Quigley Down Under (1990)

Alan Rickman: Elliott Marston

Photos 

Quotes 

• Elliott Marston : [O'Flynn and Dobkin prepare Quigley for an old-fashioned shootout]  I seem to remember you're not too familiar with Colonel Colt's revolver, so this will be your first lesson. Don't worry. Mr. Dobkin and Mr. O'Flynn will ensure that it's a fair contest.

  Elliott Marston : [Marston starts walking backwards]  I'll just back up a few paces... And to your left a bit, that's it... Now you're right in front of my old pistol target.

  Elliott Marston : [Marston slips his coat back to reveal his holster]  Some men are born in the wrong century. I think I was born on the wrong continent. Oh, by the way, you're fired.

  Matthew Quigley : This ain't Dodge City and you ain't Bill Hickok.

  Matthew Quigley : [Quigley shoots Dobkin, O'Flynn and Marston before they can even aim their guns, then walks up to the dying Marston]  I said I never had much use for one. Never said I didn't know how to use it.

• Elliott Marston : Ah-ha. The legendary Sharps.

  Matthew Quigley : You know your weapons. It's a lever-action breech-loader. Usual barrel length's thirty inches. This one has an extra four. It's converted to use a special forty-five caliber, hundred-and-ten-grain metal cartridge, with a five-hundred-forty-grain paper patch bullet. It's fitted with double-set triggers, and a Vernier sight, marked up to twelve-hundred yards. This one shoots a mite further.

  Elliott Marston : An experimental weapon with experimental ammunition.

  Matthew Quigley : You could call it that.

  Elliott Marston : Let's experiment.

• Elliott Marston : [Marston is knocked through a window of his house. His hands come running]  No! Stay right where you are!

  Elliott Marston : [gets up]  No man knocks me out of my own house!

  [stomps back inside] 

  Elliott Marston : [Marston is again thrown through the window, and glares at his workers]  Well, don't just stand there! Get him!

• Elliott Marston : You familiar with the Army Revolver, Mr. Quigley?

  Matthew Quigley : Well, sir, I never had much use for one.

  Elliott Marston : It's a recent invention of your countryman, Col. Colt.

  Matthew Quigley : God created all men. They say Sam Colt made them equal... more or less.

• Elliott Marston : Everything ready?

  Dobkin : There are two men at the front, one in the back. Scotty's riding off to patrol the ridge. Now, Mr. Marston, the men were wondering. The man who kills Quigley? The two hundred pounds in gold. The reward you posted.

  Elliott Marston : Who asked you about it?

  Dobkin : Cavanagh.

  Elliott Marston : Have Cavanagh guard the front porch. Tell him to wear my coat and hat.

• Matthew Quigley : Tell me about the dingoes. Ten pounds a month for shooting wild dogs seems like a whole lot for not much. 'Sides, you got enough men and guns outside to kill every dingo within ten miles of here. Unless you're talking about deserters?

  Elliott Marston : Did you know that your American Indian is a race that has no word for 'wheel'? No concept of farming, No understanding of land ownership.

  Matthew Quigley : Is that a fact?

  Elliott Marston : But from what I hear, you found a solution to that problem in your country.

  Matthew Quigley : I guess that depends on whether you're an indian or not.

  Elliott Marston : You see, in many ways, our two nations are quite similar. We both brought civilization to the stone age. Unfortunatly, in this country we have failed in one regard. We have been unable to domesticate the most backwards people on earth: The Australian Aborigene.

  Elliott Marston : [Catches Quigley glancing at his Aborigine manservant]  Don't mind him. He's harmless.

  Elliott Marston : [pause]  My parents were slaughtered by Aborigines, Mr. Quigley. They attacked so fast, my mother was found dead still holding her sewing. Nowadays, they butcher our sheep and cattle. Her Majesty's government allows settlers to deal with the matter in their own way. This official policy is called 'Pacification by Force'. But the real issue is that, primitive as they are, the Aborigines have learned to keep out of rifle range. Which brings us to you, Mr. Quigley.

• Elliott Marston : Whitey! Take that bucket and ride out until I signal.

  Elliott Marston : [Whitey rides off with the bucket]  Tell me when you want him to stop.

  Slattern : [Quigley calmly prepares his rifle, as the rider gets further and further]  Your man able to hit something that far away?

  Crazy Cora : I don't know him. I never saw him before.

  Worker : [Quigley keeps adjusting his rifle]  He'd have to be a good shot alright...

  Matthew Quigley : ...'Bout there'll do.

  [Marston fires his pistol and the rider places the bucket on the ground] 

  O'Flynn : [whispering]  Bullshit.

  Elliott Marston : [Quigley carefully takes aim and prepares to fire]  Are you certain, Mr. Quigley, that you wouldn't like the bucket a bit closer?

  Matthew Quigley : [Quigley pauses, then fires the rifle, piercing the bucket]  Quite certain.

  [reloads and fires two more shots in quick succesion, hitting the bucket both times] 

  Crazy Cora : Told ya! Only my Roy could hit a coyote at that distance!

• Elliott Marston : Matthew Quigley.

  [holds out his hand] 

  Elliott Marston : Elliot Marston. Welcome to Australia.

  Matthew Quigley : Well, sir, your men already welcomed me.

  Elliott Marston : Coogan! Mr. Quigley's luggage. Take it to the lodge.

  Matthew Quigley : Mr. Marston, you said you'd pay me 50 dollars in gold coin just for showing up.

  Elliott Marston : Don't waste much time?

  Matthew Quigley : I spent three months on a boat, just getting here.

  Elliott Marston : [Hands Quigley the money]  You intruiged me, Mr. Quigley. Twenty-one men answered my advertisment, from all over the world. Canada, India, England. They just wrote letters. But you... had a way with words.

  [shows a newpaper clipping with six bullet holes through, and the words M. Quigley, 900 yards] 

  Elliott Marston : My advertisment simply stated I wanted to hire the greatest long distance marksman in the world. Have I?

• O'Flynn : [Showing off his quickdraw skill]  Well, how's that then, Mr. Marston?

  Elliott Marston : Pretty good, O'Flynn. You've improved. Wear your holster a bit higher, then you can grab the gun on the way up.

  O'Flynn : But I'm faster, aren't I?

  Elliott Marston : Yeah

  O'Flynn : Think I'll ever get to be as fast as you?

  Elliott Marston : What, you mean if you practised a lot?

  O'Flynn : Yeah!

  Elliott Marston : No.