How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Sting.
Quote #1
SNYDER: You scored blood money today, Hooker. You need a friend.
Of course, Snyder's use of the word "friend" here is totally menacing. What he really means here is, "Give me all your money or I'll turn you over to the mob." And seriously, who wants friends if this is what counts as one?
Quote #2
HENRY GONDORFF: But don't kid yourself, friend, I still know how.
In this movie, you'll hear a lot of characters use the word "friend" as a general term for "hey you" or "buddy." In this case, Henry Gondorff uses the word to remind Johnny that even though he's a good grifter, there's still a ton of stuff he doesn't know and Henry does.
Quote #3
DOYLE LONNEGAN: Me and Danny been friends since we were six. Take a good look at that face, Floyd, cause if he ever finds out we let one lousy grifter beat us, you'll have to kill him and every other hood in Chicago who'd like to do the same thing.
Doyle Lonnegan feels loyalty toward the men he knew as a child. But he has a much deeper loyalty to all the money and power he's spent his life trying to get. That's why he can never let his mob buddies find out about Johnny Hooker taking his money, or else he'll have no choice but to kill everyone who might sense weakness in him.