Private Trip [to Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins]
****, is you an old man or is you an old woman? I forget.
Played by Denzel Washington 
Glory (1989) · 60 quotes
Glory (1989) · 60 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Glory (1989): in 18 of its 60 quotes
Most scenes with: Searles (6), Rawlins (4), Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (3)
Let me tell you something, boy. You can march like the white man, you can talk like him. You can sing his songs, you can even wear his suits. But, you ain't NEVER gonna be nothing to him, than an ugly ass chimp... in a blue suit.
More lines from Private Trip
3 quotes Private Trip Private Trip [about his paycheck, after the 54th learns they will be paid less than an all-white regiment]
Tear it up! Tear it up! TEAR IT UP!
Private Trip [addressing the 54th the night before battle]
I ain't much about no prayin', now. I ain't never had no family, and...killed off my mama. Well, I just... Y'all's the onliest family I got. I love the 54th. Ain't even much a matter what happens tomorrow, 'cause we men, ain't we? We men.
Scenes with Private Trip
14 scenes
[watching Searles practice with his bayonet]
Oh, what do we have here? Bonnie Prince Charley and his toy bayonet! Stab me.
What?
Stab-me.
[Searles comes at him gingerly and Mulcahy slaps it away]
I said STAB, not TICKLE! Come on, you prissy little schoolgirl!
[Searles comes at him again, Mulcahy disarms him and slams the rifle butt into his stomach, then his face. Searles falls to the ground, writhing in pain and sobbing]
No shame, son, get up... I SAID GET UP!
Trip **** forgot to duck, that's all!
Shaw
Sergeant, deal with that man!
Where about you from?
Trip I'm from around Tennessee. I ran away when I was 12 years old and I ain't never looked back.
Sharts
What ya doin' since then?
Trip I've been running for President. I ain't winning though.
Trip Hey, yo, ****, that's my spot, see.
If you don't mind, there's more sufficient reading light here.
Trip Oooh, I like it when **** talk good as white folks!
I'd be happy to teach you.
Trip Now, listen here, I ain't got nothin' to learn from no house ****, you hear?
I am a free man, like my father before me.
Trip Oh, really? Then move your free black ass out my spot, see!
[Trip and Searles are about to fight when Rawlins steps in]
Look, goddamn it! The whole world gotta stomp on your face?
Trip Oh, I see, white man give you some stripes, you start hollerin' and orderin' everybody around, huh! Like you the massa hisself? ****, you ain't nothin' but the white man's dog! Shit.
[Rawlins slaps him]
And what are you? So full of hate that you have to fight everybody, because you've been whipped and chased by hounds. Well that might not be living, but it sure as hell ain't dying. And dying's been what these white boys have been doing for going on three years now, dying by the thousands! Dying for you, fool! I know 'cuz I dug the graves. And all this time I keep askin' myself, when, O Lord, when gonna be our time? Gonna come a time when we all gonna hafta ante up and kick in like men, LIKE MEN! You watch who you callin' ****. If there's any **** around here, it's YOU, just a smart-mouthed, stupid-ass, swamp-runnin' ****. And if you not careful, that's all you ever gonna be.
Trip He a weak white boy, and beatin' on a **** make him feel strong.
Trip I ain't fightin' this war for you, sir.
Shaw
I see.
Trip I mean, what's the point? Ain't nobody gonna win. It's just gonna go on and on.
Shaw
Can't go on forever.
Trip Yeah, but ain't nobody gonna win, sir.
Shaw
Somebody's gonna win.
Trip Who? I mean, you get to go on back to Boston, big house and all that. What about us? What do we get?
Shaw
Well, you won't get anything if we lose.
Shaw
So what do you want to do?
Trip Don't know, sir.
Shaw
It stinks, I suppose.
Trip Yeah, It stinks bad. And we all covered up in it too. Ain't nobody clean. Be nice to get clean, though.
Shaw
How do we do that?
Trip We ante up and kick in, sir. But I still don't want to carry your flag.
Trip See the way I figure, I figure this war would be over a whole lot sooner if you boys just turned right on around and headed back on down that way, and you let us head on up there where the real fighting is.
We got men dyin' up that road.
Trip And there wouldn't be nothing but rebs dyin if they'd let the fifty-fourth in it.
Trip Wait, no. That's my space, ****. I sleep better close by the door.
Well, if you don't mind, I'd prefer a space where there's more sufficient reading light.
Trip Oh, I like it when **** talk good as white folk!
I'd be happy to teach you. It would be my pleasure.
Trip Hey, listen here, snowflake, I ain't got nothin' to learn from no house ****, you hear?
I am a free man, as was my father before me.
Trip Oh, you free, huh? Then move your free black ass out my space, before I have to bust it up!
Sergeant Mulcahy
[Sergeant Major Mulcahy is leading a Company of the 54th during a bayonet drill]
Thrust! Develop! Guard! [walks past Jupiter Sharts] You're not a dancing school son, take his head off! Thrust! Develop! Guard! [walks to Thomas Searles] Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what have here? Bonny Prince Charlie and his little toy bayonet. Your not reading your books now. Go on, go on, get over here, get over here. Now stab me.
What?
Sergeant Mulcahy
Stab. Me. [Searles half-heartedly prods with his bayonet. Mulcahey sweeps it aside disdainfully.] Stab, not tickle! Hit me! [Searles again lunges with the bayonet] Come on! You prissy little schoolgirl, you're the worst Soldier in this whole company, now hit me![Thomas lunges with his bayonet, Mulcahy deftly grabs his weapon and viciously knocks him to the ground with it.] No shame son, get up. [Searles lies on the ground crying] I said get up!
