Face to Face (1967)

Tomas Milian: Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Charley Siringo : [confronts Fletcher and Bennet]  Beauregard Bennet! Brad Fletcher! Throw down your arms! I arrest you... in the name of the law.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : [Fletcher shoots Siringo, wounding him. Bennet throws down his rifle and one of his gunbelts]  What are you doing? You crazy?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : I'm doing what I think is right.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : "Right"! What does that mean? How do you know what's right? Was it right for Siringo to kill the sheriff just to get into your gang? Maybe you think the vigilantes were right. Answer me! Is that it? Listen, Beau - there's only one kind of right in the world. The kind you make for yourself if you're big enough and strong enough! And we're both strong, Beau. You and I together, we can recruit the best men in the West! Bennet's Raiders, a hundred times stronger than before! I have some wonderful plans. There's no other kind of right, can't you understand that?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [punches Fletcher]  There is, damn you, there is! There is! Know where? Right here in my heart! Go away and leave me, Brad. There's nothing more you can do.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : No. There's still one thing I can do...

  [looks at Siringo] 

  Professor Brad Fletcher : And I should have done it long before.

  [Fletcher readies his rifle and prepares to kill Siringo. Suddenly, a shot rings out - Bennet has shot Fletcher with his revolver] 

  Professor Brad Fletcher : But... Beau, what made you do it?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : It was what I had to do.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : [staggers away]  I had many ideas... so many... so many plans, Beau... great... great...

  [Fletcher staggers behind a dune, and dies] 

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : You really think I'm gonna accept just anybody who offers to join?

  Charley Siringo : No. But then, I'm... not just anybody.

• [last lines] 

  Charley Siringo : [after shooting the face of a vigilante who resembles Bennet]  He's got long hair. He's built... 'bout the same as you. Nobody'll recognise his face now. The law will be satisfied with a fake Beauregard Bennet. Anyhow, the real one doesn't exist anymore. Now, beat it. Run, Beau.

  [Bennet is confused] 

  Charley Siringo : Go 'way!

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [mounts his horse]  Good luck, friend. Adiós!

  [rides off] 

  Charley Siringo : Luck to you, Beau.

• Professor Brad Fletcher : [on Zachary Shawn's vigilantes]  If there aren't too many, we can stop them here.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : There are too many of them. I saw them when I was taking a short-cut. Must be at least fifty men.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : We'll stop them! You just stick with me, we'll do it! We've got to.

• Professor Brad Fletcher : I'm... I'm afraid you could hardly have made a worse choice of hostage. I'm terribly ill... it's the lungs, you know.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Yeah? But the sheriff's men didn't know.

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Did you ever hear talk of the, um... Pinkertons?

  Charley Siringo : Sure. It's a private detective agency.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Well, of all the lawmen on my trail these days, they're the most troublesome.

  [referring to Siringo's posters] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : They could make up a story like yours.

  Charley Siringo : I understand. But, this'll prove that I don't have anything to do with them.

  [pulls out a gun and aims it at Bennet, but doesn't fire] 

  Charley Siringo : A Pinkerton man would've shot the both of you by now. Who'd stop him?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : I would.

  [Siringo chuckles, only to hear Bennet cock a revolver under the table] 

• Professor Brad Fletcher : [watching Bennet doing target practice]  Excellent shot.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Urh, no. Only I'm still too slow.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Too slow? I'd say you were a pretty fast draw.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : There's plenty of space on Boot Hill for pretty fast draws. Ever since I was ten, I spent two hours every day, practising to be fastest.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Since you were ten, hm? Your life would've been... very different if you'd devoted all that time to books. If you used it to train your brain to think, instead of practising to draw... a pistol.

• Professor Brad Fletcher : [holding Bennet's revolver]  There's no doubt that holding it gives one a curious... sense of power. It... seems so natural, as though it had... become part of me.

  [shoots a tree] 

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Look Beau, I hit it. I aimed at it, and I hit it!

