A character in Basic Instinct (1992)

Nick Curran quotes from Basic Instinct (1992)

Michael Douglas

Most-quoted character in Basic Instinct (1992): in 30 of its 39 quotes
Most scenes with: Dr. Beth Garner (19), Catherine Tramell (19), Gus Moran (10)

A line from Nick Curran [To Roxy]

Let me ask you something, Rocky, man to man. I think she's the **** of the century. What do you think?

More lines from Nick Curran

1 quote
Nick Curran
[To Beth]

Now, will you tell I.A. I'm just your average, healthy, totally **** up cop and let me out of here... please?

Scenes with Nick Curran

28 scenes
[first lines]

Who was this **** guy?

Nick Curran

Rock and Roll, Gus. Johnny Boz.

Never heard of him.

Nick Curran

Before your time, cowboy. Hey, Ronny! Where they hiding?

Ronny

Upstairs, to the right.

Nick Curran

Mid Sixties, he had five or six hits. Got a club down in Fillmore now.

Not now, he don't.

Andrews

There's **** stains all over the sheets.

Nick Curran

Very impressive.

He got off before he got offed.

I'm not going to confess all my secrets just because I have an orgasm. You won't learn anything I don't want you to know.

Nick Curran

Yes, I will. Then I'll nail you.

Nah. You'll just fall in love with me.

Nick Curran

I'm in love with you already. But I'll nail you anyway. You can put that in your book.

Where the **** you been? I've been over to your place.

Nick Curran

Easy, cowboy, easy. I wasn't there.

I went over last night, too.

Nick Curran

Well, I wasn't there either.

You **** her! Goddamn dumb sonofabitch! You **** her! Goddamn, you are one dumb sonofabitch!

Psychologist

Nick, when you recollect your childhood, are your recollections pleasing to you?

Nick Curran

Number 1, I don't remember how often I used to jerk off, but it was a lot. Number 2, I wasn't pissed off at my dad, even when I was old enough to know what he and mom were doing in the bedroom. Number 3, I don't look in the toilet before I flush it. Number 4, I haven't wet my bed for a long time. Number 5, why don't the two of you go **** yourselves. I'm outta here.

I finished my book.

Nick Curran

So how does it end?

I told you. She kills him. Good-bye, Nick.

Nick Curran

Good-bye?

Yeah. I finished my book. Didn't you hear me? Your character's dead. Good-bye. What do you want? Flowers? I'll send you an autographed copy.

Nick Curran

What is this, some kind of joke!?

[last lines]

What do we do now, Nick?

Nick Curran

**** like minxs, raise rug rats, live happily ever after.

I hate rug rats.

Nick Curran

**** like minxs, forget the rug rats, and live happily ever after.

Nick

How long were you dating him?

I wasn't dating him. I was **** him.

Nick

What are you, a pro?

No, I'm an amateur.

Nick

How long were you having sex with him?

About a year and a half.

Nick

Were you with him last night?

Yes.

Gus

Did you leave the club with him?

Yes.

Nick

Did you go home with him?

No. We had a drink at the club. We left together. He went home and I came out here.

Nick

Was there anyone with you last night?

No, I wasn't in the mood last night.

Nick

Let me ask you something, Ms. Tramell? Are you sorry he's dead?

Yeah. I liked **** him. Look, I don't really feel like talking anymore.

Gus

Listen lady, we can do this downtown if you want.

So read me my rights and arrest me and then I'll go downtown. Otherwise, get the **** out of here. [A long pause] Please.

Dr. Lamott

I see two possibilities. One: The person who wrote this book is your murderer and acted out the killing described in ritualistic, literal detail. Two: Someone who wants to harm the writer read the book and enacted the killing described to incriminate her.

Nick

What if the writer did it? What are we dealing with?

Dr. Lamott

You're dealing with a devious, diabolical mind. You see, this book had to have been written at least six months, maybe even years before it was published, which means that the writer had to have at least planned the crime in the subconscious, back then. Now the fact that she carried it out indicates psychopathic obsessive behavior in terms not only of the killing itself but also in terms of applied advance defense mechanism.

Gus

You know, sometimes I can't tell shit from shinola, Doc. What was all that you just said?

She intended the book to be her alibi.

Dr. Lamott

Correct.

She's going to say: Do you think I'd be dumb enough to kill anyone in the exact way I described in my book? I wouldn't do that because then I'd know I'd be the suspect.

Nick

So what if it's not the writer? What if it's, uh, someone who read the book?

Dr. Lamott

You're dealing, then, with someone so obsessed that he or she is willing to kill an irrelevant and innocent victim in order to place the blame on the person who wrote that book. I'm talking about a deep-seated, obsessional hatred and an utter lack of respect for human life.

