Once again, here is a batch of memorable Hollywood movie scenes, just for the enjoyment. This is a follow-up to two of my earlier posts, Great Movie Scenes and More Great Movie Scenes.
Granted, motion pictures aren’t society’s highest form of art. But sometimes, they assemble the words, images, and emotions to nail the moment pretty well.
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“This Individuality Stuff is a Bunch of Crap”
From “Patton,” 1970
(In 1944, General George S. Patton, Jr. steps onto a stage before soldiers of the Third Army. His custom-tailored uniform is resplendent with medals and ivory-handled pistols. A giant American flag is in the background. He salutes, standing ramrod straight as a bugler plays “To the Color.” Then he addresses the men.)
General Patton (George C. Scott): Be seated.
I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
Men, all this stuff you’ve heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans, traditionally, love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle.
When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. Because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.
Now, an army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the Saturday Evening Post don’t know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating.
Now, we have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. You know, by God, I actually pity those poor bastards we’re going up against. By God, I do. We’re not just going to shoot the bastards. We’re going to cut out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We’re going to murder those lousy Hun bastards by the bushel.
Now, some of you boys, I know, are wondering whether or not you’ll chicken out under fire. Don’t worry about it. I can assure you that you will all do your duty. The Nazis are the enemy. Wade into them. Spill their blood. Shoot them in the belly. When you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friend’s face, you’ll know what to do.
Now, there’s another thing I want you to remember. I don’t want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We’re not holding anything. Let the Hun do that. We are advancing constantly, and we’re not interested in holding onto anything — except the enemy.
We’re going to hold onto him by the nose, and we’re gonna kick him in the ass. We’re gonna kick the hell out of him all the time, and we’re gonna go through him like crap through a goose!
Now, there’s one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home, and you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now when you’re sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee, and he asks you, “What did you do in the great World War II?” — you won’t have to say, “Well, I shoveled shit in Louisiana.”
All right, now, you sons-of-bitches, you know how I feel.
Oh, I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle anytime, anywhere.
That’s all.
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“There is Justice in our Hearts”
From “The Verdict,” 1982
(Disgraced attorney Frank Galvin is about to lose a medical malpractice case against a prominent surgeon because the revealing testimony of a nurse was disallowed on a technicality. Galvin’s subdued closing argument sways the jury to his side anyway.)
Galvin (Paul Newman): Well, you know, so much of the time, we’re just lost. We say, ‘Please, God, tell us what is right, tell us what is true.’
I mean, there is no justice. The rich win. The poor are powerless. We become tired of hearing people lie. And after a time we become dead. A little dead. We think of ourselves as victims, and we become victims.
We become weak. We doubt ourselves, we doubt our beliefs. We doubt our institutions. And we doubt the law.
But today, YOU are the law. You ARE the law. Not some book, not the lawyers, not a marble statue, or the trappings of the court. Those are just symbols of our desire to be just. They are, in fact, a prayer. I mean a fervent and a frightened prayer.
In my religion, they say, ‘Act as if you have faith, and faith will be given to you.’ If we are to have faith in justice, we need only to believe in ourselves and act with justice.
See, I believe there is justice in our hearts.
(With a slight shrug, he turns and walks away from the jury box.)
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“Cyborgs Don’t Feel Pain. I Do. “
From “The Terminator,” 1984
(Sarah Connor lies terrified on the seat of a speeding sedan driven by her rescuer, Kyle Reese. For the moment, they have eluded the Terminator. Kyle speaks in a clipped, authoritative voice.)
Kyle (Michael Biehn): I’m here to help you. I’m Reese. Sergeant, Tech-Com, DN38416. Assigned to protect you. You’ve been targeted for termination.
Sarah (Linda Hamilton): This is a mistake! I didn’t do anything!
Kyle: No, but you will. It’s very important that you live.
Sarah: I can’t believe this is happening! How could that man just get up after you —
Kyle: Not a man. A Terminator. Cyberdyne Systems Model 101.
Sarah: A machine? You mean, like a robot?
Kyle: Not a robot. Cyborg. Cybernetic organism. All right, listen: the Terminator is an infiltration unit. Part man, part machine. Underneath, it’s a hyper-alloy combat chassis. Microprocessor controlled. Fully armored, very tough. But outside, it’s living, human tissue. Flesh, skin, hair, blood. Grown for the cyborgs.
Sarah: Look, Reese, I know you want to help, but —
Kyle: Pay attention! The 600 Series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy. But these are new. They look human. Sweat, bad breath, everything. Very hard to spot. I had to wait till he moved on you before I could zero him.
Sarah: Hey, I’m not stupid, you know! They can’t build anything like that yet!
Kyle: No, not yet. Not for about forty years.
Sarah: So, it’s from the future, is that right?
Kyle: One possible future. From your point of view. I don’t know tech stuff.
Sarah: And you’re from the future, too?
Kyle: Right.
(Reese stops at a red light. Sarah tries to run, but he drags her struggling back into the car. She sinks her teeth into his hand, draws blood. He shows no reaction.)
Kyle: Cyborgs don’t feel pain. I do. Don’t do that again.
Sarah (pleading weakly:) Just let me go.
Kyle: Listen. Understand. That Terminator is out there. It can’t be reasoned with. It can’t be bargained with. It doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!
Sarah (quietly): Can you stop it?
Kyle: Maybe. With these weapons… I don’t know.
