Quincy
    [Tag:weapons]
  • “If I smelled as bad as you I wouldn't live near people.”
    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    [Tag:cleanliness]
  • “Looking back is a bad habit.”
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:memory, past, regret]
  • “- Mattie Ross: Do you need a good lawyer?
    - Ned Pepper: I need a good judge!”

    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    Robert Duvall - Ned Pepper
    [Tag:judges, law, lawyers]
  • “I only take one step at a time. That's why I was given two feet.”
    Glen Campbell - La Boeuf
    [Tag:constancy, feet]
  • “A gun that's unloaded and cocked ain't good for nothing.”
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:weapons]
  • “Mr. Rat, I have a writ here says you're to stop eating Chen Lee's cornmeal forthwith. Now it's a rat writ, writ for a rat, and this is lawful service of the same. See? Doesn't pay any attention to me.”
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:justice, sympathy]
  • “You can't serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You gotta kill him or let him be.”
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
  • “- Mattie Ross: Who's the best marshal they have?
    - 'Sheriff': Bill Waters is the best tracker. The meanest one is Rooster Cogburn, a pitiless man, double tough, fear don't enter into his thinking.”

    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:courage, cruelty, pity]
  • “- Ned Pepper: What's your intention? Do you think one on four is a dogfall?
    - Rooster Cogburn: I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned. Or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker's convenience. Which'll it be?
    - Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.
    - Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!”

    Robert Duvall - Ned Pepper
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:challenge, daring]
  • “- Mattie Ross: I hope you don't think I'm going to keep you in whiskey?
    - Rooster Cogburn: I don't buy that, I confiscate it. And a touch of it wouldn't do you any harm against the night air!
    - Mattie Ross: I would not put a thief in my mouth to steal my brains!”

    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
  • “- Mattie Ross: Trust you to buy another tall horse.
    - Rooster Cogburn: Yeah. He's not as game as Beau, but Stonehill says he can jump a four rail fence.
    - Mattie Ross: You are too old and fat to be jumping horses.
    - Rooster Cogburn: Well, come see a fat old man some time.”

    Kim Darby - Mattie Ross
    John Wayne - Rooster Cogburn
    [Tag:farewell, horses]
Highlights