ROADHOUSE…………THE FOUR RIVALS.
The iconic, never to be forgotten lines which are part of Hollywood legend; I don’t need to quote them in full. You know them.
Beulah peeling a grape,
Sam playing it again,
I AM big……;
Not giving a damn
Made it,Ma….
Prove it.
And , for me, another two words line of dialogue should be in the pantheon of great quotes.
What a put-down for Cornel Wilde when Ida Lupino caustically says to him at the end of this scene,
“Silly boy.”
Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde.
Of course, it’s not just the line, it’s Ida Lupino delivering it, giving it so much meaning. It’s only two words but they say so much. She’s dismissive , contemptuous, mocking , as if to say, ‘Do you really think you can get rid of me that easily.’
The lead up to the line:
Pete (Cornel Wilde) is trying to protect his friend Jefty (Richard Widmark) by quickly shuffling Lily (Ida Lupino) on the next train out of town, but she’s having none of it.
“I think that’ll square us for your trouble.”
She takes the money he offers.
“There, that’s better. You see, every time Jefty leaves town, he gets drunk and brings somebody back.”
Lily: “Does he know you’re going to all this trouble?”
Pete: He’ll find out it’s for the best. So will you.”
Lily: “Supposing I don’t want to go?”
Pete: Yeh, but you will. You see, Jefty gets tired easily and it’s up to me to do the dumping. I don’t like it but if I have to, I can get rough.”
Lily: “oh, you can. This should really buy me off.” She puts the money in her purse. “Listen, when I wanna leave, I’ll let you know. I came out here with a contract . I needed the dough and I’m going to collect every nasty little cent of it.”
Lily: “Who knows, before I’m through maybe you might be running for the depot.”
“Pete: “Now look, baby, I’m not trying to rush you.”
He puts his hand on her shoulder. She slaps him. And then comes that line.
“Silly boy “. As she takes her bags and walks back to the hotel.
It’s a a short scene but oh so well written . At the end of it, Pete is left wondering who this woman is and we know she won’t be pushed around by anybody.
ROAD HOUSE is one of my favourite films and the two outstanding performances are from Ida Lupino and Richard Widmark. A pity they didn’t work together again.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
What a shame Ida didn’t stay at Fox, where she was offered a contract. It would have interfered with her plans to become a director. Fox signed Susan Hayward who took a role planned for Ida in House Of Strangers.
Looks like Road House was the last film in her Fox contract.
She did the film as a one off freelance assignment. Zanuck offered her a contract because he was so impressed with her performance. The studio lacked a heavyweight dramatic actress like Davis or Crawford.
Of course. She was a Warner’s contractee from 1940 to 1947. During that time she was loaned out to Fox twice in 1942 and once each to RKO and Columbia.