General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons, but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men. And because they are going to get better. Much better. The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man. At the end of this week, we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldier. And they will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of Hell.
Johann Schmidt/Red Skull
Rogers
Chris Evans · 8 quotes
Col. Chester Phillips
Tommy Lee Jones · 3 quotes
Johann Schmidt/Red Skull
Hugo Weaving · 2 quotes
Most scenes together: Col. Chester Phillips & Rogers (2)
Captain America: The First Avenger quotes
Why me?
Erskine I suppose that is the only question that matters. [Displaying a bottle of schnapps] This is from Augsburg, my city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last war, my people struggled. They felt weak...they felt small. And then Hitler comes along with the marching, and the big show, and the flags, and the, and the... and he hears of me, and my work, and he finds me, and he says "You. You will make us strong." Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his research division, a brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he is ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced there is a great power hidden in the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.
Did it make him stronger?
Erskine Yeah, but... there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows...compassion.
Thanks. I think.
Erskine [Gesturing toward the schnapps]
Get it, get it. Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. You will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.
To the little guys. [Both men clank their glasses]
Erskine [Just realizing the schnapps could sabotage the test and takes it before Rogers drinks it]
No no, wait wait. What am I doing? No, you have procedure tomorrow. No fluids.
Erskine No, I don't have procedure tomorrow. Drink it after? Drink it now. [Drinks the schnapps]
Heinz Kruger The first of many. Cut off one head, [Bites down a cyanide pill] two more shall take its place. Hail HYDRA! [Froths at the mouth before he dies]
[Captain America enters the control room of the Red Skull's plane. He moves toward the controls, but turns around to block a shot from Red skull]
You don't give up, do you?
Captain America Nope! [They fight; Steve eventually loses his shield and takes cover from Schmidt's shots]
You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!
Captain America Not my future!
[Captain America is captured by HYDRA and brought before Red Skull]
Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say, you do it better than anyone. But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain? Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?
Captain America He told me you were insane.
He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine, but he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?
Captain America Nothing. I'm just a kid from Brooklyn. [Unmoved by beatdown] I can do this all day.
Of course you can, of course. But, unfortunately, I am on a tight schedule. [He puts a gun to Rogers' head, but the Howling Commandos break in through the windows]
Captain America So am I! [Breaks free of his guards and attacks Schmidt]
[Col. Phillips argues with Dr. Erskine over Steve Rogers' selection]
You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor. [He takes a grenade and pulls the pin] You win wars with guts. [Tosses it to where the candidates are training] Grenade!
[Dives on grenade as soldiers scatter]
Get away! Get back! [They soon realize it's a dud grenade and are amazed at Steve's bravery] Is this a test?
Fury [Post-credits scene: Steve is pummeling a punching bag in a gym and in anger knocks it off its chain, sending it flying across the room when Fury enters the gym]
Trouble sleeping?
You're here with a mission, sir?
Fury I am.
Trying to get me back in the world?
Fury Trying to save it.
Erskine [Steve attempts to enlist yet again; he is in the middle of his physical when Dr. Abraham Erskine walks in]
So, you want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis.
Excuse me?
Erskine Dr. Abraham Erskine. I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Steve Rogers. [introduces himself and shakes his hand] Where are you from?
Erskine Queens. 73rd Street and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?
No.
Erskine [He looks into his files]
Where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities.
That might not be the right file.
Erskine No, it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?
Is this a test?
Erskine Yes.
I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
Erskine Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is a little guy. I can offer you a chance. Only a chance.
I'll take it.
Erskine Good. So where is the little guy from? Actually?
Brooklyn.
Erskine [He stamps his form with 1-A]
Congratulations, soldier.
[Steve meets Col Phillips in Italy; Philips is not pleased to see him]
Well, if it isn't "the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan". What is your plan today?
I need the casualty list from Azzano.
You don't get to give me orders, son.
I just need one name, Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th.
Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R-
I can spell. I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry.
What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?
Yes, it's called "winning the war."
But if you know where they are, why not at least...
They're 30 miles behind the lines through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that because you're a chorus girl.
I think I understand just fine.
Well, then, understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got someplace to be in 30 minutes.
[Steve takes control of the Red Skull's plane and peaks over the radio]
Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?
