Earl Williams Quotes in The Front Page (1974)

Dr. Max J. Eggelhofer: Tell me, Mr. Williams, were you unhappy as a child?

Earl Williams: Not really. I had a perfectly normal childhood.

Dr. Max J. Eggelhofer: I see. You wanted to kill your father and sleep with you mother.

Earl Williams: [to Sheriff Hartman] If he's gonna talk dirty ...

Dr. Max J. Eggelhofer: When you were in grammar school, did you practice self-abuse?

Earl Williams: No, sir. I don't believe in it. I would never abuse myself or anybody else. I love people. I love all people.

'Honest Pete' Hartman Sheriff of Clark County: I suppose that cop committed suicide!

Dr. Max J. Eggelhofer: Let us get back to masturbation. Did your father ever catch you in the act?

Earl Williams: Oh, my father was - was never home. He was a conductor on the Chicago-Northwestern.

Dr. Max J. Eggelhofer: Very significant. Your father wore a uniform, just like that policeman. And when he pulled out that gun, an obvious phallic symbol, you thought he was your father, and he was going to use it to hurt your mother.

Earl Williams: [to Sheriff Hartman] He's crazy.

Earl Williams: You don't have to answer this, Mollie, but is it true what they said in the papers?

Mollie Malloy: Is what true?

Earl Williams: That you were going to marry me on the gallows.

Mollie Malloy: Well, if it's in the papers, it must be true. They wouldn't print a lie.

Earl Williams: I had a great report card last time.

Judy Williams: Well it wasn't good enough, your conduct grades are unsatisfactory; I don't want that teacher calling here again.

Earl Williams: I'm not bad, Mom, it's her! She's a bad teacher!

Judy Williams: Oh you think so?

Earl Williams: Yes! All she does all day is put busy work on the board, so she doesn't have to bother with us. I don't think that's be...

Judy Williams: It doesn't matter what YOU think, Earl, you are a little BOY and little boys are supposed to do what they're told, and if your father was...

Earl Williams: What? What about him?

Earl Williams: It's going to be worth millions, Kenny, people are going to pay a lot more money to see a Frankenstein monster that's alive.

Judy Williams: Your father was a dreamer, just like you. He was always hoping one of his ideas would work out. But they never did.

Earl Williams: [tears up] It could've.

Judy Williams: But they didn't.

Earl Williams: [crying] But he was happy, Mom. He made us happy.

Judy Williams: Well happiness doesn't always pay the bills honey. Now I want you to stop dreaming, and grow up, okay?

Les Williams: I know it's been a long day, boys, I know you're tired, but we're coming ot the big moment in the movie. So I want to see on your faces, that you're TERRIFIED! FRIGHTENED! But at the same time, brave, now Earl, you're the oldest brother, so I want to see more from you than I see from Larry, alright?

Earl Williams: Okay.

Les Williams: Now let's make a movie.

Les Williams: You know, I went to Hollywood once, tried to make it in show business. It was a long, long time ago. Long time ago. Now that I think about it, I had a lot of courage, you know? Go out to Hollywood from a little old town down south, see all them beautiful people, beautiful lights. You know there's a big ol' hill, on top is a big ol' sign that says Hollywood; it just sort of lords over all them people. Yep, I was gonna paint my dreams right across the silver screen.

Earl Williams: Did you meet anyone famous or work on any movies?

Les Williams: No. No, I quit too soon. I gave up too soon. You know, you got a dream, you gotta stick with it, you gotta go for it, you can't back off. So make me a promise, you two have a dream, you go for it, with everything you got. Right?

Earl Williams: Promise, Dad.

Les Williams: I promise.