Tennessee Johnson (1942)

Van Heflin: Andrew Johnson

Photos 

Quotes 

• all in this scene : [first lines] 

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : There, see that?

  [pointing to the jail cuff clamped around Andrew Johnson's ankle] 

  Blackstone McDaniel : [Andrew quickly looks up from sewing his pantleg and appears startled and nervous]  We didn't see nothin' stranger.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : [as the group approaches him]  I seed ya sewin' though!

  Mordecai Milligan : First time I ever see a man sew like that.

  Andrew Johnson : I done tailorin'.

  Mordecai Milligan : How much you want to sew the seat in a pair-a britches?

  Andrew Johnson : I wouldn't work here.

  [continues sewing his pants] 

  Andrew Johnson : I'm goin' west.

  [Mordecai nudges Sam on the arm, the group goes inside, and they slyly throw a file out the door for him to saw off the jail cuff] 

• Coke : Where ya comin' from stranger?

  Andrew Johnson : East.

  Sam Andrews : Where ya headin'm

  Andrew Johnson : West.

  Coke : Whaddya want out there?

  Andrew Johnson : Land.

  [Sam chuckles] 

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Don't talk much, do ya?

  Andrew Johnson : Not unless I get somethin' to say.

• Andrew Johnson : The Constitution ain't for the dead, it's to protect the living.

• Andrew Johnson : If I hadn't toted that gun, Milligan'd be asleep in his bed in there, not dead in it.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : That's right, and we're gonna make 'em *pay* for it.

  Andrew Johnson : [begins addressing the crowd]  Put down those weapons!

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : You quittin' on us tailor?

  Andrew Johnson : I ain't never quittin'; from now on, never.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Then come along, join the party.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You begin this Andy with your cadence. And your tellin' us to stick up for our rights.

  Sam Andrews : You led the scrimmage when the sheriff Beery started throwin' us out the hall.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You done more-a your share-a fightin' your own self.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : And who pulled the gun first?

  Andrew Johnson : It'll take me more than all my life... to pay for that.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : He's quittin' on us. Come on!

  Andrew Johnson : No! Not fighting and shooting, hanging and burning: that ain't the way

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Eye for eye, tooth for tooth: that's bible!

  Andrew Johnson : So you want to start killing. First you kill, militia comes from Nashville, then they start killing. And the dead they leave are you Maude Fisher; and Dick, you;, and Ebenezer, you; and Ethan, you; and you; and you McDaniel. Yes I told you to fight for your rights, but the constitution ain't to protect the dead, it's to protect the living.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Ain't nothin' in it I know of that says not to hang a murderin' sheriff.

  Andrew Johnson : I-it says the law hangs murderers, i-i-it says the people got the right to make the laws - that's us! And that's how we're gonna win our fight election day, and when we win it, we'll-we'll get Cass indicted!

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : How?

  Farmer : Lots of us ain't even got a vote.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You ain't got no vote Andy.

  Andrew Johnson : Well, a-a lot of us have. Come November I'm gonna have my ace paid for and a vote. Then we can elect one of our own sheriff; a common man, one of us!

  Farmer : Now you're talkin' crazy.

  Farmer : Who'll we get?

  Farmer : None of us is fittin'.

  Sam Andrews : Most of us can't hardly read.

  Farmer : We ain't good enough.

  Blackstone McDaniel : We ain't got no rights.

  Andrew Johnson : Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - those are our rights, as well as theirs. It's our fish in the stream, o-our flag on the fort.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Hey, what about the tailor? He's fittin'!

  Andrew Johnson : Me? No... no, I-I ain't fit enough.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : [the crowd gathers around to encourage him]  You can read and write and figure.

  Farmer : And you can speak.

  Farmer : And you can fight.