Trip **** forgot to duck, that's all. [a few other soldiers laugh]
Sergeant Mulcahy
[walks over to Trip, whispers]
Let me tell you a wee secret, son. The only thing you're to learn to do is to keep your mouth shut. [pushes Trip back]
Sergeant Mulcahy
First rank to the rear, back to work!
[to Shaw, on the verge of tears]
Robert, Robert. I'd like to speak to you for a moment in private, if I may.
Enlisted men wishing to speak to their commanding officer, must first get permission. You understand, private?
Trip [to a group of Union soldiers marching up the road]
Look like we goin' the wrong way. Hey. Hey, come on now, buck up boys! Hey, buck up now, come on! Be someday they gonna let the 54th get into it, see! And all your troubles would be over. Come on now, cheer up!
10th Connecticut Corporal
[stops to face Trip]
What'd you say, boy?
Trip Boy? Hey, let me tell you...
Shut up, Trip.
Trip [to Searles]
Would you get up off me, snowflake? [to the 10th Connecticut Corporal] See, let me explain something to you. See, the way I figure, I figure this war would be over a whole lot sooner if you boys just turned right on around and headed back on down that way, and you let us head on up there where the real fighting is.
There are men dyin' up that road.
Trip And there wouldn't be nothing but Rebs dyin' if they'd let the 54th in it.
Union Solder
Listen-
[Men of both regiments argue and begin fighting]
Hold it! As you were, Trip! As you were! [to the Connecticut soldiers] You men move on.
10th Connecticut Corporal
[scoffing as he notices Rawlins' rank]
Stripes on a ****. That's like tits on a bull!
[The other Union soldiers laugh]
You're lookin' at a higher rank, Corporal. You'll obey and you'll like it.
10th Connecticut Corporal
Make me.
Trip I'll make you!
[The 10th Connecticut soldiers push forward again and the fight resumes] [arriving on his horse]
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!
[pointing at the 10th Connecticut Corporal]
You! Yes, you! What's your name? I'm putting you up on charges!
[The Corporal freezes in fear, unable to speak]
There ain't no cause for that, sir.
What's that, Sergeant?
It's just a soldiers' fight, sir.
All right. You men move along. [pause] MOVE IT!
[The 54th resumes its work and the 10th Connecticut continues marching; the Corporal looks at Rawlins briefly, then rejoins his unit]
Trip Yeah, button up that collar. Suck in that gut. Tuck in them big black lips. Lighten your skin, shrink up that nose.
I don't have to listen to this. [stands up to leave]
Trip [blocks his way]
Where you goin', boy?
Let me by.
Trip Let you by? Let you by. Let me tell you something boy. You can march like the white man. You can talk like him. You can learn his songs. You can even wear his suits. But you ain't never gonna be nothing to him but an ugly ass chimp in a blue suit. Oh, you don't like that, do you?
No.
Trip Well, what we gonna do about it? Want to fight me, boy? Huh? What you gonna do about it? You want to fight me, don't you? Don't you? Come on, nig.
Trip Hey, get your hands off me, gravedigger!
Goddamn it! Does the whole world gotta stomp on your face?
Trip ****, you better get your hands off me!
Ain't no **** around here, you hear me?
Trip Oh, I see. So the white man give you a couple of stripes, next thing you hollerin' and orderin' everybody around, like you the massa hisself! ****, you ain't nothin' but the white man's dog! Shit.
[slaps Trip in the face]
And what are you? So full of hate you just want to go out and fight everybody because you've been whipped and chased by hounds. Well, that might not be living, but it sure as hell ain't dying. And dying's what these white boys been doin' for going on three years now, dying by the thousands! Dying for you, fool! I know, 'cuz I dug the graves. And all the time I'm diggin', I'm askin' myself, "When? When, O Lord, is it gonna be our time?" Well, time's comin' when we're gonna hafta ante up. Ante up and kick in like men. LIKE MEN! You watch who you callin' ****. There's any **** round here, it's YOU! Smart-mouthed, stupid-ass, swamp-runnin' ****. If you ain't careful, that's all you ever gonna be.
Trip, isn't it?
Trip Yes, sir.
You fought very well yesterday, Trip. Sergeant Rawlins has recommended that you receive a commendation.
Trip Yes, sir.
Yes, and I think you should bear the regimental colors.
Trip Well...
It's considered quite an honor. Why not?
Trip Well, I'm...wanting to say somethin', sir, but I...
Go ahead.
Trip All right. See, um...I ain't fightin' this war for you, sir.
I see.
Trip I mean, what's the point? Ain't nobody gonna win. It's just gonna go on and on.
Can't go on forever.
Trip Yeah, but ain't nobody gonna win, sir.
Somebody's gonna win.
Trip Who? I mean, you get to go on back to Boston, big house and all that. What about us? What do we get?
Well, you won't get anything if we lose. What do you want to do?
Trip I don't know, sir.
It stinks, I suppose.
Trip Yeah, it stinks bad. And we all covered up in it. I mean, ain't nobody clean. Be nice to get clean though.
How do we do that?
Trip We ante up and kick in, sir. But I still don't want to carry your flag.
ROBERT!
Trip [Shaw struggles forward, but is shot two more times and falls dead] [gets up and take the flag from the dead Shaw]
COME ON! [begins to carry the flag forward, but is shot and killed]
[Trip's courageous call increases the morale of all Union troops in the battle]
CHARGE!
[All men charge uphill toward the Fort]
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