Miller's Crossing Quotes

Tom Regan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.

Tom Reagan: Nobody knows anybody. Not that well.

Bernie: Look in your heart! Look in your heart!
Tom Reagan: What heart?

Eddie Dane: How'd you get the fat lip?
Tom Reagan: Old war wound. Acts up around morons.

Tom Reagan: Think about what protecting Bernie gets us. Think about what offending Caspar loses us.
Leo O'Bannion: Oh, come on, Tommy. You know I don't like to think.
Tom Reagan: Yeah. Well, think about whether you should start.

Johnny Caspar: One thing I always try to teach my boys: always put one in the brain!

Johnny Caspar: When you're right you're right, but you never say 'I told you so'.
Tom Reagan: So what am I right about?
Johnny Caspar: Well, I'll tell ya, but first you gotta promise not to say 'I told you so'.
Tom Reagan: I don't say that and I don't like people who do.
Johnny Caspar: Mink was robbin' me right along with the shmatte.
Tom Reagan: What convinced you of that?
Johnny Caspar: Mink Larouie took a powder. We can't find him. Bluepoint's makin' excuses for him, but personally, I think you were right. I think Mink and Bernie was in it together. I think Mink heard you'd bumped the shmatte, and lit out. The lousy sonofabitch.
Tom Reagan: I told you so.
Johnny Caspar: Hahahaha! You got a lip on you!

Johnny Caspar: Friends is a mental state. Wuddya say, kid?
Tom Reagan: I'll think about it.
Johnny Caspar: He'll think about it. Hear that, Bluepoint? That's terrific. The kid's a thinker.
Frankie: Does he want a pillow for his head?
Johnny Caspar: Okay kid, think about it. It's a mental state. But make it quick, my family's waitin'.
Tom Reagan: I'll think about it and tell you later.
Frankie: He needs to think in the thinking room.
Johnny Caspar: Kid, if it'll help you think, you should know that if you don't do this you won't be in any shape to walk outta here.
Tom Reagan: Would that be physically... or just a mental state?

Verna: What're you chewin' over?
Tom Reagan: Dream I had once. I was walkin' in the woods, I don't know why. Wind came up and blew me hat off.
Verna: And you chased it, right? You ran and ran, finally caught up to it and you picked it up. But it wasn't a hat anymore and it changed into something else, something wonderful.
Tom Reagan: Nah, it stayed a hat and no, I didn't chase it. Nothing more foolish than a man chasin' his hat.

[Last lines]
Leo O'Bannion: Dammit, Tom, I forgive you!
Tom Reagan: I didn't ask for that and I don't want it. Good-bye, Leo.

Tom Reagan: So what's the deal, you get to live and Verna has to be Leo's girl?
Bernie: I have nothing to do with that, she'll sleep with anyone Tom, you know that! She even tried to teach me a thing or two about bed antics once. Some crackpot idea about saving me from my friends. She's a sick twist all right.
Tom Reagan: She speaks highly of you.
Bernie: Yeah, well, you stick by your family.

Tom Reagan: If you want me to keep my mouth shut, it's gonna cost you some dough. I figure a thousand bucks is reasonable, so I want two.

Leo O'Bannion: Seein' you mope around here ruins my, whaddya call it, "joy de veever"?
Tom Reagan: "Joie de vivre".

