Friday, September 23, 2005

Watched the tail end of A Few Good Men, 'cause the last copy we'd rented failed just about when Col. Jessup walked into the room.

Is there an effective Tom Cruise movie in which the theme isn't "he grows up"?

And what will he do for a living if he ever does grow up?

9:18 PM

3 Comments:

I was working at a movie theatre when that movie came out in 1992. I had seen (but mostly heard) it so many times I was able to relay the self-righteous speech that Col. Jessep spewed on the stand, word for word right along with him, to my co-workers. Let's see if I can still remember...


"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall! And I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide. I would rather you just said "Thank you," and went on your way. Either way I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to?"

Was I close?

By  Kelly J. Crawford, at 11:33 PM  

from IMDB:

"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to."

Very close!

By  Steve Peterson, at 4:26 AM  

Thanks, Steve. I'm disappointed that I had forgotten so much of that speech, though. I guess the ol' brain cells aint quite as sharp as they used to be. :(

By  Kelly J. Crawford, at 11:35 AM  

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