Catlow (1971)

Richard Crenna: Cowan

Photos 

Quotes 

• Catlow : You still got that warrant?

  Cowan : Two. One for jumping arrest. You stirred up some kind of a hornet's nest back there. And that Miller, he's packing a lot of heat.

  Catlow : Think I can't handle him?

  Cowan : Well, if somebody shoots you, let's keep it in the family. I'm gonna bring you in before he carries you in.

  Catlow : There's a derringer looking at you says you don't.

  [Catlow has a gun underneath the table pointing at Cowan's belly] 

  Cowan : Oh?

  [looks down at the table] 

  Catlow : I'd hate to shoot that badge off you just to prove it.

  Cowan : Yeah, well, that's not where I wear it.

  Catlow : [laughs loud]  You know it would bust my heart to have to kill you.

  Cowan : Yeah, well...

  Catlow : Hey, why don't you ride with us. I need someone I can count on.

  Cowan : Oh , Jed.

  Catlow : The gold is just lying there!

  Cowan : Gold?

  Catlow : Yeah!

  Cowan : Jed, are you gonna tangle with law the rest of your life? You have brawled and drunk and catted your way through every state in the West! I have gotton you out of jail so many times! When are you gonna learn?

  Catlow : Ben, it's maverick gold! It belongs to anyone who can round it up!

  Cowan : It don't belong to you! You can't steal from a man just because you don't know his name!

  Catlow : Oh, well, I never thought you would.

  Cowan : [both take a drink]  Um... You wouldn't be just shooting off your mouth about that gun under there?

  Catlow : Make one wrong move, and that's not all I'll be shooting off.

• Catlow : Ben, it's maverick gold. It belongs to anyone who can round it up.

  Cowan : It don't belong to you. You can't steal from a man just because you don't know his name.

• Cowan : Well, you see, all I own is a couple of guns and a tin star and, of course, a beautiful new horse and saddle.

  Christina : Is that how you judge the worth of a man? By how much he owns?

• Cowan : Well, it don't seem likely that somebody'd just go off and leave a pile of gold lying around a cave. Then again, there'd be no reason to hide it there unless maybe that gold was stolen in the first place.

  General : Your logic is impeccable.

  Cowan : Has the Mexican government lost any gold lately?

  General : To the contrary.

  Cowan : Well, back in '62, our Confederate Army did. Our supply base at Santa Fe was attacked by the Yankees. They made off with a fresh shipment from the gold fields. About 2 million dollars worth. Ha ha, now it might just be that that gold headed south instead of north.

  General : All this I find fascinating. And if it could be proved that this gold belongs to the American government, I'm sure it would be returned.

  Cowan : Yeah, unless something happened to it first.

  General : Oh, but nothing will.

  Cowan : Well, General, I hate to disagree with you... but you see, there's a man called Catlow.

• Cowan : [Last lines]  Jed?

  Catlow : Yes, Ben?

  Cowan : Jed, you really are so full of...

  Catlow : Shhhh! Not in front of the lady! Besides, where's your respect for the law?