National Treasure Quotes
A historian races to find the legendary Templar Treasure before a team of mercenaries.
Abigail Chase: What do you see?
Ben Gates: 2:22.
Abigail Chase: What time is it now?
Clothing Store Clerk: Almost 3.
Abigail Chase: [sighs] We missed it.
Riley Poole: No, we didn't. We didn't miss it because... you don't know this? I know something about history that you don't know.
Ben Gates: I'd be very excited to learn about it, Riley.
Riley Poole: Hold on one second, let me just take in this moment. This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now.
Abigail Chase: Riley!
Riley Poole: All right! What I know is that daylight savings wasn't established until World War I. If it's 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m.
Ben Gates: Riley, you're a genius.
Ben Gates: 2:22.
Abigail Chase: What time is it now?
Clothing Store Clerk: Almost 3.
Abigail Chase: [sighs] We missed it.
Riley Poole: No, we didn't. We didn't miss it because... you don't know this? I know something about history that you don't know.
Ben Gates: I'd be very excited to learn about it, Riley.
Riley Poole: Hold on one second, let me just take in this moment. This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now.
Abigail Chase: Riley!
Riley Poole: All right! What I know is that daylight savings wasn't established until World War I. If it's 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m.
Ben Gates: Riley, you're a genius.
Ben Gates: You all right?
Abigail Chase: No, those - those lunatics...
Ben Gates: You're not hurt, are you?
Abigail Chase: You're *all* lunatics!
Ben Gates: You hungry?
Abigail Chase: What?
Ben Gates: Are you all right?
Riley Poole: Still a little on-edge from being shot at but I'll be fine, thanks for asking.
Abigail Chase: Yeah, well *I'm* not all right! Those men have the Declaration of Independence!
Riley Poole: She *lost* it?
Ben Gates: *They* don't have it.
[He pulls the Declaration out to show her]
Ben Gates: See? Okay? Now could you *please* stop shouting?
Abigail Chase: [She reaches for it but he pulls it away] Give me that!
Ben Gates: You're *still* shouting, and it's really starting to annoy. You would do well, Dr. Chase, to be a little more *civilized* in this instance.
Abigail Chase: If that's the *real* one, what did *they* get?
Ben Gates: A souvenir. I thought it'd be a good idea to have a duplicate, turns out I was right. I actually had to pay for the souvenir *and* the real one, so you owe me $35, plus tax.
Riley Poole: Genius.
Abigail Chase: Who *were* those men?
Ben Gates: Just the guys we *warned* you were going to try to steal the Declaration.
Riley Poole: And *you* didn't believe us!
Ben Gates: We did the only thing we could do to keep it safe.
Abigail Chase: Verdammt! Give me that!
Ben Gates: You know something? You're shouting again.
Riley Poole: Pretty sure she was swearing too.
Ben Gates: Well, we probably deserved *that.*
Abigail Chase: No, those - those lunatics...
Ben Gates: You're not hurt, are you?
Abigail Chase: You're *all* lunatics!
Ben Gates: You hungry?
Abigail Chase: What?
Ben Gates: Are you all right?
Riley Poole: Still a little on-edge from being shot at but I'll be fine, thanks for asking.
Abigail Chase: Yeah, well *I'm* not all right! Those men have the Declaration of Independence!
Riley Poole: She *lost* it?
Ben Gates: *They* don't have it.
[He pulls the Declaration out to show her]
Ben Gates: See? Okay? Now could you *please* stop shouting?
Abigail Chase: [She reaches for it but he pulls it away] Give me that!
Ben Gates: You're *still* shouting, and it's really starting to annoy. You would do well, Dr. Chase, to be a little more *civilized* in this instance.
Abigail Chase: If that's the *real* one, what did *they* get?
Ben Gates: A souvenir. I thought it'd be a good idea to have a duplicate, turns out I was right. I actually had to pay for the souvenir *and* the real one, so you owe me $35, plus tax.
