The Book of Eli 2010 quotes

Carnegie

The men you killed in my bar, now, they were nobody. But you, now.

Redridge

He ain't got the shakes. He ain't one of them.

Carnegie

Good. This is a civilized town. We don't eat humans. We don't see too many people from before. Not anymore. Do you read?

Eli

Every day.

Carnegie

All right. Well, good for you. Me, too. You know, it's funny. As old as we are, people like you and me, we're the future.

Eli

What do you want with me?

Carnegie

Straight to the point! I like that! You're not just educated. I never saw anyone handle themselves the way you did. I don't know where you learned it, but I sure as hell could use it. This little town, just the beginning. I'm about to expand. I need expert help. I could use someone like you.

Eli

Thank you, but I'm really not interested.

Carnegie

Well, the people who work for me live better than any walker ever dreamed. Ask Redridge here. Ask the boys, anyone. Real beds, hot food, women. [Slides jug across desk] Clean water. You could do a lot worse, my friend.

Eli

Thank you, but I got somewhere I need to be.

Carnegie

Where?

Eli

West.

Carnegie

There is nothing west.

Eli

I've been told different.

Carnegie

By who? [Sits in chair] Tell you what. Stay the night. Try a little local hospitality, see how you like it. We'll talk again in the morning.

Redridge

Word of advice, Walker. It's not a choice.

Eli

It's always a choice.

Carnegie

Is that thing loaded? I don't think it's loaded.

Eli

One way to find out.

Carnegie

Look, I need that book. I mean, I want the book and you, but if you make me choose, I'll kill you, I'll take the book.

Eli

Why? Why do you want it?

Carnegie

I grew up with it. I know its power. And if you read it, then so do you. That's why they burned them all after the war. Just staying alive is an act of faith. Building this town is an even bigger act of faith, but they don't understand that, none of them. And I don't have the right words to help them, but the book does. Now, I admit... that I've had to do things, many, many things, that I hate, to build this. I confess that. But if we have that book, I wouldn't have to. Now imagine. Imagine how different, how righteous this little world could be... if we had the right words for our faith. The people would truly understand why they're here and what they're doing... and they wouldn't need any of the uglier motivations. It's not right to keep that book hidden away. It's meant to be shared with others. It's meant to be spread. Isn't that what you want?

Eli

With all of my heart and soul. I always believed that... I'd find a place where this book belonged, where it was needed. But I haven't found it yet. [Walks away]

Carnegie

I love this guy. Shoot him, please.

Claudia

Where is Solara?

Carnegie

Out there. Her choice. I tried to bring her back... she refused.

Claudia

What did you do that she refused?

Carnegie

Read it.

Claudia

What did you do to my daughter?

Carnegie

Read it!

Claudia

What did you do to my daughter?! [Claudia feels the Braille print. She smiles, realizing Carnegie's irony.]

Carnegie

You can start anytime.

Claudia

I'm sorry, it's been so long. I don't remember.

Carnegie

You have to.

Claudia

Do I have to? Really?

Carnegie

No, no, you have to. Please.

Claudia

Your leg.

Carnegie

It doesn't hurt anymore.

Claudia

I can smell it. [Places her hand on Carnegie's forehead] You worked so hard for that book. You sacrificed so much. So many men... more than you could spare. [Leans forward, almost nose-to-nose with Carnegie] Now all those people who were too scared to even say your name, they're downstairs tearing up the bar right now. Did you know that? And there's no one there to stop them. [Shoves his head back] And you're feverish. I can't imagine what it must feel like, having what you want so close, and it might as well be a million miles away.

Carnegie

Stop it! [Wathing Claudia leave] Are you leaving me? Claudia? Claudia! Claudia! [Carnegie gets up and follows after Claudia. He then walks out onto the patio looking over the bar, seeing for himself everything Claudia told him.]

Eli

We gotta go now.

Solara

They killed all these people.

Eli

Not just killed them. They ate them.

Solara

Her hands... her hands were shaking.

Eli

Too much human meat. Let's go!

Eli

What are you doing?

Solara

I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep.

Eli

I wasn't asleep. Now, what are you doing?

Solara

I just wanted to see the book.

Eli

No one touches the book but me. You understand? Do you understand?

Solara

Yes, I understand.

Eli

Alright then, go to sleep.

Eli

You says you don't know how to read anyway, so it's no use to you.

Solara

Yeah. So teach me.

Eli

Where's your water?

They don't have none. They were gonna take yours. And then eat you. It's true. It's in the cart. You're not taking it?

Where are you going?

Eli

West.

Can I come with you?

Eli

No.

It's like he's protected somehow, like there's nothing that can touch him.

Carnegie

He's just a **** man. You put a bullet in him, he'll go down like any other.

What are you standing around for?! Kiss him!