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Good.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : It was easy.

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [noticing a rabbit]  There goes our dinner. Get it!

  [Fletcher hesitates] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Look.

  [shoots the rabbit] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : What's the matter? Didn't you ever eat rabbit back East? Hm?

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Yes, of course. Although... we have someone else to do the killing for us, so we don't think about it. Besides, out here in the West, it's difficult to distinguish the instinct for survival... er, from the lust to acquire power.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Huh. Why do you wanna worry about things like that?

  Professor Brad Fletcher : It's impossible for me to stop thinking. For example, we have plenty of provisions. Therefore, you could easily have spared that rabbit.

• Professor Brad Fletcher : [Bennet and Fletcher are watching Siringo approaching their hideout]  What are you gonna do? Do you know him?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [cocks his revolver]  No... and I don't want him to know me.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Are you crazy? Put that away! It's not like shooting a rabbit. I'll get rid of him.

• [Fletcher and Bennet have just partaken in a mock duel, where Fletcher proves to be a faster draw than Bennet] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : If I hadn't unloaded that gun...

  Professor Brad Fletcher : No, you still would have been faster, Beau. As you've always been.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Who knows? You're learning fast, Brad. All right - Zach won't mind. We'll do your bank job first. Your bank job, since you're so keen on it.

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Howdy, sheriff. I need your help, amigo. I have a list here of people who have to leave town, within an hour.

  [hands him a piece of paper] 

  Sheriff of Purgatory City : Why, there's my name!

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [nods]  Mm-hm.

• [Siringo has shot a sheriff and his deputies attempting to arrest Bennet's Raiders] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Siringo. My instinct warns me not to have faith in a man like you. But the professor here says, "Don't trust your instincts", he says, "The brain is really all that matters". And I will consider true whatever the eyes see.

  [to the Raiders] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Alright boys, this here's Charley Siringo. He's with us.

• Sheriff of Purgatory City : [referring to the Taylor Gang]  Here we are - on time, like I promised. Now, me an' the boys'll be on our way, nice and quiet.

  [approaches Bennet] 

  Sheriff of Purgatory City : But I gotta say one thing. The folks in this town sure are ungrateful. We tried to help 'em, and look how they treat us.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Stay where you are.

  Sheriff of Purgatory City : Hey... you scared? What's the matter? See? My gun's over there. I, er, only wanted to return this star.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Thanks.

  [grabs the arm holding the star and shoots him] 

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [to Taylor's Gang]  Where can I find a fella called Aaron Chase?

  [no answer] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Nobody knows...

  [chuckles, then jabs a gang member in the gut] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : I'm talkin' to you! I know he lives around here...

  [Briggs, Mr. William's assistant, approaches] 

  Briggs : [interrupting]  He do, and he don't, Mr. Bennet.

• Williams : Why, I'm just an ordinary citizen who's preoccupied with one of our problems here. You see, Bennet, for months now in Purgatory City, we've had a terrible time. A certain Sam Taylor has hired a bunch of gunmen and murderers, and with his gang's support, he's manged to gain control of the entire community.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [gesturing to Briggs]  Listen, I only came here because your man said you'd tell me where I could find my friend Aaron.

  Williams : Outside, Briggs.

  [Briggs leaves] 

  Williams : The two things are connected. You see, Taylor controls the sheriff, and the sheriff controls your friend.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : In jail?

  Williams : That's right. But, you won't find him in the local jail, he's really well hidden. And I know their hiding-place.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : So what?

  Williams : So, one good turn deserves another. You restore freedom in Purgatory City. In turn, I promise the freedom of your friend Aaron; plus a little sum from my fellow citizens as an expression... of gratitude, say five thousand dollars.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : They put a small price on gratitude.

  Williams : Very well. Will you accept if I double it?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Mm. ¡Muy bien.

