Hard Times (1975)

James Coburn: Spencer 'Speed' Weed

Photos 

Quotes 

• Speed : Well, you know Chick, like old momma said, next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing.

• Speed : Every town had somebody who thinks he's tough as a nickel steak; but, they all come to old Speed for the do-re-mi.

• Speed : Chaney, I'd like you to meet my old friend Poe. He'll fix up your cuts, bruises - all sorts of good things.

  Poe : I have two years of medical school to recommend me.

  Chaney : Two years doesn't make a doctor.

  Poe : Well, in my third year of studies a small black cloud appeared on campus; I left under it.

  Speed : What he's trying to say is that he's a dyed-in-wool hophead.

  Poe : I have a weakness for opium.

  Chaney : That's a habit that's hard to quit.

  Poe : Some are born to fail, others have it thrust upon them. Could I see your hands?

• Speed : [sniffing]  You know, Chick, no matter what you do, you'll always smell like fish.

• Speed : [making a toast]  To the best man I know. To the Napoleon of southern sports: me.

• Gayleen Schoonover : [leaving the fight with the Cajuns]  Come all this way to lose all of our money. Just breaks my heart.

  Speed : Breaks my butt is what it breaks!

  Chaney : Let's drive around the back country roads.

• Pettibon : This has come as quite a setback for us; it was too easy.

  Speed : Ain't nothin' in the rules about *easy*, Mr. Pettibon.

  Chaney : [putting on his shirt]  Anything wrong?

  Pettibon : What's wrong, Mr. Chaney, is that you're too good. You're a ringer, Mr. Chaney.

  Speed : Dammit, my man won fair and square; give us our money, goddammit!

  Poe : [noticing several Cajuns walking up behind Pettibon]  Steady on, Speed. These boys are not refined.

  [notices one of the Cajuns has a pistol] 

  Poe : Somebody always brings a gun.

  Speed : [being pulled toward the car by Poe and Gayleen]  Oh, yeah! Well, the next time I come to this coonass place, I'm goin' to bring a gun!

  Pettibon : [laughing]  You do that, Speed; just make sure it's a great big one.

  [to his men] 

  Pettibon : That's how it's done.

• Speed : I suppose you've been down the long, hard road?

  Chaney : Who hasn't?

• Jim Henry : [Speed is being held hostage by Gandil's thugs]  If things don't work out, who gets to do the job on him?

  Card player : We take turns.

  Jim Henry : Uh-uh. This time, I get to do it.

  Speed : That's right; you ain't won one in a while, have you?

  [grins at Jim Henry] 

  Speed : He really cleaned your clock, didn't he?

• [Doty and Hammerman smashes Speed's car with a sledge hammer] 

  Speed : What the hell are you doin'! Heeey Doty, come on! Heeey! Nooo! Don't... please!

  Hammerman : Is that okay, Doty?

  Doty : Talk to him.

  Hammerman : Mr. Le Beau says he's got some business with you. I don't want no trouble. Just you pay your debts.

  Speed : Uh-huh.

  Hammerman : Okay Mister.

  [Hammerman smashes the car one last time, and they leave]