The Grifters

Roy Dillon:
Well, who's a boy gonna talk to if not his mother?

Lilly Dillon:
I gave you your life twice. I'm asking you to give me mine once.

Doctor:
Miss Dillon, I'm sorry about our little disagreement on the phone. And I'm really sorry about your son. Well, it's hard to believe that such a strapping young man is your son.

Lilly Dillon:
Never mind that, just take care of him.

Doctor:
He's had, he's had an internal hemorrhage. He's bleeding to death.

Lilly Dillon:
Well, make it stop!

Doctor:
His blood pressure's under a hundred. I don't think he's going to make it to the hospital.

Lilly Dillon:
You know who I work for.

Doctor:
There's just so much I can do.

Lilly Dillon:
My son is going to be all right. If not, I'll have you killed.

Roy Dillon:
It's great to get away, isn't it? Take some time off. Next week, I'll be back to work.

Myra Langtry:
You already went back to work.

Roy Dillon:
What?

Myra Langtry:
I watched you, working the tat on those sailor boys.

Roy Dillon:
Working the what?

Myra Langtry:
Oh, come on, Roy, the tat. What you do for a living.

Roy Dillon:
I'm a salesman.

Myra Langtry:
You're on the grift, same as me.

Roy Dillon:
Myra, I'm not following you.

Myra Langtry:
Roy, you're a short-con operator... and a good one, I think. Don't talk to me like I'm another square!

Myra Langtry:
I'm Roy's friend.

Lilly Dillon:
Yes. I imagine you're lots of people's friend.

Myra Langtry:
[taking a good look at Lilly] Oh, of course, now that I see you in the light, you're plenty old enough to be Roy's mother.

Lilly Dillon:
Aren't we all?

Roy Dillon:
Play nice. Don't fight.

Roy Dillon:
You talk the lingo. What's your pitch?

Myra Langtry:
The long end, big con.

Roy Dillon:
Nobody does that single-o.

Myra Langtry:
I was teamed ten years with the best in the business, Cole Langley.

Roy Dillon:
I've heard the name.

Myra Langtry:
It was beautiful! And getting better all the time.

Roy Dillon:
Is that right?

Myra Langtry:
It is, Roy. It's where you should be. What do you bring in, $300, $400 a week? We used money like that for tips!

Roy Dillon:
Maybe I like it where I am.

Myra Langtry:
Well, maybe I don't! I had ten good years with Cole, and I want them back! I gotta have a partner! I looked and I looked and believe me, brother, I kissed a lot of f***ing frogs, and you're my prince!

Roy Dillon:
I guess I owe you my life, Lilly.

Lilly Dillon:
You always did, Roy.

Lilly Dillon:
You're working some angle, and don't tell me you're not because I wrote the book!

Roy Dillon:
What about you? You still handling playback money for the mob?

Lilly Dillon:
That's me. That's who I am. You were never cut out for the rackets, Roy.

Roy Dillon:
How come?

Lilly Dillon:
You aren't tough enough.

Roy Dillon:
Not as tough as you, huh?

Lilly Dillon:
Get off the grift, Roy.

Roy Dillon:
Why?

Lilly Dillon:
You haven't got the stomach for it.

Lilly Dillon:
I was hoping we could play it straight with one another.

Roy Dillon:
I guess not.

Lilly Dillon:
I guess you won't be getting a straight job, either.

Roy Dillon:
Not this week.

Lilly Dillon:
Not ever.

Roy Dillon:
It's up to me. I'm strictly short con. It's nothing but small time stuff. I can walk away from it anytime I want.

Lilly Dillon:
Where have I heard that before?

Roy Dillon:
Yeah, but I'm in control.

Lilly Dillon:
Sure. You're only 25 years old, already you can lay down four grand without even turning a hair. Grift's like anything else, Roy. You don't stand still. You either go up or down. Usually down, sooner or later.

Roy Dillon:
Well, I'll let it be a surprise, then.

Roy Dillon:
Do I get any say in this?

Myra Langtry:
No! Because...

Roy Dillon:
That's what I say. What I say is no. We don't do partners.

Myra Langtry:
What is it? What's goin' on? Why don't you wanna team up?

Roy Dillon:
The best reason I can think of is that you scare the hell out of me. I have seen women like you before, baby. You're double-tough and you are sharp as a razor, and you get what you want or else; but you don't make it work forever. Sooner or later the lightning hits, and I'm not gonna be around when it hits you.

Myra Langtry:
My God, it's your mother. It's Lilly.

Roy Dillon:
What?

Myra Langtry:
Sure it is. That's why you act so funny around each other.

Roy Dillon:
What's that?

Myra Langtry:
Oh, don't act so god-damned innocent! You and your own mother? Ugh! You like to go back where you been, huh?

Roy Dillon:
Watch your mouth.

Myra Langtry:
Yeah, I'm wise to you! I should have seen it before, you rotten son of a b*tch. How is it, huh? How do you like it-

[Roy slaps her so hard that she falls to the floor]