Gus

So we've got a once-in-a-lifetime, top-of-the-line, looney-tooney the way you cut it -- that's what you're saying, right, Doc?

Dr. Lamott

You're dealing with someone very dangerous and very ill.

Gus

It must really be somethin' -- makin' stuff up all the time.

Yeah. It teaches you to lie.

Gus

How's that?

You make stuff up, it has to be believable. It's called suspension of disbelief.

Gus

I like that. "Suspension of Disbelief."

Nick

What's your new book about?

A detective. He falls for the wrong woman.

Nick

What happens?

She kills him.

Would you tell us the nature of your relationship with Mr. Boz?

I had sex with him for about a year and a half. I liked having sex with him. He wasn't afraid of experimenting. I like men like that. Men who give me pleasure. He gave me a lot of pleasure.

You ever engaged in any sadomasochistic activity?

[smiles]

Exactly what did you have in mind, Mr. Correli?

Did you ever tie him up?

No.

Nick

You never tied him up.

No Johnny liked to use his hands too much. I like hands and fingers.

You describe a white silk scarf in your book.

I’ve always had a fondness for white silk scarves. they're good are all occasions.

Nick

But you said you liked men to use their hands, didn't you?

No, I said I liked Johnny to use his hands. I don’t give any rules, Nick. I go with the flow.

Did you kill Mr. Boz, Miss Tramell?

I'd have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill somebody the way I described it in my book. I'd be announcing myself as the killer. I'm not stupid.

Talcott

We know you're not stupid, Ms. Tramell

Maybe that’s what you’re counting on to get you off the hook.

Nick

Writing the book gives you an alibi.

Yes it does, doesn't it? The answer's no. I didn't kill him.

Nick

How did you feel when I told you Johnny Boz had died, that day at the beach?

I felt somebody had read my book and was playing a game.

Nick

But you didn't hurt.

No.

Nick

Because you didn't love him.

That's right.

Nick

Even though you were **** him.

You still get the pleasure. Didn't you ever **** anybody else while you were married, Nick?

How did you know he was married?

Maybe I was just guessing. What difference does it make? Would you like a cigarette, Nick? [She lights a cigarette for herself]

Do you two know each other?

Nick

No.

No.

How did you meet Mr. Boz?

I wanted to write a book about the murder of a retired rock and roll star. I went down to his club. I picked him up. Then I had sex with him.

You didn't feel anything for him. You just had sex with him for your book.

In the beginning. Then I got to like what he did for me.

Gus

That's pretty cold, ain't it, lady?

I'm a writer. I use people for what I write. Let the world beware.

Nick

Beating that machine can't be easy.

If I was guilty and I wanted to beat that machine, it wouldn't be hard. It wouldn't be hard at all. You took a lie detector test after you shot those two people, didn't you?

Nick

I passed.

You see, we're both innocent, Nick. [He gives her a long, hard stare]

Nick

You seem to know an awful lot about me.

You know an awful lot about me.

Nick

I don't know anything that's not police business.

You know I don't wear any underwear, don't you, Nick?

Roxy
[about Catherine]

If you don't leave her alone, I'll kill you.

Nick

Let me ask you something, Rocki. Man-to-man. I think she's the **** of the century. [Long pause] What do you think? How long have you been here? You like watching, don't you?

Roxy

She likes me to watch.

Tell me, Nicky. Were you frightened last night?

Nick

That's the point, wasn't it? That's what made it so good.

You shouldn't play this game.

Nick

Why not? I like it.

You're in over your head.

Nick

Maybe - but this is how I'll catch my killer.

I'm not going to confess all my secrets just because I have an orgasm. You won't learn anything I don't want you to know.

Nick

Yes, I will. Then I'll nail you.

Nah. You'll just fall in love with me.

Nick

I'm in love with you already. But I'll nail you anyway. You can put that in your book.

What is your problem? I'm trying to help you. Why won't you let me help you?

Nick

I don't want your help. I don't need your help.

Yes, you do. Somethin's going on. [pause] You're sleeping with her, aren't you?

Nick

What's this interest you've got in her?

My interest is in you, not her. She seduces people. She manipulates people. She'll do anything she can---

Nick

I thought you hardly knew her.

I know the type. I'm a psychologist.

Nick
[He grabs her roughly as they stop in the hallway]

That means you manipulate people TOO, Beth. You're a practicing psychologist -- you're better at it than she is.

I feel sorry for you, Nick.

What are you researching?

Nick

A new ending to your book.

Oh really? What's the twist?

Nick

Well, the detective falls for the wrong girl, but he doesn't die.

So what happens to them?

Nick

They **** like minks, raise rugrats, and live happily ever after.

It won't sell.

Nick

Why not?

Somebody has to die.

Nick

Why?

Somebody always does.

Other characters in Basic Instinct

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