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“I Just Want to Hit Something”
From “Steel Magnolias,” 1989
(In a small Louisiana town, young Shelby Latcherie, diabetic mother of a one-year-old boy, has rejected a liver donated by her mother M’Lynn Eatonton and died. At graveside, after everyone else is gone, M’Lynn is alone with four close friends. One of them, Truvy Jones, has just touched up M’Lynn’s hair.)
M’Lynn (Sally Field): Last night, I went into Shelby’s closet for something, and guess what I found? All our Christmas presents. Stacked up. Wrapped. With her own two hands. I’d better go.
Truvy (Dolly Parton, handing M’Lynn a mirror): Better check the back.
M’Lynn: Perfect, As always. (She continues to gaze into the mirror.) You know, Shelby was right. It — it does kind of look like a blond football helmet. (She breaks down.)
Truvy: Honey, sit right back down. Do you feel alright?
M’Lynn (launching into a tirade): Yes! Yes! I feel fine! I feel great! I could jog to Texas and back, but my daughter can’t! She never could! I am so mad I don’t know what to do!
I want to know why! I want to know why Shelby’s life is over! How is that baby ever going to understand how wonderful his mother was? Will he ever understand what she went through for him?
I don’t understand! Lord, I wish I could. It is NOT supposed to happen this way. I’m supposed to go first. I’ve always been READY to go first.
I can’t stand this! I just want to hit somebody until they feel as bad as I do. I — I just want to hit something! And hit it hard!
(Clairee Belcher steps behind Louisa “Ouiser” Boudreaux and pushes her forward.)
Clairee (Olympia Dukakis): Here! Hit this! Go ahead, M’Lynn, slap her!
Ouiser (Shirley McClain): Are you crazy?
Clairee: Hit her!
Ouiser: Are you high?
Truvy: Clairee, have you lost your mind?
Clairee: We can sell t-shirts saying “I Slapped Ouiser Boudreaux!” Hit her!
Ouiser: Truvy, dial 9-1-1!
Clairee: Don’t let her beauty stand in the way! Hit her!
Annelle Desoto (Daryl Hannah): Miss Clairee, enough!
M’Lynn (regaining her composure): Hush, Clairee.
Ouiser: Let go of me!
Clairee: Well, M’Lynn, you just missed the chance of a lifetime. Most of Chinquapin Parish would give their eye teeth to take a whack at Ouiser.
Ouiser: You are a pig from hell.
Clairee: Okay, all right. Hit ME, then. I deserve it.
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“The Fall Will Kill You”
From “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” 1969
(For days, Butch and Sundance have fled on horseback from a relentless, tireless “superposse.” Suddenly, their rocky path through the mountains ends at a sheer cliff. They are trapped. Members of the posse begin climbing to outflank them.)
The Sundance Kid (Robert Redford): They’re going for position, all right. (He takes out his guns and examines them.) We better get ready.
Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman): The next time I say let’s go somewhere like Bolivia, let’s go somewhere like Bolivia.
Sundance: Next time. You ready, Butch?
Butch (suddenly getting an idea): No! We’ll jump!
(The camera pans down to a fast-flowing river 50 feet below.)
Sundance: Like hell we will.
Butch: No, it’s gonna be okay — if the water’s deep enough we don’t get squished to death. They’ll never follow us!
Sundance: How do you know?
Butch: Would you make a jump like that you didn’t have to?
Sundance: I have to, and I’m not gonna.
Butch: Well, we got to, otherwise we’re dead. They’re just gonna have to go back down the same way they came. Come on!
Sundance (looking up the mountain): Just one clear shot, that’s all I want.
Butch: Come on!
Sundance: Nope.
Butch: We got to!
Sundance: No. Get away from me.
Butch: Why?
Sundance: I wanna fight ’em.
Butch: They’ll kill us!
Sundance: Maybe.
Butch: You wanna die?
Sundance (gesturing toward the river below): Do you?
Butch: All right, I’ll jump first.
Sundance: No.
Butch: Then you jump first.
Sundance: NO, I said!
Butch: What’s the matter with you?
Sundance (shouting): I can’t swim!
(Butch stares at Sundance blankly, then roars with laughter.)
Butch: Why, are you crazy? The fall’ll probably kill ya!
(Butch takes off his gun belt, holds one end, and offers the other end to Sundance. Sundance wraps it tight around his hand. They run toward the edge of the cliff and leap off together.)
Sundance (yelling as they fall): Oooohhhhhh shhhiiiiii—!!!!!!
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“That is Why You Fail”
From “The Empire Strikes Back,” 1980
(On the planet Degobah, young Luke Skywalker tries to use “the Force” to raise his X-wing fighter from the swamp, but fails. The fighter slips back under the water.)
Luke (Mark Hamill): Oh, no! We’ll never get it out now!
Jedi Master Yoda (Voice of Frank Oz): So certain are you. (He sighs.) Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?
Luke: Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.
Yoda: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.
Luke: All right, I’ll give it a try.
Yoda: No! Try not! Do or do not. There is no try.
Luke (failing again): I can’t. It’s too big.
Yoda: Size matters not! Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmph! And well you should not, for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us.
Luminous beings are we (he pinches Luke’s bare shoulder) — not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you! Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere! Yes, even between the land and the ship.
Luke: You want the impossible. (He walks away.)
(Yoda, concentrating deeply, levitates the ship and sets it on dry land.)
Yoda (Exhaling): Mmm…
Luke: I don’t — I don’t believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.
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