- "You, Mr. Simms are a liar and a cover-up artist."
- "But not a snitch!!"
- "Excuse me?"
- "No, I don't think I will."
- "Mr. Simms, I'm going to give you one more chance."
- "He doesn't want it."
- "Who are you?"
- "Lt. Col. Frank Slade of the US Army. Retired."
- "What is your relation to Charlie Simms?"
- "What is this, a court room? Because if it is, there's a few witnesses I'd like to swear in."
- "The closest thing we could manage to it, yes."
- "Well, Larry and Franny Simms could not make the trip out from Oregon today. I am a family friend appearing on their behalf."
"Charlie doesn't need to be labeled 'Still worthy of being a Baerd Man'."
"What is your motto here? Boys, inform on your classmates ... anything short of that we're gonna string you up by your hide?"
"Here's Charlie, standin' up, facin' the fire. And, there's George hiding in big Daddy's pockets. And, what are you going to do? You're going to reward George and <i>destroy</i> Charlie."
- "Are you finished?"
- "No, I'm just gettin' warmed up!"
"And Harry, Jimmy, Trent... Wherever you are out there, <i>fuck you too</i>!"
- "Stand <i>down</i> Mr. Slade! This is the Baerd School, not an army barracks."
- "I'm not <i>finished</i> yet..."
"When I came in here, I heard those words, 'Cradle of Leadership'. Well, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall. And it is fallen here. Makers of men, creaters of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you are creatin' here."
"I don't care who went to the this place: William Taft, William Tell, whoever. Their spirit, if they ever had one, is dead."
"I'd show ya, but I'm too tired, I'm too old, I'm too fuckin' blind! If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a flame thrower to this place!!"
"I havn't always been blind. There was a time when I could see. And I have seen. I've seen boys like these, boys younger than these, their arms - ripped off, there legs - torn out. But there ain't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit. You can't get a prosthetic for that. You think you're just sending this fine young foot soilder back to Oregon with his tail between his knees, but I say you are <i>executin' his <b>soul</b></i>!"
"I have come to the crossroads in my life. I knew, without exception, I <i>knew</i> what the right path was. But I never took it. Ya know why? Because it was too #### <i>har-rd</i>. Now, Charlie here has come to the crossroads. He's chosen a path. It's a path of courage, of integrity. Those lead to character. Now, <i>that's</i> the stuff leaders <i>should</i> be made of!"
"You hold this boy's future in your hands, commitee. Don't destroy it. Protect it. It's gonna make you <i>proud</i> one day. I promise ya."
(applause)
(banging gavel)
- "Nothin' can shut 'em up, sir."
- "The joint student/faculity committee will take this matter up under advisement in <i>closed</i> session."
- "What are they whispering about?"
- "Well, it appears as if they're going to come to a desicion right here"
- (barely intelligble) "Are you sure?" (louder) "Apparently, that meeting will be unnesseccary. Mrs. Hunsinger..."
- "The joint student/faculity commitee will need no further sessions. Harry Havameyer, Trent Potter, and Jimmy Jameson will be placed on probation for suspiscion of ungentlemanly conduct. It is further noted that George Willis will receive neither recoginition nor commendation for his cooperation here today. (pause) Charlie Simms is excused from any further response to this incident."
(uproarious applause)
----
... The sad part is that I had to go back to fix typos - not content. That was entirely from memory. And, perhaps even sadder still is the fact that I could've started sooner, or kept going longer. Incidently, I have a box-office sized theatrical poster from this movie framed in my apartment. What can I say? It was incredible.
(Edited by JeffNJ at 7<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>4 pm on Jan. 17, 2002)