[Tom holds Bernie at gunpoint, and walks him out deeper into the forest]
Bernie: Tommy, you can't do this! You don't bump guys! You're not like those animals back there. It's not right, Tom! They can't make us do this. It's the wrong situation, they can't make us different people than we are. We're not muscle, Tom. I... I... I... never killed anybody. I used a little information for a chisel, that's all. It's my nature, Tom! I... I... I... can't help it, somebody gives me an angle, I play it. I don't deserve to die for that. Do you think I do?
[Tom doesn't answer, he just keeps walking]
Bernie: I'm... I'm... I'm just a grifter, Tom. I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm an nobody! But I'll tell you what, I never crossed a friend, Tom. I never killed anybody, I never crossed a friend, nor you, I'll bet. We're not like those animals! This is not us! Th... th... this is some hop dream! It's a dream, Tommy! I'm praying to you! I can't die! I can't die... out here in the woods, like a dumb animal! In the woods, LIKE A DUMB ANIMAL! Like a dumb animal! I can't... I can't... I CAN'T DIE OUT HERE IN THE WOODS!... like a dumb animal. I can't... die!
[Bernie falls to his knees, praying]
Bernie: I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart...
[Tom slowly aims his gun at Bernie]
Bernie: I'm praying to you! Look in your heart. I'm praying to you... look in your heart... look in your heart! You can't kill me... look in your heart.

Leo O'Bannion: You hear about Rug?
Tom Reagan: Yeah, RIP.
Leo O'Bannion: They took his hair, Tommy. Jesus, that's strange, why would they do that?
Tom Reagan: Maybe it was injuns.

Tom Reagan: Tell Lazarre no hard feelings.
Lazarre's Messenger: Jesus Tom, he knows.

Tom Reagan: All in all not a bad guy - if looks, brains and personality don't count.
Verna: You better hope they don't.

Verna: Shouldn't you be doing your job?
Tom Reagan: Intimidating helpless women is my job.
Verna: Then go find one, and intimidate her.

Verna: That's not why you came, either.
Tom Reagan: Tell me why I came.
Verna: [seductively] The oldest reason there is.
Tom Reagan: There are friendlier places to drink.

Verna: Why don't we just pick up and leave town? There's nothing keeping you here. I know there's nothing keeping me.
Tom Reagan: What about Bernie?
Verna: He could go with us.
Tom Reagan: You, me and Bernie; where would we go, Verna? Niagara Falls?

Leo O'Bannion: I figure I can still trade body-blows with any man in this town.
[Tom looks at him]
Leo O'Bannion: Except you Tom.
Tom Reagan: And Verna.

Johnny Caspar: It's gettin' so a businessman can't expect no return from a fixed fight. Now, if you can't trust a fix, what can you trust? For a good return, you gotta go bettin' on chance - and then you're back with anarchy, right back in the jungle.

Verna: You think you've raised hell.
Tom Reagan: Sister, when I've raised hell, you'll know it!

Leo O'Bannion: You ain't got a license to kill bookies and today I ain't sellin' any. So take your flunky and dangle.

Tom Reagan: Tell Leo he's not God on the throne, he's just a cheap political boss with more hair tonic than brains.

Johnny Caspar: I'm talkin' about friendship. I'm talkin' about character. I'm talkin' about - hell. Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word - I'm talkin' about ethics.

Johnny Caspar: You can't say, "I told you so."
Tom Reagan: I don't say that and I don't like people who do.

Verna: Leo's got the right idea. I like him, he's honest and he's got a heart.
Tom Reagan: Then it's true what they say. Opposites attract.

Eddie Dane: You understand that if we don't find a stiff out here, we leave a fresh one.

Johnny Caspar: You think that I'm some guinea, fresh off the boat, and you can kick me! But I'm too big for that now. I'm sick a' takin the scrap from you, Leo. I'm a' of marching into this goddamn office to kiss your Irish ass. And I'M SICK A' THE HIGH HAT!
[Puts on his hat and coat]
Johnny Caspar: Youse fancy pants, all a youse.
Leo O'Bannion: Johnny, you're exactly as big as I let you be, and no bigger, and don't forget it, ever.
Johnny Caspar: That's right, Leo. You're the big shot around here, and I'm just some schnook likes to get slapped around.

Tom Reagan: Close your eyes ladies! I'm comin' in!

Verna: I thought you said you didn't care about Leo no more.
Tom Reagan: I said we're through. That's not the same thing.

Mink: Hey Tom, what's the rumpus?

Tic-Tac: You gotta remember to put one in his BRAIN. Your first shot puts him down, then you put one in his BRAIN. Then he's dead. Then we go home.

