Graham You're wasting your time here! I'm not going to report this or anything you do to my crops. To the news or TV, or anybody. You're not going to get famous!
Played by Mel Gibson 
Signs (2002) · 43 quotes
Signs (2002) · 43 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Signs (2002): in 30 of its 43 quotes
Most scenes with: Merrill (28), Bo (13), Morgan (11)
Everybody in this house needs to calm down, eat some fruit or something.
More lines from Graham
1 quote Graham Scenes with Graham
28 scenes Graham [Graham and Merrill hear screams and run into the cornfield, where they find Bo standing alone quietly]
Bo, where's Morgan? Bo?
Are you in my dream, too?
Graham This is not a dream.
Graham [Graham finds Morgan]
Morgan, are you hurt?
I think God did it.
Graham Did what? (Morgan turns his father's head to see their two dogs running around wildly in the center of an enormous crop circle)
Graham [Graham finds police officer Caroline Paski in his hallway]
Oh. That was quick, Caroline. I only called you folks two hours ago.
Old Mrs. Kendleman. Twisted her ankle, as she puts it. Diving for her life when a bunch of school kids rode down the sidewalk on skateboards. She went down to Thornton's store this morning, and started spittin' on the new skateboards. Spitting! By the time I got there, Mrs. Kendlemen had sprayed the whole damn place. And she must have had a cold, as I'm telling you, I won't eat for a week. [sighs] So, what happened to your crops?
[Caroline and Graham examine the crop circle]
Now, what kind of a machine can bend a stalk of corn without breaking it?
Graham It can't be by hand, it's too perfect.
Doesn't sound much like Lionel Prichard and the Wolfington brothers. They can't take a piss without wettin' the front of their pants.
Some animals around the county have been acting funny. Some of them violent.
Graham Is it a virus?
I don't think so, Father. They were more edgy, more alert. It's almost as if they smell a predator around. Peeing on themselves and everything.
Graham [Graham stands and slowly walks away, lost in thought]
Caroline. Please stop calling me Father.
What's wrong?
Graham I don't hear my children.
Graham [At night, Graham wakes to find little Bo staring at him]
What's the matter?
There's a monster outside my room. Can I have a glass of water?
Graham What's wrong with the water next to your bed?
It tastes old.
Graham [Graham is putting Bo back to bed]
What are you thinking about?
Why do you talk to Mom when you're by yourself?
Graham Makes me feel better.
Does she ever answer back?
Graham [long pause]
No.
She never answers me either.
Graham [Graham spots a tall, humanoid creature on the roof, then wakes his brother, Merrill]
Lionel Prichard and the Wolfington brothers are back.
It's time for an ass-whooping.
Graham This is not an intelligent way to approach this. Lee is a friend of mine. This is his son.
Yeah, we'll be doing Lee a favor. Alright, listen. We both go outside, move around the house in opposite directions. We act crazy, insane with anger, make them crap their pants, force them around until we meet up on the other side.
Graham Explain act crazy.
You know, cursing and stuff.
Graham You want me to curse?
You don't mean it. It's just for show.
Graham It won't be convincing. It doesn't sound natural when I curse.
Just make noises then.
Graham Explain noises.
Are you gonna do this or not?
Graham No, I'm not!
Alright, you want them stealing something from the house next time?
Graham [They run burst through the door. Merrill runs to the right. Graham moves right, then remembers the plan and runs off to the left]
Ahhh! I'm insane with anger!
We're gonna beat your ass, bitch!
[Another light comes on as two trash cans rolls around the corner of the house]
We're gonna tear your head off!
Graham I'm losing my mind! It's time for an ass-whooping!
Graham [Merrill and Graham finally meet back in at the front of the house, vainly searching for the intruder]
I cursed.
I heard.
[Merrill walks around the yard, looking at the roof from different angles]
Are you sure this is Lionel Prichard?
Graham [While Bo watches Dexter's Laboratory on TV, Graham gestures to a bunch of water glasses on the set]
You're too old to still be doing this. You take a glass of water and you finish it. Now, what's wrong with this one?
It has dust in it.
Graham This one?
A hair.
Graham This one?
Morgan took a sip and it has his amoebas in it.
[Caroline has mentioned a Nordic-looking female stranger as a possible suspect. The Hess family is skeptical]
And my point is, we don't know anything about the person you saw, and we should just keep all possibilities available.
Graham I don't know, baby. Why don't you check under the sofa cushions?
Excluding the possibility that a female Scandinavian Olympian was running around outside our house last night, what else might be a possibility?
I'm not done asking questions, and I don't appreciate sarcasm.
Tracy
[At the pharmacy, Graham reluctantly listens to Tracy Abernathy's conscience-clearing]
I cursed 37 times last week. I said the f word a couple of times, but mostly... shits, and... bastards. Is douche bag a curse?
