The Proposition Quotes
A lawman apprehends a notorious outlaw and gives him nine days to kill his older brother, or else they'll execute his younger brother.
Jellon Lamb: Forgive me, sir, but I've been stuck here with no one but this sorry sack of Hibernian pig shit for conversation. Poor, poor Dan O'Reilly. Sit, sir. Drink with me.
[Charlie cocks his gun and points it to Lamb]
Charlie Burns: One more crack about the Irish, Mr. Lamb, and I'll shoot you. Am I clear?
Jellon Lamb: Oh, as the waters of Ennis, sir. Let us drink, then, to the Irish. No finer race of men have ever... peeled a potato.
[Charlie cocks his gun again and points it to Lamb]
Charlie Burns: Do you pray, Mr. Lamb?
[Charlie cocks his gun and points it to Lamb]
Charlie Burns: One more crack about the Irish, Mr. Lamb, and I'll shoot you. Am I clear?
Jellon Lamb: Oh, as the waters of Ennis, sir. Let us drink, then, to the Irish. No finer race of men have ever... peeled a potato.
[Charlie cocks his gun again and points it to Lamb]
Charlie Burns: Do you pray, Mr. Lamb?
Jellon Lamb: [speaking about Arthur Burns] "We are white men, Sir, not beasts. Oh, he sits up there in those melancholy hills; some say he sleeps in caves like a beast, slumbers deep like the Kraken. The Blacks say that he is a spirit. The Troopers will never catch him. Common force is meaningless, Mr. Murphy, as he squats up there on his impregnable perch. So I wait, Mr. Murphy. I wait.
Charlie Burns: [Knocks Jellon out with a beer mug] Aye, you wait. You wait here... bounty hunter.
Charlie Burns: [Knocks Jellon out with a beer mug] Aye, you wait. You wait here... bounty hunter.
Jellon Lamb: [dying words] There's night and day brother, both sweet things. Sun and Moon and stars, all sweet things. And quiet, there's a wind on the east. Life is very sweet, brother.
Arthur Burns: Life is very sweet, brother, who would wish to die?
Jellon Lamb: Ah.
Arthur Burns: George Borrow, I believe. A worthy writer, and a beautiful sentiment sir. But you're not my brother.
[finishes him off]
Arthur Burns: Life is very sweet, brother, who would wish to die?
Jellon Lamb: Ah.
Arthur Burns: George Borrow, I believe. A worthy writer, and a beautiful sentiment sir. But you're not my brother.
[finishes him off]
Charlie Burns: My brother's taken a bullet, Stanley, and is in need of medical attention.
Captain Stanley: Well, allow me to address the subject of your brother, Mr. Burns. Christmas, as you're probably aware, is fast approaching, and Christmas this year will hold a unique significance for young Mickey, here.
Charlie Burns: Mikey.
Captain Stanley: Because on Christmas Day, I have made plans that he be taken from the jail in Banyon and hanged by the neck until he is dead.
Mike Burns: [whimpers] Charlie . . .
Charlie Burns: You're a copper, Stanley, not a judge and jury.
Captain Stanley: Well, clearly, Mr. Burns, I am what I wish to be.
Captain Stanley: Well, allow me to address the subject of your brother, Mr. Burns. Christmas, as you're probably aware, is fast approaching, and Christmas this year will hold a unique significance for young Mickey, here.
Charlie Burns: Mikey.
Captain Stanley: Because on Christmas Day, I have made plans that he be taken from the jail in Banyon and hanged by the neck until he is dead.
Mike Burns: [whimpers] Charlie . . .
Charlie Burns: You're a copper, Stanley, not a judge and jury.
Captain Stanley: Well, clearly, Mr. Burns, I am what I wish to be.
Officer Dunn: Who the fuck left Danny Boy out in the sun?
[Taking a piss]
Officer Dunn: Hey, Jacko, you lazy bugger, I told you to bury that bastard last night. He stinks worse than you. Jacko!
Two Bob: You got the wrong fuckin' black man.
Arthur Burns: Slowly now, Sergeant. Put your privates back in your pants and turn around. Come to steal my brother a horse, and we find ourselves a copper.
Officer Dunn: You fire that gun, you'll have eight more all over you.
Arthur Burns: Fair enough.
