Backdraft (1991) · 30 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Backdraft (1991): in 7 of its 30 quotes
Most scenes with: Stephen McCaffrey (3), Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale (2)
I'm not gonna quit, Stephen. You hear me?
Brian McCaffrey You had to do it, didn't you? You had to be myth man again, taking on another fire bare-handed instead of looking out for your probie? Is that what happened?
Brian He's a candidate; Your responsibility! You shouldn't have had him up there in the first place! You burned him, Stephen!
Brian Don't you walk away from me!
Who's your brother, Brian?
Brian You are, Stephen.
I sent away for the copy of Life Magazine. The one with your picture on the front. It's a collectible.
Brian McCaffrey Who's doing this, Ronald?
Wrong question. Who isn't? It's not a spark because there's not enough damage. He wouldn't have had any fun. It's not an insurance scam because there isn't any profit.
Brian Do you know who's doing this?
Yes.
Brian Then tell me.
You want to know who? I want to know if this kid really wanted to be just like his dad.
Brian I wanted to be him. I wanted to be him more than anything else in the world.
And you loved him?
Brian Yeah.
And you watched him dance with the animal. You saw your dad burn.
Brian **** you, Ronald! Who's doing this, huh?
Did it look at you? Did the fire look at you? It did. Whoa. Wow! Our worlds aren't that far apart after all, are they? So, whoever did this this knows the animal well, doesn't he? He knows him real well, but he won't let him loose. He won't let him have any fun, so he does not love him. Now who doesn't love fire? And is around trychtichlorate all day long?
Brian Oh, my God!
See... that wasn't such a long walk after all.
In a word, Brian, what is this job all about?
Brian Fire.
It's a living thing, Brian. It breathes, it eats, and it hates. The only way to beat it is to think like it. To know that this flame will spread this way across the door and up across the ceiling, not because of the physics of flammable liquids, but because it wants to. Some guys on this job, the fire owns them, makes 'em fight it on it's level, but the only way to truly kill it is to love it a little. Just like Ronald.
Jesus Christ, Axe!
You don't understand. My cousin, my cousin, Sally, used to work at Swayzak's office. She saw the files, Stephen. She saw what he did!
You set me up with those chemicals on the boat?
I'm trying to explain—
Brian Stephen!
Axe...
Somebody had to stop these pricks, Stephen!
Would you look at me, Axe?
Would you please listen to me?
What were you thinking? You burned people!
You didn't see—
You're a fireman!
When Sally showed me what was in Swayzak's files—
Brian You saw Swayzak's files?!
I should've told you. I should've let you on it.
Brian Let him in on what, John? Murder?
Swayzak and those assholes were closing firehouses. They were getting our friends killed for money! I had to, Stephen! I had to do it for the department!
Brian Did you do it for Tim, John?
Did you start that fire?
That's why you wanted me to wait.
Let me finish Swayzak!
Brian No, John! It's over!
Brian What would he say about what you're doing, John?!
Your dad died saving my life. He died saving my life, and these people were killing firemen for money.
He killed our friends for money! What the **** would you do?
Brian Look, you're his lieutenant, Stephen! You've gotta handle this!
Get to the side, Brian! It's gonna go!
These detectives would like to question you on how come you paid Donald Cosgrove, Jeffrey Holcum and Allan Seagrave to create a phony manpower study! [throws the files at the media, resulting in a barrage of questions] Ask him who made money off firemen dying!
Brian You see that glow flashing in the corner of your eye? That's your career dissipation light. It just went into high gear.
