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American Gangster

American Gangster quotes

49 total quotes

Det. Richie Roberts
Elwsorth "Bumpy" Johnson
Frank Lucas
Multiple Characters




View Quote Frank: 'm watching the news. Where the hell's everyone going?
Nate: Home. The war's over.
Frank: Just like that? We're going to leave the ****in' country to the communists?
Nate: We been here since 1961, Frank.
Frank: I haven't!
View Quote Frank: I just heard something. I said it couldn't be true. You didn't really turn in a million dollars you found in the trunk of a car, did you? Want me to tell you what happened to it? It ended up in cops' pockets.
Richie: Maybe.
Frank: Maybe? No. It did. All you did was give it to them for nothing in return. Not nothing: You got their contempt. Why'd you do that? What're you trying to prove, you're better than them? You're not better than them. You are them.
Richie: I don't have the time or interest to listen to this-
Frank:You did it because it was right. That's all. Why's that hard to say? The question is would you do it again? That was a long time ago. It'd be very easy to find out. Tell me you want to find out, tell me the address, and a car will be there, the trunk loaded.
Richie: No, thanks.
View Quote Frank: Let me ask you something. You think by putting me in jail, you're going to stop even one junkie from dying? Because you won't. If it isn't me, it'll be someone else. With me or without me, nothing's going to change.
Richie: Then that's the way it is.
View Quote Frank: Now, I got no problem with you showin' up in court tomorrow with your head blown in half.
Richie: Get in line. That one stretches around the block too.
View Quote Frank: What is this?
Huey Lucas: What? This? These are clothes.
Frank: Yeah that.
Huey: This is a very, very, very nice suit.
Frank: That's a very, very, very nice suit, huh?
Huey Lucas: Yeah.
Frank: That's a clown suit. That's a costume, with a big sign on it that says "Arrest me". You understand? You're too loud, you're making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.
View Quote Richie: [after finding the money in the back of the car] This isn't a couple of bucks.
Rivera: It's the same thing. In principle.
Richie: We're talking about principle?
Rivera: Richie, a cop who turns in this kind of money says one thing: He'll turn in cops who take money. We'll be pariahs.
Richie: We're ****ed either way.
Rivera: Not if we keep it. Only if we don't. Then we're ****ed, you're right. But not if we keep it.
Richie: Yes, we are.
Rivera: Goddamn it, did we ask for this? Did we put a gun to someone's head and say, Give us your money? Cops kill cops they can't trust. We can't turn it in.
View Quote Richie: Bandage his head.
Paramedic: Detective ... he's dead.
Richie: I know he's ****ing dead. Bandage his head, clean him up, put him on a gurney and prop it up so he's sitting. And open his eyes.
View Quote Richie: I want to know everyone you've met for the last twenty years. Everyone you sold to. Every cop you ever paid off. Every one who ever stole from you. Every one you remember.
Frank: Oh, I remember them all. That's not the problem.
Richie: What is?
Frank: The jail's aren't big enough.
View Quote Richie: INS, FBI, IRS - I can't get anything out of them. Nothing on his travel, his bank accounts, property holdings - nothing.
Toback: That's because they all think you're on the take and you think they are.
Richie: They don't want this to stop. It employs too many people. Cops, lawyers, judges, probation officers, prison guards. The day dope stops coming into this country, a hundred thousand people lose their jobs.
View Quote Richie: The warrant permits me to search the plane and its cargo.
[Soldiers aim their rifles at Richie])
Captain: But you don't have my permission.
Richie: I don't need it.
View Quote Richie: What the **** is a microwave?
Tony: It's a scientific force like atomic energy. It rearranges the molecules.
Richie: Of what?
Tony: Of anything. Of popcorn. You don't want to put your head in there.
View Quote Richie: You going to the fight?
Spearman: I don't like boxing.
Richie: It's not about boxing, it's about politics.
View Quote Tobuck: Richie, a detective who doesn't have the cooperation of his fellow detectives can't be effective.
Richie: You know why I don't have it.
Toback: Doesn't matter.
Richie: No, they're all on the take and 'm not and it doesn't matter to anyone. Instead of giving you a medal for turning in money, they bury you.
View Quote Trupo: Want to come over here a minute, Frank? [points to the heroin in the trunk of the car] Now what are we gonna do about this?
Frank: We're gonna shut the trunk and say good night, forget you pulled us over.
Trupo: I got a better idea. [Takes out two slabs of heroin] Or would you rather I took it all and threw you and your brother in the ****in' river?
Frank: I don't know, would you rather it's your ****in' house blows up next time?
View Quote Trupo: What's this? Don't tell me you're actually gonna arrest Frank Lucas, are you?
Richie: What? Haven't you heard? We're all ****ing crazy over here. You know what we do here? Cops... arrest... bad guys. The next time you come across the bridge, you should call me first. Just make sure it's safe.