The Great Santini (1980) - Quotes

Confrontation Over Disobedience in Military Context

Bull: You disobeyed a direct order, hog! A direct order from your commanding officer!

Ben: Yes, sir!

Bull: You knew you'd catch hell for it!

Ben: Yes, sir!

Bull: You went ahead and did it anyway! I wanna know why!

Ben: Because I promised Arabelle- I thought Toomer might be in trouble!

Bull: And what?

Ben: And- because I was your son!

Bull: What the hell's that got to do with it?

Ben: Because you woulda done it! Santini woulda done it!

Bull: We're not talking about me, goddamnit! We're talking about you!

Ben: Oh, sure! And I'm a Meechum! A Meechum's a winner all the way! He chews nails while the other kids are eating cotton candy! He never surrenders, he never gives up!

Bull: You disobeyed a direct order!

Ben: I thought Toomer might be in trouble.

Bull: I told you, Toomer can take care of himself!

Ben: Yes, sir, that's what you told me.

Bull: Is that him in the car?

Ben: Yes, sir.

Bull: [looks at Toomer, realizing Toomer is dead; returns to Ben; silence] Hey, Toomer, how you doin', sportsfan? Jesus H. Christ. Better take him to the hospital. I'll get the Sheriff and tell Arabelle. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say something?

Ben: Nobody tells you anything, Dad.

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Confrontation and Inquiry in the Military

Bull: You're probably wondering why I attacked you right?

Cpl. Atchley: Yes, sir!

Bull: What's your name, Corporal?

Cpl. Atchley: Atchley, sir.

Bull: Atchley do you realize that several Marines were killed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor while taking craps?

Cpl. Atchley: No, sir.

Bull: A fighting man must be vigilant to surprise attack no matter where he is. The survival of our nation depends on the readiness of Marines all over the world. Also more importantly, you only wiped yourself twice. That is grossly insufficient. Right now, germs with names you can't even pronounce are preparing to launch a devastating attack that will render you helpless in the defense of your country. Do you read me?

Cpl. Atchley: Yes, sir!

Bull: Good... now I'm Jones, Colonel John J. Jones I'm only here for the day. I fly around the country testing the readiness of troops for combat. This is a strictly confidential test, classified top secret, tell no one Atchley... and if you ever attack a senior officer again I'll have you court-martialed!

Cpl. Atchley: But- you attacked me, sir-

Bull: [Atcherly leaves; Bull looks at a mirror, chuckling to himself] Dismissed! Good luck in your career. Be proud Atchley, be proud of yourself and proud of the Corps. Now get out! You silver-tongue bastard, shame on you.

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The Importance of Courage and Boldness

Bull: There's those that has got em, Ben, and those that don't!

Ben: What?

Bull: Gonads, Son! Big brass ones!

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Unexpected Movie Comparison in Conversation

Mary Anne: [[w:Rhett Butler|Rhett Butler] He does remind me someone from the movies, but it's not ].

Karen: Who's that?

Mary Anne: Godzilla!

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A Tense Exchange Among Characters

Bull: [[Fidel Castro|Castro; [Charles de Gaulle|de Gaulle] ], you bearded fag! I'd like to chase you down the main street of Havana in my F4! And ]! God! God! Why did you put so many jerks in the world at the same time?!

Arabelle: Kinda peculiar, ain't he?

Lillian: He's just readin his paper. Come on in.

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A Humorous Introduction of Characters

Bull: Stand by for a fighter pilot!

Arabelle: Whatchu say, Cap'n?

Bull: I am the Great Santini!

Arabelle: I's Arabelle Smalls, your new maid! Ain't never worked for no Italian before.

Bull: Pure Irish. And you, you're a solid-lookin woman.

Arabelle: I can punch hard as a man. You wanna hit my shoulder?

Bull: This is a Marine you're talking to. I might cause internal bleeding or something.

Arabelle: You go ahead and hit Arabelle's shoulder. Come on down here.

