The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Jason Robards: Cable Hogue
Photos
Quotes
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : Did it ever occur to you, Cable, how wise and bountiful God was to put breasts on a woman? Just the right number in just the right place. Did you ever notice that, Cable?
Cable Hogue : Well, where in the hell would he put 'em? On their backside?
Reverend Joshua Sloan : It's a thought.
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Powell : What's your name?
Cable Hogue : Cable Hogue.
Powell : C-A-B... L-E or E-L? How do you spell Cable?
Cable Hogue : Well, if you're bogging down on Cable, wait till you get to Hogue.
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Cable Hogue : Yesterday, I told you I was thirsty and I thought you might turn up some water. Now about sinnin', you just send me a drop or two and I won't do it no more... whatever in hell it was that I did. I mean that, Lord.
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Cable Hogue : I always thought you bankers stole for the rich. I didn't know you'd talk to shirttail trash like me.
Cushing : We don't steal.
Cable Hogue : Well, lend, borrow, invest and mortgage and repossess. What the hell else do you call it?
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : Funny thing... it doesn't matter how much or how little you've wandered around... how many women you've been with. Every once in awhile, one of them cuts right through. Right straight into you.
Cable Hogue : What do you do about it?
Reverend Joshua Sloan : I suppose maybe when you die you get over it.
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Hildy : You've been awful nice to me, Hogue. Never bothered you none what I am?
Cable Hogue : Hell no, it never bothered me. I enjoyed it. Now, what the hell are you? Human being. Try the best you can. We all got our own ways of living.
Hildy : And loving?
Cable Hogue : Gets mighty lonesome without it.
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Cable Hogue : Josh, it's about time you earned your keep. Preach me a funeral sermon.
Hildy : Oh, for heaven's sake!
Cable Hogue : A good one. Don't make me out no saint but don't put me down to deep.
Reverend Joshua Sloan : You mean now?
Cable Hogue : Yeah. It's not knowing what they're going to say about you, that's all. Now all my life, I've been scared of this living. Now... got to do the other. Now come on now! I can't wait all day. I ain't got any time.
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Cable Hogue : Those silly jackasses over there can laugh at me all they want, but they're in a spot of trouble. Now wouldn't you think a stage line could see that? In all the long, wrought out, back-breakin', kidney-shakin', bladder-bustin' miles from here to Lizard, there's not one spot of wet relief for man or beast! Now, if I could bring comfort to the passengers, rest to the teams, food and drink to the drivers, and water to all, well what would be wrong with that? Now listen, there's a preacher out at my diggings. He'll tell you. And you wouldn't doubt a man of the gospel, would you?
Cushing : Of course! That's the first man I'd doubt.
Cable Hogue : By golly. I'll be damned. Looks like I came to the right place after all.
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Cable Hogue : Four days without water... if you don't think I've put in my sufferin' time, you oughta try goin' dry for a spell. Listen to me! Listen to me! If I don't get some soon, I ain't gonna have no chance to repent.
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Hildy : [singing] I went walking in butterfly mornin's and wildflower afternoons
Hildy , Cable Hogue : You'll catch me in the cantaloupe, Down there sittin' on a seed, Gonna trace my footsteps, Underneath the weeds, Gonna string up some dandelions, Gonna wear 'em as beads, I'll be dancing in lace wings, And dimples on a big city sign that reads, Butterfly mornin's, Butterfly mornin's, Butterfly mornin's, And wildflower afternoons...
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Cable Hogue : If sugar were two cents a barrel, I couldn't afford a pinch of salt and egg to put on it.
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The Stranger : Give me that rifle!
Cable Hogue : I'll give you what's in it!
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : "Vengeance is mine," sayeth the Lord.
Cable Hogue : Well, that's fair enough with me - just as long as he don't take too long and I can watch.
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[Cable's partners have abandoned him in the desert without water]
Cable Hogue : Ain't had no water since yesterday, Lord. Gettin' a little thirsty. Just thought I'd mention it. Amen.
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[collapse from thirst]
Cable Hogue : Lord, you call it. I'm just plain done in. Amen.
[glances at his boot and sees that it's caked with mud, then scrapes around in the sand until he locates a small spring]
Cable Hogue : Told you I was gonna live. This is Cable Hogue talkin'! Hogue! Me! Cable Hogue! Hogue... me... me... I did it... Cable Hogue... I found it... me...
