- Peggy Van Alden: [Vince aggressively kisses Peggy] How dare you think such cheap tactics would work with me!
- [Vince again aggressively kisses Peggy]
- Vince Everett: That ain't tactics, honey. It's just the beast in me.
- Prof van Alden's Male Party Guest #1: I think Stubby's gone overboard with those altered chords, don't you?
- Prof van Alden's Female Party Guest #1: I agree. I think Brubeck and Desmond have gone just as far with dissidents as I care to go.
- Prof van Alden's Male Party Guest #2: Oh, nonsense! Have you heard Lennie Tristano's latest recording? He reached outer space!
- Prof van Alden's Female Party Guest #2: Someday they make the cycle and get back to pure old Dixieland.
- Prof van Alden's Female Party Guest #3: I say atonality is just a passing phase in jazz music. What do you think Mr. Everett?
- Vince Everett: Lady, I don't know what the hell you're talkin' about.
- Vince Everett: Hey, what are you, man? Some kind of an animal?
- Hunk Houghton: That's right, buddy. I'm an animal in a jungle and I got a motto: "Do unto others as they would do unto you, only do it first."
- Vince Everett: Yeah. That's right. Do it first.
- Hunk Houghton: And it's just as bad on the outside. Worse. Remember that.
- Vince Everett: I don't aim to forget it.
- Sherry Wilson: I asked for nothing, I expected nothing and I got nothing.
- Vince Everett: What'd you expect for nothing?
- Vince Everett: [their first meeting, after she has criticized his dull singing style] Okay, you're used to the top talent. What are you wasting your time working *me* over for?
- Peggy Van Alden: [softly] I like the way you swing a guitar.
- [they look at each other and start laughing]
- Vince Everett: Yeah, I guess I *did* get a lot of wrist action into it, didn't I?
- Hunk Houghton: Trampin' on me is one thing, sonny.
- [takes off his jacket]
- Hunk Houghton: Hurtin' a little girl like Peggy is another.
- Vince Everett: Now just don't you get no ideas, Hunk.
- Hunk Houghton: There comes a time when you gotta take a hand in things, and that time is now.
- Vince Everett: Don't push me, Hunk.
- Hunk Houghton: [roles up his sleeves] I'm gonna beat the hell outta you.
- Vince Everett: Don't try it. You're talkin' crazy, man.
- Hunk Houghton: You know you got it comin', son.
- Vince Everett: I said don't try...
- [Hunk hits him]
- Hunk Houghton: That's all the sympathy I'll give you. Pity's a commodity in here. You buy it and sell it just like anything else.
- Paymaster: What are you gonna do with all that money?
- Vince Everett: I'm gonna buy me a herd of chorus girls and make 'em dance on my bed.
- Tough Man in Bar: Look, buster, if you want some teeth knocked out, just keep it up.
- Vince Everett: [sarcastically] You scare me. Women beaters always scare me.
- Tough Man in Bar: Why don't you run along sonny, before I muss up your hair.
- [pours a drink on Vince, Vince lands a right hook on his jaw]
- Vince Everett: [long kiss] How's your headache?
- Sherry Wilson: I'm coming all unglued.
- [they continue to kiss]
- Hunk Houghton: [to the mail clerks] Hurry up, fellas. I gotta count my fan mail.
- Hunk Houghton: [starts reading the envelopes] Vince Everett. Everett. Everett.
- Hunk Houghton: [calls the mail clerks over] Hey, you birds, come here. How would you like to make 5 cartons a piece?
- Mail Clerk #1: Five? Who do you want us to murder?
- Hunk Houghton: This is the easiest money you'll ever make as long as you live. All's you gotta do is to keep your mouth shut. I mean, about the mail. I made a mistake and I gave the kid the best spot in the show. Naturally, if any word of this gets out all this mail's for Vince Everett, it makes me look bad. Follow? I mean me, the professional singer.
- Mail Clerk #1: I, uh... I see.
- Hunk Houghton: If within a week the words not around, you get the cigarettes.
- Mail Clerk #2: Yeah, but it's Everett's mail. Who's gonna keep him quiet?
- Hunk Houghton: If I know the warden, Everett will never get it.
- Jack Lease: Listen, Sonny. You don't own that song. It's a published tune. Anyone can record it.
- Vince Everett: You turned it down. You said you didn't like it.
- Jack Lease: We simply didn't want to record it with an unknown.
- Vince Everett: What about my arrangement?