Bull: [hits Arabelle, then looks at her, impressed] Okay, lady. Watch out. You are solid as a rock.

Arabelle: Now it's my turn.

Bull: [startled, trying to pretend like it was nothing] Ooh! You call that punching?

Arabelle: You want me to try again?

Bull: Hell no, because if you hurt your hand, I'm gonna have to pay the doctor bills.

Lillian: What is goin on out here- oh! Why you must be Mrs. Smalls!

Arabelle: I is.

Lillian: Why, good- I'm Lillian Meechum, and this is my husband, Lieutenant Colonel Bull Meechum.

Bull: My kinda woman.

Lillian: Oh, yeah? Oh, that says a lot. Earline Grantham spoke very highly of you.

Bull: Said you get in a lotta trouble for stealing silver outta nice houses.

Arabelle: Miss Earline ain't put no trash on me, Cap'n.

Lillian: Now, you'll get used to his teasing, Arabelle, or else you won't, but it'll be there one way or the other.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Understanding Signals in High-Pressure Situations

Lillian: Your father is very nervous about this game. Look at me, young lady! Look at me! You've got to interpret the signals he gives off!

Mary Anne: No problem! He always gives off the signals of a psychopathic killer, so it really doesn't matter how you interpret them!

Father-Daughter Dynamics and Emotional Barriers

Mary Anne: Hey Dad, why do you love me more than your other children?

Bull: Beat it, I'm reading the sports page.

Mary Anne: Let's have a conversation, Dad. Let's bare our souls and get to know one another.

Bull: I don't want you to get to know me. I like being an enigma, like a Chink. Now scram.

Mary Anne: Am I a Meechum Dad? Can girls be real Meechums; girls without jump shots? Or am I a simple form of Meechum, like in biology. Mary Anne, the one-celled Meechum.

Bull: Mary Anne scram, I'm starting to lose my temper. Lilian!

Mary Anne: [falls to the ground] Dad, I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant by a negro Daddy. His name is Rufus, I didn't wanna tell you but since we're baring our souls to each other. Rufus is a pacifist; a pacifist homosexual.

Bull: [storms off as Mary Anne follows him] Jesus H. Christ! Lilian, I'm going to the club. I'll see you all at the game! I can't stand it around here!

Mary Anne: But you'll get to like him after a while Dad. Dwarfs are easy to like, especially when they're bald and cross-eyed... Dad... Dad... Dad!

Embracing Change in a New Environment

Mary Anne: I hate this place.

Lillian: Now sugar, you've got to open yourself to a town. You've been in the Corps long enough to know that.

Mary Anne: I am not in the Corps.

Matt: Says you!

Bull: Shut your little yaps! Now here it is sports fans, Beaufort S.C.!

Mary Anne: And to think I mistook it for Paris, France.

Embracing the Meechum Legacy of Resilience

Ben Meechum: I'm a Meechum. A Meechum's a thoroughbred, a winner all the way. He chews nails while the other kids eat cotton candy. He never surrenders. He never gives up.

A Father's Toast to His Son

Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur "Bull" Meechum: I'd like to propose a toast, to my son. He is eighteen today. He has just ordered his first drink. Before he drinks it, I'd like to wish him a long life, a wife as fine as his mother, and a son as fine as he's been. To my son!

Embracing the Challenge of Leadership

Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur "Bull" Meechum: [addressing his fighter squadron] Morning. You men now have the privilege of serving under the meanest, toughest, screamingest commander in the Marine Corps- me. If I say something you pretend it's coming from the Burning Bush. We're Marines. Marine Corps fighter pilots. We have no other function. That is your mission, and you're gonna hack it or pack it! You're flying with Bull Meechum now, and I kid you not, this is the eye of the storm! Welcome aboard.

Commanding Authority in Adverse Circumstances

Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur "Bull" Meechum: Okay, Hogs, I've listened to you bellyache about moving to this hew town. This said bellyaching will end as of 1530 hours, will not affect the morale of this squadron henceforth. Do I make myself clear?