26 quotes
Indifference Amidst the Chaos of War
Taglines
Vietnam can kill me, but it can't make me care.
Drill Instructor's Demands and Private's Duty
Hartman
Get back in your bunks!
[to recruits]
Hartman
What is this Mickey Mouse shit?!
[storms into the head]
Hartman
What in the name of Jesus H. Christ are you animals doing in my head?! Why is Private Pyle out of his bunk after lights-out?! Why is Private Pyle holding that weapon?! Why aren't you stomping Private Pyle's guts out?!
[to Joker]
Joker
Sir, it is the private's duty to inform the senior drill instructor that Private Pyle has a full magazine and has locked and loaded, sir!
Hartman
Now, you listen to me, Private Pyle, and you listen good. I want that weapon, and I want it now. You will place that rifle on the deck at your feet and step back away from it. WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION, NUMBNUTS?! DIDN'T MOMMY AND DADDY SHOW YOU ENOUGH ATTENTION WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?!
[calmly and sternly, to Lawrence; Lawrence insanely and eerily smiles and aims at Hartman's chest. Hartman realises what Lawrence is doing; angrily bellowing; Lawrence shoots and kills him, then swings the barrel slowly up toward Joker]
Joker
Easy, Leonard. Go easy, man. NO!!
[Lawrence lowers it, sits on a latrine, and puts the muzzle in his mouth; alarmed; Lawrence pulls the trigger, killing himself and splattering his brains across the wall, leaving Joker horrified at the sight]
Building Indestructible Men in the Marine Corps
Private/Sergeant James T. "Joker" Davis
Graduation is only a few days away, and the recruits of Platoon 3092 are salty. They are ready to eat their own guts and ask for seconds. The drill instructors are proud to see that we are growing beyond their control. The Marine Corps does not want robots. The Marine Corps wants killers. The Marine Corps wants to build indestructible men, men without fear.
[narrating]
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman's Intense Motivational Challenge
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman
Are you quitting on me? Well, are you? Then quit, you slimy fucking walrus-looking piece of shit! Get the fuck off of my obstacle! Get the fuck down off of my obstacle! NOW! MOVE IT! Or I'm going to rip your balls off, so you cannot contaminate the rest of the world! I will motivate you, Private Pyle, IF IT SHORT-DICKS EVERY CANNIBAL ON THE CONGO!
[To Private Pyle when he is unable to climb over an obstacle on a course]
Military Training Perceptions in Full Metal Jacket
Private/Sergeant James T. "Joker" Davis
], ]—the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot, an eight-week college for the phony tough and the crazy brave.
[narrating; [W:Parris Island|Parris Island; [South Carolina]
A Command for Readiness and Discipline
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman
Drop your cocks and grab your socks!
Desire for Adventure and Violence
Private/Sergeant James T. "Joker" Davis
I wanted to see exotic ]... the crown jewel of ]. I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them. I wanted to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill.
[[Vietnam; [W:Southeast Asia|Southeast Asia]
Confusion in Military Training
Hartman
Left shoulder! Hut! Private Pyle, what are you trying to do to my beloved Corps?!
[Lawrence briefly hikes his rifle to his right shoulder and corrects himself, but Hartman notices the error and angrily marches to him]
Pyle
Sir, I don't know, sir!
Hartman
You are dumb, Private Pyle, but do you expect me to believe that you don't know left from right?!
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Then you did that on purpose! You wanna be different!
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
What side was that, Private Pyle?
[slaps Private Lawrence's left cheek]
Pyle
Sir, left side, sir!
Hartman
Are you sure, Private Pyle?!
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
What side was that, Private Pyle?!
[slaps Private Lawrence's right cheek; knocking his cover off]
Pyle
Sir, right side, sir!
[barely holding it together]
Hartman
Don't fuck with me again, Pyle! Pick up your fuckin cover!
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
The Value of Life Over Death
Private/Sergeant James T. "Joker" Davis
The dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive.
[narrating]
Confrontation and Chaos in Boot Camp
Joker
Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?
