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John Wayne’s Most Legendary On-Screen Movie Quotes

John Wayne’s Most Legendary On-Screen Movie Quotes

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"It takes a good fire to burn down the weeds…to let the flowers grow."

Source: Courtesy of Republic Pictures

"I figure a man's only as good as his word."

Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

"Never trust a woman or a government."

Source: Courtesy of Republic Pictures

"Sometimes you have to lose before you win."

Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

"We brought nothing into this world and it's certain we can carry nothing out."

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

"Chawin' tobacco is a nasty habit. It's been known to turn a man's stomach."

Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

"Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."

Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

"Oh, it's a fine game, football – noble game. Originated in England in 1823."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"Every man should spend a night with a lady who has no illusions about him."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"Love is a fire. It burns all but the blue sea."

Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

"I don't believe in surrenders."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"Life is a battle, but you can't fight it with your fists. You got to fight it with your heart."

Source: Photo by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images

"In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench."

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

"No quarter. No mercy for the loser."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"You have to be a man first before you're a gentleman."

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

"Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, Budapest. They got a nice sound."

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

"All battles are fought by scared men who'd rather be someplace else."

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

"There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other."

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

"Looking back is a bad habit."

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

"I ain't butted into somebody else's business since I was seventeen year old, at which time it almost got me killed."

Source: Courtesy of National General Pictures

"Every man wants his children to be better than he was."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"If a buzzard bites you, he'd never eat meat again."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"When I start plying a woman with whiskey, it's time to throw the key in the water bucket and ride on."

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

"It takes a good fire to burn down the weeds…to let the flowers grow."
"I figure a man's only as good as his word."
"Never trust a woman or a government."
"Sometimes you have to lose before you win."
"We brought nothing into this world and it's certain we can carry nothing out."
"Chawin' tobacco is a nasty habit. It's been known to turn a man's stomach."
"Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."
"Oh, it's a fine game, football – noble game. Originated in England in 1823."
"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."
"Every man should spend a night with a lady who has no illusions about him."
"Love is a fire. It burns all but the blue sea."
"I don't believe in surrenders."
"Life is a battle, but you can't fight it with your fists. You got to fight it with your heart."
"In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench."
"No quarter. No mercy for the loser."
"You have to be a man first before you're a gentleman."
"Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, Budapest. They got a nice sound."
"All battles are fought by scared men who'd rather be someplace else."
"There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other."
"Looking back is a bad habit."
"I ain't butted into somebody else's business since I was seventeen year old, at which time it almost got me killed."
"Every man wants his children to be better than he was."
"If a buzzard bites you, he'd never eat meat again."
"When I start plying a woman with whiskey, it's time to throw the key in the water bucket and ride on."
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."

Many celebrities fall into certain categories or genres. When it comes to Westerns, nothing epitomizes the genre more than John Wayne, a man who was the personification of the rugged, tough-talking cowboy. Known by his nickname, "The Duke," which was derived from his childhood companion, an Airedale Terrier (yes, named Duke), Wayne was a mainstay in the Hollywood Western film genre, and at 6'4, his imposing size and strength lent to his captivating demeanor that translated well to the silver screen.

His on-screen persona didn't differ much from his off-screen one, where he was a prominent conservative and staunch anti-communist, beliefs that occasionally surfaced in his film roles. He portrayed characters defined by unwavering masculinity, a strong sense of honor, and various attitudes toward women and thrilled audiences with his roles in Westerns, like "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," or as a war hero in "The Longest Day". He also advocated for the Vietnam War in "The Green Berets". (These are the best and worst John Wayne movies that aren't Westerns.)

To assemble a collection of John Wayne's most legendary on-screen movie quotes, 24/7 Tempo consulted the "Quotes" sections for many of his films on IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, as well as other online collections of quotations. The selected quotes span 36 years of Wayne's career, reflecting aphorisms, humor, and a macho stance characteristic of his cinematic persona.

Here are John Wayne's most legendary on-screen movie quotes:

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