Personal film studies find some of my favorite four words of motion picture dialogue... and a truer four-word phrase was never uttered.
Directed by John Ford, and starring John Wayne, James Stewart, and Lee Marvin -- this funny scene is a fine part of the 1962 film “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.”
Edmond O'Brien's character local newspaper editor Dutton Peabody says ”... give me a drink.” Bartender Jack replies “The bar is closed.” Peabody later replies “A Beer's Not Drinking!”
The great film barroom scene dialogue actually goes like this:
Dutton Peabody: [during local voting for a territorial convention] “I'll have the usual, Jack.”
Jack the Barman: “The bar is closed, Mister Editor, during voting.”
Dutton Peabody: “Bar's closed?”
Tom Doniphon [John Wayne's character]: “You can blame your lawyer friend. He says that's one of the fundamental laws of democracy. No exception.”
Dutton Peabody: "No exceptions for the working press? Why that's carrying democracy much too far! Give me a drink."
Tom Doniphon: “Bar's closed.”
Dutton Peabody: “Just a beer!”
Tom Doniphon: “The bar's closed.”
Dutton Peabody: “A beer's not drinking!”
