Have you read the Bible, Pete?
Pete Holy Bible?
Yeah.
Pete Yeah, I think so. Anyway, I've heard about it.
Barton
John Turturro · 7 quotes
Charlie Meadows
John Goodman · 4 quotes
Jack Lipnik
4 quotes
Deutsch
Christopher Murney · 3 quotes
Mastrionotti
Richard Portnow · 3 quotes
Most scenes together: Mastrionotti & Deutsch (3), Charlie Meadows & Barton (2), Barton & Mastrionotti (2)
Barton Fink quotes
Pete Pete I'm sorry if I let you down.
You didn't let me down Fink, or even Lou. We don't live or die by what you scribble. You let Ben Geisler down. He liked you, trusted you... and that's why he's gone, he's fired. That man had a heart as big as the all outdoors and you **** him.
Ben Geisler Ever act?
...Huh? No, I'm—
Geisler We need Indians for a Norman Steele western.
I'm a writer. Ted O—
Geisler Think about it, Fink. Writers come and go; we always need Indians.
I could tell you some stories...
Sure you could and yet many writers do everything in their power to insulate themselves from the common man, from where they live, from where they trade, from where they fight and love and converse and...So naturally their work suffers and regresses into empty formalism and... well I'm spouting off again, but to put it in your language, the theatre becomes as phony as a three-dollar bill!
Well I guess that's a tragedy right there!
Trying to think. Nothing, really. He... he said he liked Jack Oakie pictures.
You know, ordinarily we say anything you might remember could be helpful. But I'll be frank with you, Fink. That is not helpful.
Notice how he's not writing it down?
Geisler Look, you confused? You need guidance? Talk to another writer.
Who?
Geisler Jesus, throw a rock in here, you'll hit one. And do me a favor, Fink: throw it hard.
Started in Kansas City. Couple of housewives.
Couple days ago we see the same M.O. out in Los Feliz.
Doctor. Ear, nose and throat man.
All of which he's now missin'.
Well, some of his throat was there.
Physician, heal thyself.
Good luck with no ****in' head.
Anyway.
What do you do, Fink?
I write.
Oh yeah? What kind of write?
Well, as a matter of fact I write for the pictures.
Big ****in' deal.
You want my partner to kiss your ass?
Would that be good enough for you?
No, I - I didn't mean to sound...
What did you mean?
I - I've got respect for - for working guys, like you...
Jesus! Ain't that a load off!
C'mon, Barton, you think you know about pain? You think I made your life hell? Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter, Barton, I live here, don't you understand that? And you come into MY home... and you complain that I'M making too... much... noise.
I've got horse-sense, goddamnit. Showmanship. And also, and I hope Lou told you this, I'm bigger and meaner than any other **** in this town. Did you tell him that, Lou? And I don't mean my dick's bigger than yours, it's not a sexual thing - although, you're the writer, you would know more about that. Coffee?
Look upon me!!! I'll show you the life of the mind!!! I'll show you the life of the mind!!!
Look, Bart, barring a preference we're going to put you to work on a wrestling picture, Wallace Beery. I say this because they tell me you know the poetry of the streets, so that would rule out westerns, pirate pictures, screwball, Bible, Roman... look, I'm not one of those guys who thinks poetic has got to be fruity. We're together on that, aren't we? I mean I'm from New York myself, well, Minsk if you want to go all the way back. Which we won't, if you don't mind and I ain't asking. Now people are going to say to you, Wallace Beery, wrestling, it's a B picture. You tell them: BULLSHIT! We do NOT make B pictures here at Capitol. Let's put a stop to that rumor RIGHT now!
We're only interested in one thing, Bart. Can you tell a story? Can you make us laugh? Can you make us cry? Can you make us want to break out in joyous song? Is that more than one thing? Okay!