A Few Good Men (1992)

Jack Nicholson: Col. Nathan R. Jessep

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Quotes 

• Judge Randolph : [to Kaffee from the judge's bench]  Consider yourself in contempt!

  Kaffee : Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?

  Judge Randolph : You don't have to answer that question!

  Col. Jessup : I'll answer the question!

  [to Kaffee] 

  Col. Jessup : You want answers?

  Kaffee : I think I'm entitled to.

  Col. Jessep : You want answers?

  Kaffee : I WANT THE TRUTH!

  Col. Jessup : YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

  [pauses] 

  Col. Jessup : Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? 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!

  Kaffee : Did you order the code red?

  Col. Jessup : I did the job I...

  Kaffee : [interrupts him]  *Did you order the Code Red?*

  Col. Jessup : *You're God damn right I did!*

• Col. Jessup : [after Danny casually and dispectfully requests Santiago's transfer order during lunch in Cuba]  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.

• Kaffee : [Kaffee has just asked why Santiago hadn't packed despite being due to be transferred in a few hours after the time of his death. Jessup smirks]  Is this funny, sir?

  Col. Jessup : No, it isn't. It's tragic.

  Kaffee : Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?

  Col. Jessup : 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 really the questions I was 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. Jessup : 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?

  Col. Jessup : [standing to leave]  Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.

  Kaffee : Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.

  Col. Jessup : I beg your pardon?

  Kaffee : I'm not through with my examination. Sit down.

  Col. Jessup : Colonel!

  Kaffee : What's that?

  Col. Jessup : I would appreciate it if you 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. Jessup : 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.

• Col. Jessup : [to Galloway during lunch in Cuba with Kaffee, Weinberg, Kendrick, and Markinson present]  I run my unit how I run my unit. You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4000 Cubans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for one second that you can come down here, flash a badge, and make me nervous.

• Col. Jessup : [Judge dismisses the jury after Jessep's revelation on the stand about the Code Red]  What is this? What's going on? I did my job, I'd do it again!

  [stands up defiantly] 

  Col. Jessup : I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

  Judge Randolph : You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's... guard the Colonel!

  [MPs take post] 

  Judge Randolph : Captain Ross?

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is this?

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent. Any statement you make...

  Col. Jessup : I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is. This is...

  [turning to Kaffee and lunging at him] 

  Col. Jessup : ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and piss into your dead skull! You fucked with the wrong Marine!

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup! Do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

  Col. Jessup : [contemptuously]  You fuckin' people... you have no idea how to defend a nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son.

  Kaffee : Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest you son of a bitch.

  [glares at Jessup] 

  Kaffee : The witness is excused.

• Col. Jessup : [in Jessup's office with Markinson, Kendrick, Weinberg and Galloway present]  How the hell is your dad, Danny?

  Kaffee : He passed away seven years ago, sir.

  Col. Jessup : Don't I feel like the fucking asshole?

  Kaffee : Not at all sir.

• Col. Jessup : Have you ever spent time in an infantry unit, son?

  Kaffee : No, sir.

  Col. Jessup : Ever served in a forward area?

  Kaffee : No, sir.

  Col. Jessup : Ever put your life in another man's hands, ask him to put his life in yours?

  Kaffee : No, sir.

  Col. Jessup : We follow orders, son. We follow orders or people die. It's that simple. Are we clear?

  Kaffee : Yes, sir.

  Col. Jessup : [slower and louder]  Are we clear?

  Kaffee : Crystal.

• Col. Jessup : [refering to Santiago]  I felt his life might be in danger.

  Kaffee : Grave danger?

  Col. Jessup : [sarcastically]  Is there another kind?

• Col. Jessup : [during lunch in Cuba with Markinson, Kaffee, Galloway, Weinberg, Kendrick present]  Take caution in your tone, Commander. I'm a fair guy, but this fucking heat is making me absolutely crazy.

• Col. Jessup : [in Jessup's office]  Hmmmm... transfer Santiago. Yes, I'm sure you're right. I'm sure that's the thing to do. Wait, I've got a better idea. Let's transfer the whole squad off the base. Let's... On second thought, Windward! Let's transfer the whole Windward Division off the base. John, go on out there and get those boys down off the fence, they're packing their bags. Tom!

