Ode to Billy Joe (1976)

James Best: Dewey Barksdale

Quotes 

• Dewey Barksdale : You going somewhere?

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : I'm gonna catch the 6:40 bus.

  Dewey Barksdale : So, you decided to leave, huh?

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Appears so.

  Dewey Barksdale : To have your baby?

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : More or less.

  Dewey Barksdale : There's no baby in you, Bobbie Lee.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Well, that makes you about the only person around here that don't think that.

  Dewey Barksdale : I heard that talk. What I can't understand is why do you want to leave? It would be much easier for you to stay here, you know and just face up to the world and show the people that there's no baby.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : They'd just figure I sneaked off during the night sometime and had an operation when nobody was lookin.

  Dewey Barksdale : I suppose so.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : I know so.

• Bobbie Lee Hartley : My Papa's never gonna understand.

  Dewey Barksdale : He might.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : You're gonna kill Billy Joe all over again and yourself besides.

  Dewey Barksdale : I guess he told you.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : He did, but he didn't mention any names. It's nice that you stepped forward, but I don't see much sense in that. It's best you just let it be.

  Dewey Barksdale : I don't follow that.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Billy Joe's on his way to becoming a legend. He made a desirable girl pregnant and then just flew away. It takes a lot to become a legend. Sometimes even takes your life. Billy Joe's already paid that price. There's no reason for him not to collect on somethin' of value for his efforts.

  Dewey Barksdale : Why should you pay too?

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Oh, I don't mind. It's kind of dangerous. Like in those magazines. "And she went to Switzerland to have a baby... and it looked like him"

• Dewey Barksdale : I still think I'd better talk to your Papa.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : You ready to speak to Billy Joe's papa too? He's in Vicksburg, you know.

  Dewey Barksdale : Yeah, I know. I - sure was hoping to spare him that, you know.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Well, my Papa would speak to him for you. After all, there is my good name and reputation to be considered. The best that could happen to you would be a jail term, I guess.

  Dewey Barksdale : You thought it all out, haven't you?

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Pretty much. I can't see piling new hurts on top of an already hurtful situation. I mean, we can't have people believin' that Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the bridge because of a man, can we? This way, people will think there is a baby somewhere. Something to show for all our trouble. And maybe I'll get to believing that too.

  Dewey Barksdale : I tried to tell him that it probably would never happen again.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : I guess he didn't believe you.

• [last lines] 

  Dewey Barksdale : It ain't gonna be easy for ya. You're going off alone.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Oh, I'll be back before long. I'm only 15. What do I know of the world?

  Dewey Barksdale : If you want, I'll sure be pleased to drive you to the bus.

  Bobbie Lee Hartley : Why, that'd be right neighborly of you, Mr. Barksdale, sir.