Holden Ford quotes from Mindhunter

Wendy Carr

You know, you're going to see people present with similar pathologies, but the way a person kills is as individual and distinct as the way they have sex.

Holden Ford

And just as complicated.

Bill Tench

It's always the mother. They all have a crazy, angry mother.

Holden Ford

Or an absent father. Benjamin only changed after his father took off. Maybe this has nothing to do with the mother.

Bill Tench

Aren't all fathers absent in some way? I know my old man was never around. Imagine how different Benjamin and Rose's lives might have been if their father never left.

Holden Ford

One time, my mom walked in on me jacking off. Came into my bedroom. I hadn't locked the door.

Really?

Holden Ford

Yeah.

What'd she do?

Holden Ford

I'd never seen her so shocked. It's like I was doing something too horrible to even imagine. She thought I needed help.

She offered to help?

Holden Ford

Psychological help.

Debbie Mitford

Those shirts looked good on you. I can't believe you didn't buy them.

Holden Ford

I don't like patterns.

Debbie Mitford

You know, you dress the same off-duty as on-duty?

Holden Ford

I'm wearing plain clothes.

Debbie Mitford

Yeah, plain is right.

Debbie Mitford

Goffman says we wear these masks to make everyone else comfortable. Like you and your suits.

Holden Ford

We're not talking about my clothes again.

Debbie Mitford

Your suit is your uniform you wear to fit in at Quantico.

Holden Ford

I don't want to fit in.

Debbie Mitford

Everyone is trying to fit in.

Holden Ford

Guess that explains your hippie thing, too.

Debbie Mitford

My "hippie" thing?

Holden Ford

Your peasant tops, long hair, bracelets, leather sandals. Helps you assimilate on campus.

Debbie Mitford

Right. It's exactly the same.

Holden Ford

What would you wear if no one were looking?

Debbie Mitford

Probably nothing. What about you?

Holden Ford

I'd wear my suit.

Do you have children?

Holden Ford

Not yet.

Imagine one of those seven-year-olds is yours. Principal Wade has her take off her shoes and socks so that he can tickle her feet. Wouldn't you be worried one day he'd ask her to take something else off? Put a call in, please?

Holden Ford

What's the point if we don't apply it to the real world?

Bill Tench

We're trying to save women from getting pulled into vans and cut to pieces, not crucify some schoolmarm who hasn't done anything.

Holden Ford

Yet! Certainly our goal is to be preemptive.

Bill Tench

We're the FBI, Holden. That is not our goal. Yet.

Holden Ford

[holding Richard Speck newspaper clippings] It's like meeting a movie star.

Bill Tench

Could be as anti-climactic.

Holden Ford

"Crime of the Century."

Bill Tench

Until Charles Whitman two weeks later...

Holden Ford

I remember staring at this wanted poster of him, trying to figure out if I saw him on the street, would I know he was insane?

Bill Tench

You clip all these?

Holden Ford

Everything I could get my hands on. Even went to my neighbors who subscribed to newspapers outside of Milwaukee.

Bill Tench

Holden and his first criminal crush!

Holden Ford

You would really turn down the chance to meet Richard Speck? He's almost up there with Manson.

Bill Tench

Well, maybe he'll give you an autograph.

Holden Ford

That would be inappropriate, right?

Holden Ford

[holding up a letter] Got another one. "Wish you were here." [opens the letter] "Dear Holden, it's been some time since we've seen each other, and while the memory of your voice has faded, what we discussed has not. I've had more insights into my behavior, which I'd like to share with you at your earliest convenience. Warmest regards, Ed Kemper."

Ed Kemper writes you?

Holden Ford

Please stop analyzing me.

Debbie Mitford

I'm not analyzing you.

Holden Ford

You run this commentary on everything I do.

Debbie Mitford

I was talking about your work. That's how we communicate, right? You talk about your job, I give my opinion.

Holden Ford

Maybe I don't always want your opinion.

Debbie Mitford

When I'm not in agreement with you...

Holden Ford

Could you just be my girlfriend? Could you just listen?

Debbie Mitford

You mean shut up and adore you?

Holden Ford

Well, you could try it. Once...

If you leave, I can't help you. I have to write a report on this. It will go down on your permanent record. You're making a terrible mistake.

Holden Ford

[continuing out the door] The only mistake I made was ever doubting myself...

Holden Ford

You want to get something? It's getting late, we should get going.

Debbie Mitford

No, I don't think so.

Holden Ford

Okay... Are you still mad? Are you... What exactly are you?

Debbie Mitford

Must I be something?

I did not direct anyone to do anything that isn't what they wanted to do.

Bill Tench

You didn't stop them, either.

I always let children go. If he falls, that is how we learn. You become strong by falling.

Bill Tench

You're not supposed to let children fall. You're supposed to guide them!

Guide them into what? Guide them into what you've guided them into?

Bill Tench

You fucking midget.

Holden Ford

Bill!

[laughs] This anger that you're feeling, Agent Tench, this is just the anger that you have got for you. Find someone else to put yourself on; I'm tired of being your goat. I'm tired of being your reflection.

Bill Tench

You're not my reflection.

I've always been yours. I've been in your cell since I was eight years old. I don't even have a name. I'm B-33920. A bell rings, I get up! A bell rings, I go out! A bell rings, I do what that bell says! I'm Pavlov's dog, man, I'm anything you want me to be! But what you want is a fiend... 'Cause that's what you are. See, I never had any say in your world; you created it. How do you feel about those murders? That's what counts. Happened in your world. Not in mine.

Bill Tench

What counts is that you ordered the deaths of seven people. Eight, if you count the death of an unborn baby.

And now you can reflect it back on me. And you can lock me up in your penitentiary and you can say that your world's better! But prison's a frame of thought. We're all our own prisons, we're each our own wardens, we do our own time. Prison's in your mind. Can't you see I'm free?

Bill Tench

You don't look so free to me, Charlie.

You don't look free to me! You look like a composite of what someone told you you are! You live for other people's opinion, you got pain on your face, and you wonder if you look okay.

Holden Ford

The accident has nothing to do with the murders. They don't want to hear logic.

They don't want to hear excuses.