Benjamin Franklin Gates [to Abigail]
You know something? You're shouting again. And it's really starting to annoy. You would do well, Dr. Chase, to be a bit more civilized in this instance.
2nd most-quoted character in National Treasure (2004): in 33 of its 75 quotes
Most scenes with: Riley Poole (15), Abigail Chase (10), Ian Howe (6)
To high treason. That's what these men were committing when they signed the Declaration. Had we lost the war, they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered, and-Oh! Oh, my personal favorite-and had their entrails cut out and burned! [laughs nervously, then clears throat] So... Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right... [nods] what they knew was right.
More lines from Benjamin Franklin Gates
8 quotes Benjamin Franklin Gates Benjamin Franklin Gates [after Abigail keeps interrupting his thoughts]
She really can't shut her mouth, can she? [offering her the Declaration] Look, I will let you hold this if you promise to shut up, please!
Benjamin Franklin Gates Of all the ideas that became the United States, there's a line here that's at the heart of all the others. "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and provide new Guards for their future security."
Benjamin Franklin Gates If there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.
Benjamin Franklin Gates I'm gonna steal it. [pause] I'm gonna steal The Declaration of Independence.
Benjamin Franklin Gates You know, Agent Sadusky, something I noticed about fishing? It never works out so well for the bait.
Benjamin Franklin Gates Sadusky, I'm still not against you. But I found door #3, and I'm taking it. [jumps into the Hudson River]
Benjamin Franklin Gates [Standing in front of the declaration]
180 years of searching and I'm 3 feet away.
Scenes with Benjamin Franklin Gates
24 scenes
Ben
Two years ago, if you hadn't shown up, hadn't believed the treasure was real, I don't know if I ever would have found Charlotte.
You would have found it, I have no doubt. That's why I didn't think it was as crazy an investment as everyone said.
Ben
I'm just relieved that I'm not as crazy as everyone says. Or said my dad was. Or my granddad. Or my great-granddad.
We could borrow it.
Ben
Steal it? I don't think so.
Ben, the treasure of the Knights Templar is the treasure of all treasures.
Ben
Oh, I didn't know that. Really?
Look, Ben... I understand your bitterness. I really do. You've spent your entire life searching for this treasure,only to have the respected historical community treat you and your family with mockery and contempt. You should be able to rub this treasure in their arrogant faces, and I want you to have the chance to do that.
Ben
How?
We all have our areas of expertise. You don't think mine are limited to writing checks, do you!? In a life, I've arranged several operations of questionable legality.
I'd take his word for it if I was you.
So don't worry. I'll make all the arrangements.
Ben
No!!
I could really use your help here.
Ben
Ian, I'm not going to let you steal the Declaration of Independence.
Alright. From this point on, all you're going to be is a hindrance. [signals Shaw to ready gun to which Ben nervously laughs]
Hey!
Ben
What are you going to do? Are you going to shoot me, Shaw!? Well, you can't shoot me. There's more to the riddle; information you don't have, I do. I'm the only one who can solve it.
He's bluffing.
Ben
We play poker together, Ian. You know I can't bluff.
Tell me what I need, or I'll shoot your friend. [Shaw points gun at Riley]
Hey!
Quiet, Riley. Your job's finished here.
Ben
[Ben lights flare, Shaw turns gun back to Ben and looks astonished along with Ian]
Look where you're standing. All that gunpowder. You shoot me, I drop this, we all go up.
Ben?!
Ian Howe What happens when the flare burns down? [Ben looks questionably] You just tell me what I need to know.
Ben
You need to know... If Shaw can catch.
[throws flare, Riley squints scared, Ian catches it before it hits gunpowder]
Nice try, though. [coat sleeve catches on fire and drops flare on gunpowder]
You're treasure hunters, aren't you?
Ben
We're more like treasure protectors.
Ben
The preservation room. Enjoy. Go ahead. Do you know what the preservation room is for?
Delicious jams and jellies?
[after Ben decides to steal the Declaration]
This is... huge. [Beat] Prison... huge. You are gonna go to prison. You know that, right?
Ben
Yeah, probably.
Well... that would... bother most people.
Ben
[looking in mirror]
Not bad.
Mazel tov.
