The War Wagon (1967)
John Wayne: Taw Jackson
Photos
Quotes
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[after shooting down two bad guys]
Lomax : Mine hit the ground first.
Taw Jackson : Mine was taller.
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Lomax : Well, I guess you don't know about his new toy - a little iron-plated thing he calls "The War Wagon."
Taw Jackson : It takes an average shipment of fifty thousand in gold from Emmett to the railhead in El Paso 43 1/2 miles away.
Lomax : Then there are a few guards...
Taw Jackson : Thirty-three of 'em. Twenty-eight outriders and five in the coach. Each man is armed with a Henry repeating rifle, two Colts and two hundred rounds of ammunition.
Lomax : What's all this got to do with me?
Taw Jackson : We're going to take that wagon.
Lomax : We are? Have you taken a look lately at the cemetery in Emmett? There's a bunch of cheap wooden crosses in one corner all kind of crowded in together. That's the tribute to the last fools who tried to stop The War Wagon. Like facts? A dollar fifteen for the casket, twelve cents for the crosses - Pierce foots the bill. A dollar twenty seven seems a poor price for a man's life - especially mine.
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Levi Walking Bear : Dumb Indians!
Taw Jackson : Looks like they're getting ready to move out.
Levi Walking Bear : They are. Squaws, old men, children - Pierce has starved them out. He'll have all the land now.
Taw Jackson : What about Wild Horse?
Levi Walking Bear : He and the warriors are stayin', but Pierce will hunt them down, too. Dumb Indians.
Taw Jackson : And you're smart?
Levi Walking Bear : Sure! Because I've learned to live in the white man's world and do what they do. Grab all you can, anytime you can.
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Lomax : Do you always wear a gun over your underwear?
Taw Jackson : Just lately.
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Lomax : What made you think I wouldn't kill you?
Taw Jackson : Curiosity.
Lomax : Well, you're still alive. Now what's to keep you that way?
Taw Jackson : Money.
Lomax : How much?
Taw Jackson : Your share will be over a hundred thousand.
Lomax : That's what I've always said the world needs... more simple understanding to bring people together!
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Taw Jackson : Did you know why Pierce wanted you to kill me?
Lomax : Sure, so he could legally steal your land once he found there was gold on it. You were a hard-working rancher defending your property, yet it's you who gets shot, framed and sent to jail. I always thought that was kind of amusing.
Taw Jackson : Well, it's nice to find a fellow with a keen sense of humor.
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Taw Jackson : In four days, Pierce is going to make the biggest gold shipment ever made out of the territory - a half a million dollars.
Lomax : How are we goin' to take it? With the Prussian army?
Taw Jackson : With three other fellas. Five of us.
Lomax : Five. I'm kind of glad I didn't kill you tonight - you're funny as hell!
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[Taw and Levi negotiate with Chief Wild Horse for his warriors' assistance in their attack on The War Wagon]
Levi Walking Bear : He says your enemy is his enemy.
Taw Jackson : Good!
Levi Walking Bear : No. He says he will lose too many braves.
Taw Jackson : Ask him, "Does he ride with warriors, or women?"
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[last lines]
Lomax : How much is there and what did you do with it?
Taw Jackson : A hundred thousand. I hid it.
Lomax : Where?
Taw Jackson : I'll let you know in about six months.
Lomax : Six months? I want it now!
Taw Jackson : Now it wouldn't be smart to start flashing gold dust around right after a robbery would it?
Lomax : What am I supposed to do in the mean time, huh?
Taw Jackson : Well, for one thing, you better make damned sure I stay alive.
Lomax : That's a twenty-four hour a day job!
Taw Jackson : That's your problem... partner.
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Hoag : Maybe prison took some of the starch out of you?
[Taw shoots a withering glare at the deputy who shrinks back]
Taw Jackson : Maybe.
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Taw Jackson : Where's Lomax?
Wes Fletcher : In Rondado... at the Oriental Palace. Billy Hyatt's in Chabisco.
Taw Jackson : Levi?
Wes Fletcher : He's down by Mesquitte with Colita's gang.
Taw Jackson : What about the shipment?
Wes Fletcher : The big one's four days from now.
Taw Jackson : Doesn't give us much time.
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[Lomax agrees to join Taw Jackson's gang]
Lomax : One condition.
Taw Jackson : What's that?
Lomax : My time from now till the robbery costs you one hundred dollars a day... if I fire my gun - five hundred.
Lomax : Haven't got that kind of money.
Lomax : I'll take a marker against your share of the gold.
Taw Jackson : It's a deal.
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Lomax : You got a bargain, Big Man.
Taw Jackson : How's that?
Lomax : Two five-hundred dollar days for the price of one.
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Lomax : Don't let anything happen to ya.
Taw Jackson : Not likely.
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Lomax : You know, Pierce upped the ante on you. You're worth twelve thousand to me... dead.
Taw Jackson : And a hundred thousand alive.
Lomax : One's a gamble, the other's a sure thing.
Taw Jackson : Lomax, nothing's a sure thing.
Lola : [from the bedroom] Precious?
Lomax : Well, I didn't feel much like shooting you this morning anyway... partner.
Taw Jackson : Neither did I... precious.
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Wes Fletcher : Let me show you somethin'. You ever seen a shell like this before?
Taw Jackson : Yeah.
Wes Fletcher : Well, I took in ten thousand rounds to Pierce last week.
Taw Jackson : Hmm. Gatling gun.
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Taw Jackson : The plans have changed. The Kid wants to use nitro.
Lomax : Nitroglycerine?
Taw Jackson : Which is in a safe that you'll have to open.
Lomax : Forget it! I'm not gonna be anywhere near that drunk kid and nitro.
Taw Jackson : Lomax, that cuts it! Nobody takes a half a million sittin' on their backside. You'll either quit acting like a prima donna or we'll call the whole thing off.
Lomax : All right, but it'll cost you two thousand dollars more of your share.
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[during the fight with Wild Horse's braves, the wagon with the stolen gold hidden in the flour barrels flips over spilling it's contents among the grateful Indian women]
Lomax : They're picking it clean! Why didn't you stop 'em?
Taw Jackson : Well, just how do I go about that?
Levi Walking Bear : I'm afraid Taw's right, Lomax. They'll fight you.
Lomax : Shut up, you Indian!
Levi Walking Bear : I know my people. To them it's flour.
Lomax : Flour? What about the gold?
Levi Walking Bear : As far as they know, it's just food.
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[after knocking out one of Pierce's henchmen, Taw reclaims his stolen pistol]
Taw Jackson : The shells in here...
[brandishes pistol]
Taw Jackson : ...belong to him. You tell him he can come and get 'em... *any* time!
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Levi Walking Bear : [at the bar] Whiskey! I said, Whiskey!
Bartender : We don't serve Indians here.
Levi Walking Bear : Then I serve myself.
[pours drink for himself and Lomax]
Levi Walking Bear : Join me.
Lomax : Thanks.
Taw Jackson : [Levi pours drink for Jackson] No thanks.
Levi Walking Bear : You too good to drink with Indian?
Taw Jackson : That's right.
[Levi puts bottle down, hits Jackson, starts bar fight]