Fargo quotes

Ebal Violante

When I first come to America, I know nothing. How to dress, what to eat. I sleep in a closet with a stuck hanger in my jacket so I don't fall down. On the street, I hear this phrase. You know this phrase: American values. And I think what does it mean? Financial values, I understand. Money, what a thing is worth. Human values, this also makes sense. The things we love. Family, i bambini. But this American values, land of the free, home of the brave. This I don't know. And then I learn the history of this country. Your slavery, the smallpox in the blankets, how you stole the land from the natives. And I realize to be an American is to pretend. Capisce? You pretend to be one thing when really you are something else. And I can do that. Lie. Hide. But what I will not do is pretend we are at peace when really we are at war. Are we at war?

Doctor Senator

Not yet, but we're trying real hard.

Loy Cannon

How many?

Doctor Senator

300 semiautomatic. Out of New York. So either the Faddas are going into the gun business now or they're going to war with us.

Loy Cannon

Sell 200 to Mort Kellerman.

Doctor Senator

Out of Fargo?

Loy Cannon

Tell him he can have them at cost, but he owes us devotion.

Oraetta Mayflower

Goodness. Your mind's a clutter of grievances. Here I am talking about waterfalls and you're making a list of nemeses.

Josto Fadda

Friends or enemies. That's the world, hm?

Oraetta Mayflower

Oraetta Mayflower's enemy to no man.

Josto Fadda

You're a dame. Where I come from, we sleep with one eye open and a razor in our teeth. You got any more of that fluffy whiz bang? Get my head on straight?

Oraetta Mayflower

And here I thought you liked me for my vocabulary.

Josto Fadda

Well, it's not your vocabulary that just took a ride in my lap.

Oraetta Mayflower

Hey! Rude! We fly elevated in this house, mister! Proper ladies and gentlemen, which is a lesson you should take to heart in your other lives. And you sleep with a mouthful of razors, it's your own throat that gets cut, believe you me.

What's the ordeal upstairs? Booze? Gambling? If a man's pud need a tug, would this be the place for said tugging?

Loy Cannon

That's a lot of greenbacks, Thurman.

Yes, sir, it is.

Loy Cannon

Where'd you get it?

Well, sir, I'd rather not say. [Loy stares at him] It was, uh, the loss of a loved one, if you must know. My dear Uncle Boolie. He passed last week, left me this money, and since you were nice enough to give us that loan, I figured I should bring it you straight away.

Loy Cannon

So he left you this bag of cash. Your uncle...what was it?

Boolie. No, sir. His bequeathment came in check form. Uh, I just figured cash should be easier for you.

Loy Cannon

Thurman, Thurman. Always thinking. I got to tell you, I can't remember the last time a white man tried to make my life easier.

Well, here's me, then.

Loy Cannon

Here's you. [Loy takes a long, suspicious stare at Thurman, making Thurman nervous] Well, okay! Thanks for stopping by.

Okay then. [Thurman stands up] That's...hoo! I got to say, I really thought you were gonna shoot me there, money or no.

Loy Cannon

I thought about it.

[chuckling nervously] I'm gonna go now.

Loy Cannon

Good choice.

You have a lovely home. Uh...

Loy Cannon

Leave now.

Listen, this Miss Mayflower. She's....she's not really...I mean, I'm sure she's real nice, but she's not someone you should be hanging around, huh? We got a real precarious situation here, living outside the law and all, so... Not to mention, I think she might've poisoned that pie she baked us. Anyway, steer clear.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

Aunt Zelmare, what would you do if you saw something wrong? Something you could fix?

Nothing.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

What do you mean?

I mean nothing.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

Because you're a criminal?

I ain't a criminal.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

You're innocent, you're saying?

Girl, I ain't been innocent since Uncle Charlie cornered me in the shed when I was nine.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

Then I don't understand.

She's saying we ain't criminals. We're outlaws.

See, criminals play the game.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

What game?

Life. The earth.

Society, right? They got their rules. Banking and family. An honest dollar for an honest day's work. Politics and voting. And the criminal, he on the other side of that, but still he play the game. And if he plays it long enough, he even starts to talk about going legit.

The outlaw, on the other hand...

The outlaw, on the other hand, well, we reject the game. Society. Ain't nothing organized about our crime 'cause our crime is freedom.

No rules.

And nothing's ever broke and there ain't nothing to fix.

All we want is to live while we're alive and die with a gun in our hands.

You a bit of an outlaw.

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

Me?

Yeah. Your mama sees it, too. In the eyes. That's why she say, "Keep away."

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

I'm not an outlaw.

Then which are you - a convict or a square?

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

I'm not either one of those things.

What are you then?

Ethelrida Pearl Smutny

I'm Ethelrida Pearl Smutny. One of a kind.

Loy Cannon

I just came home to change my shirt.

Mmhmm.

Loy Cannon

What? [to Buel] What's wrong with her? Where you off to?

They arrested your son.

Loy Cannon

I know. I'm handling it.

The same way you're handling your other son, lives in an attic with an Irishman?

