They give me the same song and dance over and over again. He could be hurt or - tortured. They don't give a goddamn about him.
Oh look, really, I don't want to hear any of your anti-Establishment paranoia! I certainly get enough of that from my son.
Ed Horman
Jack Lemmon · 14 quotes
Beth Horman
Sissy Spacek · 7 quotes
Captain Ray Tower, USN
Charles Cioffi · 3 quotes
Silvio
Alex Camacho · 2 quotes
Most scenes together: Ed Horman & Beth Horman (6)
Missing quotes
Page 1 of 2Why aren't you cooperating with them?
I am cooperating with them. I've been cooperating for two weeks, Ed! I'm sick and tired of getting **** around by these people, that's why!
U.S. Ambassador So, you see, Mr. Horman, the hiding theory seems to be the most viable, at least for the present.
That's dumb. If he were in hiding, he'd call me and let me know he was all right.
Colonel Clay
Maybe he can't. There have been a lot of civilian accidents and injuries.
No shit, Sherlock.
And what are the basics? God, country and Wall Street?
You know what I mean.
I know, I know. God bless our way of life!
Oh, a very good way of life it is, young lady, no matter how much people like you and Charles try to tear it down with your sloppy idealism. I can no longer abide the young people of our country who live off their parents and the fat of the land and then they find nothing better to do than whine and complain.
Consul Phil Putnam Listen, Mr Horman, I wish there was something we could say or do.
Well, there's something I'm going to do. I'm going to sue you, Phil. And Tower and the Ambassador and everybody who let that boy die. We're going to make it so hot for you you'll wish you were stationed in the Antarctic.
Consul Phil Putnam Well, I guess that's your privilege.
No, that's my right! I just thank God we live in a country where we can still put people like you in jail.
Consul Phil Putnam Please try to understand. There are so many cases. They're all so important, and this isn't the only one we're working on
It's the only one I care about.
Consul Phil Putnam You and a lot of other people. Listen, I've never seen so many cables from Washington. What kind of pull do you have up there anyway?
I'm an American citizen.
He, he seems so innocent. Almost deliberately naive.
Is that so bad?
Is that so good?
You raised him.
Now, erm, I owe you an apology.
No, you don't.
No, no, no. Well, for a long time now I've sold you short. Both of you. I don't really know why. Unless it's because I'm getting old. And I'm very stubborn.
This past week I've felt like, erm, my heart has been torn out of me.
It's okay.
I feel very guilty.
Hey, Charlie always says guilt is like fear. It's given to us for survival., not destruction.
Oh. Beth, for what it's worth, I think you are one of the most courageous people I have ever met.
Embassy driver
If you don't mind my asking, what's Christian Science about?
Embassy driver
Faith in what?
Truth.
Kate Newman What we need to know is, can they order an American to "disappear" without consulting the Americans first?
Paris No, they wouldn't dare.
How can I verify that?
Paris You can't.
Believe us, sir. Your son is not what they told you.
How do you know that, Silvio?
He's a nice guy. He's sincere. A hard worker. But he's a political neophyte. He's terrified of violence.
U. S. Ambassador We're not involved, Mr. Horman. Our position has been completely neutral.
That is a bald face lie, sir. How can you say a thing like that when you have army colonels, you have naval engineers, they're all over Viña del Mar.
U. S. Ambassador Please sit down. Look, it's very obvious you're harbouring some misconception regarding our role here.
What is your role here? Besides inducing a regime that murders thousands of human beings?
U. S. Ambassador Let's level with each other, sir. If you hadn't been personally involved in this unfortunate incident, you'd be sitting at home complacent and more or less oblivious to all of this. This mission is pledged to protect America interests, our interests.
Well they're not mine.
U. S. Ambassador There are over three thousand US firms doing business down here. And those are Americans interests. In other words, your interest. I am concerned with the preservation of a way of life.
And a damned good one.
U. S. Ambassador You can't have it both ways.
[voiceover]
Ed Horman filed suit charging eleven government officials, including Henry A. Kissinger, with complicity and negligence in the death of his son. The body was not returned home until seven months later, making an accurate autopsy impossible. After years of litigation, the information necessary to prove or disprove complicity remained classified as secrets of state. The suit was dismissed.
For me, it was an instrumental movie. I was younger then, but that movie made me write a lot as a poet, and it was absolutely accurate. It was a very sobering experience to watch this movie.