This is the problem: what’s wrong with America? American Gangster 2007 ***** starring Denzel Washington & Russell Crowe & Chiwetel Ejiofor & Cuba Gooding jr & Josh Brolin & Ted Levine & Armand Assante & Yul Vazqez & Ruby Dee et al, director Ridley Scott, Bumpy Johnson to Frank
Cops kill cops they can’t trust. We can’t turn it in, man. ibid. partner to Crowe
The cops seize it, arrest everyone, then they start taking it out of the evidence room ... They live off it – our dope. ibid. bloke at table to Frank
The drug problem in Vietnam is more than marijuana. At this point it is estimated that one third of American troops are experimenting with opium and heroin ... An epidemic of heroin among American soldiers. ibid. news report
I want to go to the source. ibid. Frank in Bangkok
That’s 100%. ibid. drug assessor to Frank
Blue Magic. ibid. brand name
America’s Public Enemy Number One in the United States is drug abuse. ibid. Richard Nixon, televised interview
My company sells a product that’s better than the competition, at a price that’s lower than the competition. ibid. Frank to brothers
The most important thing in business is honesty, integrity, hard work, family. ibid.
This is Blue Magic – twice the potency ... It’s everywhere. ibid. black rozzer to Crowe
The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room. I told you that. All right. What you trying to be like Nicky Barnes, huh? ibid. Frank to fellow black gangsta
I’m going to guarantee you peace of mind. ibid. gangsta associate to Frank
It ain’t boxing, kid. It’s politics. ibid. Crowe to associate
His name is Frank Lucas. Originally from Greensboro, Carolina. ibid. Crowe’s briefing
Sundays he takes his mother to Church. ibid.
I want what you got, Uncle Frank. I want to be you. ibid. young relative
I don’t think they want this to stop. It employs too many people. ibid. Crowe to associate
You think you’re going to Heaven because you’re honest. But you’re not. You’re going to the same Hell as the crooked cops you can’t stand. ibid. ex-wife to Crowe
I’ve been paying off the police since I was ten years old. ibid. Frank to fellow gangsta
I ain’t running from nobody. ibid. Frank to wife
Success has got lots of enemies. ibid. associate to Frank
Quitting while you’re ahead is not the same as quitting. ibid. opium grower to Frank
Frank Lucas is the most dangerous man walking the streets of our city. ibid. Crowe’s opening statement
Would you do the same thing again? ibid. Washington to Crowe
I took care of Harlem so Harlem’s going to take care of me. ibid.
A black businessman like you? You represent progress. ibid. Crowe to Washington
What d’you want? Gangstas? ibid. Washington to Crowe
Frank Lucas was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics and sentenced to 70 years. ibid. caption
Federal authorities confiscated over $250 million of Frank’s assets in US and foreign banks. ibid.
Frank and Richie’s collaboration led to the convictions of three-quarters of New York City’s Drug Enforcement Agency. ibid.
Thirty members of Frank’s family were convicted of drug trafficking and sent to prison. ibid.
For his cooperation Frank’s prison sentence was reduced to 15 years. He was released in 1991. ibid.
Pulp Fiction: pulp/pelp/n 1. A soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter. 2. A magazine or book containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper. American Heritage Dictionary, New College Edition. Pulp Fiction 1994 ***** starring Uma Thurman & John Travolta & Samuel L Jackson & Harvey Keitel & Tim Roth & Amanda Plummer & Maria de Medeiros & Ving Rhames & Eric Stoltz & Rosanna Arquette & Bruce Willis & Christopher Walken et al, director Quentin Tarantino
Opening Scene: Forget it, it’s too risky. I don’t believe in that shit.
Her: You say the same thing every time. I’m through, never again, too dangerous. ibid.
Ringo: A lot of people come to restaurants.
Yolanda: A lot of wallets.
Ringo: You’re pretty smart, eh?
