Destry (1954)

Audie Murphy: Tom Destry

Photos 

Quotes 

• Tom Destry : You know, I don't hold too much for first impressions. The way I figure it, the last impression is important.

• Doc Curtis : Ever seen any spots before your eyes?

  Tom Destry : Only when I play poker.

  Doc Curtis : They're the worst kind.

• [Destry digs bullets out of the saloon wall] 

  Phil Decker : What are you doing?

  Tom Destry : I forgot to tell you about a hobby of mine. I collect old, used bullets

• [Martha shoots her pistols into the floor] 

  Tom Destry : What's the big idea?

  Martha Phillips : Well, I've been in town all day and I heard that the only way one could get any attention around here was do a little promiscuous shooting.

• [last lines] 

  Tom Destry : Which reminds me of a book I read once. It was all about a fellow and a girl - they had the doggonedest time gettin' together. Oh, it wasn't her fault. It wasn't exactly his fault, either. It was just a whole lot of mix-ups kept 'em apart. One day, this fella...

  Martha Phillips : You know something? You read too many books!

  [they embrace] 

  Tom Destry : Yeah. But there comes a time when a fella just has to stop readin' so much.

• Tom Destry : What about the Doc? Is he any good?

  Reginald T. 'Rags' Barnaby : I had a dog once. He got all swelled up. Doc wanted to operate. The next day I had six of the prettiest puppies you've ever seen.

• Tom Destry : Everytime I start asking questions, the people kind of look vague and sort of drift away.

  The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor : What kind of questions?

  Tom Destry : Oh, just ordinary things. Like what really happened to Sheriff Bailey?

  The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor : I knew a fella once who made himself real unpopular asking questions. It got so nobody talked to him. He died lonely. You might keep that in mind.

• Tom Destry : Folks, I hate to interrupt your fun, but I got something important to say to you. I just found out how Sheriff Bailey died.

  Phil Decker : I understood Bailey died of a heart attack.

  Tom Destry : That seems to be the rumor around town. If he did die of a heart attack, that's because he heard a bullet coming at him.

• Bartender : Are you going to take over the whole job now?

  Tom Destry : What job?

  Bartender : Well, Rags was just in here and traded this

  [his sheriff's badge] 

  Bartender : for a jug. I guess he figured it was better to be a first-rate drunk than a second-rate sheriff.

• [Skinner has lost his the deed to his ranch in a crooked card game] 

  Tom Destry : This gives Decker the land. I can't run him off his own property.

  Martha Phillips : And you're the one that talked so much about justice and law and order.

  Tom Destry : I'm sorry, ma'am. I'd rather be horse-whipped.

  Martha Phillips : And I'd like to be the one to do it!

• Tom Destry : You make an exception in one case, you may as well not have the law. You can understand that, can't you?

  Eli Skinner : I guess, I'm not old enough to understand anything like that.

  Tom Destry : Well, you'll probably never get old enough to understand a woman.

• Tom Destry : Aren't you afraid you'll catch cold?

  Brandy : I needed some fresh air.

  Tom Destry : You ought to get plenty of it in that outfit.

• Tom Destry : Now you get this straight! We don't want anymore of this promiscuous shooting aournd here. Somebody is likely to get hurt!

• Tom Destry : I bet you got a beautiful face underneath all that paint. Why don't you wipe it off someday and take a look at it. You might be surprised.

• Tom Destry : Do you have the authority to swear me in as Deputy?

  The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor : I thought that had already been taken care of.

  Tom Destry : Seems like it kind of got overlooked and I think it ought to be done before I start work.

  The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor : Well, I'll be glad to help you son. The moment I laid eye on you I figured you was the right man for the job.

  Tom Destry : Sort of the way I figured it, too.

  The Honorable Hiram J. Sellers, Mayor : Besides, like the fellow said, if anything goes wrong, it's your funeral.

• Doc Curtis : Take off your shirt.

  Tom Destry : There's nothing wrong with me, Doc.

  Doc Curtis : I know - you're not married.