written by Carole Eastman
(as Adrien Joyce) and Bob Rafelson
, and directed by Rafelson. The film stars Jack Nicholson
, Karen Black
, and Susan Anspach
. The cast also includes Billy 'Green' Bush
, Fannie Flagg
, Ralph Waite
, Sally Struthers
, Lois Smith
, Toni Basil
, and Helena Kallianiotes
. The film tells the story of a surly oil rig worker, Bobby Dupea, whose blue-collar existence belies his privileged youth as a child prodigy
. When word reaches Bobby that his father is dying, he goes home to see him, reluctantly bringing along his pregnant girlfriend, Rayette (Black), a dimwitted waitress.
If you wouldn't open your mouth, everything would be just fine.
I move around a lot, not because I'm looking for anything really, but 'cause I'm getting away from things that get bad if I stay.
I said don't point at her, you pompous celibate!
[out of his car during a traffic jam, yelling at other motorists] Ants! Why don't we all line up like a goddamned bunch of ants! Its the most beautiful part of the day!
[to Dupea] I'll go out with you, or I'll stay in with you, or I'll do anything that you like for me to do, if you tell me that you love me.
There isn't anybody gonna look after you AND love you, as good as I do.
Palm Apodaca: People. Animals are not like that. They're always cleaning themselves. Did you ever see, umm... pigeons? Well, he's always picking on himself and his friends. They're always picking bugs out of their hair all the time. Monkeys too. Except they do something out in the open that I don't go for.
Catherine Van Oost: You're a strange person, Robert. I mean, what will you come to? If a person has no love for himself, no respect for himself, no love of his friends, family, work, something - how can he ask for love in return? I mean, why should he ask for it?