“Who is it?” – The Ghost, The Ghost Writer ... Movie Quotes Database

The Ghost: Who is it?
Frank: Mr. Rycart sent me.
The Ghost: Hold on.
Frank: Just gonna do a quick check, if you don't mind. Get your stuff together. We're leaving.
The Ghost: [Richard searches luggage bag] Hey! That's private!
Frank: [To Richard in vehicle] He's clean.
Richard: Thanks, Frank. Sorry about that. Please, get in.
The Ghost: [Riding in vehicle] You thought it was a trap?
Richard: It crossed my mind. You do work for Lang.
The Ghost: Yeah, for three days. I hardly know the guy.
Richard: Who does? I worked for him for 15 years, till he fired me, and I still can't fathom him.
The Ghost: Yeah, his wife said more or less the same.
Richard: There you go. If someone as sharp as Ruth can't get him, what hope do we have? Tough day?
The Ghost: Yeah, you could say that.
Richard: You have the book?
The Ghost: Yeah.
Frank: He's got it.
...
Richard: [At diner with The Ghost with Frank watching from aside] Before we go any further, I wonder if I might take a look at that book.
The Ghost: No. Before we go any further, there's a few things I'd like to know first. Such as, why did Mike McAra have your number?
Richard: Okay. Sure. He was helping me.
The Ghost: McAra? How?
Richard: Mike found the documents linking Lang to the torture flights.
The Ghost: What? It was McAra who gave you the documents?
Richard: Yeah, Mike McAra. The loyalest of the loyal.
The Ghost: But why?
Richard: He didn't like discovering he was working for a war criminal. Would you? Oh, I forgot. You are. The book?
The Ghost: Well, don't tell me you're gonna read it now.
Richard: Not all of it. Just the beginning. There's something very important about it.
The Ghost: Yeah. It's the cure for insomnia.
...
Richard: Mike said he'd discovered something new. It's the last time he called me. He said it explained everything that had gone wrong when we were in government.
The Ghost: What was it?
Richard: He wouldn't say over the phone. He just kept saying if anything happened to him, the truth was in Lang's memoirs. "It's all there in the beginning."
The Ghost: The beginning? Then he means Cambridge. [Rummages for photo and displays it]
Richard: What the hell's this?
The Ghost: [Pointing to photo] That is Lang, and that is Paul Emmett.
Richard: Emmett? The Arcadia guy. So what?
The Ghost: On the day that Mike McAra died, he drove up to see Emmett, and I think he was murdered on his way home.
Richard: What?
The Ghost: I went to see Emmett today, and two guys followed me from his house. That's why I called you. At the time that this photograph was taken, Paul Emmett was an officer in the CIA.
Richard: Emmett?
The Ghost: Foreign Resources Division.
Richard: Oh, my God. You realize how important this is, don't you? This explains why Lang went into politics. Everyone knows he didn't have a political thought in his pretty little head. This is why he rose so quickly, with a little help from his friends.
The Ghost: Well, do you think it's possible...
Richard Rycart: Okay, a quiz for you. Name one decision Lang made in 10 years as Prime Minister which wasn't in the interests of the USA. Well, come on, it's not a trick question. Iraq, Middle East policy, Star Wars defense, buying American nuclear missiles, support of terrorist rendition. The sacking of any minister Washington didn't like, including yours truly. McAra was right. This explains everything.
The Ghost: [Answering phone and says to Richard] It's Amelia Bly.
Richard Rycart: Answer it.
The Ghost: Hello, Amelia.
Amelia Bly: Good evening. I have Adam for you.
The Ghost: [Whispers to Richard] Lang.
Adam Lang: We're coming to get you.
The Ghost: What?
Adam Lang: Ruth tells me you're stuck at the ferry terminal. We've just taken off from New York. Pilot says we can stop by and pick you up.
The Ghost: Really? There's no need.
Adam Lang: We've got a book to write, remember?
The Ghost: Hold on a sec, Adam. He said he wants to pick me up in his private jet.
Richard Rycart: Say yes.
The Ghost: What if it's a trap?
Richard Rycart: If you refuse, he'll get suspicious. Tell him yes.
The Ghost: That'd be great, Adam. Yeah, thanks.
Adam Lang: I'll get to the airport. See you there.
...
The Ghost: He sounds worried. I really don't think this is a good idea.