Loy Cannon

Come on now, we talked about that.

We did, and there he is, eating someone else's food still.

Mmhmm.

Loy Cannon

Doc's gonna bail the boy out this morning. He got his bell rung pretty good, but he's alright.

I'll get him.

Loy Cannon

He's not the only boy I got in there. They all need bailing out. Now, Doc's gonna sort it.

You best get out of my way.

Mmhmm.

Loy Cannon

[to Narcissa] You got something to say to me?

Don't take this out on mama.

Loy Cannon

You ain't going down there.

Loy Cannon, you know better than to come between a mother and her child.

Loy Cannon

I'm handling it.

Oh, you handling it. Well, send a letter to the Pope! You hear that, mama? Daddy's handling it!

Mmhmm.

I got two baby girls upstairs sleeping. You're gonna handle them, too? Maybe into the hospital or the cemetery? Pretty soon, all we're gonna have around here is a house full of clothes.

Loy Cannon

I said I'm....You like that coat you're wearing? The food you're eating? [to Narcissa] How about you, your majesty? You like the view from your room? Your fancy blankets? Where do you think all that comes from? [to Buel] The razor's edge! What, we're supposed to get rich and stay rich? How? By saying our prayers? The boy went to the club and the bulls lit him up. You act like that can't happen just walking down the street. Acting like the I'm the villain when all I do is fight for this family! You don't like how it's going? You scared to take the risk? Too bad. We're on the ride now, and we can't get off until the roller coaster stops! Now take off your damn coat and get me some fucking coffee! [Buel takes off her coat and slowly walks away. Loy turns to Narcissa] Can I get a "mmhmm?"

Hmph.

Josto Fadda

You know why America loves a crime story? Because America is a crime story. But here's the rub. When we hear a crime story, who do we root for? Not the poor sap that got taken, the victim. No. We root for the taker. The guy with the gat. [Josto imitates shooting a machine gun at the Cannon enforcers] See, this country loves a man who takes what he wants. Unless...unless that man looks like you. Capisce? See, Johnny Society looks at me, they see a fella who's using crime to get ahead. But you? All they see is crime. And that's why you're gonna lose. 'Cause I can take all the money and pussy I want and still run for president. But you? It's always gonna be the rope. Tell him it's time to surrender.

Doctor Senator

[final words] Like I tried to tell you, I don't know how they do it in your country, but here in America, respect is earned. Ebal, he earned my respect. But you? You... You're just boys making a mess that one day I'm gonna have to clean up. [Doctor stands and heads for the exit, paying the waitress] Thanks for the coffee, Nadine.

Loy Cannon

I'm losing this war, Odis. People are being taken from me. People I trust. Things I've earned. You see, I'm not just fighting a few Italians. I'm fighting 400 years of history. I'm fighting a mindset. [Loy notices a large set of Hummel figurines] You like those dolls, huh? You collect 'em?

Odis Weff

I, uh...

Loy Cannon

How do you think they feel, being owned? Imagine if these dolls rose up and became citizens of this apartment. Imagine if they asked for equal rights? You might say, "Man, fuck these dolls. I'm gonna crush these dolls, thinking they all human, thinking they equal." 'Cause that's your mindset. And look, maybe you feel like these Italians own you, but you got no idea what it feels like to be actual owned, to be property. Until now. 'Cause I own you. You're gonna help me win this war or I'm gonna put you in the ground, you hear me?

Odis Weff

Yeah, yes, I hear you.

Loy Cannon

Good. We'll be in touch.

Loy Cannon

Now, you can say your whole life is just a series of mistakes. No big deal. But Doctor Senator? Now that's the one that got you killed.

Oraetta Mayflower

Dr. Harvard, I can assure you Oraetta Mayflower is a Christian citizen of the highest character. I'm unsure even of the spelling of the word "crime".

The Americans, when they capture me, I was cooking my belt.

Satchel Cannon

Your belt?

I already eat my shoes. Monte Cassino. They send me here, to Kansas. Did you know they bring war prisoners here? I think I was dead. A corpse, they shipped. A skeleton. It was the food, the smell, that bring me back. Fields of corn, bread for every meal. Land of plenty. That's in the Constitution. Every day the sun come out. That big, yellow American sun. It make me grow again, like a winter weed. And then, I am alive again. I took the blood oath, carve my name on the stone there. "Antoon Dumini, American." This I would become.

Rabbi Milligan

You hurt?

Satchel Cannon

No. I-Is he dead?

Rabbi Milligan

Yes, but don't look away. This is what men do. Snap out of it. We have to go. It's war now, for real. You're not safe here.

Satchel Cannon

Home?

Rabbi Milligan

You're not safe there, either. You trust me? [Satchel nods] I never got to choose. A child soldier, that's what they made me. But that's not gonna happen to you. Understand?

Satchel Cannon

I think so.

Rabbi Milligan

So we're gonna find someplace quiet, wait 'til the dust settles, and if you want to go home - if that's your choice - I'll take you home. Understand?

Satchel Cannon

I'm scared.

Rabbi Milligan

Me too.