- Clayton Drumm: What do you want?
- Wilbur Olsen, Dime Novelist: To buy a little legend... the touch of pulchritude for the people back east... a piece of the American west they can believe in.
- Clayton Drumm: You mean lie to them?
- Wilbur Olsen, Dime Novelist: Of course. The lies they need - we all need.
- Clayton Drumm: My life is not for sale.
- Wilbur Olsen, Dime Novelist: Nonsense! It's only a question of who pays and when.
- Matthew Sebanek: I think he's come to kill me, Catherine. Hired by the railroad, I imagine.
- Catherine Severnack: Why are you letting him stay?
- Matthew Sebanek: Because when he's ready, it ain't gonna do no good to hide.
- Clayton Drumm: Who will they send to get me? You?
- Matthew Sebanek: No. Probably just some ordinary man whose morals wouldn't keep him from shooting you in the back.
- Catherine Severnack: I killed my husband. He found out and started beating me. He was gonna come after you. I didn't mean to kill him.
- Clayton Drumm: A man's life for a moment's weakness. It doesn't seem like a fair exchange.
- Wilbur Olsen, Dime Novelist: I bring the west to the east. People say I write lies, but the truth is... it's dead... in a year or less.
- [first lines]
- Gallows Observer: Pretty soon, no more Japanese.
- Clayton Drumm: How 'bout my drink now?
- Prison guard: You know what you're gonna be tomorrow, grease ball? A big hunk 'o dead meat, and little headline.
- Clayton Drumm: That's better than a big bag of shit every day.
- Catherine Severnack: What choices do I have?
- Clayton Drumm: Whoring, or teaching school.
- Catherine Severnack: Get married again?
- Clayton Drumm: I've always tried to find peace in myself... it's not good to rely on people or... things... or new places to make you happy.
- Virgil Sebanek: [referring to his wife's pregnant belly] This is Virgil, Junior.
- Catherine Severnack: [to Virgil's wife] How a man knows what's inside a woman's stomach, I'll never know.
- Johnny Sebanek: It's simple. He put it there. That's how.
- Matthew Sebanek: Don't interfere with me tellin' my wife something.
- Clayton Drumm: Sorry, I just wanted to do something to repay your hospitality.
- Matthew Sebanek: Cleanin' dead rabbits ain't it.
- Matthew Sebanek: I don't know why an old notcher like me married a nice thing like that. She's so shy, she changes clothes in the barn.
- Barbara: [singing] From this valley they say you are going, When you go may your darling go too, When you leave her behind unprotected, When she go there's no other but you
- Barbara, Catherine Severnack: Come and sit by my side if you love me, Do not hasten to bid me adieu, But remember the Red River Valley, And the girl who loved you so true...
- Catherine Severnack: [singing] Eighteen sixty nine was the date of the year, Those Waterloo sportsmen and more did appear, For to gain the great prizes and bear them awa', Never counting on Ireland and Master McGrath...
- Clayton Drumm: I'll give you a hundred dollars.
- Catherine Severnack: You'll take me?
- Clayton Drumm: Why not. I had a feeling you are going to be trouble.
- Matthew Sebanek: You've been with him, haven't you? You have, haven't you?
- [strikes Catherine]
- Matthew Sebanek: Haven't you?
- Catherine Severnack: No!
- Matthew Sebanek: Well, I'll be. Well, I'll be damned! I'll be goddamned!
- Catherine Severnack: No! No! No! It wasn't his fault!
- Matthew Sebanek: It never is! It never is.
- Matthew Sebanek: Let's go back to bed.
- Catherine Severnack: Now? I'm going to fix breakfast.
- Matthew Sebanek: Oh, fuck breakfast.
- Johnny Sebanek: All of this is because of your whoring. And we'll be planting your stud before sundown.
- Johnny Sebanek: I still smell him all over you. But that kind of thing, don't bother me. It can be nice and easy! Or, real rough. Don't make no difference to me.
- Johnny Sebanek: It's gonna be a cold night.
- Hank: Yeah. Looks like we better get some more wood for fire.
- Johnny Sebanek: I know how we can all keep warm.
- Matthew Sebanek: Shut up, Johnny. I'll break every bone in your face. She's still my wife.
- Hank: [to Matthew] Are you gonna tie her up?
- Catherine Severnack: Please don't. Sit right here.
- Johnny Sebanek: As long as I have a face, you'll always have a place to sit.
- Matthew Sebanek: Woman, you made a fool out of me. I'm a laughin' stock wherever I go.
- Catherine Severnack: I never meant to hurt you.
- Matthew Sebanek: Well, you damn near killed me.
- Catherine Severnack: [laughs] I sure made a mess out of things.
- Matthew Sebanek: [to Catherine, sitting in a bathtub] Your ass will shrivel up if you stay in there much longer.