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Quotes of Movie: A Few Good Men [1992]
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Kaffee: Is the colonel's underwear a matter of national security? (unknown)
Kaffee: And don't wear that perfume in court, it wrecks my concentration.
Galloway: Really.
Kaffee: I was talking to Sam. (unknown)
Kaffee: Maybe if we work at it we can get Dawson charged with Kennedy assassination. (unknown)
Galloway: Why do you hate them so much?
Lt. Weinberg: They beat up on a weakling, and that's all they did. The rest is just smokefilled coffee-house crap. They tortured and tormented a weaker kid. They didn't like him. So, they killed him. And why? Because he couldn't run very fast. (unknown)
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Kaffee: You don't need a patch on your arm to have honor. (unknown)
Kaffee: [Kaffe has just asked why Santiargo hadn't packed despite being due to be transfered in a few hours after the time of his death, Jessop smirkes] Is this funny, sir?
Col. Jessep: No, it isn't. It's tragic.
Kaffee: Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?
Col. Jessep: Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.
[Kaffee hesitates, dumbfounded]
Col. Jessep: Do you have any more questions for me, Counselor?
Judge Randolph: Lt. Kaffee?
[pause]
Judge Randolph: Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?
[Jessep defiantly gets up to leave the courtroom]
Col. Jessep: Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.
Kaffee: Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.
Col. Jessep: I beg your pardon?
Kaffee: I'm not finished with my examination. Sit down.
Col. Jessep: Colonel!
Kaffee: What's that?
Col. Jessep: I would appreciate it if he would address me as Colonel or Sir. I believe I've earned it.
Judge Randolph: Defense counsel will address the witness as Colonel or Sir.
Col. Jessep: [to Judge] I don't know what the hell kind of unit you're running here.
Judge Randolph: And the witness will address this court as Judge or Your Honor. I'm quite certain I've earned it. Take your seat, Colonel. (unknown)
Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to. (unknown)
Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: I want you to know that I am proud neither of what I have done, nor of what I am doing. (unknown)
Col. Jessep: [yelling] I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and piss in your dead skull! You fucked with the wrong Marine! (unknown)
Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson: [voice over, as we see Markinson putting on his full class A dress uniform. It is his suicide note] Dear Mr. and Mrs. Santiago, I was William's executive officer. I knew your son vaguely, which is to say I knew his name. In a matter of time, the trial of the two men charged with your son's death will be concluded, and seven men and two women whom you've never met will try to offer you an explanation as to why William is dead. For my part, I've done as much as I can to bring the truth to light. And the truth is this: Your son is dead for only one reason. I wasn't strong enough to stop it. Always, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson, United States Marine Corps.
[puts pistol in his mouth, we hear a gunshot as the scene changes back to the courtroom] (unknown)
Kaffee: Did you order the Code Red?
Col. Jessep: I did the job I...
Kaffee: [shouting] Did you order the Code Red?
Col. Jessep: [shouts] You're goddamn right I did! (unknown)
Kaffee: [Kaffee is questioning Kendrick about Dawson's refusal to discipline PFC Curtis Bell, which led to his bad pro-con report rating] Lt. Kendrick, was Lance Corporal Dauson given a below average rating on this last report because you learned he had been sneaking food to Private Bell?
Capt. Ross: Object!
Judge Randolph: Not so fast. Leutenant?
Lt. Kendrick: Lance Corporal Dawson was given a below average rating because he had committed a crime.
Kaffee: A crime? What crime did he commit? Leutenant? Dawson brought a hungry guy some food... what crime did he commit?
Lt. Kendrick: He disobeyed an order!
Kaffee: And because he did. Because he exercised his own set of values. Because he made a decision about the welfare of another Marine which was in conflict with an order of yours he was punished. Isn't that right.
Lt. Kendrick: Lance Corporal Dawson disobeyed an order!
