The Thin Red Line Quotes
Terrence Malick's adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.
Private Edward P. Train: [narration] This great evil, where's it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doing this? Who's killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we might've known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, does it help the grass to grow, the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you, too? Have you passed through this night?
[last lines]
Private Edward P. Train: [voice over] Where is it that we were together? Who were you that I lived with? The brother. The friend. Darkness, light. Strife and love. Are they the workings of one mind? The features of the same face? Oh, my soul. Let me be in you now. Look out through my eyes. Look out at the things you made. All things shining.
Private Edward P. Train: [voice over] Where is it that we were together? Who were you that I lived with? The brother. The friend. Darkness, light. Strife and love. Are they the workings of one mind? The features of the same face? Oh, my soul. Let me be in you now. Look out through my eyes. Look out at the things you made. All things shining.
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Everything a lie. Everything you hear, everything you see. So much to spew out. They just keep coming, one after another. You're in a box. A moving box. They want you dead, or in their lie... There's only one thing a man can do - find something that's his, and make an island for himself. If I never meet you in this life, let me feel the lack; a glance from your eyes, and my life will be yours.
Private Witt: I remember my mother when she was dyin', looked all shrunk up and gray. I asked her if she was afraid. She just shook her head. I was afraid to touch the death I seen in her. I couldn't find nothin' beautiful or uplifting about her goin' back to God. I heard of people talk about immortality, but I ain't seen it.
Private Witt: I wondered how it'd be like when I died, what it'd be like to know this breath now was the last one you was ever gonna draw. I just hope I can meet it the same way she did, with the same... calm. 'Cause that's where it's hidden - the immortality I hadn't seen.
Private Witt: I wondered how it'd be like when I died, what it'd be like to know this breath now was the last one you was ever gonna draw. I just hope I can meet it the same way she did, with the same... calm. 'Cause that's where it's hidden - the immortality I hadn't seen.
Private Witt: [voice over] We were a family. How'd it break up and come apart, so that now we're turned against each other? Each standing in the other's light. How'd we lose that good that was given us? Let it slip away. Scattered it, careless. What's keepin' us from reaching out, touching the glory?
Brigadier General Quintard: [pre-landing pep talk] You have a son Colonel?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir, I do.
Brigadier General Quintard: Good. 'Cause we don't want our sons or our grandsons fight this war 30 years from now, do we?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: No sir, we sure don't.
Brigadier General Quintard: You crush 'em without mercy. You dig them out of the hills and protect that airfield.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir.
Brigadier General Quintard: You wonder why. Why do the Japs want an airfield there of all places? I guess we don't know the bigger picture, do we? If there is such a thing, what do you think?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Well sir, I never asked myself that question.
Brigadier General Quintard: You're a humble man. Nobody wants that either. But you, how much do you want it?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: As much as I have to, sir.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: [narration] All they sacrificed for me. Poured out like water on the ground. All I might have given for love's sake. Too late. Dying. Slow as a tree.
Brigadier General Quintard: [all is quiet] You feel it?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: [narration] The closer you are to Caesar, the greater the fear.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir, I do.
Brigadier General Quintard: Good. 'Cause we don't want our sons or our grandsons fight this war 30 years from now, do we?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: No sir, we sure don't.
Brigadier General Quintard: You crush 'em without mercy. You dig them out of the hills and protect that airfield.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir.
Brigadier General Quintard: You wonder why. Why do the Japs want an airfield there of all places? I guess we don't know the bigger picture, do we? If there is such a thing, what do you think?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Well sir, I never asked myself that question.
Brigadier General Quintard: You're a humble man. Nobody wants that either. But you, how much do you want it?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: As much as I have to, sir.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: [narration] All they sacrificed for me. Poured out like water on the ground. All I might have given for love's sake. Too late. Dying. Slow as a tree.
Brigadier General Quintard: [all is quiet] You feel it?
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: Yes sir.
Lt. Col. Gordon Tall: [narration] The closer you are to Caesar, the greater the fear.
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Hey Witt, who you making trouble for today?
Private Witt: What do you mean?
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Well, isn't that what you like to do? Turn left when they say go right. Why are you such a trouble maker Witt?
Private Witt: You care about me? Don't ya Sergeant? I always felt like you did. One day I come up and talk to ya. Then the next day it's like we never even met. Lonely house now, you ever get lonely?
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Only around people.
Private Witt: Only around people.
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: You still believin in the beautiful light are ya? How do you do that? You're a magician to me.
Private Witt: I still see a spark in you.
Private Witt: What do you mean?
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Well, isn't that what you like to do? Turn left when they say go right. Why are you such a trouble maker Witt?
Private Witt: You care about me? Don't ya Sergeant? I always felt like you did. One day I come up and talk to ya. Then the next day it's like we never even met. Lonely house now, you ever get lonely?
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Only around people.
Private Witt: Only around people.
First Sgt. Edward Welsh: You still believin in the beautiful light are ya? How do you do that? You're a magician to me.
Private Witt: I still see a spark in you.
Private Ash: I would have had you Witt if you were a Jap, long ago.
Private Witt: They leave you here?
Private Ash: Yeah, I was holding them up.
Private Witt: You got one good huh?
Private Ash: Right in the knee. Yeah, I'm out of this war for good Witt. The Doc fixed me up pretty good, plenty of ammo. What are you doing up here?
Private Witt: I took a walk away from the village. You can come with me if you want, I can help you along.
Private Ash: No, its peaceful up here you know? I'll only slow you up. Someone will be along. You give the boys my best, huh?
Private Witt: I will.
Private Ash: Ok.
Private Witt: They leave you here?
Private Ash: Yeah, I was holding them up.
Private Witt: You got one good huh?
Private Ash: Right in the knee. Yeah, I'm out of this war for good Witt. The Doc fixed me up pretty good, plenty of ammo. What are you doing up here?
Private Witt: I took a walk away from the village. You can come with me if you want, I can help you along.
Private Ash: No, its peaceful up here you know? I'll only slow you up. Someone will be along. You give the boys my best, huh?
Private Witt: I will.
Private Ash: Ok.
Colonel Gordon Tall: John, I'm convinced that the Japanese position can be broken right now. All we have to do is keep going and we'll have this hill. We'll have this hill by sundown! You see the spirit in these men? Do you see the new spirit? Well, I want to take advantage of that before something happens to sap their strength. To have this battalion relieved in a defeat, or even to have it reinforced by troops from a reserve regiment, if we were stalled before reaching the top, well, Jesus Christ, that's just a hell of a lot more than I could stand! I've waited all my life for this. I've worked, slaved, eaten untold buckets of shit to have this opportunity and I don't intend to give it up now.
