Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960)

Burl Ives: Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan

Quotes 

• Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : I was just thinking of the beauty and charm of life here on West Madison.

  Wart : Yeah, you'll get used to it Judge, when you've been here as long as we have.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Some place to bring up a boy. Deadbeats hanging round every corner. Hopheads, begging, borrowing, stealing to buy a few cc's of delirium.

  Fran : Come on, Judge, don't do that.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Nick won't have a chance. By the time he's twelve he'll have the soul of toadstool. Somebody has to tell her. Nellie needs help, if Nick's gonna make it.

  Fran : Well, I will, I'll help.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Why don't you all? I, I mean, why don't we...

  Flora : What have we got to give a boy? Just our own miseries.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Who knows more about miseries, Flora? Who knows more about life than you or Wart or me?

  Wart : Yeah but what kind of a life?

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : The kind of life we don't want Nick to have.

  Goodbye George : Judge, you mean you want us all to, er, kind of adopt Nick?

  Max : You know, he's right.

  Wart : Maybe you got something.

  Nellie Romano : Hey, are you all serious?

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Who else is there to help you, Nellie?

  Wart : Are you for it, Nellie?

  Nellie Romano : Yes, I am for it.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : A toast! A toast to the future of Nick Romano!

• Nellie Romano : Boy, am I ever sick of this joint.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Leave it. Get another job.

  Nellie Romano : One job's as good as another. I mean, if you don't know anything, like me.

• Nellie Romano : I'm sick of lousy bars. I'm sick of drunks. I'm sick of everything and everybody around here. Now, leave us alone. All of you!

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Merry Christmas to all.

• Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : This is the first bit of Christmas cheer that hasn't completely depressed me.

• Goodbye George : Flora Belle, let me tell you somethin', baby sweets. I didn't have no papa. My Mama walked off and left me on somebody's doorstep when I was four.

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Orphan, illegitimate and black. That's what I call starting at the top.

  Goodbye George : That's where it's at. But, you dig it, Judge. I was up there once, when I was in the ring. I fought the champ. Almost had him!

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Almost. Just about the saddest word of all.

• Fran : I always meant to ask you Judge, how come you, you know, you wound up here?

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Oh, I think perhaps a road I choose went downhill more rapidly than I realized.

  Fran : My dear and saintly mother told me I'd end up here. She used to say, "Comb your hair, you look like a slut!" She was right.

• Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : You look worried.

  Nellie Romano : Does it show that much?

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Well, I see all and know all. I'm a Genie that lives in a brown bottle.

  Nellie Romano : Yeah, I know. I can smell it.

• Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : I have razor blades, ball point pens. I have pencils with erasers for those who admit mistakes. Shoe laces, needles, pins, safety pins, sharp pins, dangerous pins. I have the knowledge of history for sale.

• Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : Forgive me, my boy. Some people need vitamins, some prayers; but, I need bottle courage.

• Flora : [singing in a bar]  So drink up all you people, Order anything you see, Have fun you happy people, The laugh's and the joke's on me...

  Judge Bruce Mallory Sullivan : [sitting at a table with Fran]  Flora sounds like the whole world's weeping.

  Fran : Yeah. She's had a fix.