Riley Poole: Genius.
Abigail Chase: Who *were* those men?
Ben Gates: Just the guys we *warned* you were going to try to steal the Declaration.
Riley Poole: And *you* didn't believe us!
Ben Gates: We did the only thing we could do to keep it safe.
Abigail Chase: Verdammt! Give me that!
Ben Gates: You know something? You're shouting again.
Riley Poole: Pretty sure she was swearing too.
Ben Gates: Well, we probably deserved *that.*
Abigail Chase: [Ben Gates is trying to figure out how to get the Silence Dogood letters without letting his dad know he stole the Declaration of Independence] You have the original Silence Dogood letters? Steal those too?
Ben Gates: They're scans of the orginals, quiet please.
Abigail Chase: How did you get scans?
Ben Gates: I know the person who has the originals, now shush.
Abigail Chase: Why do you need them?
Ben Gates: She really can't shut her mouth, can she?
[Offering her the Declaration]
Ben Gates: Look, I will let you hold this if you promise to *shut up*, please!
Ben Gates: They're scans of the orginals, quiet please.
Abigail Chase: How did you get scans?
Ben Gates: I know the person who has the originals, now shush.
Abigail Chase: Why do you need them?
Ben Gates: She really can't shut her mouth, can she?
[Offering her the Declaration]
Ben Gates: Look, I will let you hold this if you promise to *shut up*, please!
Butcher Lady: If you're not a steak, you don't belong here.
Abigail Chase: I'm just trying to hide from my ex-husband.
Butcher Lady: [sees Shaw] Who, Baldie?
Abigail Chase: Yes.
Butcher Lady: Honey, stay as long as you like.
Abigail Chase: Huh, thank you.
Butcher Lady: [to Shaw] You want something?
[leaning on the counter panting, while looking around for Abigail]
Butcher Lady: Do you want something?
Shaw: [unnerved] Shut up.
[leaves]
Butcher Lady: [to Abigail] I see why you left him.
Abigail Chase: I'm just trying to hide from my ex-husband.
Butcher Lady: [sees Shaw] Who, Baldie?
Abigail Chase: Yes.
Butcher Lady: Honey, stay as long as you like.
Abigail Chase: Huh, thank you.
Butcher Lady: [to Shaw] You want something?
[leaning on the counter panting, while looking around for Abigail]
Butcher Lady: Do you want something?
Shaw: [unnerved] Shut up.
[leaves]
Butcher Lady: [to Abigail] I see why you left him.
[trying to find the password to the Preservation Room]
Ben Gates: It's Valley Forge.
Riley Poole: Valley... I don't have that on my computer.
Ben Gates: It's Valley Forge. She pressed E and L twice.
[typing password]
Ben Gates: Valley Forge was a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
[Access is granted]
Riley Poole: Can I marry your brain?
Ben Gates: It's Valley Forge.
Riley Poole: Valley... I don't have that on my computer.
Ben Gates: It's Valley Forge. She pressed E and L twice.
[typing password]
Ben Gates: Valley Forge was a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
[Access is granted]
Riley Poole: Can I marry your brain?
Riley Poole: [after his computer goes blank] I lost my feed.
Ben Gates: [in the preservation room] What?
Riley Poole: I lost my feed, Ben. I don't know where anyone is. I have nothing. Ben, I have nothing. Get out of there. Get out of there now!
Ben Gates: [picking up the Declaration of independence's case] I'm taking the whole thing. I'll get it out of the elevator.
Riley Poole: What are you taking... Is it heavy?
Ben Gates: [in the preservation room] What?
Riley Poole: I lost my feed, Ben. I don't know where anyone is. I have nothing. Ben, I have nothing. Get out of there. Get out of there now!
Ben Gates: [picking up the Declaration of independence's case] I'm taking the whole thing. I'll get it out of the elevator.
Riley Poole: What are you taking... Is it heavy?
