Det. Thorn quotes from Soylent Green (1973)

Det. Thorn

You know, there are 20 million guys out of work in Manhattan alone just waiting for my job and yours too.

Sol

You know. When I was a kid food was food. Before our scientific magicians poisoned the water, polluted the soil. Decimated plant and animal life. Why, in my day you could buy meat anywhere. Eggs, they had. Real butter. Fresh lettuce in the

Det. Thorn

I know. Sol. You told me before. A heat wave all year long. A greenhouse effect. Everything is burning up.

Hatcher

What's the story with the Simonson homicide?

Det. Thorn

It was carefully set up to make it look like he was killed after he caught some punk burglarizing his apartment.

Hatcher

What do you think it was?

Det. Thorn

It was an assassination. A well-planned assassination.

Hatcher

You know this for a fact?

Det. Thorn

Four reasons. One: the alarm system in the building was out of order for the first time in two years. Two: the bodyguard who was supposed to be protecting him was conveniently out shopping. Three: the punk that broke into the apartment didn't take anything. And four: the punk who killed Simonson was no punk because he used a meat hook instead of a gun to make it look like a punk.

Hatcher

Well, if the punk didn't take anything from the apartment, what did you take?

Det. Thorn

Everything I could lay my hands on.

Priest

Forgive me. It's destroying me.

Det. Thorn

What is?

Priest

The truth.

Det. Thorn

The truth Simonson told you?

Priest

All truth.

Det. Thorn

Something stinks here.

Hatcher

Look. You'll sign this. And I'll bury it.

Det. Thorn

Like hell you will. A member of the board of the Soylent Corporation was torn apart with a meat hook! You can't sweep that carcass under the rug. Who bought you?

Hatcher

You're bought as soon as they pay you a salary.

Det. Thorn

Yeah, well, who is "they?"

Hatcher

High and hot, and they want this case closed permanently, their way, now you sign this!

Det. Thorn

You sign it! If my name closes this case and someone higher and hotter wants to know why, it's my job!

Hatcher

Sign it, I'll cover for you!

Det. Thorn

I won't put my job on the line for you, Hatcher...

Hatcher

But...

Det. Thorn

Not my damn job!!

Sol

Son of a bitch. I haven't eaten like this in years.

Det. Thorn

I never ate like this.

Sol

And now you know what you've been missing. There was a world, once, you punk.

Det. Thorn

Yes, so you keep telling me.

Sol

I was there. I can prove it.

Det. Thorn

I know, I know. When you were young, people were better.

Sol

Aw, nuts. People were always rotten. But the world was beautiful.

Det. Thorn

Hatcher, get to the Exchange. You gotta tell them they're right.

Hatcher

But let's take care of you first.

Det. Thorn

You don't understand. I've got proof. They need proof, I've seen it. I've seen it happening. They've gotta tell people.

Hatcher

Tell them what?

Det. Thorn

The ocean's dying. Plankton's dying. It's people. Soylent Green is made out of people. They're making our food out of people. Next thing, they'll be breeding us like cattle for food. You've gotta tell them. You've gotta tell them!

Hatcher

I promise. Tiger. I promise. I'll tell the Exchange.

Det. Thorn

You tell everybody. Listen to me Hatcher! You've gotta tell 'em! SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE! We gotta stop them! Somehow!
Note: the bolded line is ranked #77 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.