Graham I suppose that would depend on its usage.
Tracy
How about, "John, you're a douche bag for kissing Barbara"?
Graham It's a curse.
Tracy
Then it's not 37, it's 71.
[In the car, Morgan is listening to Bo's old baby monitor, hoping to catch alien signals]
Morgan, this crop stuff, it's about a bunch of nerds who never had a girlfriend in their lives. They're like thirty and they work up these little codes together, and they analyze Greek mythology, and make up secret societies where other guys who never had girlfriends before can join in. They do stupid crap like this to feel special. It's a scam. Nerds were doing it 25 years ago, new nerds are doing it again.
Graham It's just static, Morgan.
Why can't they get girlfriends?
Graham It's broken, Morgan. It's just gonna keep doing this. Maybe some new batteries...
You might lose the signal!
This is exactly what the nerds want...
[As Graham hands the baby monitor to Merrill over the car, the noises get louder and stranger]
Stop!
Graham [The two of them freeze, both hands on the monitor. They all listen carefully]
See, this is why we're not watching TV. People get obsessed.
Graham People break down into two groups when they experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. A happy turn of chance. I'm sure the people in group number two are looking at those fourteen lights in a very suspicious way. For them, this situation is a fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that... fills them with fear. Yeah, there are those people. But there's a whole lot of people in the group number one. When they see those fourteen lights, they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that, whatever's going to happen, there'll be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope. See, what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way. Is it possible that there are no coincidences?
I was at this party once... and I'm on the couch with Randa McKinney. She was just sitting there, looking beautiful, staring at me. I go to lean in and kiss her, and I realize I have gum in my mouth. So I turn, take out the gum, stuff it in a paper cup next to the sofa, and turn around. Randa McKinney throws up all over herself. I knew the second it happened, it was a miracle. I could have been kissing her when she threw up. That would have scarred me for life. I may never have recovered. I'm a miracle man. Those lights are a miracle.
Graham There you go.
So which type are you?
Graham Do you feel comforted?
Yeah, I do.
Graham Then what does it matter?
Graham [Long pause]
I never told you the last words that Colleen said before they let her die. She said "see". Then her eyes glazed a bit, and then she said "swing away". You know why she said that? Because the nerve endings in her brain were firing as she died, and some random memory of us at one of your baseball games just popped into her head. [pause] There is no one watching out for us, Merrill. We are all on our own.
[Graham traces an extension cord into the closet under the stairs, where he finds Merrill watching TV]
For the kids' protection. All they were doing was watching TV. I feel like they were getting obsessed like you said. They should be playing Furry Furry Rabbit or Tea Party or something.
Graham What's Furry Furry Rabbit?
It's a game, isn't it?
[Graham finds the kids reading the extraterrestrial book, wearing makeshift aluminum-foil helmets]
So the aliens can't read our minds.
Graham Oh! Of course.
Graham Who wrote this book?
A scientist who had been persecuted for their beliefs.
Graham That means they're unemployed.
If you're gonna make fun of it, then forget it.
This is serious.
Graham I don't know what got into me.
There are pictures. Dr. Bimbu, the author of the book--
Graham Bimbu?
Dad!
Graham I just asked his name.
You had a tone.
Graham [Graham approach's Reddy's pantry, where something is moving around behind the locked door]
Hello. The police are here. I am with them. I am a police officer. I just want to talk with you. We know all about the hoax. We already took some of your friends downtown in a paddy wagon.
Graham [He grimaces, silently repeating the archaic word]
Just tell us your name and why you did it, and we'll give you the same deal we gave the others. Don't throw your life away, son.
Graham [Morgan gives a detailed description of the book's predictions of the aliens' plans]
How can anyone possibly know that information? It's ridiculous. [pauses] What else did it say?
They said there are one of two outcomes of an invasion. One, they fight and are defeated, and have to return again with full forces in hundreds, maybe even thousands of years time.
Graham What's two?
They win.
Graham I heard a theory that... they don't like places near water. Maybe we'd be safer near a lake or something.
Sounds made-up.
Graham [Graham stands and walks over to the foil-capped trio]
I saw one of them at Ray Reddy's house. I can't be sure, but I got the distinct feeling it wanted to harm me. So, we can choose to believe this lake idea, pack up and go. Or we can stay here, hide inside our home, wait it out. I might be overreacting, but I'm willing to live with that. Either way, at least we'll be together. All those in favor of the lake idea, raise your hand.
Graham [Bo raises her hand, then Graham follows suit]
All those in favor of home, raise your hand.
Graham [Morgan and Merrill raise their hands]
Okay. My vote counts as two.
That's bullshit! You're cheating!
