Carlito's Way Quotations

Carlito's Way is a 1993 film about a Puerto-Rican ex-con, just released from prison, who pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of NYC.

Directed by Brian De Palma. Screenplay by David Koepp based on novels by Edwin Torres.

Carlito Brigante

You think you're big time? You're gonna fuckin' DIE big time!

Somebody’s pullin’ me close to the ground. I can sense, but I can’t see. I ain’t panicked, I been here before. Same as when I got popped on 104th Street. Don’t take me to no hospital, please. Fuckin’ emergency rooms don’t save nobody. Sons of bitches always pop you at midnight when all they got is a Chinese intern with a dull spoon.

Your Honour with all due respect, past and present, and without further to-do. Let me assure this court that I am through walkin’ on the wild side. That’s all I’ve been tryin’ to tell you. I have been sick with the social ills known in the ghetto. But my time in the sterling correction facilities of Green Haven and Sing Sing have not been in vain. I’ve been cured! Born again, like the Watergaters. I know you heard this rap before. Your Honour, I mean it. This is the truth. I changed. I changed, and it didn’t take no thirty years like Your Honour thought, but only five. That’s right, sir, five years. And look at me. Completely rehabilitated, reinvigorated, reassimilated and finally going to be relocated, and I want to thank a lot of people for that. I look over there and I see that man there, Mr Norwalk. I want to thank you, sir, for making the tapes in an illegal fashion. I would like to thank the Court Of Appeals, for reversing you, Your Honour. And I want to thank Almighty God without whom no case gets tossed.

No favour. I owe you. Favour gonna kill you faster than a bullet.

Here’s me back on the street. Third Sunday in August. Old Timer’s Day in the barrio. Nothin’ left. Like them old cowboy movies, only instead of tumbleweed and cow dung we got stripped car wrecks and dog shit.

I’M RELOADED! Come on in here, motherfuckers! Come on, I’m waitin’ for ya! You ain’t comin’ in? I’m comin’ out! You’re up against it now, motherfuckers! I’m gonna blow your fuckin’ brains out! You think you’re big time? You’re gonna fuckin’ die big time! You ready? Here comes the pain!

Oh, Jesus. Jesus Christ, look at you. You said they were friends, Guajiro. But there ain’t no friends in this shit business.

Times have changed. What happened to the miniskirts? Where’s all that marijuana? Now everything is platforms, cocaine, and dances I don’t dance. What a man gotta come to when he loses five years.

This guy, this counsellor in Lewisburg, Mr Seawald, once said to me: “Charlie, you run out of steam. You can’t sprint all the way. You gotta stop sometime. You can’t buck it forever. It catches up to you. It gets you. You don’t get reformed, you just run out of wind.”

Okay, Benny Blanco from the Bronx. The chick Steffie belongs to the club. Now if I ever, I mean if I ever, see you here again you die, just like that.

Dumb move, man. Dumb move. But it’s like them old reflexes comin’ back. I know what’s supposed to happen now. Benny’s gotta go down. And if I don’t do it, they’re gonna say: “Carlito, he’s flaky, man. Slacked-out. A used-to-be bad guy. Joint got to Carlito.” The street is watchin’. She is watchin’ all the time.

Guys went down, yeah, but it ain’t like, you know, you just decide one day and that’s it. No. You just do what you gotta do to survive. Somehow, you know, you just end up where you are.

Dave is my friend, Gail. I owe him. That’s who I am, That’s what I am, right or wrong. I can’t change that!

You ain’t a lawyer no more, Dave. You’re a gangster now. You’re on the other side. Whole new ball game. You can’t learn about it at school, and you can’t have a late start.

When you can’t see the angles no more, you’re in trouble, baby. You’re in trouble.

The dream don't come no closer by itself. We gotta run after it now.

Sorry, boys, all the stitches in the world can’t sew me together again... Lay down. Lay down. Gonna stretch me out in Fernandez Funeral Home on 109th street... Always knew I’d make a stop there, but a lot later than a whole gang of people thought. Last of the Mo-Rican’s. Well, maybe not the last. Gail’s gonna be a good mom. New, improved Carlito Brigante. Hope she uses the money to get out. No room in this city for big hearts like hers... Sorry, baby, I tried the best I could. Honest. Can’t come with me on this trip, though... Gettin’ the shakes now. Last call for drinks. Bar’s closin’ down. Sun’s out. Where we goin’ for breakfast? Don’t wanna go far... Rough night. Tired, baby... Tired...

