Legends of the Fall 1994 quotes

Alfred

I don't know what to say. Tristan's always been wild. You love him for that.

Susannah

Do I? Yeah, I suppose I do.

Alfred

Susannah, he does love you.

Alfred! She's to be your brother's wife.

Alfred

Yes, though you might better remind him of that.

He's not here to defend himself.

Alfred

No, he's not but I see you are here to defend him and what is his. Even though he's abandoned her and you. And I won't even speak of who else he abandoned.

Damn you, boy. Don't you blame my son for Samuel's death! Samuel chose to be a soldier and soldiers die. Sent to be slaughtered by the men in the government. Parasites like you! Damn and blast you! Damn you. [turns to Susannah] And damn you too!

Alfred

Shut your mouth! You leave her out of this!

You get out of my house and off my land.

Alfred

Why? Because I want to serve my country like you did? Or because, like you, I love a woman who doesn't love me? He used her and he deserted her. Your darling Tristan.

Susannah

Alfred, don't, please.

Alfred

I loved her! I love her still. And he stole her from me. If you want to know the truth of it he stole her from Samuel before the war.

God help me, I'll kill you.

Alfred

Susannah, you know how much I loved Samuel. And I think you know. Out of respect for him I wanted to say it in this place. I think you know that I'm in love with you. From the first moment I saw you. Like in a novel. That's my mother's romantic imagination coming out in me, I suppose. You're not making this very easy for me, Susannah.

Susannah

Sorry.

Alfred

Is there any hope that you could learn to love me? Not the way you loved Samuel, of course, but enough to. Susannah, we could make a life together. A happy life.

Susannah

I don't think so, Alfred.

Alfred

It seems like you're not sure though. Maybe there's a chance. What?

Susannah

I think I can only cause you pain, Alfred.

Alfred

When are you planning to be married?

Tristan

Morning.

Alfred

Damn you, Tristan. You will marry her.

Tristan

And make a honest woman out of her?

Alfred

Yes! God damn you to hell.

Tristan

Yes, I will marry her if she'll have me.

Alfred

If she'll have you? Do you love her? Or did you seduce her just to spite me?

Tristan

It's not what I did.

Alfred

And what about Samuel?

Tristan

What about Samuel?

Alfred

You tell me about Samuel.

Tristan

We all loved Samuel. Samuel's dead. What?

Alfred

How convenient that is for you.

Tristan

Because you love her I will forgive you for that. Once! You say that again and we're not brothers.

Alfred

You don't have to be a genius to figure out they going to come after you for this.

Tristan

Yeah. Alfred?

Alfred

Yeah?

Tristan

I want to ask you to watch over my children. Watch over Samuel.

Alfred

Brother, it will be an honor.

Sheriff Tynert

His name is Tristan Ludlow. He was an officer.

He is with Tristan Ludlow.

Tristan Ludlow

His shoes stink like shift. Their dirty shoes stink like feel.

Susannah

Were you going to say goodbye? Tristan? How long will you be gone?

Tristan

Not long. A few months.

Susannah

I can make it better for you.

Tristan

No.

Susannah

If we'd had a child or if I were pregnant, would you still be going?

Tristan

Yes.

Susannah

Just give me a chance.

Tristan

Don't do that.

Susannah

Look at me. Please, look at me. I'll wait for you. However long it takes. I'll wait for you forever.

Tristan Ludlow

Some people hear their own inner voices with great claiming. And they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy and they become legends, Tristan Ludlow was born in the moon of the falling leaves. It was a terrible winter. His mother almost died bringing him into this world. His father, the Colonel, brought him to me. I wrapped him in a bearskin and held him all that night. As he grew into a man, I taught him the joy of the kill. When the hunter cuts out its warm heart, setting its spirit free.

Tristan

Alfred's going to do well wherever he is.

Except here with us.

Tristan

That's my fault.

I didn't say that.

Tristan

I couldn't bring Samuel back home alive either, could I?

Don't you dare say that boy! That was in God's hands.

Tristan

Was it?

Tristan

Samuel! Samuel, come here! Run along now. Go with Pet. Get him in the house!

John T. O'Banion

He's a fine boy. You know we're not here to arrest you.

Tristan

You take me to the woods. I don't want my boy to see. I don't want my boy to see. Let's get on with it.

Tristan

Samuel, God bless you. You are good at everything you try to do. I'm sure it'll be the same with ****.

Tristan, really. We're talking about my future wife.

Tristan

Oh, you're not gonna **** her?

No!

Tristan

No?

No! I'm planning to be with her.

Tristan

I recommend ****.

Tristan

You know when Samuel died... when Samuel died, I cursed God. Did I damn everybody around me as well as myself?

No. You are not damned, Tristan... I won't allow that.

Susanna

Forever turned out to be too long Tristan.

Alfred

I followed all of the rules, man's and God's. And you, you followed none of them. And they all loved you more. Samuel, Father, and my... even my own wife.

One Stab

I thought Tristan would never live to be an old man. I was wrong about that. I was wrong about many things. It was those who loved him most who died young. He was a rock they broke themselves against however much he tried to protect them.

Indians! Indians were the issue in those days. I can assure you, gentlemen, there is nothing quite so grotesque as the meeting of a child with a bullet; or an entire village slaughtered while sleeping. That was the Government's resolution of that particular issue and I have seen nothing in its behavior since then that would persuade me that it has gained either in wisdom, common sense, or humanity.