The movies can be very insightful. Every once in a while some great lines are delivered by great actors and they become embedded into my soul. They touch upon some character ideals that are longed for but seem lacking in our society.
Two (2) that come to my mind are delivered by Al Pacino in “Scent of a Women†and by Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Menâ€.
Al Pacino as a Blind and Angry Lt. Col. Frank Slade speaking to his young college sight chaperone: It’s all right Charlie. You break my heart son. All my life I’ve stood up to everyone and everything because it made me feel *important*. You do it… because you mean it. You’ve got integrity Charlie. I don’t know whether to shoot you or adopt ya.
An inexperienced Navy lawyer, LTJG Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) successfully attempts to prove that Col. Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson), the base commander and a powerful senior Marine officer, ordered the “Code Red” by subtly provoking Jessep and causing him to voluntarily confess the truth in court in a moment of anger. What is revealed is Jessep’s twisted sense of truth, honor and loyalty.
Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee I think I’m entitled to them.
Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth!
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, Lt. 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 to a life spent defending something. You use ’em 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 I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I’d rather you just said thank you and went on your way.