Richard Rycart: You have no choice.
The Ghost: Emmett must have told Lang that I'd been to see him.
The Ghost: So, what's he gonna do about it? Dump you in the ocean?
The Ghost: Well, it happened before!
Richard Rycart: Which means it can't happen again. He can't drown two ghostwriters, for God's sake. You're not kittens.
The Ghost: All this is just theory. We don't have any proof.
Richard: You'll get us the proof.
The Ghost: Me?
Richard Rycart: You're his ghostwriter. Presumably, he lets you tape him.
The Ghost: I use discs, actually. Discs, tapes.
Richard Rycart: You've got to confront him with this. Record his reaction. Even if he denies it, it's something.
The Ghost: I'm in a tricky position here. I signed a confidentiality agreement.
Richard Rycart: It's a bit late for that. It means the discs are his property. The court can subpoena them.
The Ghost: And what if I don't record any discs?
Richard Rycart: Then you'll be subpoenaed and forced to repeat this whole story.
The Ghost: Then I'll deny it.
Richard Rycart: Then I'll give them this. Frank is recording every word. Aren't you, Frank? Oh! Come on! Don't look so shocked. What did you expect? That I'd come into a meeting with a man working for Lang without taking any precautions? Except you're not working for Lang anymore. You're working for the good guys.
The Ghost: You know all this is pointless, don't you? In the end, he'll just retire over here with his CIA pension, and he'll tell you and the bloody war crimes court to go and **** yourselves.
...
Jet attendant: Good evening, sir. Hatherton welcomes you aboard.
The Ghost: Thank you. It's my first time in a private jet.
Jet attendant: Well, let's hope it's not your last.
Adam Lang: Hi, man. Take your seat.
The Ghost: Thanks.
Adam Lang: Hey, bring my ghost a Calvados.
Jet attendant: Yes, sir.
The Ghost: [Unwrapes an audio recorder] Do you mind?
Adam Lang: Leave it off for now. Ruth said you were in New York to see Maddox.
The Ghost: That's right.
Adam Lang: How was he?
The Ghost: He was fine. Full of energy?
Adam Lang: You know John.
The Ghost: Yes, I do know John. As a matter of fact, I was just with him.
Adam Lang: You never saw him today, did you?
The Ghost: No.
Adam Lang: Do you have something to tell me?
The Ghost: I went to see Emmett.
Adam Lang: That windbag! Why?
The Ghost: I know about you and Emmett.
Adam Lang: Me and Emmett?
The Ghost: I know that he was your...
Adam Lang: My?
The Ghost: ...handler, if that's what they're called.
Adam Lang: My handler?
The Ghost: Yeah, that he was your handler in the CIA.
Adam Lang: Oh, my God. You're serious, aren't you?
The Ghost: When McAra found this, he went to Boston to show it to Emmett, and he died on the way home, and I think he was murdered.
Adam Lang: I think you've had a few too many of those already.
The Ghost: It was McAra who believed that Emmett told you to go into politics in the first place.
Adam Lang: Emmett? I barely knew the man.
The Ghost: And that story of yours about why you joined the party and Ruth and the canvassing, well, the dates don't fit.
Adam Lang: I got the dates wrong. Big deal!
The Ghost: Then when he found this photograph, and he heard the rumors about Emmett being in the CIA...
Adam Lang: Rumors?
The Ghost: It's on the Internet.
Adam Lang: I've never heard such utter balls in my entire life. Mike would never have believed such crap. He was too clever. Too loyal. Mike betrayed you to Rycart. How do you know that?
The Ghost: He told me.
Adam Lang: Rycart? He's lying.
The Ghost: This phone number on the back of the photograph, it's Rycart's. The handwriting, that's McAra's.
Adam Lang: Mike. Mike, Mike.
The Ghost: And you knew he was disillusioned. You had a big row with him just before he died.
Adam Lang: Yes, I know, but he never mentioned this. This is just... This is grotesque. I've never taken orders from anyone. Whatever I did, I did because I believed it was right.
The Ghost: What, even supporting illegal kidnapping for torture?