Ben Gates: Of all the ideas that became the United States, there's a line here that's at the heart of all the others. "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and provide new Guards for their future security."
Patrick Gates: This room is real, Ben. And that means the treasure is real. We're in the company of some of the most brilliant minds in history because you found what they left behind for us to find, and understood the meaning of it. You did it, Ben, for all of us - your grandfather, and all of us. And I've never been so happy to be proven wrong.
[Gates is stealing the Declaration of Independence, which is rolled up in his jacket]
Gift Store Clerk: Are you trying to steal that?
Ben Gates: [looks around in surprise, spotting a box of Declaration replications for sale] Oh! Umm...?
Gift Store Clerk: It's thirty-five dollars.
Ben Gates: For this?
Gift Store Clerk: Yeah.
Ben Gates: That's a lot.
Gift Store Clerk: Hey, I don't make the prices.
Ben Gates: [searching through his wallet] That's umm... thirty-two... fifty-seven?
Gift Store Clerk: We take Visa.
Gift Store Clerk: Are you trying to steal that?
Ben Gates: [looks around in surprise, spotting a box of Declaration replications for sale] Oh! Umm...?
Gift Store Clerk: It's thirty-five dollars.
Ben Gates: For this?
Gift Store Clerk: Yeah.
Ben Gates: That's a lot.
Gift Store Clerk: Hey, I don't make the prices.
Ben Gates: [searching through his wallet] That's umm... thirty-two... fifty-seven?
Gift Store Clerk: We take Visa.
Riley Poole: For the record, Ben, I like the house.
Ben Gates: You know, I chose this estate because in 1812 Charles Carroll met...
Riley Poole: Yeah, someone that did something in history and had fun. Great. Wonderful.
[puts on a pair of sunglasses and starts the car]
Riley Poole: Could have had a bigger house.
[drives away]
Ben Gates: You know, I chose this estate because in 1812 Charles Carroll met...
Riley Poole: Yeah, someone that did something in history and had fun. Great. Wonderful.
[puts on a pair of sunglasses and starts the car]
Riley Poole: Could have had a bigger house.
[drives away]
Powell: Look... this is a waste of time. How could a ship wind up way out here?
Riley Poole: Well, I'm no expert but... it could be that the hydrothermic properties of this region produce hurricane-force ice storms that cause the ocean to freeze and then melt and then refreeze, resulting in a semisolid migrating land mass that would land a ship right around here.
[walks away]
Riley Poole: Well, I'm no expert but... it could be that the hydrothermic properties of this region produce hurricane-force ice storms that cause the ocean to freeze and then melt and then refreeze, resulting in a semisolid migrating land mass that would land a ship right around here.
[walks away]
[Agent Hendricks clears his throat]
Sadusky: Yes, Agent Hendricks, you've got something?
Agent Hendricks: Um...
Sadusky: This isn't a day for "Um."
Agent Hendricks: We received a tip a few days ago that someone was going to steal the Declaration of Independence.
Sadusky: [nodding] Do we have a name on the tipster?
Agent Hendricks: Uh, there was no file opened. We didn't find the information credible.
Sadusky: [beat] How about now?
Sadusky: Yes, Agent Hendricks, you've got something?
Agent Hendricks: Um...
Sadusky: This isn't a day for "Um."
Agent Hendricks: We received a tip a few days ago that someone was going to steal the Declaration of Independence.
Sadusky: [nodding] Do we have a name on the tipster?
Agent Hendricks: Uh, there was no file opened. We didn't find the information credible.
Sadusky: [beat] How about now?
Sadusky: So, here is your options: Door number one - you go to prison for a very long time. Door number two - we're going to get back the Declaration of Independence; you help us find it, and... you still go to prison for a very long time. But you'll feel better inside.
Ben Gates: Is there a door that doesn't lead to prison?
Sadusky: [laughing] Someone's got to go to prison, Ben.
