Nathan Muir quotes from Spy Game (2001)

Nathan Muir

If I'm walking into a shit storm I wanna know which way the wind's blowing.

Nathan Muir

You're gonna make a beautiful corpse.

Nathan Muir

Technology gets better everyday. That's fine. But most of the time all you need is a stick of gum, a pocket knife and a smile.

Nathan Muir

She had worked both ends against the middle for so long, the middle decided to give up and go home.

Nathan Muir

We didn't know when the Doc was going to be giving the Shiek his physical, but it was our one and only opportunity to take him out. So I didn't have the usual time to butter him up. Which means we needed twice the sex with half the foreplay.

Feeling a little paranoid on our last day?

Nathan Muir

When did Noah build the ark, Gladys? Before the rain.

Tom Bishop

Happy?

Nathan Muir

Seventy-five casualties, an apartment block leveled, one dead terrorist? Yeah, happy.

Tom Bishop

We have some **** up barometer for success, don't we?

Tom Bishop

My God, you're hideous. Why do you even bother?

Nathan Muir

I missed you, too.

Tom Bishop

You want flowers at 6am?

Nathan Muir

Flowers would be nice, but I'll settle for breakfast.

Tom Bishop

I got a good spot--I taught a guy to make migas.

Nathan Muir

A Mexican restaurant in Beirut? I'm impressed.

Tom Bishop

All right, so what else? What else do I need to know?

Nathan Muir

Put away some money so you can die someplace warm and don't ever touch it. Not for anyone, ever.

Tom Bishop

Okay, is that it?

Nathan Muir

Don't ever risk your life or career for an asset. If it comes down to you or them... send flowers.

Nathan Muir

See that building across the way?

Tom Bishop

Yeah.

Nathan Muir

Do you know anyone there?

Tom Bishop

No.

Nathan Muir

In five minutes I want to see you on the balcony.

Tom Bishop

What do...

Nathan Muir

Five minutes.

Tom Bishop

Can't we discuss it over coffee?

Nathan Muir

You just lost ten seconds.

Nathan Muir

I take it you didn't get to be a marksman putting food on your mama's table.

Tom Bishop

No, sir. We have a Safeway back home.

Nathan Muir

Where'd you learn to shoot?

Tom Bishop

Boy scouts, sir.

Nathan Muir

What, are you kidding me?

Tom Bishop

No, sir.

Nathan Muir

Hell of an ad for the Boy Scouts.

Tom Bishop

She's just someone I used to get to the camp.

Nathan Muir

She gonna be of any more use to us?

Tom Bishop

Not to us.

Charles Harker

If these walls could talk, huh. All this history, I envy you.

Nathan Muir

Then bag your job, you can be just like me.

Charles Harker

No, really. The debt this country owes you guys.

Nathan Muir

Chuck, are you gonna dance with your hand on my ass all night or are you gonna make your move?

Nathan Muir

The man reading the menu. Threat?

Tom Bishop

Only to the hostess.

Charles Harker

We need the press on this like we need a third tit.

Nathan Muir

You using the other two?

What is this about?

Nathan Muir

Money. Free trade, microchips, toaster ovens.

And what does that have to do with you?

Nathan Muir

Nothing.

Tom Bishop

So, when do I get my first assignment?

Nathan Muir

When I decide you're ready.

Nathan Muir

You just gave her four pieces of personal information for one dubious impersonal fact. 1) You're straight, 2)You're engaged, 3)Tomorrow's your girls birthday, and 4)You have terrible taste in women's clothing.

Tom Bishop

Just trying to find out where she got that dress.

Nathan Muir

What if she were an asset? You told her four lies that now have to be true.

Tom Bishop

I thought spies drank martinis.

Nathan Muir

Scotch, never less than twelve years old.

Tom Bishop

Is that right? Agency rules?

Nathan Muir

My rules.

Patricia?

Nathan Muir

Yeah, my third wife.

My God, how many wives have you had?

Nathan Muir

Four. You want to hear about them or Bishop?

Tom Bishop

Don't tell me that. Don't **** tell me that. You didn't look in his eyes. Don't tell me that!

Nathan Muir

He was your asset, somebody you use for information.

Tom Bishop

Ah, Jesus Christ, you just... You don't just trade these people like they're baseball cards! It's not a **** game!

Nathan Muir

Oh, yes it is. It's exactly what it is. And it's no kid's game either. This is a whole other game. And it's serious and it's dangerous. And it's not one you want to lose.

Tom Bishop

Nathan, we killed this man. We used him and we killed him. Okay then, you got to help me understand this one. You got... Nathan, what are we doing here? And don't give me some bullshit about the greater good.

Nathan Muir

That's exactly what it's about. Because what we do is unfortunately very, very necessary. And if you're not willing to sacrifice scum like Schmidt for those that want nothing more than their freedom, then you better take a long hard look at your chosen profession, my friend. Because it doesn't get any easier. You wanna walk? You wanna walk, walk.

Tom Bishop

**** your rules, Nathan.

Nathan Muir

Okay, but tonight they saved your life.

Nathan Muir

When I was a kid I used to spend summers on my uncle's farm. And he had this plow horse he used to work with everyday. He really loved that plow horse. One summer she came up lame. It could barely stand. The vet offered to put her down. You know what my uncle said?

Charles Harker

No, Muir, what did he say?

Nathan Muir

He said, "Why would I ask somebody else to kill a horse that belonged to me?"

Tom Bishop

Happy Birthday, Nathan. Did you know Langley has seven different birth dates for you?

Nathan Muir

And they're all wrong.

Tom Bishop

I know, believe me, it wasn't easy. KGB, Mossad, also wrong. Fortunately I was well trained.

The Scotch is older than she is...

Nathan Muir

Am I supposed to feel bad about that?