What'd he say?

Eli

He's in shock. I think he meant "Kill him."

You don't have to leave, you know. You're more than welcome to stay. You'll be perfectly safe here.

Solara

Thank you. But this is something I have to do.

Where will you go?

Solara

Home.

We've been doing this for a long time now. Feels like a museum. No, it's much more than that. This is where we're going to start again. We've got a printing press. It'll be operational quite soon. We're going to teach people about the world they lost. Help them start to rebuild it. I mean, look. Shakespeare. Britannica, missing only a few volumes. There's a whole series of beautiful Mozart and Wagner records... in still very pristine condition. But never a Bible. Well, not until now. Well, may I ask what condition it's in?

Eli

It's beat up, but it will do the job.

Do you think I could see it?

Eli

Yes, you may.

That was my cat.

Eli

Fine specimen.

I saw you knock him off the bar.

Eli

No, I kind of shooed him. I didn't really knock him.

You raised your hand at him.

Eli

Won't happen again, I promise you.

Hey Martz, how 'bout another drink, huh?

That cat has been coming in here for two years. It's got more rights to be in here than you.

Eli

I don't want any trouble.

Well, that's too bad. [Raising his fist at Eli] Cuz you're about to-

Eli

I know who you are. A murderer of innocent travelers around the world. You are going to be held accountable for the things you've done. Do you know that? Do you?

Redridge

Carnegie. One of the road crews just pulled into town. They've got something for you.

Carnegie

Books?

Redridge

Whole bag of them.

Carnegie

Tell them I wanna see them right now.

Stay. No problem. Come on, let's go.

We did good. The one you want, it ain't there?

Carnegie

No.

I just don't understand. That's a shitload of books.

Carnegie

You don't have to understand. I understand. Leave that to me and we can be friends. I have faith in you. You'll find it.

Wait. I got this, too.

Carnegie

Now, this is a treat. That's shampoo. Yeah? Go get slammed. Get some pussy. Everything on me, as much as you and your boys can stand. Then go back on the road.

And we'll get you your book.

Carnegie

Of that I have no doubt.

Redridge

You're sending guys out who can't even read to look for one book. Well, no wonder they never find anything.

Carnegie

Yeah, I use the tools I have at hand. Unless you'd like to go with them?

Redridge

What about these?

Carnegie

Burn them.

Solara

Do you really read the same book every day?

Eli

Without fail.

Solara

Will you read some to me? Please? [Eli recites scripture of Psalm 23] That's beautiful.

Eli

You like that?

Solara

Did you write that?

Eli

Yes, I did.

Solara

Really?

Eli

No, no. No. No, that was around a long time before you and I got here, that's for sure.

Solara

What did you mean when you said it's not just any book?

Eli

It's the only one.

Solara

Really?

Eli

After the war, people made it their business... to find and destroy any that the fires didn't get already. Some people said this was the reason for the war in the first place. Anyway, it's the only one that survived.

Solara

How'd you get it?

Eli

They said that the war... tore a hole in the sky, you've probably heard the stories.

Solara

Yeah.

Eli

Tore a hole in the sky, sun came down... and burned everything. Everything and everybody. You were lucky to hole up and hide in a place like this or underground. Most people weren't lucky. So, a year later, we started coming out, and people wandered around. I, not knowing what I was gonna do, trying to find a place to survive. One day, I heard a voice. It's hard to explain, but it was like it... Like it was coming from inside of me. But I could hear it as clear as I can hear you talking to me now.

Solara

What did this voice say?

Eli

It led me... to a place where I found the book... buried under some rubble. The voice told me to carry the book out west. Told me that a path would be laid out for me, that I'd be led to a place where the book was safe. Told me that I'd be protected... against anyone or anything that stood in my path. I've been walking ever since.

Solara

And you did all that because a voice in your head told you to?

Eli

Yes, I did. I know what I heard. I know what I hear. I know I'm not crazy. And I know I would've never made it without help.

Solara

What's that?

Eli

One question too many.

Solara

Do you remember what it was like? I mean, in the world before?

Eli

People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious, what wasn't. We threw away things people kill each other for now.

Solara

Hold up. Hold up! Stop! You know, you say you've been walking for 30 years, right?

Eli

Right.

Solara

Have you ever thought that maybe you were lost?

Eli

Nope.

Solara

Well, how do you know that you're walking in the right direction?

Eli

"I walk by faith, not by sight."

Solara

What does that mean?

Eli

It means that you know something even if you don't know something.

Solara

That doesn't make any sense.

Eli

It doesn't have to make sense. It's faith. It's faith. It's the flower of light in the field of darkness that's giving me the strength to carry on, you understand?

Solara

Is that from your book?

Eli

No, its uh...Johnny Cash Live "At Folsom Prison."

Solara

What?