The Sting Quotes

Luther: How much did you lose?

Johnny Hooker: [winces] All of it.

Luther: In one damn night? What are you spraying money around like that for, you could've been nailed.

Johnny Hooker: I checked the place first. There were no dicks in there.

Luther: But you're a con man! And you blew it like a pimp!

[Figuring out which con to pull on Lonnegan]

J.J. Singleton: I dunno know what to do with this guy, Henry. He's an Irishman who doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and doesn't chase dames. He's a grand knight in the Knights of Columbus, and he only goes out to play faro. Sometimes plays 15 or 20 hours at a time, just him against the house.

Henry Gondorff: Roulette? Craps?

J.J. Singleton: He won't touch 'em. The croupier at Gilman's says he never plays anything he can't win.

Henry Gondorff: Sports?

J.J. Singleton: Likes to be seen with fighters sometimes, but he doesn't go to the fights or bet on 'em.

Henry Gondorff: Jesus. Does he do anything where he's not alone?

J.J. Singleton: Just poker. And he cheats. Pretty good at it, too.

Billie: Who told you this guy was in here?

Lieutenant William Snyder: Nobody. I just know what kind of woman he likes. Going to check all the joy houses till I find him.

Billie: Oh, well maybe I could help you, if you tell me his name.

Lieutenant William Snyder: I doubt it. Which way are the rooms?

Billie: Right through there. But I wouldn't go in there if I were you.

Lieutenant William Snyder: What you are going to do, call the cops?

Billie: I don't have to. You'd be busting in on the Chief of Police just up the hall.

Floyd: Doyle, I KNOW I gave him four THREES. He had to make a SWITCH. We can't let him get away with that.

Doyle Lonnegan: What was I supposed to do - call him for cheating better than me, in front of the others?

Johnny Hooker: I gave him the breakout just like you said.

Henry Gondorff: And?

Johnny Hooker: 'S good. He threatened to kill me.

Henry Gondorff: Hell, kid, they don't do that, you know you're not getting to 'em.

Henry Gondorff: Glad to meet you, kid. You're a real horse's ass.

Johnny Hooker: Luther said I could learn something from you. I already know how to drink.

Johnny Hooker: He's not as tough as he thinks.

Henry Gondorff: Neither are we.

[Gondorff enters the poker game pretending to be drunk]

Henry Gondorff: Sorry I'm late. I was taking a crap.

Loretta: I don't even know you.

Johnny Hooker: You know me. I'm the same as you. It's two in the morning and I don't know nobody.

[last lines]

Henry Gondorff: You not gonna stick around for your share?

Johnny Hooker: Nah. I'd only blow it.

[Polk greets Snyder]

FBI Agent Polk: Sit down and shut up, will ya? Try not to live up to all my expectations.

Johnny Hooker: You're right, Henry. It's not enough. But

[laughs]

Johnny Hooker: it's close!

Johnny Hooker: Can you get a mob together?

Henry Gondorff: After what happened to Luther, I don't think I can get more than two, three hundred guys.

Kid Twist: Now how do you want to work this? Flat rate or percentage?

Benny Garfield: Who's the mark?

Kid Twist: Doyle Lonnegan.

Benny Garfield: Flat rate.

Doyle Lonnegan: Mr. Shaw, we usually require a tie at this table... if you don't have one we can get you one.

Henry Gondorff: That'd be real nice of you, Mr. Lonniman!

Doyle Lonnegan: Lonnegan.

[Gondorf nods and burps in response]

Joe Erie: Hello Snyder. Whattya doin' up here?

Lieutenant William Snyder: I'm on vacation. You see that friend of yours lately?

Joe Erie: No, no. He packed it in. Enrolled in detective school.

Johnny Hooker: Luther! Good God, we're millionaires!

Luther: Jesus! Did you know he was that loaded?

Johnny Hooker: Hell no. I just cut into him. I woulda settled for pawning one of them shoes.

Doyle Lonnegan: I put it all on Lucky Dan; half a million dollars to win.

Kid Twist: To win? I said *place*! "Place it on Lucky D-" That horse is gonna run second!

Doyle Lonnegan: [There is a pause, and Lonnegan runs horrified to the betting booth] There's been a mistake! Gimme my money back!

Johnny Hooker: Hey, where's June?

Loretta: She quit. I'm filling in for a couple of days, till I can get a train outta here.

Johnny Hooker: Yeah? Where ya going?

Loretta: I don't know. Depends on which train I get on.

Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it?

Johnny Hooker: He cheats.

Henry Gondorff: What's your problem?

Doyle Lonnegan: I'm putting half a million dollars on Lucky Dan to win, third race at Riverside Park.

Henry Gondorff: Can't lay that off in time. A bet like that could break us.

[Hooker stares at him incredulously]

Doyle Lonnegan: Not only are you a cheat, you're a gutless cheat as well.

Henry Gondorff: What are the odds?

Eddie Niles: Four to one.

Henry Gondorff: Take all of it!

Henry Gondorff: Is Lonnegan after you too?

Johnny Hooker: I don't know. I ain't seen anybody.

Henry Gondorff: You never do, kid.

Johnny Hooker: Listen, Gondorff! Am I gonna learn the big con or not?

Henry Gondorff: What's your hurry?

Johnny Hooker: I want to play for Lonnegan.

Henry Gondorff: You know anything about the guy?

Johnny Hooker: Yeah! He croaked Luther! Anything else I gotta know?

Johnny Hooker: [after he calms down] All right. He runs a numbers racket on the south side. He owns a packing house. A few banks.

Henry Gondorff: Yeah, and half the politicians in New York and Chicago. Not a fix in this world is gonna cool him out if he blows on you.

Johnny Hooker: I'll get him anyway.

Henry Gondorff: Why?

Johnny Hooker: 'Cause I don't know enough about killin' to kill him.

Henry Gondorff: You can't do it alone, you know. It takes a mob of guys like you and enough money to make them look good.

Johnny Hooker: I know plenty of guys.

Henry Gondorff: It's not like playing winos in the street. You can't outrun Lonnegan.

Johnny Hooker: I never played for no winos.

Henry Gondorff: You gotta keep his con even after you take his money. He can't know you took him.

Johnny Hooker: You're scared of him.

Henry Gondorff: Right down to my socks, buster! You're talkin' about a guy who'd kill a grifter over a chunk of money that wouldn't support him for two days!

Doyle Lonnegan: Four nines.

Henry Gondorff: Four jacks.