Memorable movie speeches.

[Dark Jezter]

Since we've already had the thread for worst movie speeches of all time, I thought it's time to start up a list for good movie speeches. Keep in mind that this is a thread for great movie speeches, not single sentances. I'll start...

Pulp Fiction: Samuel L. Jackson preaching to the robbers in the cafe... "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

Braveheart: At the battle of Sterling, as Wallace tries to rally his frightened soldiers... "You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live. At least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"

Conan the Barbarian: As Conan and Subotai prepare to make a last stand against Thulsa Doom's riders, Conan prays to his god, Crom... "Crom, I have never prayed to you before, I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad, why we fought and why we died. All that matters is that today two stood against many, that's what's important. Valor pleases you, Crom, so grant me one request: grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you."

Dirty Harry: After a shootout, Detective "Dirty" Harry Callahan holds his revolver on a suspect... "I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"

The 13th Warrior: The northmen, severely outnumbered and broken-spirited, are reminded by Buliwyf why they should show courage in the face of certain death... "Lo there do I see my father. Lo there to I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers. Lo there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning. Lo, they do call to me, they bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever!"

Full Metal Jacket: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman gives a pep talk to the recruits... "The deadliest weapon in the world is a marine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. You will become dead marines and then you will be in a world of s--- because marines are not allowed to die without permission. Do you maggots understand?"

Wall Street: Michael Douglas' character explains why greed is good... "The point is, ladies and gentleman, is that greed - for lack of a better word - is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms - greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."

The Return of the King: King Thoden whips the Rohirrim into a frenzy before charging the fields of Pellinor... "Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden. Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! Death! Death! Forth Eorlingas!"

That's all I can think of for now, although I'll undoubtably come up with more later.

 

[Pseudonym]

Since we've already had the thread for worst movie speeches of all time, I thought it's time to start up a list for good movie speeches. Keep in mind that this is a thread for great movie speeches, not single sentances. I'll start...

A Few Good Men: Jack Nicholson as Colonel Nathan R. Jessep:

"You can't handle the truth!

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, lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can 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 punch line.

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 that you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand the post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!"

 

[BryonD]

Godfather

"But I'm a superstitious man. And if some unlucky accident should befall him - If he should get shot in the head by a police officer, or if he should hang himself in his jail cell - or if he's struck by a bolt of lightning, them I'm going to blame some of the people in this room, and that I do not forgive. But, that aside, let me say that I swear, on the souls of my grandchildren, that I will not be the one to break the peace we've made here today."

 

[Dark Jezter]

I can't believe I forgot to mention this one in my original post...

Independence Day: President Thomas Whitmore's speech to the fighter pilots as they get ready to begin their huge worldwide strike against the aliens... "Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. 'Mankind.' That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight!' We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

 

[Kai Lord]

Return of the King

Aragorn's speech right before they charge the Black Gate.

The Two Towers

Sam's speech to Frodo. That's right!

And two classics:

Good Will Hunting

WILL: "Wood drastically -- Wood 'drastically underestimates the impact of social distinctions predicated upon wealth, especially inherited wealth.' You got that from Vickers, 'Work in Essex County,' page 98, right? Yeah, I read that too. Were you gonna plagiarize the whole thing for us? Do you have any thoughts of your own on this matter? Or do you...is that your thing? You come into a bar. You read some obscure passage and then pretend...you pawn it off as your own idea just to impress some girls and embarrass my friend? See the sad thing about a guy like you is in 50 years you're gonna start doin' some thinkin' on your own and you're gonna come up with the fact that there are two certainties in life. One: don't do that. And two: You dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a f----n' education you coulda' got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library."

Five Easy Pieces

JACK NICHOLSON: "What do you mean you don’t make side orders of toast? You make sandwiches, don’t you?"

WAITRESS: "Would you like to talk to the manager?"

JACK: "You’ve got bread and a toaster of some kind."

WAITRESS: "I don’t make the rules."

JACK: "Okay, I’ll make it as easy for you as I can. I’d like an omelette, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast - no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce and a cup of coffee."

WAITRESS: "A number 2. A number 2, a chicken salad san’ - hold the butter, the lettuce, the mayonnaise and a cup of coffee. Anything else?"

JACK: "Yeah, now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven’t broken any rules."

WAITRESS: "You want me to hold the chicken, huh?"

JACK: "I want you to hold it between your knees."

 

[Jamdin]

Apocalypse Now (Robert Duvall's beach speech):
"You smell that? Do you smell that? ... Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it was all over I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like ... victory. Someday this war's gonna end..."

Patton(George C. Scott's speech):
"Now, 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 biggest 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 Two?" -- you won't have to say, "Well, I shoveled sh*t in Louisiana."

Alright 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."

 

[Pseudonym]

Caddyshack: Bill Murray explaining enlightenment "So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one---big hitter, the Lama---long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consiousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

 

[Wombat]

What is he, that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? -- No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to di, we are enow
To do our country loos; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I, who doth feed upon my cost;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But, if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, 'faith, my cos, wish not a man from England:
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour,
As one man more, methinks, would share from me,
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let hm depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns fro confoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company,
That fears his fellowship to die with us,
This day is call'd -- the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and sees old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his friends,
And say, To-morrow is Saint Crispian:
Then will he strip his sleeve, and show his scars,
And say, These wounds I had on Crispin's Day.
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in their mouths as household words, --
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster, --
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered, --
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me,
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed,
Shall thing themselves accurs'd, they were not here;
And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks,
That fought on Crispin's day.

(Henry V)

I slightly prefer the Olivier version of that particular speech to Branagh's, but either is good

 

[Nuclear Platypus]

I kinda liked Samuel L. Jackson's speech in Deep Blue Sea.

Also G'Kar's speech at the end of season 3 Babylon 5.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Also G'Kar's speech at the end of season 3 Babylon 5.

Well, if we're doing Babylon 5, I'm going to pick Londo from Parliament of Dreams

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Ah! Our household gods! In a world where every day is a struggle for survival, you need all the gods you can get!

Here! This is Denzann, god of food, and this is Li, goddess of passion! And Mogath, god of the underworld and protector of front doors!

Gods by the bushel! Gods by the pound! Gods for all occasions!

... have I ever told you that you are very cute, for a Minbari? And you are cute too... in an annoying sort of way. Everybody's cute! Everybody's cute! Even me!

... but in purple... I'm stunning!
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-Hyp.