[under his breath, imitating [[John Wayne]
Hartman
Who said that? WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT?! Who's the slimy little Communist shit twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?! Nobody, huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it. Out-fucking-standing. I will PT you all until you fucking DIE! I'll PT you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk! Was it you, you scroungy little fuck?! Huh?!
[hearing him; crossing toward Joker's end of the barracks; grabs Cowboy by the front of his shirt]
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
You little piece of shit! You look like a fucking worm! I'll bet it was you!
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Joker
Sir, I said it, sir!
Hartman
Well, no shit. What have we got here? A fucking comedian. Private Joker. I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you. You can come over to my house and fuck my sister. You little scumbag! I've got your name! I've got your ass! You will not laugh! You will not cry! You will learn by the numbers! I will teach you! Now get up! Get on your feet! You had best un-fuck yourself, or I will unscrew your head and shit down your neck!
[releases Cowboy and moves over to Joker; punches Joker in the gut; he falls to his knees; Joker does so]
Joker
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Private Joker, why did you join my beloved Corps?
Joker
Sir, to kill, sir!
Hartman
So you're a killer.
Joker
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Let me see your war face.
Joker
Sir?
Hartman
You got a war face? AHHH!! THAT'S a war face! Now let me see your war face! Bullshit! You didn't convince me! Let me see your REAL war face! You don't scare me. Work on it.
[Joker gives one with a not-so-convincingly-fierce yell; Joker gives a louder, more convincing fierce yell, but Hartman is not impressed]
Joker
Sir, yes, sir!
[angrily]
Understanding Historical Tragedy Through Military Training
Hartman
Do any of you people know who ] was? None of you dumbasses knows? Private Cowboy?
[[w:Charles Whitman|Charles Whitman; Cowboy raises his hand]
Cowboy
Sir, he was that guy who ] from ], Texas, sir!
[stands up; [w:University of Texas tower shooting|shot all those people; [w:Main Building (University of Texas at Austin)|that tower in Austin]
Hartman
That's affirmative. Charles Whitman killed 12 people from a 28-story observation tower at the University of Texas, from distances of up to 400 yards. Anybody know who ] was? Private Snowball?
[[w:Lee Harvey Oswald|Lee Harvey Oswald; all recruits raise their hands]
Snowball
Sir, ] ], sir!
[stands up; [w:Assassination of John F. Kennedy|he shot; [John F. Kennedy|Kennedy]
Hartman
That's right. And do you know how far away he was?
Snowball
Sir, it was pretty far, from ], sir!
[[w:Texas School Book Depository|that book suppository building; the recruits laugh]
Hartman
All right, knock it off. 250 feet. He was 250 feet away and shooting at a moving target. Oswald got off three rounds with an old Italian bolt-action rifle in only six seconds and scored two hits, including a headshot. Do any of you people know where these individuals learned how to shoot? Private Joker?
[Snowball sits down; Joker raises his hand]
Joker
Sir, in the Marines, sir!
[stands up]
Hartman
In the Marines! Outstanding! Those individuals showed what one motivated Marine and his rifle can do! And before you ladies leave my island, you will all be able to do the same thing!
Confronting Fear in a Bad Dream
Private/Sergeant "Cowboy" Evans
Remember, it's just a bad dream, fat boy!
[after he and the other recruits have hazed Pyle by restraining and beating him]
Faith and Duty in the Marine Corps
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman
Today is Christmas. There will be a magic show at 0930. Chaplain Charlie will tell you about how the free world will conquer Communism with the aid of God and a few Marines. God has a hard-on for Marines because we kill everything we see. He plays His games, we play ours. To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep Heaven packed with fresh souls. God was here before the Marine Corps. So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps!
[Speech to the platoon on Christmas Day]
The Harsh Reality of Vietnam's Environment
Taglines
In Vietnam, the wind doesn't blow. It sucks.
Reflections on Survival and Reality
Private/Sergeant James T. "Joker" Davis
We have nailed our names in the pages of history enough for today. We hump down to the Perfume River to set in for the night. My thoughts drift back to erect-nipple wet dreams about Mary Jane Rottencrotch and the Great Homecoming Fuck Fantasy. I am so happy that I am alive, in one piece, and short. I'm in a world of shit, yes, but I am alive. And I am not afraid.