Kaffee: Yeah, but it wasn't a real order, was it? I mean it's peace time. He wasn't being asked to secure a hill or advance on a beach head. Surely a Marine of Dawson's intelligence can be trusted to determine, on his own, which are the really important orders and which orders might, say, be morally questionable? Leutenant? Can he? Can Dawson determine on his own which orders he's going to follow?
Lt. Kendrick: No, he cannot.
Kaffee: A lesson he learned after the Curtis Bell incident, am I right?
Lt. Kendrick: I would think so.
Kaffee: You know so don't you, Leutenant.
Capt. Ross: Object!
Judge Randolph: Sustained.
Kaffee: Leutenant Kendrick, one final question. If you had order Dawson to give Santiago a code red...
Lt. Kendrick: [Interrupting] I specifically ordered those men not...
Lt. Kendrick: ...would it be reasonalble to think he would have disobeyed you again?
Capt. Ross: Leutenant, don't answer that question!
Kaffee: You don't have to, I'm through.
Capt. Ross: Leutenant Kendrick, did you order Lance Corporal Dawson and Private Downey to give Willie Santiago a code red? Leutenant, did you...
Lt. Kendrick: No, I did not! (unknown)
Kaffee: Leutenant, in your opinion was Private Santiago a good Marine?
Lt. Kendrick: I would say he was about average.
Kaffee: Leutenant, you signed three Proficiancy and Conduct reports on Santiago and in all three reports you indicate a rating of below average.
Lt. Kendrick: Yes, Private Santiago was below average. I did not see the need to trample on a man's grave.
Kaffee: Well, we appreciate that but you are under oath now and I think as unpleasant as it may be we'd all just as soon hear the truth.
Lt. Kendrick: I am aware of my oath.
Kaffee: Leutenant, these are the last three Pro-Con reports you signed for Lance Corporal Dawson. Dawson received two marks of exceptional, however, on this most recent report dated June 9th of this year he received a rating of below average. It's this last report I'd like to discuss for a moment.
Lt. Kendrick: That would be fine.
Kaffee: Lance Corporal Dawson's ranking following the school of infantry was perfect. Records indicate that more than half that class has been promoted to full Corporal while Dawson has remained a Lance Corporal. Was Dawson's promotion held up because if this last report?
Lt. Kendrick: I'm sure it was.
Kaffee: Do you recall why Dawson was given such a poor grade on this last report?
Lt. Kendrick: I'm sure I don't. I have many men in my charge, Leutenant. I write many reports.
Kaffee: Leutenant, do you recall an incident involving a PFC Curtis Bell who had been found stealing liquor from the Officer's Club?
Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I do.
Kaffee: Did you report Private Bell to the proper authorities?
Lt. Kendrick: I have two books at my bedside, Leutenant, the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and the Lord our God.
Kaffee: At your request, Leutenant, I can have the record reflect you lack of acknowledgement of this court as a proper authority.
Capt. Ross: Objection. Arguementative.
Judge Randolph: Sustained. Watch yourself, Counselor.
Kaffee: Did you report Private Bell to your superiors?
Lt. Kendrick: I remember thinking very highly of Private Bell, of not wanted to see his record tarnished by a formal charge.
Kaffee: You preferred that it be handled withing the unit.
Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I most certainly did.
Kaffee: Leutenant do you know what a Code Red is?
Lt. Kendrick: Yes, I do. (unknown)
Judge Randolph: [reading the verdict] Lance Corporal Dawson, Private First Class Downey: On the charge of murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, the members find the accused not guilty. On the charge of conduct unbecoming a United States Marine, the members find the accused guilty as charged. The accused are hereby sentenced to time already served, and you are ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps. This court martial is adjourned.
Bailiff: All rise.
[the courtroom clears; Downey is baffled and afraid, and speaks to Dawson]
Downey: What does that mean? (unknown)
Lt. Weinberg: You've heard her. My daughter said a word. She said, "Pa."
Kaffee: She was pointing to a mailbox, Sam.
Lt. Weinberg: That's right. She pointed to the mailbox as if to say, "Pa, look, a mailbox." (unknown)
Kaffee: Joe, if you speak to a client of mine again without my permission, I'll have you disbarred. Friends?