There is not a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence!
Ben
And there's no chance that some one could steal this either! [holds up and shakes Declaration of Independence]
Ben
[Abigail is freaking out, thinking that Ian has the Declaration]
They don't have it.
Ben
[Pulls the Declaration out to show her]
See, now can you please stop shouting?
Verdammt! Give me that!
Ben
You know something? You're shouting again.
I'm pretty sure she was swearing, too.
Ben
Well, I probably deserved that.
Just give me the Declaration!
Ben
You're still shouting. And it's really starting to annoy. You would do well, Dr. Chase, to be a bit more civilized in this instance.
If that's the real Declaration, what did they get?
Ben
A souvenir. I thought it might be a good idea to have a duplicate, turns out I was right. Actually, I had to pay for the real one and the duplicate, so you owe me $35, plus tax.
Genius.
You have the original Silence Dogood letters? Did you steal those too?!
Ben
I have scans of the originals. Quiet please.
How did you get scans?
Ben
Because I know the man who has the originals, now shush.
Why do you need them?
Ben
She really can't shut her mouth, can she?
You know, it took you all of two seconds to decide to steal The Declaration of Independence.
Ben
Yeah, but I didn't think I was going to have to personally tell my dad about it.
Ben
I'm in a little trouble.
Is she pregnant?
Ben
If she is would you leave the mother of your grandchild standing out in the cold?
What do you see?
Ben
2:22.
What time is it now?
Clothing Store Clerk Almost 3.
No, we didn't. We didn't miss it because... you don't know this? I know something about history that you don't know.
Ben
I'd be very excited to learn about it, Riley.
Hold on one second, let me just take in this moment. [takes a deep breath] This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now, of course--
Riley!
All right! What I know is that daylight savings wasn't established until World War I. If it's 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m.
Ben
Riley, you're a genius.
Do you actually know who the first person to come up with the idea of daylight savings time was?
Abigail, Ben: Benjamin Franklin.
[Riley stomps his foot in disappointment]
Hello, Ben. How are you?
Ben
Um, chained to a desk.
Sorry to hear that. I want you to meet me on the flight deck of the USS Intrepid. You know where that is?
Ben
New York.
Meet me there at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. And bring those glasses you found at Independence Hall. Yeah, I know about the glasses. We can take a look at the Declaration, and then you can be on your way.
Ben
And I'm supposed to believe that?
I told you from the start, I only wanted to borrow it. You can have it. And the glasses. I'll even throw in the pipe from the Charlotte.
Ben
I'll be there.
And tell the FBI agents listening in on this call if they want the Declaration back, and not just a box of confetti, then you'll come alone.
You all right, Ben? No broken bones? A jump like that could kill a man.
Ben
No, it was cool. You should try it some time.
The Declaration of Independence and the meerschaum pipe. All yours.
Ben
That's it?
That's it. I knew you'd keep your promise. Now, where is it? Where's my treasure?
Ben
It's right here. The map said "Heere at the wall", spelled with two E's. Wall Street follows the path of an actual wall that the original Dutch settlers built as a defence to keep the British out. The main gate was located at a street called De Heere, also two E's. Later De Heere Street was renamed Broadway after the British got in. So, "Heere at the wall." Broadway, Wall Street. Cheerio.
Just a moment, Ben.
Ben
Ian, if you break our deal, the FBI will be only a few minutes behind you. You might get away, you might not.
Is that all the map said?
Ben
Every word.
Oh, Ben. You know the key to running a convincing bluff? Every once in a while, you've got to be holding all the cards.
Ben
[One of Ian's men shows Patrick Gates as hostage]
Dad.
Is there anything else you want to tell me?
Ben
Trinity Church. We have to go inside Trinity Church.
Good. Excellent. Well, why don't you ask Dr. Chase and Riley to join us? I'm sure they're around here somewhere.
Ben
Let them go, Ian.
When we find the treasure.
Ben
No, now. Or you can figure out the clues for yourself. Good luck.
Ben, I don't think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.
Powell [they find a giant underground staircase]
How do a bunch of people with hand tools build all this?
Ben
The same way the built the pyramids, the Great Wall of China.
Yeah... the aliens helped them.