- Jack Lease: So see your lawyer. You can't copyright an arrangement.
- Vince Everett: You're a thievin' rat!
- [goes after him]
- Jack Lease: Now you listen to me, sonny.
- Vince Everett: [grabs him] Don't "sonny" me, you louse!
- [slaps him a couple times and throws him back in his chair]
- Vince Everett: Crawl back under your rock, you snake!
- Peggy Van Alden: Vince, what about Laurel Records? What is it?
- Vince Everett: We got an offer for the label, Peg. It's just too good to turn down.
- Peggy Van Alden: An offer? What kind of an offer?
- Vince Everett: To sell out to Geneva Records.
- [raises his hand]
- Vince Everett: Wait a minute. Wait'll you hear the deal. Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, a capital gain. That's 225,000 in cold cash for you, after taxes.
- Peggy Van Alden: But, Vince, I don't wanna sell out.
- Vince Everett: I'm afraid you got not choice, kid. I own...
- Peggy Van Alden: I know. Sixty percent.
- Vince Everett: That's the way the mop flops. You'd think I was tryin' to rob you. After all, you're getting practically a quarter of a million dollars.
- Peggy Van Alden: Dollars? Dollars? Is that the beginning and the end of the world for you? Is there no emotion left in you but the lust for money?
- Vince Everett: Emotion? What emotion? It's strictly business between you and me. You said that.
- Peggy Van Alden: I don't care what I said. We started this thing together. We nursed it and brought it up, you and I. It may just be a ledger page to you and Mr. Shores... but to me it's part of my life! Oh, go ahead and sell it! I don't care what you do!
- [goes away crying]
- Vince Everett: I didn't see you applauding. You didn't like me?
- Hunk Houghton: You've come a long way since cellblock 21.
- Vince Everett: Yeah, and it's been a tough road to hoe.
- Hunk Houghton: Oh, I don't know. You haven't hardly touched the ground at all.
- Vince Everett: What do you mean by that crack?
- Hunk Houghton: You walked most of the way on other people.
- Vince Everett: Ah, you're just gettin' bitter, old buddy.
- Hotel Clerk: I'll send a woman up to make the bed directly.
- Vince Everett: Okay.
- Vince Everett: [sees him still standing there] What do you want?
- Hotel Clerk: It's custom to tip a man he brings you to your room.
- Vince Everett: Well, I'm startin' a new custom: no tip.
- Vince Everett: Where's the nearest pawnshop?
- Cleaning Woman: Oh, down the street to the right, a couple of blocks.
- Cleaning Woman: What you gonna do? Buy yourself a diamond ring?
- Vince Everett: No. I'm gonna buy a guitar and sing love songs to you.
- Vince Everett: Laury is a real cool little singer. I'm takin' her to New York with me.
- Peggy Van Alden: Oh! In that case, I don't think I'll go.
- Vince Everett: Were you planning to go? What for?
- Peggy Van Alden: No reason I can think of now.
- Vince Everett: Got nothin' to do with the record business.
- Peggy Van Alden: Of course not.
- Vince Everett: It's just like you said that night in Joplin, "You and me, it's strictly business."
- Peggy Van Alden: Let's keep it that way.
- [first lines]
- Construction Worker: Here comes the sugar man.
- Female Barfly: I saw you here last week when you were cashin' your check.
- Vince Everett: Yes, ma'am.
- Female Barfly: Hey, you got nice hair.
- Prison Warden: We don't use hands here, we use guns. Oh, and I'll tell you another thing we use for - cons who don't toe the mark. The whip! Understand?
- Vince Everett: Yes.
- Prison Warden: Sir?
- Vince Everett: Yes, sir.
- Vince Everett: I'm broke. I'll never accumulate any cigarettes.
- Hunk Houghton: The State pays you 18 cents a day and that's a start.
- Hunk Houghton: I can't have my cell mate walkin' around lookin' like a bum. I got a reputation to live up to.
- Hunk Houghton: You just do what I say when I say it. That's the basis of my organization.
- Vince Everett: No, thanks.
- Hunk Houghton: Huh?
- Vince Everett: I'll take my chances.
- Hunk Houghton: Suit yourself.
- Vince Everett: Thanks anyway, though.
- Hunk Houghton: It's no skin off my behind.
- Hunk Houghton: I was singin' country music before the words were invented. And I was on stage with the best of 'em. Eddy Arnold. Roy Acuff.
- Vince Everett: Did you make good money?
