Falling Down
Falling Down is a 1993 drama film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall.
The film is set in Los Angeles, California and tells the story of unemployed defence engineer William Foster (played by Michael Douglas), who abandons his car in traffic on his daughter's birthday in order to "go home" to her and his estranged ex-wife. Alienated and disgusted by his experiences as he walks through the city, he accumulates weaponry and commits acts of vigilantism. Detective Martin Prendergast (played by Robert Duvall) on the day before his retirement, is the only policeman to see a connection between the seemingly random acts of violence through the city and spends his last day as a cop tracking Foster down.
During the filming of Falling Down, the 1992 Los Angeles riots broke out, highlighting many of the racial, social and economic tensions portrayed in the film.
Of some note is the disparity of Foster's haircut, glasses, clothing and use of drafting tools, all of which are representative of corporate America in the 1950s and 60s.
The film is set in Los Angeles, California and tells the story of unemployed defence engineer William Foster (played by Michael Douglas), who abandons his car in traffic on his daughter's birthday in order to "go home" to her and his estranged ex-wife. Alienated and disgusted by his experiences as he walks through the city, he accumulates weaponry and commits acts of vigilantism. Detective Martin Prendergast (played by Robert Duvall) on the day before his retirement, is the only policeman to see a connection between the seemingly random acts of violence through the city and spends his last day as a cop tracking Foster down.
During the filming of Falling Down, the 1992 Los Angeles riots broke out, highlighting many of the racial, social and economic tensions portrayed in the film.
Of some note is the disparity of Foster's haircut, glasses, clothing and use of drafting tools, all of which are representative of corporate America in the 1950s and 60s.
Bill Foster
- [First line] I'm going home.
- I am not a vigilante. I am just an ordinary man trying to get home to my daughter's birthday. Now if everyone will just stay out of my way, then nobody will get hurt.
- [picking up the pathetic hamburger he just ordered, comparing it to the picture behind the counter] Can anybody tell me what's wrong with this picture?
- What about the briefcase? You forgot the briefcase! [After foiling a mugging attempt on said breifcase]
- You have a choice. I can kill you, or you can kill me, and my daughter can collect the insurance.
- Why have you put barbed wire on a fence? Is this how you rich people amuse yourselves? You put barbed wire on the fence so innocent people like me can hurt themselves lurking in?
- [Bill Foster approaches the gang after they crashed] You missed. [Foster picks up the UZI and shoots the car] I missed too. [Foster threatens the gang member as he begs for his life. Foster shoots him in the ankle] You see, that's the concept. Take some shooting lessons, asshole.
- [to customer at Whammyburger] You enjoying your meal? [customer chokes food onto tray] Hey, I think we have a critic! I don't think she likes the special sauce.
- [Foster has just attacked the gang members on the hill] Clear a path, you mother fucker! Clear a path! I'm going home!
- God bless the working stiff!
Nick
- You know what was in this? Zyklon-B! What the Nazis had! Listen! [shakes can, a slight rattle is heard] Empty! This was used, man! This was actually used! I wonder how many kikes this little can took out!
- [after a gay man tips over a sunglass rack on Nick's counter] Fucking faggots! Alternate lifestyle my ass! Imagine what those pumpkins do with each other when they're alone! And what about the muff divers? Think about it!
- [picks up snowglobe] What is this doing in here? Faggot shit! [throws snowglobe]
- Who the fuck do you think you are, you fuck! You faggot fuck!
Prendergast
- Fuck you, Captain Yardley. Fuck you very much. [Captain preaviosly complained that he didn't curse enough]
Dialogue
- Bill Foster: Doctor? What kind of doctor lives here?
- Man: Plastic surgeon.
- Bill Foster: Plastic surgery bought this?!
- Bill Foster: I helped build missiles. I helped protect this country. You should be rewarded for that. But instead they give it to the plastic surgeons. Bastards lied to me.
- Sergeant Prendergast: Is that what this is about? Is that why my chicken dinner is drying out in the oven? You're mad because they lied to you? They lie to everyone! They lie to the fish, but that doesn't give you the right to do what you did today.
- Prendergast: Let's meet a couple of police officers. They're all good guys.
- Bill Foster: I'm the bad guy?
- Prendergast: Yeah.
- Bill Foster: How did that happen?
- Nick: We're the same, you and me. We're the same.
- Bill Foster: We are not the same. I'm an American, you're a sick asshole.
- Nick: Just what kind of vigilante are you?
- Bill Foster: I am NOT a vigilante. I am just trying to get home to my little girl's birthday party, and if you all just stay out of my way, nobody will get hurt.
- Mr. Lee: Take the money!
