Hub: What do ya want me to do? Die of old age?
Walter: Is it okay if I go inside and watch television?

Garth: Ain't got one.

Walter: No television?
Walter: You bought a used lion?
Adult Walter: [reading his uncles' will] The kid gets it all. Just plant us in the damn garden, next to the stupid lion.
Sheik's Grandson: [looking at a large yacht in a small pond] I see they spent my grandfather's gold well.

Adult Walter: [laughing] Well, there was this one travelling salesman...
Hub: Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.
Frankie: Hey, who do you think you are, huh?

Garth: Just a dumb kid, Hub. Don't kill him.

Hub: [to Garth] Right.

[grabs Frankie by the throat]

Hub: I'm Hub McCann. I've fought in two World Wars and countless smaller ones on three continents. I led thousands of men into battle with everything from horses and swords to artillery and tanks. I've seen the headwaters of the Nile, and tribes of natives no white man had ever seen before. I've won and lost a dozen fortunes, KILLED MANY MEN and loved only one woman with a passion a FLEA like you could never begin to understand. That's who I am. NOW, GO HOME, BOY!
Garth: [after Walter leaves] Salesman should be by in about three, four hours.

Hub: Whoop-de-do.
Stan: It's up to you, kid. We can be friends, or we can be enemies. What's it gonna be?

Walter: [looks down, thinking, then looks up] Defend yourself!

Stan: What?
Walter: What's wrong with him?

Garth: Well, a man's body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and as restless as ever.

Garth: And him - in his day, he had more spirit than twenty men.
[Hub and Garth are getting ready to shoot at a traveling salesman]

Walter: Why not see what he's sellin'?

Hub: What the hell for?

Walter: Well what's the good of having all that money if you're never gonna spend it?

Garth: Could be the kid has a point.

Hub: Well. We'll see what the man's sellin'. THEN we'll shoot him.

Garth: Good plan.
Walter: Those stories about Africa... They're true aren't they?
Walter: I've been to the orphan home before. I don't wanna go back.
Hub: WE'RE OLD, DAMNIT! LEAVE US ALONE!

Garth: The last thing we need is some little sissy boy hanging around all summer
Helen: You take him to the orphanage right this minute

Hub: Whether we take him to the orphanage or tie him up and throw him in the lake, that's OUR business, not yours
Hub: We're fix'in to die anytime, so if we kick off in the middle of the night, you're on your own
Mae: Show 'em your friendly, Honey! Let 'em sniff your hand
Walter: If I'm gonna live here, there's gonna be some conditions

Hub: conditions?

Walter: No more dangerous stuff. No more fighting teenagers. No airplanes. More vegetables, less meat
Hub: You know what I don't like 'bout houseguests?

[slams fist on table]

Hub: Dinner table Chit-Chat Chit-Chat
Walter: Has he hit YOU yet?

Mae: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
Walter: So, you two were away for 40 years... Where'd you go?
Hub: [to Stan] You're lucky the lion got to you before *we* did.
[last lines]

Sheik's Great Grandson: So, these two men from your grandfather's stories, they really lived?

Adult Walter: [wistfully] Yeah, they really lived...
Garth: The Sheik *knew* that he would sure die now, without even the right to beg for mercy... But Hub just said "Twice I have held your life in my hands. And twice I have given it back to you. The next time..."

Young Hub: Your life is mine!
[first lines]

Adult Walter: [answering the phone] Hello?

Sheriff: Walter?

Adult Walter: Yes.

Sheriff: This is Sheriff Brady. I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. It's about your uncles.
Sheriff: Best I can figure, they were trying to fly through that barn, upside down.
Garth: Hey! You, in the crate! Get your lion butt outta there!
Garth: Look, we don't know nothing about children, so if you need something...

Hub: [interrupts] -find it yourself. Better yet: learn to do with out.
Walter: What happened to her?

Garth: Looks like her heart gave out in all the excitement. She was plenty old, you know.

Walter: Look, I think she's smiling.

Garth: I guess she died happy.

Hub: She died with her boots on, that's the main thing.

Garth: Protecting her cub.

Walter: She was a real lion, wasn't she, there at the end? A real jungle lion. A real Africa lion.
Garth: [sarcastic] That's SOME lion you bought.

Hub: Huh. SOME garden seeds YOU bought!
Receptionist: [phone rings] Fort Worth College of Court Reporting.

Walter: I need to find my mom. She's a student there.

Receptionist: I'm sorry, we're closed.

Walter: It's an emergency, please. Her name's Mae - Mae Coleman.

Receptionist: [looks for Mae Colman in a little drawer] No, I'm sorry, there's no Mae Coleman registered here.

Walter: [brief pause] Oh! Try Mae Carter.

Receptionist: No, I'm sorry.

Walter: Mabel Cartwright? Made Calloway? Donna Tompko?

Receptionist: Young man, are you in some sort of trouble?

Walter: She's gotta be there! She just started.

Receptionist: Listen, our classes started back in January. No one could have possibly just started.

[Walter finds out the truth knowing Mae was lying]

Receptionist: Hello? Hello? Hello?

[Walter hangs up the phone]

Secondhand Lions Quotes

Extended Reading

Secondhand Lions short comments

Francisco 2021-12-23 08:01:28

This story is indeed more artificial. The emotional appeal of comedy and family is not in place. Not to mention at the actor level, the charm of Osmond’s child star has sunk into the deep sea with the artificial intelligence three years ago; Kane with glasses does not match the role of a tough gunman in any way; the lion who is inexplicably close to the boy It's more like using second-hand special effects? The only interesting section comes from risking his life to raise a white handkerchief to sell a flying saucer target machine...disappointment. Two and a half stars
Milton 2021-12-23 08:01:28

The magnificent blue sky of Texas, the endless country style, two eccentric aunts, a frowning little boy, and an old lion... This is a movie about growing up. The long-lost sense of fairy tales, the smile blooms like a lotus. I really like the two old guys in the play. They used to dominate the battlefield. Under the fierce appearance, there are cuteness, stubbornness, kindness, loyalty, and bravery...