New York 1970 ... As far back as I could remember I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States. Even before I first wandered into the cabstand for an after-school job, I knew I wanted to be a part of them. It was there that I knew that I belonged. To me, it meant being somebody in a neighborhood that was full of nobodies. They weren't like anybody else. I mean, they did whatever they wanted. They double-parked in front of a hydrant and nobody ever gave them a ticket. In the summer when they played cards all night, nobody ever called the cops. Goodfellas 1990 ***** staring Robert De Niro & Ray Liotta & Joe Pesci & Lorraine Bracco & Paul Sorvino & Frank Sivero & Frank Vincent & Samuel L Jackson et al, director Martin Scorsese, Henry Hill
Hundreds of guys depended on Paulie and he got a piece of everything they made. And it was tribute, just like in the old country, except they were doing it here in America. And all they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s what the FBI could never understand. That’s what Paulie and the organization does is offer protection for people who can’t go to the cops. That’s it. That’s all it is. They’re like the police department for wiseguys. ibid.
For us to live any other way was nuts. Uh, to us, those goody-good people who worked shitty jobs for bum paychecks and took the subway to work every day and worried about their bills were dead. I mean they were suckers. They had no balls. If we wanted something, we just took it. If anyone complained twice they got hit so bad, believe me, they never complained again. ibid.
They had bad skin and wore too much makeup. I mean, they didn’t look very good. They look beat up. ibid.
For most of the guys, killing’s got to be accepted. Murder was the only way that everybody stayed in line. You got out of line, you got whacked. Everybody knew the rules. But sometimes, even if people didn’t get out of line, they got whacked. I mean, hits just became a habit for some of the guys. Guys would get into arguments over nothing and before you knew it, one of them was dead. And they were shooting each other all the time. Shooting people was a normal thing. It was no big deal. ibid.
You know, we always called each other goodfellas. Like you said to, uh, somebody, ‘You’re gonna like this guy. He’s all right. He’s a good fella. He’s one of us.’ You understand? We were goodfellas. Wiseguys. But Jimmy and I could never be made because we had Irish blood. It didn’t even matter that my mother was Sicilian. To become a member of a crew you’ve got to be one hundred per cent Italian so they can trace all your relatives back to the old country. See, it’s the highest honour they can give you. It means you belong to a family and crew. It means that nobody can fuck around with you. It also means you could fuck around with anybody just as long as they aren’t also a member. It’s like a license to steal. It’s a license to do anything. ibid.
If you’re part of a crew, nobody ever tells you that they’re going to kill you. It doesn’t happen that way. There weren’t any arguments or curses like in the movies. So your murderers come with smiles. They come as your friends, the people who have cared for you all of your life, and they always seem to come at a time when you’re at your weakest and most in need of their help. ibid.
The hardest thing for me was leaving the life; I still love the life. ibid.
Henry Hill is still in the Witness Protection Program. In 1987 he was arrested in Seattle, Washington, for narcotics conspiracy and he received five years’ probation. Since 1987 he has been clean. ibid. caption
Mr Orange: What happens if the manager won’t give you the diamonds?