Johnny Caspar: [after killing Eddie Dane] That son of a bitch! I had a feeling about this son of a bitch! We silence him! And we do the same to Mink this very night!

Tom Reagan: You're a fickle boy, Mink. The Dane finds out you got another "amigo," well, I don't peg him as the understandin' type.
Mink: Find out? We ain't event been talkin'! Jesus, Tom! Dammit! Jesus!

O'Doole: Guttin' the golden calf again! I don't know whether to laugh or cry!
Tom Reagan: Yeah, it's awful confusing.

Verna: What you doing?
Tom Reagan: Walking...
Verna: Don't let on any more than you have to.
Tom Reagan: ...in the rain.

Tom Reagan: [after the attempt on Leo's life] Who's winning?
Terry: We are, for the nonce.
Tom Reagan: What's the disposition?
Terry: Four to one, Dana Cudahy went up with the house.
Tom Reagan: And theirs?
Terry: One burned...
Tom Reagan: The other three...?
Terry: Lead...
Tom Reagan: Whose?
Terry: Leo's... the old man's still an artist with a Thompson.

Verna: That's you all over, Tom. A lie and no heart.

Eddie Dane: Very smart. What were you doing at the club, talking things over with Leo?
Tom Reagan: Don't think so hard, Eddie. You might sprain something.
Eddie Dane: You are so goddamn smart. Except you ain't. I get you, smart guy. I know what you are. Straight as a corkscrew. Mr. Inside-Outski, like some goddamn Bolshevik picking up his orders from Yegg Central. You think you're so goddamn smart. You join up with Johnny Caspar, you bump Bernie Bernbaum. Up is down. Black is white. Well, I think you're half smart. I think you were straight with your frail, I think you were queer with Johnny Caspar... and I think you'd sooner join a ladies' league than gun a guy down. Then I hear from these two geniuses they never even saw this rub-out take place.
Frankie: Boss said to have him do it. He didn't say nothing about...
Eddie Dane: Shut up! Or maybe you still got too many teeth. Everyone is so goddamn smart. Well, we'll go out to Miller's Crossing... and we'll see who's smart.

O'Doole: Jesus, Tom, I was just speculatin' about a hypothesis. I know I don't know nothin'.

Leo O'Bannion: Goddamn kid's just like a twist!

O'Doole: Look, don't nobody ask me, since I'm just the chief around here, but I'll tell you my opinion. Caspar is just as crazy as Leo, and an eye-tie into the bargain!
Tom Reagan: What's the matter, O'Doole? Doesn't anything ever suit you?

Bernie: Don't smart me! See I wanna watch you squirm; I wanna see you sweat a little, and when you smart me... it ruins it.

Eddie Dane: I am gonna send you to a deep, dark place and I am gonna have fun doing it!

Tom Reagan: Then it's not just the money he's after. He's got a wart on his fanny.
Johnny Caspar: Huh?
Tom Reagan: He's got a wart. On his fanny. Giving him the fidgets.

Mink: Listen, Bernie wants to see you. It's important.
Tom Reagan: Yeah, well, I'm right here. I'm not made of glass.

Tom Reagan: If I'd known we were gonna cast our feelings into words, I'd've memorized the Song of Solomon.

Johnny Caspar: What is this, the high hat?

Verna: I guess we both double-crossed Leo. He's well rid of us both. The two of us Tom, we're about bad enough to deserve each other.
Tom Reagan: Are we?
Verna: We're a couple of heels, Tom. Yes we are.

Eddie Dane: You dumpin' Leo for the guy who put a bullet in your brother?

Adolph: Hey, horses got knees?
Tom Reagan: I don't know... fetlocks.
Adolph: Well if I was a horse, I'd be down on my fetlocks praying you don't bet on me.

Leo O'Bannion: So you wanna kill him...
Eddie Dane: For starters.