[Puts gun away, draws knife]
Arthur Burns: Step into the shade, Sergeant. To the back.
Officer Dunn: Has Charlie found you, then? Stanley's little mate.
Arthur Burns: Over there, by the straw. That's right. Stay. Lay down, Sergeant.
Officer Dunn: I know something you don't know. Your brother's come to kill you. I can help.
Arthur Burns: You can help me? Help your fucking self!
[Stomping on Officer Dunn's head]
Arthur Burns: . Help! Your! Fucking! Self! Copper.
[Taking a piss]
Officer Dunn: Hey, Jacko, you lazy bugger, I told you to bury that bastard last night. He stinks worse than you. Jacko!
Two Bob: You got the wrong fuckin' black man.
Arthur Burns: Slowly now, Sergeant. Put your privates back in your pants and turn around. Come to steal my brother a horse, and we find ourselves a copper.
Officer Dunn: You fire that gun, you'll have eight more all over you.
Arthur Burns: Fair enough.
[Puts gun away, draws knife]
Arthur Burns: Step into the shade, Sergeant. To the back.
Officer Dunn: Has Charlie found you, then? Stanley's little mate.
Arthur Burns: Over there, by the straw. That's right. Stay. Lay down, Sergeant.
Officer Dunn: I know something you don't know. Your brother's come to kill you. I can help.
Arthur Burns: You can help me? Help your fucking self!
[Stomping on Officer Dunn's head]
Arthur Burns: . Help! Your! Fucking! Self! Copper.
Samuel Stote: What's a misanthrope, Arthur?
Two Bob: Some bugger who fuckin' hates every other bugger.
Samuel Stote: Hey, I didn't ask you, you black bastard
Arthur Burns: He's right Samuel. A misanthrope is one who hates humanity.
Samuel Stote: Is that what we are, misanthropes?
Arthur Burns: Good lord no. We're a family.
Two Bob: Some bugger who fuckin' hates every other bugger.
Samuel Stote: Hey, I didn't ask you, you black bastard
Arthur Burns: He's right Samuel. A misanthrope is one who hates humanity.
Samuel Stote: Is that what we are, misanthropes?
Arthur Burns: Good lord no. We're a family.
Captain Stanley: I wish to present you with a proposition. I know where Arthur Burns is. It is a God-forsaken place. The blacks won't go there, not the tracks; not even wild men. I suppose, in time, the bounty hunters will get him. But I have other plans, I aim to bring him down - I aim to show that he's a man like any other. I aim to hurt him.
Sergeant Lawrence: When you're ready, sir...
Captain Stanley: And what will most hurt him? Well I thought long and hard about that, and I've realized Mr. Burns, that I must become more inventive in my methods. But those be my words listen to me now, *don't* say a word. Now suppose I told there was a way to save your little brother Mikey from the noose. Suppose I gave you a horse, and a gun. Suppose Mr. Burns, I was to give you and your young brother Mikey here a pardon. Suppose I said that I could give you a chance to expunge the guilt, beneath which you so clearly labor. Suppose I gave you 'til Christmas. Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you.
Charlie Burns: You want me to kill me brother.
Captain Stanley: I want you to kill your brother.
Sergeant Lawrence: When you're ready, sir...
Captain Stanley: And what will most hurt him? Well I thought long and hard about that, and I've realized Mr. Burns, that I must become more inventive in my methods. But those be my words listen to me now, *don't* say a word. Now suppose I told there was a way to save your little brother Mikey from the noose. Suppose I gave you a horse, and a gun. Suppose Mr. Burns, I was to give you and your young brother Mikey here a pardon. Suppose I said that I could give you a chance to expunge the guilt, beneath which you so clearly labor. Suppose I gave you 'til Christmas. Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you.
Charlie Burns: You want me to kill me brother.
Captain Stanley: I want you to kill your brother.
Jellon Lamb: Perhaps you've read "On the Origin of the Species By Means of Natural Selection" by Charles Darwin. Oh, don't be thrown by the title, he had some most fascinating things to say. Chilling things. Mr. Darwin spent time studying Aboriginals. He claims we are, at bottom, one in the same. He infers, Mr. Murphy, that we share a common ancestry with monkeys.
[cackles]
Jellon Lamb: Monkeys!!!
[cackles]
Jellon Lamb: Monkeys!!!