- Hunk Houghton: I made two bills a week. I was swimmin' in gravy in those days.
- Vince Everett: Okay, get on to the sad part.
- Hunk Houghton: A woman and a bank did it. She got used to bonded bourbon. I robbed a bank.
- Vince Everett: [picks up a guitar] I used to have an Uncle that had one of these things. I fooled around with it some. Here's one of his songs.
- [sings]
- Vince Everett: You're so young and beautiful, And I love you so, You're lips so red, You're eyes that shine, Shame the stars that glow. So fill these lonely arms of mine, And kiss me tenderly, Then you'll be forever young, And beautiful to me.
- [talks]
- Vince Everett: Like my singing?
- Hunk Houghton: You will never make a guitar player. You got not rhythm in your bones!
- Vince Everett: Well, I never heard of anybody payin' money to hear a guitar player.
- Hunk Houghton: You know, I got a spot for you in the show. I'll teach you a new tune.
- Vince Everett: I don't know. What's the percentage in singing for a bunch of cons?
- Hunk Houghton: Experience, you lunkhead! That's the percentage.
- Vince Everett: [singing] There's no joy in my heart, only sorrow, And I'm sad as a man can be. I sit alone in the darkness, Of my lonely room, And this room Is a prison to me. I look out at window, And what to I see, I see a bird, Way up in the tree, I want to be free free, Free, I want to be free, Like the bird in the tree.
- Vince Everett: How come you're willing to give me 50% of your earnings? I mean, like you said, you're the one who's got the experience and the name.
- Hunk Houghton: One simple reason: I got faith in your possibilities. Sure, you're never gonna command the dough I can. But, with training, you'll do all right. Besides, I need a *young* man to appeal to the kids. I'm levelin' with you, boy. Alone, son, you'd be like a lamb in a pack of wolves.
- Voice of Mary Jane Hamilton: [Vince reading a fan's letter] Dear Vince, I saw you on television today singing from the jail and I thought you looked real cool. My name is Mary Jane Hamilton and I'm 15 with blue eyes and brown hair. My measurements are: 33-25-36. Do you think I should reduce? Ha-ha. If you ever come to Riverport, how about giving me a blast on the phone.
- Peggy Van Alden: Tell me what you see?
- Vince Everett: About five-four, weigh 115, pretty well stacked.
- Peggy Van Alden: Well, I'm glad you find me pleasing.
- Peggy Van Alden: Let's celebrate. Huh, Vince? We'll have a bottle of wine and a nice meal and after dinner we'll drive out and see my father and mother.
- Vince Everett: I didn't know you had a father and mother.
- Peggy Van Alden: Well, they didn't win me on a quiz show!
- Peggy Van Alden: You like Burgundy? It goes great with steak.
- Vince Everett: I like anything that goes with steak. I'm broke.
- Peggy Van Alden: Well, if it's all right with you, I'll pay for the meal.
- Vince Everett: You will if we eat.
- Prof. August van Alden: How long have you been in the music business, Mr. Everett?
- Vince Everett: About a week.
- Peggy Van Alden: [in anger] Well, you finally got your sensation! I hope you're satisfied.
- Vince Everett: Get off my back, kid. I ain't in the mood.
- Peggy Van Alden: You insulted my father, my mother and me and that's just unforgivable!
- Vince Everett: Well, what do you expect? I come out, have a little beer, the first thing you know some old broad's pushin' me in the corner with some stupid question.
- Peggy Van Alden: They were just trying to bring you into the conversation.
- Vince Everett: They can shelve their conversation. I'm not even sure they were talkin' English.
- Vince Everett: Old Hunk Houghton told me once, back in the pen, he said, "Watch out for the teeth, sonny. It's a jungle."
- Vince Everett: On the inside they're cub scouts compared to Jack Lease. If you make something, they might steal it from ya. But, they'd be too honorable to go around saying they made it themselves.
- Vince Everett: I want to make another record.
- Peggy Van Alden: The same thing might happen all over again.
- Vince Everett: You got no guts, Peggy. So, if they steal from ya, there's only one thing to do. Start your own record company.
- Peggy Van Alden: Your own company?
- Vince Everett: Certainly! What's the mystery? We can find out the details from a lawyer, or something, and, well, you don't have to own a factory. I found that out. You contract for the pressings.
- Peggy Van Alden: But, you just don't go out and start your own record company just like that!
- Vince Everett: Well, why not? It's done every day. We're just as smart as those other birds.