Michael Vronsky quotes from The Deer Hunter (1978)

Michael Vronsky

Those are sun dogs...It means a blessing on the hunter sent by the Great Wolf to his children...It's an old Indian thing.

Michael Vronsky

I just wanted to say how sorry I am about Nick. And how, I know how much you loved him and I know that it will never be the same. I just wanted to tell you that.

Michael Vronsky

Here's to Nick.

Michael Vronsky

Okay. Okay!

Michael

I'll tell ya one thing, if I found out my life had to end up in the mountains, it'd be all right, but it has to be in your mind.

Nick

What? One shot?

Michael

Two is pussy.

Nick

I don't think about one shot that much any more, Mike.

Michael

You have to think about one shot. One shot is what it's all about. The deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that - they don't listen. Do you ever think about Vietnam?

Nick

Yeah. I don't know. I guess I'm thinkin' about the deer, goin' to 'Nam. I like the trees, you know? I like the way the trees are on the mountains, all different. The way the trees are. I sound like some asshole, right?

Michael

I'll tell ya, Nick. You're the only guy I go huntin' with, you know. I like a guy with quick moves and speed. I ain't gonna hunt with no assholes.

Nick

I hope they send us where the bullets are flyin' and the fightin's the worst, huh?

**** it.

Michael

Well, what's it like over there? Will you tell us anything?

**** it.

Michael

Everything's going so fast. Hey Nick, do you think we'll ever come back?

Nick

From 'Nam?

Michael

Yeah.

Nick

You know somethin'? The whole thing - it's right here. I love this ****in' place. [Michael laughs] I know that that sounds crazy. If anything happens Mike, you don't - don't leave me over there. You got, you gotta...Just don't leave me. You gotta promise me that, Mike.

Michael

Hey!

Nick

No man, you got, you gotta, you gotta promise definitely.

Michael

Hey Nicky...You got it, pal.

Michael

Every time he comes up, he's got no knife, he's got no jacket, he's got no pants, he's got no boots. All he's got is that stupid gun he carries around like John Wayne. Stanley, see this? This is this. This ain't somethin' else. This is this. From now on, you're on your own.

I fixed you up a million times. I fixed him up a million times. I don't know how many times I must have fixed him up with girls. And nothing ever happens. Zero...Nobody ever knows what the **** you're talkin' about. Huh? 'This is this.' What the hell is that supposed to mean? 'This is this.' I mean, is that some **** soundin' bullshit or is that some ****...There's times I swear I think you're a ****in' ****...Last week, he could have had that new red-headed waitress...He could have had it knocked. And look what he did. Look what he ****in' did. Nothin'.

Nick

What do you think you are, God?

Michael

We gotta play with more bullets...That means we gotta play each other...You gotta listen to me. You wanta stay down here and die?...Go ahead Nickie. It's gonna be all right...Don't worry, in five minutes we're gonna be outa here...It's gonna be all right, Nickie, go ahead. Shoot. Shoot, Nickie.

Michael

What kind of beer would you like?

Linda

What? I don't know. I don't care. Any kind.

Michael

I'll get you a Rolling Rock.

Linda

Okay.

Michael

It's a good beer, it's the best around.

Linda

So, how are you, anyway?

Michael

I'm fine, OK. How are you?

Linda

Me? I'm OK. I'm fine. I go along, you know. Still workin' at the market. There's a million things to do. You sure you're all right, huh?

Michael

Yeah.

Linda

What about your wounds?

Michael

There's nothin', just healed. Just the usual complications, that's all.

Linda

But we heard...

Michael

No, that's not true. A lot of guys went through it.

Linda

Oh, I'm so glad you're alive. I'm so happy. I really don't know what I feel.

Stan

How does it feel to be shot?

Michael

Don't, don't hurt. That's what you want to know. And how's it been, doing OK?

Stan

Yeah, same old thing, you know. Nothin's changed. I'm gettin' more ass than a toilet seat and Axel here, he's gettin' better than ever.

Hey Stan, why don't you show him that gun - that little pussy thing you carry around in the back there. Look at that...

Michael

What's that for?

Stan

The same thing the other one was for.

Michael

And what was that?

Linda

Why don't we go to bed? Can't we just comfort each other?

Michael

No, I can't. Not here. I gotta get out of here. I'm sorry. I just gotta get out...Look, I don't know. I feel a lot of distance and I feel far away. I'll see ya later.

Steven

This comes every month from Saigon. I don't understand...That place is gonna fall any day now.

Michael

It's Nicky, Steve.

Steven

Where is a guy like Nick gettin' money like this?

Michael

I came 12,000 miles back here to get you...What's the matter with you? Don't you recognize me?...Nicky, I love you, you're my friend. What are you doing? We don't have much time, Nick. [Nick pulls the trigger on a gun, clicking on an empty chamber] Is this what you want? Is this what you want? I love you, Nick. [Michael pulls the trigger, clicking on an empty chamber] Come on, Nicky, come home. Just come home. Home. Talk to me. [looking at Nick's track marks] What did you do to your arms? Do you remember the trees? Do you remember all the different ways of the trees? Do you remember that? Do you remember? Huh? The mountains? Do you remember all that?

Nick

One shot. [He smiles and laughs in recognition]

Michael

One shot, one shot.

Michael

Nicky, Nicky, don't, Nick, no!!

Steven Pushkov

Hey, look at that! Whoa! What the hell is that?

Michael Vronsky

Where? Oh yeah. Holy shit! You know what that is? Those are sun dogs.

What does it mean?

Michael "Mike" Vronsky

It means a blessing on the hunter sent by the great wolf to his children.

What the **** are you talking about?

Michael "Mike" Vronsky

No, it's an old Indian thing.