Tom Reagan: It's not Leo's debt. I'll pay me own way.
Tad: I admire a man of principle. Does this go on the tab?

Tom Reagan: My chin's hanging out right next to yours. I'd worry a lot less if I thought you were worrying enough.

Tom Reagan: I am awake.
Tad: Your eyes are shut.
Tom Reagan: Who you gonna believe?

Tom Reagan: [on finding someone sitting in the dark in his apartment] Hello Bernie.
Bernie: Hello Tom. What's the rumpus? How'd you know it was me?
Tom Reagan: You're the only one I know who'd knock and then break in.
Bernie: Your other friends wouldn't break in, huh?
Tom Reagan: My other friends want to kill me so they wouldn't've knocked.

Johnny Caspar: You got references? You been to college? We ONLY take yeggs what's been to college, ain't that right, Dane? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I'm joking, of course.

Tom Reagan: You don't hold elected office in this town. You run it because people think you do. They stop thinking it you stop running it.

Verna: What did you tell Leo?
Tom Reagan: I told him you were a tramp and he should dump you.

Tic-Tac: [finds a corpse] It's hanky time!

Eddie Dane: Not so fast, there, Kaputnik.

Tic-Tac: I told you to put one in his brain, not in his stinkin' face!

Eddie Dane: Jesus, I open my mouth, the whole world turns smart.

Tic-Tac: C'mon, Tom. Boss wants to see ya. He didn't have time to engrave nothin' formal.

Johnny Caspar: You double-cross once - where's it all end? An interesting ethical question.

Tom Reagan: You can't hijack me, Tic-tac, we're on the same side now. Or didn't you get that far in school?

Eddie Dane: You are so goddamn smart. Except you ain't.

Eddie Dane: Where's Leo?
Hitman at Verna's: If I tell you, how do I know you won't kill me?
Eddie Dane: Because if you told me and I killed you and you were lying I wouldn't get to kill you *then*. Where's Leo?
Hitman at Verna's: He's moving around. He's getting his mob together tomorrow night. Whisky Nick's.
Eddie Dane: You sure?
Hitman at Verna's: Check it. It's gold.
Eddie Dane: You know what, yegg? I believe you.
[Shoots him]

Terry: The old man's still an artist with a Thompson.

Eddie Dane: Up is down, black is white.

Verna: Maybe that's why I like you, Tom. I've never met anyone who made being a son of a bitch such a point of pride.

Tom Reagan: Last I heard, Leo was still running this town.
O'Doole: Yeah, well, he won't be for long if this keeps up. It's no good for anyone. You said as much yourself...
Tom Reagan: First off, O'Doole, I can say what I please to Leo and about him. You can't. Second, once Leo decides, that's that. If that sticks going down, there are plenty of coppers I know who wouldn't mind bein' chief and could swallow it clean.
O'Doole: Jesus, Tom, I was just speculatin' about a hypothesis. I know I don't know nothin'. It's just a damn mess, is all.
[a flurry of gunshots erupts behind them]
O'Doole: A goddamn mess!

Andy: Hello, Tom. How are ya? Care to scrape a knuckle on your playmate here?
Tom Reagan: No. Thanks though, Andy.
Andy: Well, if you change your mind, we'll be
[returns to pummeling thug tied to chair]
Andy: interrogating for a while.

[repeated line]
Tom Reagan: I'll think about it.

Tom Reagan: Hello, Brian. Still fighting the good fight?
Cop - Brian: Hello, Tom! Neither rain nor wind nor snow...
Tom Reagan: That's the mailman!

Tony: No small talk, huh? They shoot your horse?
Tom Reagan: If there's any justice...

Eddie Dane: Hey, Tic-Tac! You ever notice how the snappy dialogue dries up once a guy starts soiling his union suit?

Leo O'Bannion: If I never see him again, it would be soon enough.

Tom Reagan: So, uh, you didn't see Bernie Birnbaum before he was shown across?
Clarence "Drop" Johnson: Uh, no?
Tom Reagan: Seen him since?