  Sam Andrews : How 'bout it Andy? You're good enough.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : [smiles and puts her hand on his shoulder]  And fit enough.

  all in this scene : [individual comments, non-discernable by character]  Eliza's right. / Andy for sheriff! / We can put you in. / Andy's the man. / We'll beat their pants off end let you sew 'em up! /

  [the crowd cheers all together and the scene fades out] 

• Blackstone McDaniel : They put me up to do some introducin' here in Greeneville as some old friends that don't need no introducin'. Now most-a you younger folks didn't know this lady here when she was Miss McCardle a-passin' out books at the library.

  [the crowd applaudes] 

  Blackstone McDaniel : Qnd there's her daughter Martha. You remember her - many of you played in 5he streets with her. And now she's grown up too: married and has a little boy of her own.

  [more applause] 

  Blackstone McDaniel : And I almost forgot - there's a man here too. A man who got his start in politics when a bunch-a us made him run for sheriff. He said he wasn't fit enough! Well, he's been fit enough to be made sheriff, assemblyman, congressman, governor, and now he comes back to his home folks in his own town as senator of the United States. No, I ain't gonna introduce him, not in Greeneville.

  [the crowd cheers as the band plays] 

  Andrew Johnson : Guess Blackstone McDaniel's right; I don't need any introducin' to you, I patched the britches of a lot of ya,

  [crowd laughs] 

  Andrew Johnson : and your fathers' britches before ya!

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : I'm still wearin' that first new dress Andy made me!

  Andrew Johnson : Well it's mighty fine to be home again. My friends, I have been a Jacksonian Democrat all my political life. I hope we will lick the Republicans this Fall and send Abe Lincoln back to splitting rails and in Illinios!

  [crowd cheers] 

  Andrew Johnson : But people here in the south who have threatened to break up this chosen president forget that in our America the verdict of the majority must be accepted.

  [crowd boos] 

  Andrew Johnson : That is what I will say in the Senate in Washington even if Lincoln is chosen president.

  [more boos] 

  Andrew Johnson : [shaking his fist]  I repeat that is what I will say in the Senate whether you back me up here at home here in Tenessee or whether you don't!

  [more boos and the scene fades out] 

• Andrew Johnson : We of the south have lost the election, very well. Mr. Lincoln will be inaugurated in six weeks. The people have spoken. Let the will of the people be done. We can vote Mr. Lincoln out of office in four years and I hope and believe we shall do so. Meanwhile, we southerners should remain here and prevent him from carrying out policies that will ruin this country, our one country.

  Kirby : Enough of this yankee cackle, you renegade to the south.

  Andrew Johnson : I repeat, our one country - does any senator dare to challenge that? Let us keep in our hearts that immortal great Democrat, Andrew Jackson. Our federal union it must be preserved. In the noble words of Daniel Webster, 'liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable.'

  Minor Role : The senator has been makin' that same speech here day after day for the past two months, like a parrot.

  Kirby : What can you expect from a mudsill tailor elected by the rabble to sit here among the gentlemen of the south?

  Andrew Johnson : I'm proud of having been a tailor and I'd rather sit among the rabble than some of you self-appointed gentlemen of the south.

  Kirby : I demand an apology!

  Andrew Johnson : An apology? For what?

  [some of the Senators boo and Mr. Secretary bangs his gavel] 

• Addie : Now that Tennessee has left the Union and joined the Confederacy, I denounce Andrew Johnson as a *traitor* to the sovereign state of Tennessee!

  Andrew Johnson : May your black tongue rot in your throat you liar! No man can call me a traitor!

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : [gasping subtly from the balcony]  Andrew!

  [At the sight of Eliza he regains enough composure and the scene fades out] 

• Captain McGruder : The rebels just sent up another white flag with the demands to surrender Nashville!

  Andrew Johnson : [intensely and adamantly]  You order General Williams from me to shoot any man who talks of surrender.

  [the scene fades out to the following news] 

  title card : [main newspaper article]  New York Herald, November 18, 1862 / JOHNSON SAVES NASHVILLE / Loyal Tennessee General Commands Federal Defenders of Vital Southern City. / Lincoln Thanks Johnson For His Great Service To The Union.

• Andrew Johnson : Now don't you want to hear what they had to say about your husband's speech?

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : No Andrew, please.

