Distant Drums (1951)

Gary Cooper: Capt. Quincy Wyatt

Photos 

Quotes 

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : You just didn't didn't come over here to pass the time of day. W-what's troublin' your mind?

  Judy Beckett : Well, since you ask, I'm a little curious to know if I'm gonna get out of here alive.

  Capt. Quincy Wyatt : Why should you know more than anyone else?

  Judy Beckett : Because I've got a lot to do. I've made too many plans for too long a time to have them all end up in a swamp.

  Capt. Quincy Wyatt : Well, all I can tell you to ease your mind is that I don't intend to commit suicide.

• Lt. Richard Tufts : [Referring to Judy]  I take her to be a lady of quality.

  Capt. Quincy Wyatt : Why? Because she has a servant?

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : An interesting thing about the way the Seminoles bury their warriors. The sit 'em up and put war paint on 'em, set a bowl of fresh food alongside of 'em and then stick their favorite weapon in their hands and then they cover 'em up. With a great chief like that over yonder, they throw in the first newborn child to be born after he died.

  Lt. Richard Tufts : Why do they do a thing like that for?

  Capt. Quincy Wyatt : Well, they believe when a man dies, his spirit leaves the body and enters that of the first newborn. And in regarding a chief that high like that, they don't want the spirit to be passed on down to somebody that ain't fit to carry it.

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : They still don't like fightin' at night. But they'll come a hootin' and a hollerin' at dawn!

  Monk : It makes me fonder than ever of moonshine.

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : You know, you can't go through life trying to get even. You know, you can't carry a grudge forever.

• [a group of soldiers are marching through a man-eating Alligator infested swamp in the Everglades] 

  Capt. Quincy Wyatt : [sees alligators in the water]  GATORS! GATORS!

  Soldier : [gets attacked, dragged under the water and eaten by an Alligator]  AAH!

  Judy Beckett : [looks back and sees the soldier being eaten by the hungry alligators]  AH!

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : what about you, what name do you answer to?

  Pvt. Jessup : Private Jessup, sir.

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : no smoking, you want tobacco then chew it!

• Capt. Quincy Wyatt : at night, you sleep like a king.

  Judy Beckett : all dirty and cold on the ground.