  Tom : Yes, sir!

  Col. Jessup : Get me the President on the phone. We're surrendering our position in Cuba!

  Tom : Yes, sir.

  Col. Jessup : Wait a minute, Tom, don't get the President just yet. Maybe we should consider this for a second. Dismissed, Tom. Maybe, and I'm just spit balling here, maybe, we have a responsibility as officers to traing Santiago. Maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this country to see to that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. Yes, I'm certain that I read that somewhere once. And now I'm thinking,Col. Markinson, that your suggestion of transferring Santiago, while expeditious and certainly painless, might not be, in a matter of speaking, the American way. Santiago stays where he is. We're gonna train the lad!

• Col. Jessep : [sarcastically to Danny after he asked him what he packed and who he called before his trip to Washington D.C]  What do you wanna discuss now? My favorite color?

• Col. Jessup : [in Jessup's office after Kendrick was asked to leave]  Matthew, sit down, please.

  [Lt. Col. Markinson sits] 

  Col. Jessup : What do you think of Kendrick?

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : Nathan, I don't think that my opinion of Kendrick has any...

  Col. Jessup : I think he's kind of a weasel, myself. But he's an awfully good officer, and in the end we see eye to eye on the best way to run a Marine Corps unit. We're in the business of saving lives, Matthew. That's a responsibility we have to take pretty seriously. And I believe that taking a Marine who's not quite up to the job and shipping him off to another assignment, puts lives in danger.

  [Markinson begins to stand] 

  Col. Jessup : Matthew, siddown.

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : [sits] 

  Col. Jessup : We go back a while. We went to the Academy together, we were commissioned together, we did our tours in Vietnam together. But I've been promoted up through the chain of command with greater speed and success than you have. Now if that's a source of tension or embarrassment for you, well, I don't give a shit. We're in the business of saving lives, Lieutenant Colonel Markinson. Don't ever question my orders in front of another officer.

• Col. Jessup : [during lunch in Cuba with Markinson, Kaffee, Galloway, Weinberg, Kendrick present]  There is nothing on this earth sexier, believe me, gentlemen, than a woman you have to salute in the morning. Promote 'em all, I say, 'cause this is true: if you haven't gotten a blowjob from a superior officer, well, you're just letting the best in life pass you by.

• Col. Jessup : John, you're in charge. Santiago doesn't make 4646 on his next Proficiency and Conduct Report, and I'm going to blame you. And then, I'm going to kill you.

  Lt. Kendrick : Yes, sir.

• Kaffee : Colonel, the 6 a.m. was first flight off the base?

  Col. Jessup : Yes.

  Kaffee : There wasn't a flight that left seven hours earlier and landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m.?

  Judge Randolph : Lieutenant, I think we've covered this, haven't we?

  Kaffee : [hands him the log books]  Your Honor, these are the tower chief's logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews Air Force Base. The Guantanamo log lists no flight leaving at 11 pm and the Andrews log lists no flight arriving at 2 am. I'd like to submit these as defense exhibits Alpha and Bravo.

  Judge Randolph : I don't understand. You're submitting evidence of a flight that never existed.

  Kaffee : Oh, we believe it did, sir.

• [In the film edited for TV on NBC dubbed in the Modified Version. Judge Randolph dismisses the jury after Jessup's revelation on the stand about the Code Red] 

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is this? Colonel, what's going on? I did my job. I'd do it again. I'm gonna get on a plane and go on back to my base.

  Judge Randolph : You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's, guard the Colonel.

  M.P. : Yes, sir.

  [MP's take to the post. And Col. Jessup find out what's going on] 

  Judge Randolph : Captain Ross.

  Col. Jessup : What the hell is these?

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, you have the right to remain silent; Any statement you make may be used against you in a trial by court-martial or in other judicial or administrative proceedings. You have the right to consult with a lawyer prior any further questions. This lawyer may be a civilian lawyer retained by you at your own expense...

  Col. Jessup : I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime? This is funny. That's what this is...

  [Turning to Kaffee and lunging at him. But the MP's restrain Colonel Jessup] 

  Col. Jessup : ... I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and puke into your dead skull, you messed with the wrong marine!

