Siskel & Ebert (TV Series)

Broken Arrow/Black Sheep/Beautiful Girls/A Midwinter's Tale/Antonia's Line (1996)

Gene Siskel: Self - Host

Quotes 

• Roger Ebert - Host : What's surprising is that the film was directed by Penelope Spheeris, who made the brilliant "Wayne's World" and somehow, lost her way very badly. Her next film was "The Beverly Hillbillies", which was bad but not awful. "Black Sheep" is awful.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Uh, I have a confession to make: This is the first movie that I have ever walked out on, in a theater, in twenty-six years.

  Roger Ebert - Host : I envy you. I envy you.

  Gene Siskel - Host : I cut out after twenty- with twenty minutes to go, I pretended like I had to go to the bathroom, the people- and I came back again...

  Roger Ebert - Host : Uh-huh?

  Gene Siskel - Host : ...So they think I went to the bathroom, and then I went out again.

  [Ebert laughs] 

  Gene Siskel - Host : I was trying to fake out, in case people, 'cause we should never do this. I left...

  Roger Ebert - Host : It's okay to do it if you say you did it.

  Gene Siskel - Host : That's why I have to say it, I did it with "Million Dollar Duck" in 1969.

  Roger Ebert - Host : Yeah.

  Gene Siskel - Host : This... stunk.

  Roger Ebert - Host : Yes.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Chris Farley is not funny.

  Roger Ebert - Host : No.

  Gene Siskel - Host : I knew John Belushi. I knew John Candy. He's no John Belushi or John Candy. He's a bad actor.

  Roger Ebert - Host : Yeah, but on the other hand, he doesn't have a chance with this script, which is totally...

  Gene Siskel - Host : I have never seen him be funny with any script.

  Roger Ebert - Host : Okay, well maybe...

  Gene Siskel - Host : He just runs around, screams, and rolls on the ground like a fat man.

  Roger Ebert - Host : This movie is very, very bad.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Terrible.

• Gene Siskel - Host : Instead of a constantly intriguing story, "Broken Arrow" offers us colorful characters, Travolta and his crew against Slater and Mathis. The action gets a little long in the tooth, I think, in a mine shaft and then later on a train, but director John Woo keeps things moving with enough fresh visuals to hold our attention. On that basis, I liked "Broken Arrow".

  Roger Ebert - Host : I didn't like it, Gene. In fact, I was quite disappointed in it, and you put your finger on some of the things I didn't like: It goes on too long.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Yes.

  Roger Ebert - Host : It's just one special effect after another, and it's boring because the story is not interesting, and the characters are not sharply drawn, and Travolta doesn't make a convincing villain.

  Gene Siskel - Host : He's a sweet guy.

  Roger Ebert - Host : He is.

  Gene Siskel - Host : And that's why he's a star... it doesn't work. You know, as you say this, I don't think I've ever done this on this show in twenty years, but I'm gonna twist my thumb...

  [Ebert laughs as Siskel displays a down-turned thumb] 

  Gene Siskel - Host : I'm gonna go just like this. Because...

  Roger Ebert - Host : I talked you into it?

  Gene Siskel - Host : Well, basic- listen, it was a half-hearted endorsement...

  Roger Ebert - Host : It was.

  Gene Siskel - Host : ...Right at the top, I don't normally say "half-hearted". And, and what am I really defending here? I'm defending some colorful action scenes, and they are colorful action scenes, and the rotor blade, I thought, you know, this is a lot of fun, that we just saw. But really, um... I can't recommend it.

  Roger Ebert - Host : It's not up there.

  Gene Siskel - Host : No.

  Roger Ebert - Host : There is a craft of action pictures that's up in this level.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Okay.

  Roger Ebert - Host : This movie just doesn't quite...

  Gene Siskel - Host : I'm changing my picture, now...

  Roger Ebert - Host : Okay. I'm amazed. I'm amazed.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Do me one- I know you're amazed. Do me one favor.

  Roger Ebert - Host : Yeah.

  Gene Siskel - Host : Look in the camera and say I was wrong about "Cop and a Half", it wasn't a very good movie. Burt Reynolds...

  Roger Ebert - Host : Uh, no, I won't do that.

  Gene Siskel - Host : What?

  Roger Ebert - Host : No no, I won't do that. Listen, I, I saw things in "Cop and a Half" that I admired.

  Gene Siskel - Host : [laughs]  Yeah, that no one else did!