Harry Dalton quotes from Dante's Peak (1997)

Harry Dalton

I've always been better at figuring out volcanoes than people & politics.

Harry Dalton

This rig can take it. The engine's got a snorkel.

Harry Dalton

Oh, my God! Don't look back, kids! Don't look back!

Harry Dalton

When we get out of here… and we will get out of here…what do you say we go down to Florida, we get ourselves a boat, and we stock it with all the nicest, yummiest things…we can possibly get our hands on, and we go out there and we catch ourselves a big, old, fat fish?

Harry

This little puppy's called Spider Legs. She goes in when it's too dangerous for us. Boldly goes, I might add.

Harry

Any idea where I might find Mayor Wando?

She should be right around the corner, accepting some award. Dante's Peak was just named the best... well, the second-best place to live... in the United States, population under 20,000.

Harry

Good for you. What was number one?

I don't know. Some piece of crap town out in Montana. Who cares?

Hi, Rachel... You Rachel's boyfriend?

Harry

Uh, no, no. Harry Dalton, United States Geological Survey. Just up here to check on your mountain. That's all.

Bunch of you people came up here right after Mount St. Helens went nuts. There was nothing going on then. There's nothing going on here now.

Harry

Yes, well, um…

Rachel

I need to take Dr. Dalton up to the high lake and wondered if the kids could stay here for a little while.

Sure. But why don't we all go? We can go swimming.

Lauren

Yeah!

Mess around in the hot springs on the way back.

I thought this was supposed to be an extinct volcano.

Harry

Not extinct, just dormant... as in sleeping. And your volcano might just be waking up.

You're talking about the evacuation of 7,400 people. You don't think that's extreme?

Harry

All I'm talking about…is you consider alerting the town to the possibility of an evacuation.

What Mr. Dalton here doesn't realize…is that if Elliot Blair gets the idea there is some kind of problem here, he's gonna take his $18 million, his 800 jobs, and he's gonna evacuate.

Les, two people are dead, and we don't know…

This is the first time in 4 years that we have the opportunity…

Rachel

Look, look! It's been a very long day. Let's try to treat each other nicely. Norman, why don't you pull out the town's emergency evacuation plans? We should at least have a look at them.

If I can find them.

Rachel

How about you, you ever been married?

Harry

No, never.

Rachel

Why not?

Harry

Well, for one thing, I move around a lot. Colombia, Guatemala, the Philippines, Mexico, New Zealand, New Guinea. Wherever there's a volcano with an attitude. …Makes it hard to settle down.

Rachel

You ever come close?

Harry

Yes... Once. [sips from a glass cup]

Rachel

Touchy subject.

Harry

Her name was Marianne. We worked together. She loved volcanoes... Fascinated by them. Loved the life. Four years ago, a volcano erupted in Colombia. Marianne and I thought we had enough time to get out. Unfortunately, we were wrong. We got too close to the show. Marianne was killed. If this thing blows, and if she does a Mount St. Helens, the blast will get here within a minute.

Rachel

Well, I hope you're wrong about our volcano, Harry. But if not, I'm glad you're here.

Harry

Paul! I've got that scientific evidence you need.

Paul

Harry, what are you doing?

Harry

I've just come from the town's water supply. It's the same.

Paul

Oh, my God.

Harry

Come here. Come here. Just sit down a second. Sit down a second. All right, listen, now. Have you ever been deep-sea fishing?

Graham

No.

Harry

Good. Neither have I. So, when we get out of here… and we will get out of here... what do you say we go down to Florida, we get ourselves a boat, and we stock it with all the nicest, yummiest things... we can possibly get our hands on, and we go out there and we catch ourselves a big, old, fat fish? ...Hmm? Does that sound good?

Rachel

It sounds good, Harry.

Graham

Yeah, Harry, it sounds great.

Graham

Did you really mean what you said about taking us fishing?

Harry

I sure did.

Lauren

That's great.

You guys ready to go?

Harry

Let's go.