Several months ago, I put together a Movie Wisdom post based on the films of John Mitchum. Now, I have decided to write one about the movies of his more famous brother, Robert Mitchum.
The idea developed as I watched Thunder Road, a movie that I had never seen. Robert Mitchum wrote it; starred in it; and co-wrote the theme song. In other words, it was a movie that he was passionate about.
Thunder Road is about moonshine running in Appalachia. After watching the movie, I looked up its filming locations. When I was a kid, I heard that a movie like this one was made nearby, and I wondered if this was the one. It was not, but I am going to figure out that mystery.
Anyway, here are some words of wisdom that can be found in the movies of Robert Mitchum.
From River of No Return
There are lots of ways to die. Starving to death isn’t my favorite.
The longer you last the less you care.
From Thunder Road
If you want to bray, go find yourself a barnyard.
From The Longest Day
The thing that’s always worried me about being one of the few is the way we keep on getting fewer.
You can’t give the enemy a break.
From El Dorado
A man can’t shoot good when his horse is jumping.
Faith can move mountains, but it can’t beat a faster draw.
From 5 Card Stud
A man don’t work, he ain’t respectable.
The funeral is for the living.
From Scrooged
Sometimes the truth is painful.
That’s the one good thing about regret: it’s never too late. You can always change tomorrow if you want to.
From Cape Fear
If you hold on to the past you die a little each day.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
They just ran the Robert Mitchum interview with Dick Cavett. If you get a chance, it’s a good one.
I will look at it. Dick Cavett was a good interviewer.
“cow wrote the theme song”. Hmm… this is interesting, I thought. And then I read it again and got it right. Too many cowboys running rampant through my head.
Maybe I wrote it wrong.
Nah. It was all my addled brain
From Night of the Hunter: Not all “men of God” are really so; don’t be fooled by appearances.
Great quote. I have never seen that one, but it looks like I need to watch it.
Oh, you have to. Lillian Gish, Hollywood original legend, is in it too.