Ben Gazzara Monologues

Elvis! Play something with balls!

My grandfather.

He was an asshole. But you, you're a smart boy, aren't you, Dalton? You're just not too realistic. Christ, I'm just like you. I came up the hard way, from the streets of Chicago. You know, when I came to this town after Korea there was nothing. I brought the mall here. I got the 7-Eleven. I got the Fotomat here. Christ, JC Penney is coming here because of me. You ask anybody, they'll tell you.

You bet your ass I have. And I'm gonna get richer. I believe we all have a purpose on this earth. A destiny. I have a faith in that destiny. It tells me to gather unto me what is mine. But, Christ, you get paid for beating people up. Tell me you don't love it. Of course you do. You wouldn't be human if you didn't.

Dalton, I have a cousin in Memphis. Tells me you killed a man down there. Tells me you said it was self-defense at the trial. But you and I know that isn't so, don't we?

Relax. Relax. Tell me, if I owned a bar and I wanted to clean it up, how much would it take to get you to come work for me?

He's a drifter, you know. To see you wind up with someone like that, it's a shame.

Well, you get him out of here, Elizabeth. 'cause if you don't, he's going down. And I'm not gonna lose a second's sleep about it.

Well, with a fire like that, nothin' they could do. Nothin'.

Jack Daniel's.

Thank you. It's like a morgue in here.

Play something, Elvis. Get those firemen in here. I wanna buy them a drink. They risked their lives to save a no-good-faggot-draft-dodger like Red Webster.

Did I explain it wrong? Is that it?

Pat's got a weak constitution. You boys know that. That's why he's working as a bartender. He's my only sister's son. And if he doesn't have me, who's he got? And if I'm not there, you're there.

I should've let you go, Jimmy.

Well, one of you boys owes me an apology. Now I leave it up to you to decide which one of you wants to say "I'm sorry."

I believe you, Tinker.

But you, O'Connor, somehow I don't believe you. Now you better try it again. 'cause if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a man who's untruthful.

If there's one thing that disgusts me, it's a man who can't admit when he's wrong.

You disgust me, O'Connor. You wanna know why you disgust me?

'cause you're a bleeder. You bleed too much. You are a messy bleeder.

You're weak. You got no endurance for PAIN

. Awe, come on, get up. Hey, you'll be fine. Come on.

Well, help him up!

You're gonna be fine. And you know why? Because I like you.

Get this piece-of-shit coward out of here.

Can somebody get a drink around here?

Stroudenmire, I never thought you'd turn on me too. This is my town. Don't you forget it