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American Gangster

American Gangster quotes

49 total quotes

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




View Quote Trupo: Your husband's illustrious career is over. The Feds are going to come in and take it all. Everything. But not before I get my gratuity. Where's the money?
Ana: There was some on that dresser, but it's gone now so I guess you took it.
Trupo: The money! The getaway money Frank and every other gangster keeps in his house!
Ana: If you leave now, there's a chance Frank might not kill you.
View Quote US Attorney: Is it any wonder then, because of your actions, the entire federal narcotics program is now in jeopardy of being dismantled as completely and enthusiastically as that ****ing transport plane? That's what you've accomplished Mr. Roberts. Single-handedly.
Richie: I had good information the target of my investigation was bringing dope in on that plane.
US Attorney: And that target is?
Richie: Frank Lucas.
US Attorney: Who? Who's Frank Lucas? Who's he work for? Which family?
Richie: He's not Italian. He's black.
US Attorney: Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? You're this close to the end of your career in law enforcement, you're making jokes?
Richie: I believe Frank Lucas is above the mafia in the dope business. I believe he buys direct from the source in Southeast Asia, cuts out all the middlemen, and uses US military planes and personnel to bring pure No. 4 heroin into United States.
View Quote US Attorney: That was a military transport plane. If there was heroin on board then someone in the military would have to be involved. Which means that even as it fights a war that's claimed 50,000 Americans lives, the military is smuggling narcotics. That's how these events are being interpreted by General Easton in that call to me. That someone employed by the this office believes the United States Army is in the drug trafficking business - and is trying to prove it by desecrating the remains of young men who've given their lives in the defense of democracy.
Richie: There are drugs on that plane-
US Attorney: Shut the **** up.
View Quote [To Trupo]'Detective. There are some things you don't do. This is one of them. Not on a man's wedding day.
View Quote Brand names mean something, Nicky. Consumers rely on them to know what they're getting. They know the company isn't going to try to fool them with an inferior product. They buy a Ford, they know they're gonna get a Ford. Not a ****in' Datsun. Blue Magic is a brand name; as much a brand name as Pepsi. I own it. I stand behind it. I guarantee it and people know that even if they don't know me any more than they know the chairman of General Foods.
View Quote For a cop the uppermost thing is the arrest. For a prosecutor, the arrest is nothing without the evidence to convict. We don't have any real evidence on anyone on this board, so they're coming down. We're starting over from the street.
View Quote Forget it, Frank. No one's in charge.
View Quote His name is Frank Lucas. Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. Couple of arrests years ago. Gambling, robbery, unlicensed firearm. For fifteen years he was Bumpy Johnson's collector, bodyguard and driver. He was with him when he died. Five brothers, he's the oldest, lots of cousins, all living here now, spread out around the boroughs and Jersey. The brothers are Eugene Lucas in Brooklyn, Earl Lucas in Newark, Lester Lucas in Queens, Turner Lucas, the Bronx and Teddy Lucas, in Bergen County. Except for the chinchilla coat, which no one can explain, Frank's life seems orderly and legitimate. He gets up early. Five a.m. Has breakfast at a Midtown place, usually alone. Then goes to work. Meeting with his accountant, or lawyer, dropping in on one of the several office buildings he owns. Nights, he usually stays home. When he does go out, it's to a club or dinner - with his new wife - friends, celebrities, sports figures - never O.C. guys. Sundays he takes his mother to church. Then drives out to change the flowers on Bumpy's grave. Every Sunday, no matter what.
View Quote I do pay them, I pay them all. Cops, accountants, lawyers, who don't I pay? Everybody. I pay them a fortune, it doesn't matter. It doesn't satisfy them. The more you pay, the more they expect. You can't start with them because they can't stop. It's like dope. They always want more.
View Quote It's chaos. Every gorilla for himself.
View Quote Pick up the ****in' glass!
View Quote That basically the whole picture right there.
View Quote The man I worked for ran one of the biggest companies in New York City for almost fifty years. I was with him every day for fifteen of them, looking after him, taking care of things, protecting him, learning from him. Bumpy was rich, but never white man rich. Why? Because he didn't own the company. He thought he did. He didn't. He only managed it. Someone else owned it. So they owned him. Nobody owns me. Because I own my company. And my company sells a product that's better than the competition's at a price that's lower.
View Quote The number one fear of people isn't dying, it's public speaking.
View Quote This is my home. My country. Frank Lucas don't run from nobody. This is America.