Nadine (1987)

Jeff Bridges: Vernon Hightower

Photos 

Quotes 

• Vernon Hightower : You mind tellin' me what the hell was goin' on back there?

  Nadine Hightower : Well, it's sort of like this. One of the girls down at the shop -- and don't ask who it is, 'cause I ain't gonna tell ya -- anyway, this guy Escobar took some, uh, pictures, I mean, some "art studies" of her...

  Vernon Hightower : What you MEAN is: this old boy talked her into posin' bare-ass for a bunch of pictures. And I bet that's not all they done.

  Nadine Hightower : [miffed]  Vernon Hightower, you got a dirty mind! For your information, Mr. Escobar was in the Army with Hugh Hefner of Playboy magazine fame. How about that?

  Vernon Hightower : He pulled that one on her? I knew those gals in the shop wasn't the smartest things in the world, but I did give 'em more credit than that. And I'll bet you, that she's got a husband that's even dumber than she is.

  Nadine Hightower : [ironically]  Hmm.

• Renée Lomax : [It is around 8:45 a.m. Nadine and Vernon are in their trailer. Nadine took her clothes off, to put on a magnificent nightgown from Scarborough's. Renée Lomax barges in, and Nadine quickly goes to the other room, and hides behind the curtain between the 2 rooms. Renée sees the nightgown and is amazed by it, she thinks Vernon got it for her.]  It's from Scarborough's! I swear, this has to be the most beautiful thing I've ever set my eyes on! I'm gonna try it on right now.

  Vernon Hightower : [He is worried. If Renée goes to the other room, to try it on, she will find Nadine there, naked.]  No, no! Uh, honey, you don't wanna be late for work, do you? Hmm? Hey, I got an idea. Why don't we leave this here, hmm? You can come back later and try it on.

  Renée Lomax : Uh-uh, I wanna take this with me. I'm not gonna let this out of my sight.

  Nadine Hightower : [when Renée quickly leaves, Nadine sticks her head out, above the curtain. She is mad.]  Vernon Hightower! I'm standin' back here buck-naked! If you let that dimwit walk outta here with my favorite nightgown!

  Vernon Hightower : [trying to calm her down.]  Trust me! I got a plan.

  [see PHOTOS section] 

• Vernon Hightower : [on phone]  You know I'm good for it. It's just that all my money is tied up in, uh, assets and stuff.

• Vernon Hightower : Damn it, woman, I'm trying to get the Blue Bonnet refinanced.

  Nadine Hightower : If you ask me, the Blue Bonnet's...

  Vernon Hightower : I didn't ask. There is no way they're gonna let me have that money unless you agree to the divorce and promise to make no claim on the Bonnet.

  Nadine Hightower : Do you see the keys to a new Buick convertible with white sidewall tires, a radio and air conditioner? When you see the keys in my hand, you'll see my name on those papers. Now you got that, slick?

  Vernon Hightower : [points to his beat-up old pickup truck]  You see that Chevy? You see that busted headlight? You see that baling wire? You think I'd be driving in that if I could afford a new Buick?

  Nadine Hightower : [she notices a blonde sitting in the truck]  And who might that be?

  Vernon Hightower : That happens to be Renee Lomax. She's the Uvalde High School Pecan Queen of 1947.

• Nadine Hightower : Ain't she a little on the cheap side?

  Vernon Hightower : Who?

  Nadine Hightower : Miss Low-Rent Lust back there.

  Vernon Hightower : Renee? Are you kidding? She's got a good job with the Lone Star Beer Company.

  Nadine Hightower : She don't look that smart to me.

  Vernon Hightower : Well, she's smart enough to work in Accounts Receivable.

  Nadine Hightower : I don't know, Vernon. She looks a little on the chubby side to be a pecan queen.

  Vernon Hightower : Well, at least she doesn't spend all her time finding fault with me.

• Vernon Hightower : First one comes close gets a face full of rattlesnake.

  Buford Pope : Oh, goddamn it, man. You lost your mind? You let them snakes out of there, they'll go after you as well as us.

  Vernon Hightower : [to Floyd]  All right, you. Get your car keys out, put them on the desk. Get against the wall.

  Buford Pope : You do that, boy, you'll be wrestling duck shit come Thursday night.

  Vernon Hightower : Floyd, you *don't* get those car keys out here... you're gonna be wrestling a diamondback in about one minute.

  Floyd : [glumly hands over the car keys]  You're gonna' pay for this.

• Buford Pope : Well, Mr. Hightower, let's us have a little talk here. I know you're in what they call "financial straits." So why don't you let my boys here set fire to that dump of yours? That way, at least you'll collect on the fire insurance. All you have to do is hand over the map.

  Vernon Hightower : I appreciate that, but that won't do me no good now. See, I let the insurance lapse about a month ago.