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Cable Hogue : Wagons. Stagecoaches. Buckboards. With kids and mamas. People. Going somewhere on a road. And I'm on it.
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : [observing a grave] I see tragedy has already struck this cactus Eden.
Cable Hogue : No, that's no tragedy. Shot the son of a bitch. With his own rifle. He tried to kill me. He was my first customer. You're my second.
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Cable Hogue : I'm halfway to hell and looking for help.
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Cable Hogue : God bless you, preacher. Make yourself to home. Only don't forget, every time you take a drink, leave 10 cents in the cup or I'll blow your ass into next Wednesday.
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Cable Hogue : Hey, look at that. Inside plumbing.
Hildy : As good as anything you'll find in Kansas City.
Cable Hogue : Oh! Sweet glory, love.
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Cable Hogue : Only thing I like about cities: city beds.
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Cable Hogue : Listen. I was robbed and left to die without a drop. Well, do I look dead? No, sir! Climbed up on my hind feet and walked straight to water. W-A-T-L-E. That sorta grabs you by the sort hairs, don't it?
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Hildy : You'll get there, all right.
Hildy : You bet your sweet life I will.
Cable Hogue : One way or another, love.
Hildy : And when I *do* hit Frisco, I'm gonna be the ladiest damn lady you ever seen. I'm gonna marry me the richest man in San Francisco. Maybe the two richest men. It's just a question of time.
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Cable Hogue : You mealy-mouthed little pimp. You never could tell gold-shine from lizard shit, and there's a big difference. A big difference! I'll live to spit on your graves!
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Hildy : Undo me. San Francisco is my next stop.
Cable Hogue : San Francisco?
Hildy : And when I hit Frisco...
Cable Hogue : Noisy, god-awful, claptrap town.
Hildy : I'm gonna hit it in style.
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Hildy : Hey, come back here! Cable Hogue, you're no damn good!
Cable Hogue : I'll be back!
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Cable Hogue : You remember my name?
Hildy : You remember mine?
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Cable Hogue , Reverend Joshua Sloan : [singing] And that's how the farmer's daughter, Went and lost her yellow garter, I can't go back to Memphis anymore, Anymore, anymore...
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : She was a treasure waiting to be found. A dew-kissed flower sparkling in the sunrise. Her breath was that of a wanton angel upon my lips.
Cable Hogue : She's a married woman.
Reverend Joshua Sloan : I shall walk in her breezes, bask in the rays of her beauty, lie in the golden arches of her passions.
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Cable Hogue : Your cup run dry, preacher. Man's a poor sport when it comes to another pleasurin' his woman.
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Hildy : You've been awful nice to me, Hogue. Never bothered you none what I am?
Cable Hogue : Hell, no, it never bothered me. I enjoyed it! Well, what the hell are you? A human being. We try the best we can. We all got our own ways of livin'.
Hildy : And lovin'?
Cable Hogue : Gets mighty Ionesome without it.
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Cable Hogue : Burning with passion, huh, preacher?
Reverend Joshua Sloan : What about yours, brother Hogue?
Cable Hogue : Hell, I ain't never had a passion.
Reverend Joshua Sloan : What do you call that vengeance that gnaws at your soul? That's the passion that'll nurture the dandelions above your grave.
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : Cable, I'm off into Deaddog. The call is upon me and cannot be ignored without endangering my soul.
Cable Hogue : Your soul? Well, just be careful your ass don't get full of buckshot.
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : Have you ever noticed a female person's legs?
Cable Hogue : Of course I have. Some go all the way up to the lady's ass, others stop somewhat below.
Reverend Joshua Sloan : The thigh, the soft abundance of the female thigh. Have you ever noticed?
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Reverend Joshua Sloan : Every moment we argue death rides closer. We're in trouble.
Cable Hogue : We? I never diddled nobody's wife!
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Cable Hogue : Now, you can start taking off your duds. Get 'em off! Keep your underwear, that's all.
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Cable Hogue : Hildy, that man you was married to...
Hildy : He died about a month back - of a stroke, in bed. But he died happy!
Cable Hogue : I'll just bet he did.
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Cable Hogue : Glad you made it.
Bowen : Howdy, Cable.
Taggart : Hogue.
Cable Hogue : Come on and have a drink of the best damn water for 50 mile around. I found it where it wasn't.
