A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men is a 1992 film about the trial of two U.S. Marines accused of murder while serving at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Directed by Rob Reiner. Written by Aaron Sorkin

In the heart of the nation's capital, in a courthouse of the U.S. government, one man will stop at nothing to keep his honor, and one will stop at nothing to find the truth.

Lt.(j.g.) Daniel Kaffee

I want you to know that I think the whole fucking bunch of you are certifiably insane. This code of honor of yours makes me want to beat the shit out of somebody.

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Col. Nathan R. Jessup

There is nothing on this earth sexier, believe me, gentlemen, than a woman you have to salute in the morning. Promote 'em all, I say, because this is true - if you haven't gotten a blow-job from a superior officer, well, you're just letting the best in life pass you by. 'Course, my problem is, I'm a colonel, so I guess I'll just have to keep taking cold showers until they elect some gal president.

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Dialogue

Jessup: Transfer Santiago? Yes I'm sure you're right. I'm sure that's the thing to do. Wait, I've got a better idea. Lets transfer the whole squad off the base. On second thought- lets transfer the whole Windward Division off the base. John, tell those boys to get down off the fence. They're packing their bags. [calling out to his assistant] Tom?

Tom: [Enters the office] Sir?

Jessup: Get me the President on the phone. We're surrendering our position in Cuba.

Tom: Yes, sir.

Jessup: Wait a minute, Tom. Don't get the President yet. Maybe we should consider this for a second. Dismissed, Tom.

Tom: Yes, sir.

Jessup: The Corporal will take you by Personnel on your way back to the flight line and you can have all the transfer orders you want.

Kaffee: [to Weinberg & Galloway] Let's go.

Jessup: [Passive-aggressively] But you have to ask me nicely.

Kaffee: I beg your pardon?

Jessup: You have to ask me nicely. You see, Danny, I can deal with the bullets and the bombs and the blood. I don't want money and I don't want medals. What I do want is for you to stand there in that faggoty white uniform and with your Harvard mouth extend me some fucking courtesy! You gotta ask me nicely.

[a beat, as Kaffee swallows his disbelief]

Kaffee: Colonel Jessep, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like a copy of the transfer order, sir.

Jessup: [politely] No problem.

Dawson: After six months we'll be dishonorably discharged. Right, sir?

Kaffee: Probably.

Dawson: Well, what do we do then, sir? We joined the Marines because we wanted to live our lives by a certain code and we found it in the Corps. Now you're asking us to sign a piece of paper that says we have no honor. You're asking us to say that we're not Marines. If a court decides that what we did was wrong, then I'll accept whatever punishment they give. I believe I was right. I believe I did my job. But I will not dishonor MYSELF, MY UNIT, OR THE CORPS SO THAT I CAN GO HOME IN SIX MONTHS! Sir.

Kendrick: I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant: the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I'm aware of are my commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, and the Lord our God.

Kaffee: At your request, Lieutenant Kendrick, I can have the record reflect your lack of acknowledgment of this court as a proper authority.

Captain Jack Ross: Objection: argumentative.

Judge: Sustained. Watch yourself, counselor.

[Col. Jessup chuckles while on the witness stand]

Kaffee: Is this funny, sir?

Col. Jessup: [face falls to a look of disgust] No, it isn't. It's tragic.

Kaffee: Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?

Col. Jessep: Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.

Kaffee: Alright, let's go. Let's get two.

Sherby: Sorry.

Kaffee: Nothin' to be sorry about, Sherby, you just look the ball into your glove. Shooting two.

Sherby: Sorry.

Kaffee: You gotta trust me Sherby. If you keep your eyes open, your chances of catching the ball increase by a factor of ten.

Dave: Kaffee.

Kaffee: Let's try it again.

Dave: Kaffee!

Kaffee: Dave, you seem distraught.

Dave: We were supposed to meet in your office fifteen minutes ago to talk about the McDermont case. You're stalling on this thing. Now we either get it done, and I mean now, or no kidding Kaffee, I'll hang your boy from a fucking yardarm!

Kaffee: Yardarm? Sherby, does the Navy still hang people from yardarms?

Sherby: I don't think so.

Kaffee: Dave, Sherby doesn't think the Navy hangs people from yardarms anymore.

Dave: I'm going to charge him with possession and being under the influence while on duty. You plead guilty, I'll recommend thirty days in the brig with loss of rank and pay.

Kaffee: It was oregano, Dave. It was ten dollars worth of oregano.

Dave: Yeah, well, your client thought it was marijuana.

Kaffee: My client's a moron, that's not against the law.

(Colonel Jessup testified that he ordered Lt Kendrick that Santiago "Wasn't to be touched" and the argument gets heated)

Kaffee: Colonel Jessup, did you order the Code Red?!

Judge: You don't have to answer that question!

Jessup: I'll answer the question. You want answers?

Kaffee: I think I'm entitled!

Jessup: You want answers?!

Kaffee: I want the truth!

Jessup: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know, that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives! You don't want the truth, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like "honor", "code", "loyalty". We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you", and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!

Kaffee: Did you order the Code Red?

Jessup: I did the job that—-

Kaffee: Did you order the Code Red?!!

Jessup: YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!!

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