[narrating; last lines]
Authority and Obedience in Military Training
Hartman
What's your excuse?
Cowboy
Sir, excuse for what, sir?
Hartman
I'm asking the fuckin questions here, Private! Do you understand?
Cowboy
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Well, thank you very much! Can I be in charge for a while?
Cowboy
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Are you shook up? Are you nervous?
Cowboy
Sir, I am, sir!
Hartman
Do I make you nervous?
Cowboy
Sir!
Hartman
Sir", what? Were you about to call me an asshole?
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
How tall are you, Private?
Cowboy
Sir, 5'9", sir!
Hartman
5'9"? I didn’t know they stacked shit that high! You trying to squeeze an inch in on me somewhere, huh?!
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Bullshit! It looks to me like the best part of you ran down the crack of your mama's ass and ended up as a brown stain on the mattress! I think you've been cheated! Where in the hell are you from anyway, Private?
Cowboy
Sir, Texas, sir!
Hartman
Holy dogshit! Texas? Only steers and queers come from Texas, Private Cowboy, and you don't much look like a steer to me, so that kinda narrows it down. Do you suck dicks?
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Are you a peter-puffer?!
Cowboy
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
I'll bet you're the kinda guy that would fuck a person in the ass and not even have the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reacharound! I'll be watching you.
Humorous Insults in Military Training
Hartman
Did your parents have any children that lived?
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
I bet they regret that. You're so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece! What's your name, fat body?
Pyle
Sir, Leonard Lawrence, sir!
Hartman
Lawrence? Lawrence what... ]?
[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|of Arabia]
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
That name sounds like royalty. Are you royalty?
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Do you suck dicks?
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Bullshit. I bet you could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
Pyle
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
I don't like the name Lawrence. Only faggots and sailors are called Lawrence. From now on you're Gomer Pyle.
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Drill Instructor's Harsh Expectations for Recruits
Hartman
I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill instructor. From now on, you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be "sir". Do you maggots understand that?
Hartman
Bullshit! I can't hear you! Sound off like you got a pair!
Recruits
SIR, YES, SIR!
Hartman
If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training, you will be a weapon. You will be a minister of death, praying for war. But until that day, you are pukes. You are the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized, grab-asstic pieces of amphibian shit. Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard but I am fair. There is no racial bigotry here. I do not look down on ], ], ], or ]. Here you are all equally worthless. And my orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved Corps! Do you maggots understand that?
[[Black people|niggers; [Jew|kikes; [Italians|wops; [W:greaser (derogatory)|greasers]
Hartman
Bullshit! I can't hear you!
Recruits
SIR, YES, SIR!
Hartman
What's your name, scumbag?
Snowball
SIR, PRIVATE BROWN, SIR!
Hartman
Bullshit! From now on you're Private Snowball. Do you like that name?
Snowball
SIR, YES, SIR!
Hartman
Well there's one thing that you won't like, Private Snowball: they don't serve fried chicken and watermelon on a daily basis in my mess hall.
Snowball
SIR, YES, SIR!
Reflections on War and Brotherhood
Sergeant "Crazy" Earl
These are great days we're living, bros. We are jolly green giants, walking the Earth with guns. These people we wasted here today are the finest human beings we will ever know. After we rotate back to the world, we're gonna miss not having anyone around that's worth shooting.
Transaction in a Vietnam War Setting
Da Nang Hooker
Hey, baby. You got girlfriend Vietnam?
Joker
Not just this minute.
Joker
Yeah, we might party. How much?
Da Nang Hooker
$15.
Joker
$15 for both of us?
Da Nang Hooker
No. Each you $15. Me love you long time. Me so horny.
Joker
$15 too beaucoup. $5 each.
Da Nang Hooker
Me sucky-sucky. Me love you too much.
Joker
$5 is all my mom allows me to spend.
Da Nang Hooker
Okay. $10 each.
Joker
What do we get for $10?
Da Nang Hooker
Every t'ing you want.
Joker
Everything?