Yolanda: Pretty smart. I’m ready. Let’s do it. Right now. Right here. Come on.
Ringo: All right. Same as last time, remember? You’re crowd control; I handle employees [they kiss].
Yolanda: I love you, pumpkin.
Ringo: I love you, honey bunny. [jumps] Everybody be cool, this is a robbery!
Yolanda: If any of you fucking pricks move, I’m going to execute every motherfucking last one of you! ibid.
Yeah, it’s legal, but it ain’t a hundred per cent legal. I mean, you can’t walk into a restaurant, roll a joint, and start puffin’ away. They want you to smoke in your home or certain designated places ... Breaks down like this, okay: it’s legal to buy it, it’s legal to own it, and if you’re the proprietor of a hash bar, it’s legal to sell it. It’s illegal to carry it, but that doesn’t really matter ’cause, get a load of this, all right; if you get stopped by the cops in Amsterdam, it’s illegal for them to search you. I mean, that’s a right the cops in Amsterdam don’t have. ibid. Vincent to Jules
In Paris you can buy a beer in McDonald’s. And you know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris? ... Royale with Cheese. ibid.
Looks like me and Vincent caught you boys at breakfast. Sorry about that. What ya having? Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. What kind of hamburgers? No where’d you get them? McDonald’s? Wendy’s? Jack in the Box? Where? Big Kahuna Burgers! ibid. Jules
Do you read the Bible, Brett ... Ezekiel 25:17 The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men ... And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. ibid.
You my man? ... Fuck pride. Pride only hurts; it never helps. You fight through that shit. ibid. Marsellus
This is Panda from Mexico. Very good stuff. Now that’s Baba, different but equally good. And that is Choko from the Harz mountains of Germany. Now the first two are the same – three hundred a gram. The same prices. But this one is a little more expensive – this is five hundred a gram. But, when you shoot it you will know where that extra money went. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these two, this is real real real good shit. But this one is a fucking madman. ibid. dealer to Vincent
I’ll have the Derwood Kirby Burger. Bloody. And the five dollar shake. ibid. Mia
Could you roll me one of those, cowboy? Thanks. So, Marsellus said you just got back from Amsterdam. How long were you there? I go there about once a year and chill out for a month. ibid. Mia
That’s a pretty fucking good milkshake. ibid. Vincent to Mia
Don’t you hate that? Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it necessary to yack about bullshit in order to be comfortable? That’s when you know you’ve found somebody really special: when you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and share a comfortable silence. ibid. Mia to Vincent
The world famous Jack Rabbit Slim’s twist contest. ibid. announcement
This watch I have was first purchased by your great grandfather during the First World War. It was bought in a little general store in Oxford, Tennessee ... This watch was on your daddy’s wrist when he was shot down over Hanoi. He was captured and put in a Vietnamese prison camp. He knew that if the gooks ever saw the watch they’d confiscate it and take it away. The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright ... So he hid it. The one place he knew he could hide something was his ass. Five long years he wore this watch up his ass. He died of dysentery. He gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable lump of watch up my ass two years ... Young man, I give the watch to you. ibid. soldier Koons to little boy Butch
Pot bellies are sexy. ibid. Fabienne to Butch
What we find pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the eye are seldom the same. ibid.
You know what I’m going to have for breakfast? I’m going to order a big plate of blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. Eggs over easy. Five sausages. ibid.
Any time of the day is a good time for pie. ibid.
Take the body. Stick it in the trunk ... Clean the inside of the car: I’m talking fast fast fast. You need to go into the back seats. Scoop up all those little pieces of brain and skull ... Just give it a good once over. ibid.
Respect: respect for one’s elders shows character. Because you are a character doesn’t mean that you have character. ibid. Wolf
I’m been thinking. Bout the miracle we’ve witnessed. What is a miracle, Vincent? And what’s an Act of God? ibid. Jules
Correct-a-mundo! And that’s what we’re gonna be – we’re gonna be cool. ibid. Jules