- Bill Foster: You think I'm a thief? I'm not the thief. I'm not the one charging 85 cents for a stinking soda, YOU'RE THE THIEF! I'm just standing up for my rights... as a consumer.
- 1st Gang Member: What you doing, Mister?
- Bill Foster: Nothing.
- 1st Gang Member: Nah, man. You're trespassing on private property.
- Bill Foster: Trespassing?
- 2nd Gang Member: You're loitering too, man.
- 1st Gang Member: Yeah, you're loitering too.
- Bill Foster: I didn't see any signs.
- 1st Gang Member: [pointing at Mexican graffiti] Whatcha call that?
- Bill Foster: Graffiti?
- 1st Gang Member: No, that's not fucking graffiti. That's a sign.
- 2nd Gang Member: He can't read it, man.
- 1st Gang Member: Then I guess I'm gonna have to read it for you. It says this is fucking private property! No fucking trespassing! That means fucking you.
- Bill Foster: It says all that?
- 1st Gang Member: Yeah.
- Bill Foster: Well maybe if you wrote it in fucking English I could fucking understand it.
- Man at Phone Booth: Excuse me! I don't know if you noticed or not, but there are other people who want to use the phone here!
- Bill Foster: There are?
- Man at Phone Booth: Yeah!
- Bill Foster: There's other people who want to use the phone?
- Man at Phone Booth: That's right, you selfish asshole!
- Bill Foster: Oh, that's too bad. Because you know what?
- [fires a machine gun at the phone booth, wrecking it]
- Bill Foster: I think it's out of order.
- [at Whammyburger]
- Sheila: Hi, can I help you?
- Bill Foster: Yes, I'd like a ham and cheese whamlet and some whammy fries--
- Sheila: I'm sorry, we've stopped serving breakfast but we are on the lunch menu now.
- Bill Foster: But I want breakfast.
- Sheila: You can't have it, we're not serving it.
- Bill Foster: So you said. Is that the manager?
- Sheila: (sighs) Yeah.
- Bill Foster: Could I speak to him please?
- Sheila: Sure. Rick, there's a customer who would like to speak with you.
- [a young man with a happy smile walks up to the counter]
- Rick: Yes, sir?
- Bill Foster: I'd like some breakfast?
- Rick: We stopped serving breakfast.
- Bill Foster: I know you stopped serving breakfast Rick, Sheila told me that you... why am I calling you by your first names? I don't even know you. I still call my boss 'Mister' even though I've been working with him for seven years, but all of a sudden I walk in here and I'm calling you Rick and Sheila like we're in some kind of AA meeting and... I don't want to be your buddy, Rick. I just want a little breakfast?
- Sheila: You can call me Miss Folsom if you want.
- Rick: Sheila. We stopped serving breakfast at 11:30.
- [Foster looks at his watch to find it's 3 minutes past the deadline. He becomes angry]
- Bill Foster: Rick, have you ever heard the expression "the customer is always right"?
- Rick: (sighs) Yeah.
- Bill Foster: Well, here I am. The customer.
- Rick: (still smiling) That's not our policy. You have to order something from the lunch menu.
- Bill Foster: I don't want lunch. I want breakfast.
- Rick: Yeah, well hey, I'm really sorry.
- Bill Foster: (smiles back) Yeah, well hey, I'm real sorry too. (pulls out a TEC-9)
- Bill Foster: You're Korean? Do you have any idea how much money my country has given your country?
- Mr. Lee: How much?
- Bill Foster: I don't know, but it's gotta be a lot.
- Beth: You're not coming here.
- Bill Foster: Oh, but I am. I'm on my way. I've passed the point of no return. You know when that is? That's the point in a journey where it's longer to go back to the beginning than it is to continue to the end. It's like when those astronauts got in trouble when they were going to the moon. Somebody messed up and they had to get them back to Earth but first they had to go around the moon. They were out of contact for hours. Everybody waited breathlessly to see if a bunch of dead guys in a can would pop out the other side. I'm on the other side of the moon now and everybody will have to wait until I pop out.
- Beth: The police are here.
- Bill Foster: Beth, did you know that in some South American countries it's legal to kill your wife if she insults you?
- Bum: That's a hell of a way to treat a vet, man.
- Bill Foster: You're an animal doctor?
- Bum: No, a VETERAN. I was in Nam.
- Bill Foster: What were you, a drummer boy? You must have been 10 years old.
- Bum: I meant the Gulf. I meant to say the Gulf. Jesus! Come on, all I'm asking for is a little change. I haven't eaten in three days.
- [is eating a sandwich]
- Bum: Well, except for this.
- Bill Foster: What are you doing to the street?
- Construction Worker: We're fixing it! What the hell does it look like?