Jim Morita Captain Rogers, what is your...[Peggy interrupts]
Peggy Carter Steve, is that you? Are you alright?
Peggy, Schmidt's dead!
Carter What about the plane?
That's a little bit tougher to explain.
Carter Give your coordinates. I'll find you a safe landing site.
There's not gonna be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down. [Col Phillips signals Jim Morita and they leave the room.]
Carter I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do.
There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I got to put her in the water.
Carter Please, don't do this. We have time. We can work it out.
Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice. [He puts his compass with her picture on one of the controls as he dives the plane down to the ice below] Peggy?
Carter I'm here.
I'm gonna to need a rain check on that dance.
Carter All right. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club.
You got it.
Carter 8:00 on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?
You know, I still don't know how to dance.
Carter I'll show you how. Just be there.
We'll have the band play something slow. I'd hate to step on your-[radio goes to static]
Carter Steve? Steve? [Colonel Phillips is nearby as a tear drops down Peggy's face] Steve?
SS General Roeder [Three SS officers visit Schmidt's HYDRA facility, but he is slighted by their constant complaints]
The Führer is not accustomed to being ignored, Herr Schmidt. He funds your research because you promised him weapons.
SS General Schneider
You serve at his pleasure. He gave you this facility as a reward for your...injuries.
A reward?! Call it what it is...exile! I no longer reflect his vision of Aryan perfection!
Roeder You think this is about appearances? Your HYDRA division has failed to produce so much as a rifle in over a year, and we have learned through local intelligence you had mounted a full-scale incursion into Norway!
Schneider
The Führer feels- how does he put it?- the Red Skull has been indulged long enough!
Gentlemen, you have come to see the results of our work. Let me show you. [shows them to his lab] Hitler speaks of a Thousand-Year Reich, but he cannot feed his armies for a month. His troops spill their blood across every field in Europe, but still he is no closer to achieving his goals. [pulls sheet off Tesseract-powered laser cannon]
Roeder And I suppose you still aim to win this war through magic?
Science. But I understand your confusion. Great power has always baffled primitive men. HYDRA is assembling an arsenal to destroy my enemies in one stroke, wherever they are, regardless of how many forces they possess, all in a matter of hours.
Roeder Your enemies?
My weapons contain enough destructive power to decimate every hostile capital on Earth. Quite simply, gentlemen, I have harnessed the power of the gods.
Schneider
Thank you, Schmidt.
For what?
Schneider
For making it clear how obviously mad you are.
SS Major Hutter [Studies a map of all European capitals to be targeted, and sees one particular place]
Berlin is on this map!
So it is. [Aims cannon at the SS officers]
Hutter You will be punished for your insolence! You will be brought before the Fūhrer himself! [Schmidt kills him and Schneider]
Roeder [Cornered at the locked door]
Schmidt! [Vaporizes under laser blast]
My apologies, Doctor, but we both knew HYDRA could grow no further in Hitler's shadow. Hail HYDRA.
HYDRA Officers
Hail HYDRA!
Dr. Arnim Zola [Schmidt looks to him and Dr. Zola reluctantly says]
Hail HYDRA!
Nick Fury [Upon discovering where he is, Steve runs out into modern-day Times Square and is very shocked and confused; he is approached by Nick Fury and many S.H.I.E.L.D. agents]
At ease, soldier!
Who are you?
Fury Colonel Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. You would have known us as the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Where am I?
Fury 46th and Broadway. Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we didn't know what your mental state might be, so we thought it best to break it to you slowly.
Break what?
Fury You've been asleep, Cap. For almost 70 years.
How am I alive?
Fury Well, to be honest with you, we don't really know. My docs say it was suspended animation. Could be Dr. Erskine's formula, the extreme cold. I don't know.
What about the war? Did we win?
Fury Hell, yes. Unconditional surrender. Taking down HYDRA was a big part of that. But the world hasn't changed all that much. There's still a lot of work to be done. A soldier's work. The world can still use a man like you, Cap. There's a place here for you. [Steve is silent with shock] You gonna be okay?
Yeah. Yeah, I just...I had a date.
[standing before his army]
Tomorrow, HYDRA will stand master of the world, borne to victory on the wings of the Valkyrie. Our enemies' weapons will be powerless against us. If they shoot down one plane, hundreds more will rain fire upon them! If they cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Hail HYDRA.