MR. TRASK: I'm going to recommend
to the disciplinary committee that you be expelled, Mr. Simms. You are a cover-up artist and you are a liar. But not a snitch! Excuse me? No, I don't think I will. Mr. Slade... This is such a crock of shit. Please watch your language, Mr. Slade.
You are in the Baird School not a barracks. Mr. Simms, I will give you one final opportunity to speak up. Mr. Simms doesn't want it. He doesn't need to labeled: "Still worthy of being a 'Baird Man.'" What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide" Anything short of that we're gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen when the shit hits the fan some guys run
and some guys stay. Here's Charlie facing the fire
and there's George hiding in big Daddy's pocket. And what are you doing? You're gonna award George and destroy Charlie. Are you finished Mr. Slade? No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan,
William Tell -- whoever. Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one, it's gone. You're building a rat ship here. A vessel for sea going snitches. And if you think you're preparing
these minnows for manhood you better think again. Because I say you are killing
the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham! What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today? I mean, the only class in this act is sitting next to me And I'm here to tell you this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who,
offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't selling. - Sir, you're out of order.
- Out of order? I'll show you out of order! You don't know what outta order is, Mr. Trask! I'd show you but I'm too old,
I'm too tired, I'm too fucking blind. If I were the man I was five years ago I'd take a flamethrower to this place! Out of order. Who the hell you think you're talking to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen boys like these, younger than these,
their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothing like
the sight of an amputated spirit There is...no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sending this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executing his soul! And why? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men. You hurt this boy, you're going to be Baird bums,
the lot of you. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there Fuck you too! [BANGS GAVEL] Stand down Mr. Slade! I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words "Cradle of leadership" Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here, it has fallen. Makers of men, creators of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong. I'm not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this: He won't sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That's called courage. Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. Now, I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee. It's a valuable future. Believe me. Don't destroy it. Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make you proud one day. I promise you.
Mr. Trask: I'm going to recommend to the disciplinary committee that you be expelled. Mr. Simms, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar.
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: But not a snitch.
Mr. Trask: Excuse me?
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: No, I don't think I will.
Mr. Trask: Mr. Slade...
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: This is such a crock of SHIT.
Mr. Trask: Please watch your language, Mr. Slade. You are in the Baird School, not a barracks. Mr Simms, I will give you one last opportunity to speak up.
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: Mr. Simms doesn't want it. He desn't need to labeled, "Still worthy of being a Baird man". What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide. Anything short of that, we're gonna burn you at the stake"? Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan, some guys run and some guys stay. Here's Charlie facing the fire and there's George hiding in Big Daddy's pocket. And what are you doing? You're gonna reward George and destroy Charlie.
Mr. Trask: Are you finished, Mr. Slade?
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell, whoever. Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one. It's gone. You're building a rat ship here. A vessel for seagoing snitches, and if you think you're preparing these minnows for manhood, you better think again, because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills. What a sham. What kind of a show you guys are putting on here today? I mean, the only class in this act is sitting next to me, and I'm here to tell ya this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who, offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't selling.
Mr. Trask: Sir, you're out of order.
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: Out of order. I'll show YOU "out of order"! You don't know what "out of order" is, Mr. Trask. I'd show you, but I'm too old, I'm too tired, I'm too fucking blind. If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a...
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: FLAMETHROWER to this place! Out of order? Who the hell do ya think you're talking to? I've been around, ya know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these. Their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. There's no prostetic for that. You think you're merely sending this splendid foot solder back home to Oregon with tail between his legs, but I say you are executing his SOUL! And why? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men. You hurt this boy, you're gonna be Baird bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are, fuck you too!
Mr. Trask: Stand down, Mr. Slade!
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words, "Cradle of Leadership". Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here. It has fallen. Makers of men, Creators of leaders. Be careful what kind of leaders you're producing here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong. I'm not a judge or jury, but I can tell you this: He won't sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That's called courage. Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee. It's a valuable future. Believe me. Don't destroy it. Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make you proud one day, I promise you.
This movie will always have a special place in my heart. I was the poor kid at a boarding school for wealthy kids and once dealt with a situation very similar to the one Chris O'Donnel's character finds himself in. Pacino's acting is well over the top, but its a solid story and the character he plays is extremely well written. I just wish someone had told Pacino to dial it down a few notches. There are times when I can't help but laugh out loud at some of the lines he delivers.
No mistakes in the tango, not like life. If you make a mistake and get all tangled up, you just tango on.
I finally saw this movie a year ago
Its ok, but felt like a Hallmark tv movie
Of all his performances to earn an Oscar, its weird this is it.
He should've got one for Heat.
Esquires of Wall Street - if you want your hair cut from the same place Pacino gets a shave in the movie - awesome place for a great haircut . Ask for Steve!
He deserved his Best Actor Oscar, every bit of it.
I love this scene but I disagree with him.
He's part of the old boys club where they cover each other's backs. 'Don't snitch' means overlook when bad people do bad things.
Oorah.