Graham Morgan, calm down. I get two votes because I represent two parents here.
We don't know anything yet. We'll be safe here anyway. [calmly] I don't wanna leave home. This is where we lived with Mom.
Graham That's got nothing to do with this.
I change my vote.
Graham You can't change your vote.
All those in favor of home, raise your hand.
Graham [Everyone but Graham raises their hand.]
This is ridiculous.
You lose. Three to two.
Graham [Graham sits with them]
We're going to board up every window in this house.
How do we know boards will do anything?
Graham Because they seem to have trouble with pantry doors.
I'll make some sandwiches.
I want spaghetti.
We should eat fast, Bo.
Graham Spaghetti sounds great. What do you want, Morgan?
Anything? French toast... and mashed potatoes.
Graham Now we're talking. How about you, Merrill?
Chicken teriyaki.
Graham Good choice. I'm going to have a cheeseburger with bacon. [smiles] Extra bacon.
Graham [There is silence at the last supper]
What's the matter with everyone. Eat.
Maybe we should say a prayer.
Graham No.
Why not?
Graham We're not saying a prayer.
Bo has a bad feeling.
I had a dream.
Graham We aren't saying a prayer. Eat!
I hate you.
Graham That's fine.
You let Mom die.
Morgan!
Graham I am not wasting one more minute of my life on prayer. Not one more minute! Understood?
Graham [Bo starts crying]
Now, we are going to enjoy this meal. No one can stop us from enjoying this meal, so ENJOY IT! Stop crying!
Graham.
Don't yell at her!
Graham All right. Since you're all not going to eat, I'm going to try some of everything.
Graham Have we got anything to wedge against the doorknob?
They'll read our minds.
Graham You're scaring your sister.
I'm already scared.
Graham [With his flashlight, Merrill finds Graham holding Morgan, who's having an asthma attack]
We don't have his medicine. Don't be afraid, Morgan. We'll slow this down together. Feel my chest. Feel it moving in, and out. Breathe like me. Come on.
Graham Stay with me. I know it hurts. Be strong, baby. It'll pass. It'll pass.
Graham [Bo draws up to Merrill] [To God]
Don't do this to me again. Not again. I hate you. I hate you. [To Morgan] The fear is feeding it. Don't be afraid of what's happening. Believe it's going to pass. Believe it! Just wait. Don't be afraid. The air is coming. Believe. We don't have to be afraid. It's about to pass. Here it comes. Don't be afraid. Here comes the air. Don't be afraid, Morgan. Feel my chest. Breathe with me. Together. The air is going in our lungs. Together. We're the same. We're the same.
[Graham flashes back to the night of Colleen's death]
Ray's truck swerved off the road, hit Colleen and then a tree, and she was pinned between the two.
Graham What does that mean, pinned?
The truck... the truck has severed most of her lower half.
Graham What did you say?
She won't be saved. Her body is pinned in such a way... that it's alive when it shouldn't be alive. The truck is holding her together. Now she doesn't feel much, and she's talking almost like normal. And we didn't pull the truck out, because we wanted you to come down here and be with her as long as she's awake. And that won't be very long. Father, do you understand what I've told you?
Graham Caroline. Is this the last time I'm going to speak with my wife?
Yes it is.
You didn't think we'd make it through the night, did you? Listen. There's things I can take, and a couple things I can't. One of them I can't take is when my older brother, who's everything that I want to be, starts losing faith in things. I saw your eyes last night. I don't wanna ever see your eyes like that again, okay? I'm serious.
Graham Okay.
[Graham and Merrill are worried about going upstairs to retrieve Morgan's medicine]
We have to be sure before we open that door.
Graham Me too.
Colleen [In a flashback, Graham recalls Colleen's curious last words]
Tell Morgan... to play games. It's okay to be silly.
Graham I will.
Colleen Tell Bo... to listen to her brother, who'll always take care of her.
Graham I will.
Colleen And tell Graham...
Graham I'm here.
Colleen Tell him to see. Tell him to see. And tell Merrill to swing away.
Graham [As the creature threatens to poison Morgan, Graham spies the baseball bat on the wall near Merrill]
Swing away, Merrill.
Graham [Merrill continues staring at the creature and Morgan]
Merrill. Swing away.
Graham [Merrill goes outside to find Graham holding Morgan, who doesn't appear to be breathing]
That's why he had asthma. It can't be luck. His lungs were closed. His lungs were closed. No poison got in. No poison got in. His lungs were closed. His lungs were closed.
Graham [Merrill checks for a pulse]
Don't touch him! Give him a minute.
Graham Give him a second!
Daddy?
Graham Don't touch him!
Graham!
Graham Don't.
Dad, what happened?
Graham Yeah. Yeah, baby, I think someone did.