  Capt. Ross : Colonel Jessup, do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?

  Col. Jessup : You friggin' people. You have no idea how to defend the nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son,

  Kaffee : Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.

  [Glares at Jessup] 

  Kaffee : The witness is excused.

  [Colonel Jessup calms down, taking a deep breath to cool off, bend down and grab his hat on the floor, and MP's taken Colonel Jessup away into custody] 

• Col. Jessup : [punchline for a joke to Kaffee, Markin, Kendrick, Galloway and Weinberg]  Walk softly and carry an armored tank division, I always say.

• Lt. Kendrick : Private Santiago was a member of second platoon bravo

  Col. Jessup : Apparently his not very happy down here because his written letters to everyone but Santa Clause is asking for a transfer and now his telling tales about a fence line shooting Matthew?

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : I'm appalled sir

  Col. Jessup : [in his office]  You're appalled, this kid broke the chain of command and ratted on a member of his unit. To say nothing of the fact that he is a US marine, that would appear that he can't run from here to there without collapsing from heat exhaustion. What the fuck is going on in Bravo Company?

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : I think it's better to hold this discussion in private

  Lt. Kendrick : [to Jessup]  that won't be necessary I can handle the situation

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : The same way you handled the Curtis Bell incident? Don't interrupt me lieutenant, I'm still your superior officer

  Col. Jessup : [to Markinson]  And I am yours, I want to know what we're going to do about this

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : I think Santiago should be transferred off the base immediately

  Col. Jessup : Maybe I'm just spitballing here, maybe we have a responsibility as officers to train Santiago, maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this county to see that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. I'm certain I've read that somewhere once, and now I'm thinking your suggestion of "transferring Santiago" while expeditious and painless might not be in the manner of speaking, the "American way". Santiago stays where he is, we're going to train the lad

• Col. Jessup : [to Danny as he, Sam, and Jo enters Jessup's office for the for the first time]  Nathan Jessup, come on in

  Kaffee : [as they shake hands, introduces Sam, and Jo]  thank you sir, I'm Daniel Kaffee. I'm the attorney for Dawson and Downey.

  Col. Jessup : pleasure

  Kaffee : [gestures to Jo]  This Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway.

  Col. Jessup : [as they shake hands]  pleasure meeting you Commander.

  Galloway : Colonel

  Kaffee : [to Jessup, gestures to Sam]  Lieutenant Sam Weinberg, he'll be assisting

  Lt. Weinberg : [as they shake hands]  sir

  Col. Jessup : [gestures to Markinson and Kendrick]  this is my XO Colonel Markinson and platoon leader Lieutenant Kendrick, I've asked them to join us, sit down, please

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : [as they shake hands]  Lieutenant Kaffee

  Kaffee : [as they shake hands]  Colonel Markinson

  Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson : I had the pleasure of meeting your father once. I was a teenager, he spoke at my high school

  Col. Jessup : [to Danny]  Lionel Kaffee?

  Kaffee : yes sir

  Col. Jessup : [to Kendrick]  well what'd you know? This man's dad once made a lot of enemies in your neck of the woods. Jefferson versus Madison County School District. Folks down there said a little black girl couldn't go to an all white school. Lionel Kaffee said "well, we'll just see about that."

• Pfc. William T. Santiago : P.S. In exchange for my transfer off the base, I am willing to provide you with information about...

  Col. Jessup : [reading Pfc. Santiago's letter to the NIS]  information about an illegal fence-line shooting that took place the night of August 2nd...

  [shouts] 

  Col. Jessup : [while in his office, to Kendrick and Markinson]  Who the fuck is Pfc. William T. Santiago?

• Col. Jessup : [in his office, meeting for the first time]  what could we do for you Danny?

  Kaffee : [while looking in his briefcase]  not much sir, this is really more of a formality than anything else. The JAG Corps insists we interview all the relevant witnesses

  Galloway : [hands Danny a pen]  The JAG Corps can be demanding that way

  Col. Jessup : [motions to Kendrick]  John will take you out to show you what you want to see. After that we can all hook up for lunch, how does that sound?

  Kaffee : that sound fine sir