  Andrew Johnson : [reading the newspaper article]  'After being sworn in, the new Vice President indulged in an incoherent harangue concerning which the less said the better. In view of the obvious condition of the man between whom and the presidency stands only one human life.'

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : Stop Andrew, you were ill.

  Andrew Johnson : [depressed and sullen, in reference to his public drunkenness]  I disgraced my president. I disgraced my country and our cause.

  [doorbell rings and the bellboy brings in flowers and a card from the White House] 

  Andrew Johnson : Oh, I'm afraid to open this.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : Oh, you needn't be. Mr. Lincoln sees deep into all hearts; he knows yours - all wool and a yard wide.

  Andrew Johnson : [reading Lincoln's letter]  'You ornery old galoot, if only you took a drink now and then you'd know enough about liquor not to fire yourself up with brandy on an empty stomach when you're sick. I know you only went through the ceremony for me because I asked you to. Don't worry at what they say; in hitting at you they're hitting at me, and I don't mind. We've got Lee all but whipped. You were a good tailor Andy, and you're going to help me now - you poor loyal cuss - to patch up the torn garment of our union. / Gratefully yours, / Abe Lincoln'

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : [They endearing hug]  Didn't I tell you?

  [the scene fades out] 

• Man in Lobby : [calling out to Johnson before he heads upstairs to his room]  Oh, just a moment please sir, I forgot somethin'! If you please.

  [hands him a note] 

  Man in Lobby : This gentleman called while you were out.

  Andrew Johnson : [reading the note]  Nope, don't know the name. Probably it's just some office seeker.

  title card : [note from Booth reads]  John Wilkes Booth / Don't wish to disturb you. Are you at home?

  [Calendar beneath the note reads] 

  title card : April 14 Friday 1865

• Andrew Johnson : [addressing the gleeful crowd celebrating the Union's victory gathered around outside of Johnson's Hotel balcony]  The few words I shall say to you are not my own.

  [Quoting Lincoln] 

  Andrew Johnson : 'With malice toward none, with charity for all. Let us bind up the nation's wounds.' And General Grant; when he took Lee's army; was no pride, no boasting. He just said 'Let us have peace.' Now you trust and follow Mr. Lincoln to guide us under God for four years more!

  [the crowd cheers and the band begins to play] 

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : [as she lies in bed next to him at the window]  Oh, splendid Andrew. You said just the right thing.

• Andrew Johnson : [after gazing upon a portrait of Lincoln in the White House after his assassination]  I bark out at people. He knew how to turn 'em down with just a funny story.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : The wonder of it; that you should work in his study, sit at his desk

  Andrew Johnson : The terror of it to ask myself every day of every hour 'what would he have done?', and not to know. Eliza, I ain't fit.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : Andrew, it came to us at Milligan's forge that you were fit to be sheriff; you've grown a lot since then.

  Andrew Johnson : You tryin' to tell me I'm fit to follow him? You know better than that.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : To follow him who is, who ever will be.

  Andrew Johnson : The trouble with me Eliza, I was never fit to lace up his boots, let alone stand in 'em.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : You were the man he chose Andrew, to stand in his boots if anything should happen to him.

  [he smiles and lovingly nuzzles her hand] 

• Thaddeus Stevens : Unfortunately, the contraption you're hitched to is the United States of America, and we've got to keep it on the move.

  Andrew Johnson : Stevens, if you'll just state your case and let me state mine, I think we'll see better where we stand.

  Thaddeus Stevens : Very good Mr. President. I propose that we treat the South as an outside conquered people: that we confiscate all estates worth $10,000 and containing 200 acres. Then sir, I would give every adult colored man 40 acres of land. Sell the rest pay for the war with it.

  Lincoln's Emissary : No use vetoing that program, Johnson.

  Congressman Hargrove : We have the votes to override your veto.

  Andrew Johnson : So it comes to this: you fought a war to preserve the union. Having preserved it, now you deny that it exists. Gentlemen, my one aim is to carry out Lincoln's policies.