Ben
I'm so sorry I dropped you - I had to save the Declaration!
No, don't be. I would have done exactly the same to you.
Ben
Really?
Yeah.
I would've dropped you both. Freaks.
You can't just leave us here.
Yes, I can. Unless Ben tells me the next clue.
Ben
There isn't another clue.
Ian, why don't you come back down here and we can talk through this together?
Okay...
The clue. Where's the treasure? Ben?
The lantern.
Ben
Dad...
The status quo has changed, son.
Ben
Don't.
It's part of Freemason teachings. In King Solomon's temple there was a winding staircase. It signified the journey that had to be made to find the light of truth. The lantern is the clue.
What does it mean?
Ben Gates
Boston. It's Boston.
The Old North Church, where Thomas Newton hung a lantern in the steeple, to signal Paul Revere that the British were coming. One if by land, two if by sea. One lantern. Under the winding staircase of the steeple, that's where we have to look.
Thank you.
Hey, you have to take us with you.
Why? So you can escape in Boston? Besides, with you out of the picture, there's less baggage to carry.
What if we lied?
Did you?
Ben
What if there's another clue?
Then I'll know right where to find you. See you, Ben.
(Ian Howe escapes, leaving Ben and the others behind)
We're all gonna die.
Ben
It's gonna be OK, Riley. I'm sorry I yelled at you.
It's okay, kiddo.
OK, boys, what's going on? The British came by sea. It was two lanterns, not one.
Ian needed another clue, so we gave it to him.
It was a fake. It was a fake clue.
Ben
The all-seeing eye. Through the all seeing eye.
That means by the time Ian has figured it out, we'd still be trapped and he'll shoot us then. Either way, we're going to die.
Ben
Nobody's going to die. There is another way out.
Where?
Ben
Through the treasure room.
For the record, Ben, I like the house.
Ben
You know, I chose this estate because in 1812 Charles Carroll met...
Someone that did something in history and had fun. Great. Wonderful. [puts on a pair of sunglasses and starts the car] Could have had a bigger house.
Ben
You did? What?
A map.
Ben
A map? But where does it lead to?
You'll figure it out.
Ben
We don't need someone crazy. But one step sort of crazy, what do you get?
Obsessed.
Ben
Passionate.
Ben
Tell you what- next time we find a treasure that redefines history for all mankind, you call the shots.
What do you care? You got the girl. Enjoy your spoils while I sit on one percent. Half of one percent, actually. [Jumps into red Ferrari]
Ben
[Looking at Ferrari]
I'm sorry for your suffering, Riley.
OK Ben. Pay attention. I've brought you to the Library of Congress. Why? Because it's the biggest library in the world. Over twenty million books, and they're all saying the same exact thing: listen to Riley. What we have here is an entire layout of the Archives: sort of builder's blueprints. We've got construction manuals, phone lines, water, and sewage. It's all right here. [Riley continues in voiceover as the camera moves around the archives] Now, when the Declaration is on display, it is surrounded by guards...and video monitors... and little families from Iowa... and little kids on their eighth-grade field trip. And underneath an inch of bulletproof glass is an army of sensors and heat monitors that will go off if someone gets too close with a high fever. Now, when it's not on display, it is lowered into a four-foot-thick concrete, steel-plated vault that happens to be equipped with an electronic combination lock and biometric access-denial systems.
Ben
You know, Thomas Edison tried and failed nearly 2,000 times to develop the carbonized cotton-thread filament for the incandescent light bulb.
Edison?
Ben
And when asked about it, he said "I didn't fail; I found out 2,000 ways how not to make a light bulb," but he only needed one way to make it work. [sets down a book in front of Riley] The Preservation Room. Enjoy. Go ahead. Do you know what the preservation room is for?
Delicious jams and jellies?
Ben
No, that's where they clean, repair, and maintain all the documents and their storage housings when they are not on display or in the vault. Now, when the case needs work, they take it out of the vault and directly across the hall and into the Preservation Room. The best time for us or Ian to steal it would be during the gala this weekend, when the guards are distracted by the VIPs upstairs; but we'll make our way to the Preservation Room, where there is much less security.
Well... uh... Ian... Preservation, hmm. Well, this might be possible.
Ben
It might.
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