- Bill Foster: Two days ago it was fine. You're telling me the street fell apart in two days?
- Construction Worker: (sarcastically) Well I guess so.
- Bill Foster: Pardon me, but that's bullshit. You see, I don't think anything's wrong with the street. I think you're just trying to justify your inflated budgets! I know that if you don't spend the projected amount this year, you don't get the same amount next year! Now I want you to admit that THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STREET!
- Construction Worker: Fuck you, pal.
- Bill Foster: You're not gonna hold us hostage here with all your yellow lights and big trucks.
- Construction Worker: (notices the gun on Foster's belt) Look, I'm just here to stop people from falling in, that's all.
- Bill Foster: I want to hear it from you. Come on, what's wrong with the street?
- Construction Worker: I really don't know, I think it might be a sewer job.
- Bill foster: You're lying. What's wrong with the street?
- Construction Worker: Nothing.
- Bill Foster: I KNEW it.
- Nick: Why don't they call you officer-esses?
- Sandra: I beg your pardon?
- Nick: You know, like actress. Something to signify... you know.
- Sandra: I guess they think of a police officer as a police officer, not a... you know.
- Nick: Okay then. Sorry I couldn't have been helpful, officer--ESS!
- Nick: Fuck you! Who the fuck are you?
- Bill Foster: I am just disagreeing with you! In America, we have the freedom of SPEECH! The right to DISAGREE!
- Nick: Fuck you and your freedom! Who the fuck are you, you fuck! You faggot fuck! You were gonna take my rocket! I oughta shoot you right now, you dippy mother fucker!
- Prendergast: What did this guy look like?
- Angie: I don't know, he looked like you except he was taller and had hair.
- Detective Jones:: Good description, Angie.
- Golfer: Fore!
- [hits a golf ball at Foster]
- Bill Foster: [takes out shotgun] Five! What the hell are you trying to do, kill me with a golf ball?! It's not enough you have all these beautiful acres fenced in for your little game, but you gotta kill me with a golf ball?! You should have children playing here, you should have families having picnics, you should have a goddamn petting zoo! But instead you've got these stupid electric carts for you old men with nothing better to do! Well fu--
- [shoots a golf cart]
- Bill Foster: --ck that. Now, aren't you ashamed?
- [the golfer's starts to have a heart attack]
- Bill Foster: What's wrong?
- Golfer: My... heart...
- Bill Foster: What can I do about it?
- Golfer: Pills... get my... pills...
- Bill Foster: Where are your pills?
- [he points towards the cart, which has just plunged into a pond]
- Bill Foster: I guess you're out of luck. Your little cart's gonna drown. Now aren't you sorry for not letting me pass through your golf course?
- Golfer: My... golf course...
- Bill Foster: Yeah, and you're gonna die wearing that stupid little hat. How does it feel?
- Prendergast: Get a positive ID on the gym bag.
- Captain Yardley: Prendergast, what do you think this is?
- [holds up his own gym bag]
- Prendergast: A gym bag.
- Captain Yardley: Does this mean you're putting me under arrest?
- Nick: What can I do you for?
- Bill Foster: I was just looking for some hiking boots.
- Nick: Hiking boots? Let's see what we got. These here are the top of the line. Scientifically engineered and all that crap. Guaranteed by some Sierra Club asshole not to hurt a chipmunk IF you step on it! Personally, I think they're for pussies and (turns his head towards the two homosexuals in the store) FAGGOTS! Now these are Vietnam jungle boots. Cost you half as much, last you twice as long and are great for stomping (turns his head again) QUEERS! Course when you're done you have to clean out the waffle with a stick, but what the hell, you can't have everything.
- [Bill Foster exits his car in the middle of the highway]
- Man on Freeway: Hey, where do you think you're going?
- Bill Foster: I'm going home!
- Nick: You want freedom? I'll give you fucking freedom!
- [takes out some handcuffs]
- Nick: You're going to jail, fucker. How's that for freedom? Freedom to get fucked up the ass by some big buck nigger. Give me your other hand! He's gonna be right behind ya, just like this. You're gonna like that, faggot fuck! Give me your other hand!
- Bill Foster: I can't.
- Nick: Why not?
- Bill Foster: Gravity.
- Nick: Gravity? What the fuck does that mean?!
- Bill Foster: I'll fall down.
- [Nick kicks Bill, making him fall down]
- Nick: Give me your other hand! Give it to me! Give it to me! GIVE IT TOO ME!
- [Bill turns around and stabs Nick in his shoulder]
- Nick: This isn't one of mine. Oh Jesus.
- Bill Foster: Freedom of religion. Now you get it. Feels good to exercise your rights, doesn't it? (opens fire on Nick, shooting him through a mirror)