Ben: I can see my white shirt and my black tie and my Sunday manners didn't fool you for a minute. Well, that's right, ma'am, I'm a menace to the countryside. All a man's gotta do is just look at me sideways and his house goes up in fire. And here I am, living right here in the middle of your peaceable little town, right in your back yard, you might say. Guess that ought to keep you awake at night.

Ben: I live single.

Ben: I respect him. I admire his manners and I admire the speeches he makes and I admire the big house he lives in. But if you're saving it all for him honey, you've got your account in the wrong bank.

Ben: If you're scared of me, mister, why don't you just come right out and say so?
Will Varner: Sir, why should I be scared of you?
Ben: 'Cause I got a reputation for being a dangerous man.
Will Varner: You're a young dangerous man. I'm an old one. I guess you don't know who I am. I better introduce myself. I'm the big landowner, chief moneylender in these parts. I'm commissioner of elections, veterinarian, own a store and a cotton gin and a grist mill and a blacksmith shop... and it's considered unlucky for a man to do his trading or gin his cotton or grind his meal or shoe his stock anywhere else. Now that's who I am.
Ben: You talk a lot.
Will Varner: Well, yes I do, sir. I'm done talking to you, except for passing you on this piece of information. I built me a new jail in my courthouse this year, and if during the course of your stay, something, anything at all should just happen to catch fire, I think you ought to know that in my jail, we never heard of the words habeas corpus. You rot.

Ben: Life's very long and full of salesmanship, Miss Clara. You might buy something yet.

Ben: Miss Clara, you slam the door in a man's face before he even knocks on it.

Ben: Put them things down, Miss Clara, 'cause I'm gonna kiss you. I'm gonna show you how simple it is. You please me, and I'll please you.
[Attempts to kiss Clara, but she slaps him across the face]
Ben: [chuckles] Oh, I know what's troublin' you. It's all those boys hollerin' for Eula every night. And Eula with her hair hangin' down and Jody with his shirt off chasin' her. And your old man at 60 and he's callin' on his lady love.
[Bends down to kiss Clara, and she makes no resistance]
Clara: All right, you proved it. I'm human.
Ben: Yes, ma'am. You human, all right.

Ben: Summertime, and the livin' is easy.

Ben: That's a long time to live in one place.
Alan Stewart: You don't believe in living in one place, Mr. Quick?
Ben: Well, my family moved. Not that they wanted to. They was encouraged by the local citizens.

Ben: The world belongs to the meat eaters, Miss Clara, and if you have to take it raw, take it raw.