Da Nang Hooker
Every t'ing.
Joker
Well, old buddy, feel like spending some of your hard-earned money?
[to Rafterman]
Brotherhood and Legacy of the Marines
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman
Today, you people are no longer maggots. Today, you are Marines. You're part of a brotherhood. From now on, until the day you die, wherever you are, every Marine is your brother. Most of you will go to Vietnam. Some of you will not come back. But always remember this: Marines die. That's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever and that means you live forever.
[Graduation speech to the platoon]
Marines Reflect on Their Experience and Brotherhood
T.H.E. Rock
You're going home now.
Crazy Earl
Semper Fi.
Donlon
We're mean Marines, sir.
Eightball
Go easy, bros.
Animal Mother
Better you than me.
Rafterman
Well, at least they died for a good cause.
Animal Mother
What cause was that?
Rafterman
Freedom.
Animal Mother
Flush out your headgear, New Guy. You think we waste gooks for freedom? This is a slaughter. If I'm gonna get my balls blown off for a word, then my word is "poontang.
Military Training and Obstacle Challenges
Hartman
Next two privates, go! Quickly! Get your fat ass over there, Private Pyle. Oh, that's right, Private Pyle. Don't make any fucking effort to get up to the top of the fucking obstacle! If God wanted you up there, He would've miracled your ass up there by now, wouldn't he?
[To Lawrence as he struggles on an obstacle course]
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Get your fat ass up there, Pyle!
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
What the hell is the matter with you anyway? I'll bet you if there was some pussy up there on top of that obstacle...
Pyle
Shit!
[falling off again]
Hartman
...you could get up there, couldn't you?
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Your ass looks like about a hundred and fifty pounds of chewed bubble gum, Pyle! You know that?
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Command and Response in Military Training
Hartman
Hit it, sweetheart.
[to Night Watchman]
Night Watchman
Sir, aye-aye, sir!
Military Cleanliness Expectations
Hartman
As soon as you finish your bunks, I want you two turds to clean the head.
[To Privates Joker and Cowboy]
Joker & Cowboy
Sir, aye-aye, sir!
Hartman
I want that head so sanitary and squared away that the Virgin Mary herself would be proud to go in there and take a dump.
Joker & Cowboy
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Private Joker, do you believe in the Virgin Mary?
Joker
Sir, no, sir!
Hartman
Well, Private Joker, I DON'T BELIEVE I heard you correctly.
[Throws the trash can aside in anger]
Joker
Sir, the private said "No, sir", sir!
Hartman
Why, you little maggot! You make me wanna vomit! You goddamn communist heathen! You had best sound off that you love the Virgin Mary, or I'm gonna stomp your guts out! Now, you do love the Virgin Mary, don't you?
[Slaps Joker across the face]
Joker
Sir, negative, sir!
Hartman
Private Joker, are you trying to offend me?
Joker
Sir, negative, sir! Sir, the private believes that any answer he gives will be wrong, and the Senior Drill Instructor will beat him harder if he reverses himself, sir!
Hartman
Who's your squad leader, scumbag?
Joker
Sir, the private's squad leader is Private Snowball, sir!
Hartman
Private Snowball!
Snowball
Sir, Private Snowball reporting as ordered, sir!
Hartman
Private Snowball, you're fired. Private Joker is promoted to squad leader.
Snowball
Sir, aye-aye, sir!
Hartman
Disappear, scumbag!
Snowball
Sir, aye-aye, sir!
Hartman
Private Pyle!
Pyle
Sir, Private Pyle reporting as ordered, sir!
Hartman
Private Pyle, Private Joker is your new squad leader, and you will bunk with him! He'll teach you everything, he'll teach you how to pee!
Pyle
Sir, yes, sir!
Hartman
Private Joker is silly and he's ignorant, but he's got guts, and guts is enough. Now, you ladies carry on.
Cowboy, Joker & Pyle
Sir, aye-aye, sir!
[together]
The Essence of a Marine's Combat Mindset
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman
The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle. It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong, you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. You will become dead Marines. And then you will be in a world of shit. Because Marines are not allowed to die without permission! Do you maggots understand?