Adam Lang: Oh, for God's sake, spare me the bleeding-heart bullshit! Do you know what I'd do if I was in power again? I'd have two queues at airports. One for flights where we'd done no background checks, infringed on no one's civil bloody liberties, used no intelligence gained by torture. And on the other flight, we'd do everything we possibly could to make it perfectly safe. And then we'd see which plane the Rycarts of this world would put their bloody kids on! And you can put that in the book! [Assistant staff stare at them]

The Ghost : Who is it? Frank : Mr. Rycart sent me. The Ghost : Hold on. Frank : Just gonna do a quick check, if you don't mind. Get your stuff together. We're leaving. The Ghost : [ Richard searches luggage bag ] Hey! That's private! Frank : [ To Richard in vehicle ] He's clean. Richard : Thanks, Frank. Sorry about that. Please, get in. The Ghost : [ Riding in vehicle ] You thought it was a trap? Richard : It crossed my mind. You do work for Lang. The Ghost : Yeah, for three days. I hardly know the guy. Richard : Who does? I worked for him for 15 years, till he fired me, and I still can't fathom him. The Ghost : Yeah, his wife said more or less the same. Richard : There you go. If someone as sharp as Ruth can't get him, what hope do we have? Tough day? The Ghost : Yeah, you could say that. Richard : You have the book? The Ghost : Yeah. Frank : He's got it. ... Richard : [ At diner with The Ghost with Frank watching from aside ] Before we go any further, I wonder if I might take a look at that book. The Ghost : No. Before we go any further, there's a few things I'd like to know first. Such as, why did Mike McAra have your number? Richard : Okay. Sure. He was helping me. The Ghost : McAra? How? Richard : Mike found the documents linking Lang to the torture flights. The Ghost : What? It was McAra who gave you the documents? Richard : Yeah, Mike McAra. The loyalest of the loyal. The Ghost : But why? Richard : He didn't like discovering he was working for a war criminal. Would you? Oh, I forgot. You are. The book? The Ghost : Well, don't tell me you're gonna read it now. Richard : Not all of it. Just the beginning. There's something very important about it. The Ghost : Yeah. It's the cure for insomnia. ... Richard : Mike said he'd discovered something new. It's the last time he called me. He said it explained everything that had gone wrong when we were in government. The Ghost : What was it? Richard : He wouldn't say over the phone. He just kept saying if anything happened to him, the truth was in Lang's memoirs. "It's all there in the beginning." The Ghost : The beginning? Then he means Cambridge. [ Rummages for photo and displays it ] Richard : What the hell's this? The Ghost : [ Pointing to photo ] That is Lang, and that is Paul Emmett. Richard : Emmett? The Arcadia guy. So what? The Ghost : On the day that Mike McAra died, he drove up to see Emmett, and I think he was murdered on his way home. Richard : What? The Ghost : I went to see Emmett today, and two guys followed me from his house. That's why I called you. At the time that this photograph was taken, Paul Emmett was an officer in the CIA. Richard : Emmett? The Ghost : Foreign Resources Division. Richard : Oh, my God. You realize how important this is, don't you? This explains why Lang went into politics. Everyone knows he didn't have a political thought in his pretty little head. This is why he rose so quickly, with a little help from his friends. The Ghost : Well, do you think it's possible... Richard Rycart : Okay, a quiz for you. Name one decision Lang made in 10 years as Prime Minister which wasn't in the interests of the USA. Well, come on, it's not a trick question. Iraq, Middle East policy, Star Wars defense, buying American nuclear missiles, support of terrorist rendition. The sacking of any minister Washington didn't like, including yours truly. McAra was right. This explains everything. The Ghost : [ Answering phone and says to Richard ] It's Amelia Bly. Richard Rycart : Answer it. The Ghost : Hello, Amelia. Amelia Bly : Good evening. I have Adam for you. The Ghost : [ Whispers to Richard ] Lang. Adam Lang : We're coming to get you. The Ghost : What? Adam Lang : Ruth tells me you're stuck at the ferry terminal. We've just taken off from New York. Pilot says we can stop by and pick you up. The Ghost : Really? There's no need. Adam Lang : We've got a book to write, remember? The Ghost : Hold on a sec, Adam. He said he wants to pick me up in his private jet. Richard Rycart : Say yes. The Ghost : What if it's a trap? Richard Rycart : If you refuse, he'll get suspicious. Tell him yes. The Ghost : That'd be great, Adam. Yeah, thanks. Adam Lang : I'll get to the airport. See you there. ... The Ghost : He sounds worried. I really don't think this is a good idea. Richard Rycart : You have no choice. The Ghost : Emmett must have told Lang that I'd been to see him. The Ghost : So, what's he gonna do about it? Dump you in the ocean? The Ghost : Well, it happened before! Richard Rycart : Which means it can't happen again. He can't drown two ghostwriters, for God's sake. You're not kittens. The Ghost : All this is just theory. We don't have any proof. Richard : You'll get us the proof. The Ghost : Me? Richard Rycart : You're his ghostwriter. Presumably, he lets you tape him. The Ghost : I use discs, actually. Discs, tapes. Richard Rycart : You've got to confront him with this. Record his reaction. Even if he denies it, it's something. The Ghost : I'm in a tricky position here. I signed a confidentiality agreement. Richard Rycart : It's a bit late for that. It means the discs are his property. The court can subpoena them. The Ghost : And what if I don't record any discs? Richard Rycart : Then you'll be subpoenaed and forced to repeat this whole story. The Ghost : Then I'll deny it. Richard Rycart : Then I'll give them this. Frank is recording every word. Aren't you, Frank? Oh! Come on! Don't look so shocked. What did you expect? That I'd come into a meeting with a man working for Lang without taking any precautions? Except you're not working for Lang anymore. You're working for the good guys. The Ghost : You know all this is pointless, don't you? In the end, he'll just retire over here with his CIA pension, and he'll tell you and the bloody war crimes court to go and **** yourselves. ... Jet attendant : Good evening, sir. Hatherton welcomes you aboard. The Ghost : Thank you. It's my first time in a private jet. Jet attendant : Well, let's hope it's not your last. Adam Lang : Hi, man. Take your seat. The Ghost : Thanks. Adam Lang : Hey, bring my ghost a Calvados. Jet attendant : Yes, sir. The Ghost : [ Unwrapes an audio recorder ] Do you mind? Adam Lang : Leave it off for now. Ruth said you were in New York to see Maddox. The Ghost : That's right. Adam Lang : How was he? The Ghost : He was fine. Full of energy? Adam Lang : You know John. The Ghost : Yes, I do know John. As a matter of fact, I was just with him. Adam Lang : You never saw him today, did you? The Ghost : No. Adam Lang : Do you have something to tell me? The Ghost : I went to see Emmett. Adam Lang : That windbag! Why? The Ghost : I know about you and Emmett. Adam Lang : Me and Emmett? The Ghost : I know that he was your... Adam Lang : My? The Ghost : ...handler, if that's what they're called. Adam Lang : My handler? The Ghost : Yeah, that he was your handler in the CIA. Adam Lang : Oh, my God. You're serious, aren't you? The Ghost : When McAra found this, he went to Boston to show it to Emmett, and he died on the way home, and I think he was murdered. Adam Lang : I think you've had a few too many of those already. The Ghost : It was McAra who believed that Emmett told you to go into politics in the first place. Adam Lang : Emmett? I barely knew the man. The Ghost : And that story of yours about why you joined the party and Ruth and the canvassing, well, the dates don't fit. Adam Lang : I got the dates wrong. Big deal! The Ghost : Then when he found this photograph, and he heard the rumors about Emmett being in the CIA... Adam Lang : Rumors? The Ghost : It's on the Internet. Adam Lang : I've never heard such utter balls in my entire life. Mike would never have believed such crap. He was too clever. Too loyal. Mike betrayed you to Rycart. How do you know that? The Ghost : He told me. Adam Lang : Rycart? He's lying. The Ghost : This phone number on the back of the photograph, it's Rycart's. The handwriting, that's McAra's. Adam Lang : Mike. Mike, Mike. The Ghost : And you knew he was disillusioned. You had a big row with him just before he died. Adam Lang : Yes, I know, but he never mentioned this. This is just... This is grotesque. I've never taken orders from anyone. Whatever I did, I did because I believed it was right. The Ghost : What, even supporting illegal kidnapping for torture? Adam Lang : Oh, for God's sake, spare me the bleeding-heart bullshit! Do you know what I'd do if I was in power again? I'd have two queues at airports. One for flights where we'd done no background checks, infringed on no one's civil bloody liberties, used no intelligence gained by torture. And on the other flight, we'd do everything we possibly could to make it perfectly safe. And then we'd see which plane the Rycarts of this world would put their bloody kids on! And you can put that in the book! [ Assistant staff stare at them ]