Fracture Quotes
An attorney, intent on climbing the career ladder toward success, finds an unlikely opponent in a manipulative criminal he is trying to prosecute.
Ted Crawford: You know, my grandfather was an egg farmer.
Willy Beachum: This isn't going to be about your, uh, "rough childhood," is it?
Ted Crawford: No, I used to candle eggs at his farm. Do you know what that is? You hold an egg up to the light of a candle and you look for imperfections. The first time I did it he told me to put all the eggs that were cracked or flawed into a bucket for the bakery. And he came back an hour later, and there were 300 eggs in the bakery bucket. He asked me what the hell I was doing. I found a flaw in every single one of them - you know, thin places in the shell; fine, hairline cracks. You look closely enough, you'll find that everything has a weak spot where it can break, sooner or later.
Willy Beachum: You looking for mine?
Ted Crawford: I've already found yours.
Willy Beachum: What is it?
Ted Crawford: You're a winner, Willy.
Willy Beachum: Yeah.
[chuckles nervously]
Willy Beachum: Well, I guess the joke's on me then, isn't it?
Ted Crawford: [grinning] You bet your ass, old sport.
Willy Beachum: This isn't going to be about your, uh, "rough childhood," is it?
Ted Crawford: No, I used to candle eggs at his farm. Do you know what that is? You hold an egg up to the light of a candle and you look for imperfections. The first time I did it he told me to put all the eggs that were cracked or flawed into a bucket for the bakery. And he came back an hour later, and there were 300 eggs in the bakery bucket. He asked me what the hell I was doing. I found a flaw in every single one of them - you know, thin places in the shell; fine, hairline cracks. You look closely enough, you'll find that everything has a weak spot where it can break, sooner or later.
Willy Beachum: You looking for mine?
Ted Crawford: I've already found yours.
Willy Beachum: What is it?
Ted Crawford: You're a winner, Willy.
Willy Beachum: Yeah.
[chuckles nervously]
Willy Beachum: Well, I guess the joke's on me then, isn't it?
Ted Crawford: [grinning] You bet your ass, old sport.
Willy Beachum: Did Mr. Crawford seem confused, intoxicated, or impaired in any way?
Lt. Robert Nunally: No, not at all. He knew exactly what was going on.
Willy Beachum: Detective Nunally, what did Mr. Crawford say?
Lt. Robert Nunally: He said: 'It was like I just suddenly snapped. I got the gun and I shot my wife. I shot her in the head'
Ted Crawford: [whispering into the air with his head leaned back] Objection.
Judge Robinson: I'm sorry, Mr. Crawford, did you say something?
Ted Crawford: Yes, I wish to object.
Judge Robinson: On what grounds?
Ted Crawford: [getting up] I don't know...
Willy Beachum: Your honor...
Ted Crawford: Um, I don't know what, uh, you'd call it, but, uh, they... It wasn't the first time it happened either... but, um. I, um, I don't know the, uh, legal terminology.
Judge Robinson: Well, why don't you try to explain it in layman's terms.
Ted Crawford: Um... fucking the victim.
Ted Crawford: [following uproar in court] Well, you said layman's terms!
Willy Beachum: Your honor!
Ted Crawford: I'm sorry, your honor, but what would you call it, legally, when the officer who arrested you was having sexual intercourse with your wife? You know, I think it's objectionable. It's rather disgusting is what I think, but uh... I dunno; maybe I'm wrong!"
Lt. Robert Nunally: No, not at all. He knew exactly what was going on.
Willy Beachum: Detective Nunally, what did Mr. Crawford say?
Lt. Robert Nunally: He said: 'It was like I just suddenly snapped. I got the gun and I shot my wife. I shot her in the head'
Ted Crawford: [whispering into the air with his head leaned back] Objection.
Judge Robinson: I'm sorry, Mr. Crawford, did you say something?
Ted Crawford: Yes, I wish to object.
Judge Robinson: On what grounds?
Ted Crawford: [getting up] I don't know...
Willy Beachum: Your honor...
Ted Crawford: Um, I don't know what, uh, you'd call it, but, uh, they... It wasn't the first time it happened either... but, um. I, um, I don't know the, uh, legal terminology.
Judge Robinson: Well, why don't you try to explain it in layman's terms.
Ted Crawford: Um... fucking the victim.
Ted Crawford: [following uproar in court] Well, you said layman's terms!
Willy Beachum: Your honor!
Ted Crawford: I'm sorry, your honor, but what would you call it, legally, when the officer who arrested you was having sexual intercourse with your wife? You know, I think it's objectionable. It's rather disgusting is what I think, but uh... I dunno; maybe I'm wrong!"
Judge Gardner: You know what nobody understands about certain kinds of low pay public service work, every now and then you get put a fucking stake in a bad guys heart. I'm not supposed to talk about that when I visit third grade classes for career day and it doesn't get you very far in the country club locker room, but its hard to beat when you actually get to do it.