• Williams : Taylor's out of town. He's not due till tomorrow; you should take advantage of that.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Take advantage of it?

  Williams : Mm-hm. Get rid of his gang before he comes back. Now be careful, don't get me wrong. This is a peaceful city. You must avoid a massacre.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : In a case like this, the only person you kill is the boss. That breaks up the gang. Do you know who leads them?

  Williams : Oh, yes - Reagan. That hombre's a mad killer. Extremely dangerous. But, Bennet... what do you plan to do?

  [Bennet shrugs] 

  Williams : You know best, I'm sure. You're the expert. But remember, Mr. Bennet: one. Hm? Only one.

• Professor Brad Fletcher : [approaches Bennet while he waits for Taylor's Gang]  Hello.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Thought you'd left by now.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Not yet. My train doesn't pull out for at least a couple more hours. I'm just killing time. Anyway, if they see... there are two of us, they'll think twice.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Mm-hm. No thanks. If any shooting starts, you'll be right in my way. Professor, you know what you should do? You should keep out of this, understand? Go and get your train. You better go back home right now, Brad.

  [Fletcher tries to shake Bennet's hand, but he doesn't return it] 

• [Fletcher and Bennet ride to the de Winton Plantation] 

  Belle de Winton : Beauregard! Beau... but I've been so worried about you.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Howdy, Belle.

  [Belle gestures to Bennet to kiss her hand, which he refuses to her disappointment. Fletcher returns her gesture instead] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : This is Brad Fletcher.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Madame.

  Belle de Winton : Where are the others?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : They'll get here. Where's your brother?

  Belle de Winton : He's out after a runaway slave. Ah, dear Mr. Fletcher's from the North. You looked worried hearing me say the word "slave". I suppose you'd prefer the word "servant". But a word doesn't change anything. Nobody'll ever make us change, even this... Lincoln. Our emancipator. You'll pardon, Mr. Fletcher, even if you are a Yankee - because you came here with our Beauregard. And you're a gentleman, too.

  [Fletcher is flattered] 

  Belle de Winton : You're blushing!

  Professor Brad Fletcher : [nervously, to Bennet]  But, I...

  Belle de Winton : We're happy to have you as a guest here... in the ancestral mansion of the de Wintons.

• Belle de Winton : I know this isn't very exciting for you, talking with me here all evening, but... there's something I really have to show you. Something very dear to me.

  [produces a yellow scarf] 

  Professor Brad Fletcher : It's a Confederate Cavalry scarf.

  Belle de Winton : That's right. I gave it to my fiancée... before he left for Gettysburg.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : Gettysburg. You have my sympathy.

  Belle de Winton : It was the only time I've been in love. That once.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : To have been in love once is something to be thankful for... not everyone is that fortunate.

  Belle de Winton : This is the only memento I have now.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : [groans, then pokes his head through a curtain]  Belle... listen, old girl. Don't begin that old story again. You know it only makes you sad, and then I have to work so hard to cheer you up.

  Belle de Winton : Mr. Bennet! Would you please leave this room? Yours is next door.

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : As usual, no? With the connecting door. What's wrong? Oh, I get it!

  [laughs, knowing that Belle is trying to hide her previous affair with him from Fletcher] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : You don't want him to know! It'd make a bad impression, eh? But you don't have to worry, Belle. Brad is a gentleman. Aren't you, Brad?

  Professor Brad Fletcher : I suppose I must be. So far. But, er... I think I'm learning.

• Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Aim for the side, where the chain joins the manacle.

  Professor Brad Fletcher : [holding Bennet's revolver]  Yes, but... how do you fire it?

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Pull back the hammer! Haven't you ever fired a gun?

  Professor Brad Fletcher : [points to the hammer while pulling it back]  This thing? Could be dangerous, couldn't it?

  [accidentally fires, narrowly missing Bennet's head] 

  Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet : Yes, Professor, it could. And remember, it's loaded... and it shoots when you pull the trigger.