David Kleinfeld

Hey, look, relax. You’re not dealing so he can’t have anything on you. That’s not possible. This is the way this guy is. He’s on a god damn fishing exhibition.

Fuck you and your self-righteous code of the goddamned street. Did it pull you out of a thirty-year stint in five years? Did it? No, I did. Did it get you acquitted four fucking times? No, it didn’t, I did. So fuck you, fuck the street. Your whole goddamn world’s about this big... ...and there’s only one rule: you save your own ass.

You don't know me, so you don't owe me!!

Gail

I mean, I don’t judge you. You know, Charlie. And what do you do that’s so wonderful? You ever kill anybody, Charlie?

Yeah, I had a dream, Charlie, but now I’m awake. And I hate my dream.

Everything you learned in the neighbourhood, every instinct you’ve got won’t do anything but get you killed!

I know how this dream ends, Charlie. It isn’t in paradise. It ends with me carrying you into Sutton Emergency Room at three o’clock in the morning. And standing there, crying like an idiot... while you’re shoes fill with blood and you die.

Benny Blanco

My name is Benny Blanco from the Bronx.

You’re over, man. You’re fuckin’ in the history books. That’s where you are, man. So you might as well fuckin’ kill me now, ‘cause if I ever see you again, swear to god, I’m gonna fucking kill you.

Hey, remember me? Benny Blanco From The Bronx?

Other

Pachanga: Carlito, man, Death Valley out here, man. You know me, I take to the street with any of these Motherfuckers, man. But these new kids nowadays, man, they got no respect for human life. They shotgun you just to see you fly up in the air. You’re better off in jail.

Lalin: What do you mean? You didn’t hear? I took a few in the back. When the streets are mad at you she don’t put you in a box, she puts you in one of these things.

Saso: What has happened to you? What are you acting like this for? It doesn’t make sense that you should hate this guy. Because this guy is you, twenty years ago.

Dialogue

Carlito: So look at you. You really made something of your life.

Kleinfeld: You put me in business. All my first clients came through you.

Carlito: As I say, you know, top drawer. You’re Top Drawer, Davey.

Stef: Carlito, I see you were talkin’ to Benny Blanco before.

Carlito: Yeah. Benny Blanco from the Bronx.

Stef: They say he’s coming up in the world.

Carlito: Really?

Stef: Hmm, mmm.

Carlito: He’s got a big future if he can live past next week.

Stef: Hey, Carlito, where you been hiding this man, huh? This is one sexy man. He’s an animal. You know that?

Carlito: Faster than a speeding bullet, huh.

Benny Blanco: Mr Brigante, this is the second time you turned me down for a drink. What, you don’t like my champagne?

Carlito: It could be.

Benny Blanco: Maybe, there’s a mis-fucking-understanding. Maybe you don’t remember me, my name...

Carlito: Maybe I don’t give a shit. Maybe I don’t remember the last time I blew my nose either. Who the fuck are you, that I should remember you, huh? What, you think you’re like me? You ain’t like me, motherfucker. You’re a punk. I’ve been with made people, connected people. Who you been with? Chain-snatchin’, jive-ass, maricon motherfuckers. Why don’t you get lost? Go ahead, snatch a purse. Take a fuckin’ walk.

Carlito: Let me deal with Pachanga. He’s my brother.

Saso: He’s your brother? That son of a bitch would kill his mother for money.

Carlito: Most people will.

Carlito: I’ve been to Norwalk’s office. I heard the tape.

Kleinfeld: That pig.

Carlito: Never give up your friends, Dave, no matter what.

Taglines

In his world, you got to shoot your way out.

He wanted out. He'd do anything to get there.

Cast

Al Pacino — Carlito
Sean Penn — Kleinfeld
Penelope Ann Miller — Gail
John Leguizamo - Benny Blanco
Ingrid Rogers - Steffie
Luis Guzman - Pachanga
James Rebhorn - Norwalk
Joseph Siravo - Vinnie Taglialucci
Viggo Mortensen - Lalin
Richard Foronjy - Pete Amadesso
Jorge Porcel - Saso
Frank Minucci - Tony Taglialucci
Adrian Pasdar - Frankie
John Ortiz (I) - Guajiro
Angel Salazar - Walberto
Al Israel - Rolando
Rick Aviles - Quisqueya
Jamie Sanchez - Rudy
Emonte Salvato - Battaglia
Paul Mazaursky - Judge Feinstein

Quoternity