AFI's Top 100 Movie Quotes: the Miller's Crossing Addendum
By now you've probably had a look at the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movie Quotes. I have mixed feelings about the list. There are some obvious choices, some shrewd choices, and some that aren't necessarilly stand-out lines but became popular catch phrases. (I'm a big fan of A Few Good Men, and it should be remembered for more than "You can't handle the truth!") To me, the most glaring oversight is that not a single quote from Joel & Ethan Coen's masterpiece Miller's Crossing graces the list. In my humble opinion (which, of course, is always right) the entire script is worthy of inclusion, but I admit that bends the definition of "quote" to the point of breaking. An addendum is obviously needed. Specifically, a collection of 21 Miller's Crossing quotes in chronological order. By frightening coincidence, I just happen to have such a list. This is what it looks like:1.
Johnny Caspar: I’m talkin’ about friendship. I’m talkin’ about character. I’m talkin’ about…hell, Leo, I ain’t embarrassed to use the word: I’m talkin’ about ethics.
2.
Leo: So you wanna kill him?
Eddie Dane: For starters.
3.
Johnny Caspar: You think that I’m some Guinea fresh off the boat, an’ you can kick me. But I’m too big for that now. I’m sicka takin’ the scrap from you, Leo! I’m sicka marchin’ into this goddamn office ta kiss yer Irish ass! And I’m sicka the high hat!!
4.
Leo: Johnny, you’re exactly as big as I let you be and no bigger and don’t forget it—ever.
Johnny Caspar: That’s right, Leo. You’re the bigshot around here, and I’m just some schnook likes to get slapped around.
5.
Tom Reagan: Think about what protectin’ Bernie gets us. Think about what offendin’ Caspar loses us.
Leo: Aw, c’mon Tommy, ya know I don’t like to think!
Tom Reagan: Yeah. But think about whether you should start.
6.
Tad: Wake up, Tommy.
Tom Reagan: I am awake.
Tad: Your eyes are shut.
Tom Reagan: Who you gonna believe?
7.
Mink: Find out? How’s he gonna find out? Damn it, Tom, you and me ain’t even been talkin’! Jesus, Tom! Damn it! Jesus!
8.
Police Chief O’Doole: Listen Tom, I’m just the Chief around here, so don’t bother tellin’ me if ya don’t happen ta feel like it…
9.
Verna: Maybe that’s why I like you Tom: I never met anyone made bein’ a son of a bitch such a point of pride.
10.
Tom Reagan: Nothin’ more foolish than a man chasin’ his hat.
11.
Tic-Tac: Now ya know how ta do this, right? Ya gotta remember to put one in his brain. Your first shot puts him down, then you put one in his brain. Then he’s dead. Then we go home.
12.
Johnny Caspar: You take a page outta this guy’s book: a little less you talk, a little more you think!
13.
Eddie Dane: Know who I am?
Verna: Yeah, Johnny Caspar’s shadow. What, did he stay in bed today?
Eddie Dane: Jesus, I open my mouth, the whole world turns smart.
14.
Eddie Dane: Where’s Leo?
Irish gangster: If I tell ya, how do I know ya won’t kill me?
Eddie Dane: Because if ya told me and I killed ya and you were lyin’ I wouldn’t get ta kill ya then!
15.
Eddie Dane: Go ahead an’ run, sweetie. I’ll track down alla you whores.
16.
Bernie Bernbaum: Don’t smart me. See, I wanna watch you squirm. I wanna see you sweat a little. And when you smart me…it ruins it.
17.
Eddie Dane: Shut up! Or maybe you still got too many teeth.
18.
Johnny Caspar: Take it on the heel and toe before I whack ya one!
19.
Eddie Dane: I am gonna send you to a deep dark place and I am gonna have fun doin’ it!
20.
Johnny Caspar: Shut up, you son of a bitch! You lousy son of a bitch!
21.
Bernie Bernbaum: I’m praying to you! Look in your heart!
Tom Reagan: What heart?
posted by Yomper at 1:41 AM
5 Comments:
Leo:
Jesus but you're a prickly pear. What's wrong with her wanting her brother taken care of?
Tom:
Not a thing. I don't blame her. She sees the angle--which is you--and she plays it. She's a grifter, just like her brother. They probably had grifter parents and grifter grandparents and
someday they'll each spawn little grifter kids--
here's a few more...
Leo: You pay off for protection, just like everyone else. Far as I know - and what I don’t know in this town ain’t worth knowin’ - the cops haven’t closed any of your dives and the D.A. hasn’t touched any of your rackets. You haven’t bought any license to kill bookies and today I ain’t sellin’ any. So take your flunky and dangle.
Tony: Wake up, Tommy.
Tom: I am awake.
Tony: Your eyes were shut.
Tom: Who're you gonna believe?.
Tom: ...She sees the angle - which is you - and she plays it. She's a grifter, just like her brother. They probably had grifter parents and grifter grandparents and someday they'll each spawn little grifter kids.
Tom: Leo gets your sister; what're you selling me?
Bernie: C'mon Tom, it's not like that at all. Wasn't my idea, she'll sleep with anyone, you know that. She's even tried to teach me a thing or two about bed artistry. Can you believe that - my own sister! Some crackpot idea about saving me from my friends...She's a sick twist all right.
Tom: She speaks highly of you.
Bernie: Yeah, well you stick by your family.
Dane: Hey, Tic-Tac, ever notice how the snappy dialogue dries up, once a guy starts soiling his union suit?
Tom: ...If you want me to keep my mouth shut, it'll cost you some dough...I figure a thousand bucks is reasonable. So I want two thousand.
Verna: That's not why you came, either.
Tom Reagan: Tell me why I came.
Verna: [seductively] The oldest reason there is.
Tom Reagan: There are friendlier places to drink.
Verna: Leo's got the right idea. I like him, he's honest and he's got a heart.
Tom Reagan: Then it's true what they say. Opposites attract.
Vera- What are you doing?
Tom- Walking.
Vera-Don't let on more
than you have to.
Tom-In the rain.
Caspar- Okay, kid. Think about it.
It's a mental state.
If it'll help you think, you should know that if you don't do this thing,
you're not gonna be
in any shape to walk out of here.
Tom- Would that be physically,
or just a mental state?
Caspar-That ain't friendly, kid.
I make you a nice offer,
you give me the high hat.
Leo- You hear about Rug?
Tom- Yeah. R.I.P.
Leo-They took his hair, Tommy.
Jesus, that's strange.
Why would they do that?
Tom- Maybe it was injuns.
Post a Comment
<< Home