Ben Gates: Is there a door that doesn't lead to prison?
Sadusky: [laughing] Someone's got to go to prison, Ben.
[Sadusky, Woodruff and Herbert are walking down the hall after speaking to the guests]
Sadusky: There's a copy of the Declaration on display now?
Dr. Stan Herbert: Yes, we decided to...
Sadusky: Leave it there. The guests know something happened but they don't know what.
[They pass the guard attacked by Ian and his men who is now recovering. Agent Dawes joins them as they pass]
Agent Dawes: They got him with a taser at the service entrance. He doesn't remember a thing. Also, we found bullet casings.
Sadusky: We get a description from the other guards?
Guard Woodruff: Which guards?
Sadusky: The guards that were fired upon.
Guard Woodruff: There weren't any other guards on patrol down here.
[Sadusky looks intrigued and contemplates the bullet holes in the glass of the Declaration's case]
Sadusky: So... who was shooting, who were they shooting at... and why weren't they getting along?
Sadusky: There's a copy of the Declaration on display now?
Dr. Stan Herbert: Yes, we decided to...
Sadusky: Leave it there. The guests know something happened but they don't know what.
[They pass the guard attacked by Ian and his men who is now recovering. Agent Dawes joins them as they pass]
Agent Dawes: They got him with a taser at the service entrance. He doesn't remember a thing. Also, we found bullet casings.
Sadusky: We get a description from the other guards?
Guard Woodruff: Which guards?
Sadusky: The guards that were fired upon.
Guard Woodruff: There weren't any other guards on patrol down here.
[Sadusky looks intrigued and contemplates the bullet holes in the glass of the Declaration's case]
Sadusky: So... who was shooting, who were they shooting at... and why weren't they getting along?
Patrick Gates: Cooperation only lasts as long as the status quo is unchanged. As soon as this guy gets to wherever this thing ends... he won't need you anymore, or... or any of us.
Ben Gates: So we find a way to make sure the status quo changes in our favor.
Patrick Gates: How?
Ben Gates: I'm still working on it.
Patrick Gates: Well, I guess I better work on it too, then.
Ben Gates: So we find a way to make sure the status quo changes in our favor.
Patrick Gates: How?
Ben Gates: I'm still working on it.
Patrick Gates: Well, I guess I better work on it too, then.
Sadusky: The Templars and the Freemasons believed that the treasure was too great for any one man to have, not even a king. That's why they went to such lengths to keep it hidden.
Ben Gates: That's right. The founding fathers believed the same thing about government. I figure their solution will work for the treasure too.
Sadusky: Give it to the people.
Ben Gates: That's right. The founding fathers believed the same thing about government. I figure their solution will work for the treasure too.
Sadusky: Give it to the people.
Shaw: Prison.
Riley Poole: Albuquerque. See, I can do it too. Snorkel.
Shaw: That's where the map is. Like he said, "Fifty-five in iron pen." "Iron pen" is a prison.
Ben Gates: Or it could be, since the primary writing medium of the time was iron gall ink, the "pen" is... just a pen. But then why not say a pen? Why say "iron pen"?
Shaw: Cause it's a prison.
Riley Poole: Albuquerque. See, I can do it too. Snorkel.
Shaw: That's where the map is. Like he said, "Fifty-five in iron pen." "Iron pen" is a prison.
Ben Gates: Or it could be, since the primary writing medium of the time was iron gall ink, the "pen" is... just a pen. But then why not say a pen? Why say "iron pen"?
Shaw: Cause it's a prison.
Ben Gates: A toast? Yeah. To high treason. That's what these men were committing when they signed the Declaration. Had we lost the war, they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered, and-Oh! Oh, my personal favorite-and had their entrails cut out and *burned*!
[brief pause]
Ben Gates: So... Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right...
[nodding]
Ben Gates: what they knew was right.
[brief pause]
Ben Gates: So... Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right...
[nodding]
Ben Gates: what they knew was right.