Galloway: I had authorization.
Kaffee: From who?
Galloway: Downey's only living relative Ginny Miller his aunt on his mother's side.
Kaffee: You got authorization from Aunt Ginny?
Galloway: I gave her a call like you asked. She's a very nice woman we spoke for nearly an hour.
Kaffee: You got authorization from Aunt Ginny.
Galloway: Perfectly within my providence.
Kaffee: Does Aunt Ginny have a barn? We could hold the trial there. I can sew the costumes. Maybe his Uncle Goober could be the judge. (unknown)
Lt. Weinberg: Cmdr. Galloway, Lt. Kaffee is considered to be the best litigator in our office. He successfully plea bargained 44 cases in 9 months.
Kaffee: One more and I get a set of steak knives. (unknown)
Kaffee: You think I can't subpoena Markinson?
Capt. Ross: You can try but you won't find him. Do you know what Markinson did for his first 17 of his 26 years in the corps? Counterintelligence. Markinson's gone. There is no Markinson. Look, Danny, Jessup's star is on the rise. Division will give me a lot of room on this one to spare Jessup and the Corps any embarassment.
Kaffee: How much room?
Capt. Ross: I'll knock it all down to involuntary manslaughter. Two years, they'll be home in six months.
Galloway: No deal. We're going to court.
Capt. Ross: No you're not.
Galloway: Why not?
Capt. Ross: Because you'll lose and Danny knows it. And Danny also knows that if it does go to court then I'm gonna have to go all the way. His clients are going to get charged with the whole truckload. Murder. Conspiracy. Conduct unbecoming. And even though he's got me by the balls out here Danny knows that in a courtroom he loses this case. You see, Danny's a awfully talented lawyer and he's not about to let his clients go do jail for life when he knows that they can be home in six months. Now that's the end of this negotiation. I'll see you tomorrow morning at the arraignment. (unknown)
Lt. Weinberg: "I strenuously object?" Is that how it works? Hm? "Objection." "Overruled." "Oh, no, no, no. No, I STRENUOUSLY object." "Oh. Well, if you strenuously object then I should take some time to reconsider." (unknown)
Kaffee: You and Dawson, you both live in the same dreamworld. It doesn't matter what I believe. It only matters what I can prove! So please, don't tell me what I know, or don't know; I know the LAW.
Galloway: You know nothing about the law. You're a used-car salesman, Daniel. You're an ambulance chaser with a rank. You're nothing. Live with that. (unknown)
Kaffee: Oh, spare me the psychobabble father bullshit. (unknown)
Galloway: I'm sorry, I should have called first.
Kaffee: No, I was just watching a ball game. Come on in.
Galloway: I was just wondering how you would feel about my taking you to dinner tonight.
Kaffee: Are you asking me out on a date?
Galloway: No...
Kaffee: It sounded like you were asking me out on a date.
Galloway: I wasn't.
Kaffee: I've been asked out on dates before, and that's what it sounded like.
Galloway: Do you like seafood? I know a good seafood place. (unknown)
Col. Jessep: You see Danny, I can deal with the bullets, and the bombs, and the blood. I don't want money, and I don't want medals. What I do want is for you to stand there in that faggoty white uniform and with your Harvard mouth extend me some fucking courtesy. You gotta ask me nicely. (unknown)
Galloway: But my feeling is that if this case is handled in the same fast-food, slick-ass ' Persian Bazaar manner with which you seem to handle everything else, something's gonna get missed. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I allowed Dawson and Downey to spend any more time in prison than absolutely necessary, because their attorney had pre-determined the path of least resistance.
Kaffee: Wow... I'm sexually aroused, Commander. (unknown)
Col. Jessep: So how is your dad, Danny?
Kaffee: He passed away seven years ago, sir.
Col. Jessep: Don't I feel like the fucking asshole?
Kaffee: Not at all sir. (unknown)
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Movie: A Few Good Men [1992] | [2] | [3]
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