Mr White: When you’re dealing with a store like this, they’re insured up the ass. They’re not supposed to give you any resistance whatsoever. If you get a customer, or an employee, who thinks he’s Charles Bronson, take the butt of your gun and smash their nose in. Everybody jumps. He falls down screaming, blood squirts out of his nose, nobody says fucking shit after that. You might get some bitch talk shit to you, but give her a look like you’re gonna smash her face next, watch her shut the fuck up. Now if it’s a manager, that’s a different story. Managers know better than to fuck around, so if you get one that’s giving you static, he probably thinks he’s a real cowboy, so you gotta break that son of a bitch in two. If you wanna know something and he won’t tell you, cut off one of his fingers. The little one. Then tell him his thumb’s next. After that he’ll tell you if he wears ladies underwear ... I’m hungry. Let’s get a taco. Reservoir Dogs 1992 ***** starring Harvey Keitel & Tim Roth & Michael Madsen & Chris Penn & Steve Buscemi & Lawrence Tierney & Edward Bunker & Quentin Tarantino & Randy Brooks & Kirk Balz et al, director Quentin Tarantino
Hey, Dad, we got a major situation here ... He said the place turned into a bullet fest. He took a cop hostage just to get the fuck out of there. Do I sound like I’m fucking joking? He’s fucking driving around with a cop in his trunk. I don’t know who did what. I don’t know who’s got to Lou. I don’t know if anybody’s got to Lou. I don’t know who’s dead. I don’t know who’s alive. I don’t know who got caught. I don’t know who’s not. ibid. son
Jeffrey: I got fired this morning …
Liane: What are we supposed to do? What about our medical coverage? What about our health? What about our car payments? Payments on this house? The Insider ***** 1999 starring Al Pacino & Russell Crowe & Christopher Plummer & Diane Venora & Michael Gambon & Rip Torn & Philip Baker Hall & Lindsay Crouse & Debi Mazar & Renee Olstead et al, director Michael Mann
I received a shitload of scientific papers from inside Philip Morris. Anonymous. ibid. Lowell
I have no intention of violating my confidentiality agreement and disclosing that which I said I wouldn’t. ibid. Jeffrey
Big Tobacco is a big story. And you’ve got something important to say. ibid. Lowell to Jeffrey
I always thought of myself as a man of science. That’s what’s wrong with it. ibid. Jeffrey to Lowell
This guy is the ultimate insider. ibid. Lowell to 60 Minutes team
The process is known as impact boosting. While not spiking nicotine, they clearly manipulate it. There is extensive use of this technology known as ammonia chemistry. It allows for the nicotine to be more rapidly absorbed in the lung and therefore affect the brain and central nervous system. ibid. Jeffrey on 60 Minutes
I find chemistry to be magical. I find it an adventure. An exploration into the building blocks of our physical universe. ibid.
Fuck it. Let’s go to court. ibid.
The greater the truth, the greater the damage. ibid. 60 Minutes lawyer
Tortious Interference: sounds like a disease caught by a radio. ibid.
Coburn: I suppose you’ve been down the long hard road?
Bronson: Who hasn’t? Hard Times aka The Streetfighter 1975 ***** starring Charles Bronson & James Coburn & Jill Ireland & Strother Martin & Margaret Blye & Robert Tessier & Nick Dimitri et al, director Walter Hill
I knock people down. ibid. him to her
Suit yourself. ibid.
He sure was something. ibid. Coburn
Dollars Trilogy: I know nothing at all about that case of coins. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly [Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo] ***** 1966 starring Clint Eastwood & Lee van Cleef & Eli Wallach & Aldo Giuffre & Al Mulock & Antonio Casas & John Bartha & Claudio Scarchillio & Sandro Scarchilli & Antonio Molion Rojo, director Sergio Leone, Stevens to Angel Eyes
When I’m paid I always see the job through. ibid. Angel Eyes to Stevens
The name Jackson is hiding under is Bill Carson. ibid. Angel Eyes
Wanted in fourteen counties of this state, the condemned is found guilty of the crimes of murder, armed robbery of citizens and state banks and post offices, the theft of sacred objects, arson in a state prison, perjury, bigamy, deserting his wife and children, selling prostitution, kidnapping, extortion, receiving stolen goods, selling stolen goods, passing counterfeit money and contrary to the laws of this state the condemned is guilty of using marked cards … ibid. sentence passed with noose round Tuco’s neck
If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working? ibid. Tuco
Blondie, don’t die. I’m your friend. Please don’t die. Please. ibid. Tuco
You’re really lucky to have me so close when it happened. Think if you’d been on your own. Look I mean when one is ill it is good to have somebody close by, friends or relations. Do you have parents, Blondie? A mother? Not even a mother. No-one? You’re all alone, eh. Like me, Blondie. We’re all alone in the world. I have you, you have me. ibid. Tuco at Blondie’s bedside
You think you better than I am. Where we came from if one did not want to die of poverty one became a priest or a bandit. You chose your way, I chose mine. Mine was harder. ibid. Tuco to brother
You became a priest because you are too much of a coward to do what I do. ibid.
After a meal there’s nothing like a good cigar. ibid. Blondie to Tuco
When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk. (GBH Films & Westerns & Shoot) ibid. Tuco
Name’s don’t matter. ibid. Army captain to Tuco & Blondie
Tuco: When did you unload it?
Blondie: Last night. You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You’re digging. ibid.