"What I was trying to get at in Ran, and this was there from the script stage, was that the gods or God or whoever it is observing human events is feeling sadness about how human beings destroy each other, and powerlessness to affect human beings' behavior."

"Men prefer sorrow over joy... suffering over peace!"

"Does a traitor betray himself?"

"He gives away his house, He gives away his lands, He now holds a new title: 'Lord of the rice fields' a scarecrow!"

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane!"

"The failed mind sees the heart's failings."

"Why stay with this mad old man? If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll go with it and be squashed. Only a fool stays aboard."

"Man is born crying. When he has cried enough, he dies."

"Vinnie Jones — Marco"

"Sam Shepard — Senator James Reisman"

"Good morning gentlemen, I am Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. I am your commanding officer. It is a great pleasure to see you all here today. It is my hope that the same courage, spirit, and honor, which has brought us together, will one day restore this Union. May God bless us all!"

"[first lines, in a letter] Dear Mother, I hope you are keeping well and not worrying too much about me. You mustn't think that any of us are going to be killed, for they are collecting such a force here that an attack would be insane. The Massachusetts men passed through here this morning. How grand it is to meet the men from all the states, east and west, ready to fight fro their country, as the old fellows did in the Revolution. But this time, we must make it a whole country, for all who live here, so that all can speak. Before this war began, many of my regiment had never seen a negro, and now the roads are choked with the dispossessed. We fight for men and women whose poetry is not yet written, but which will presently be as enviable and as renowned as any. Last night, we heard of yet another defeat, but we are not disheartened. I am honored to be part of such a splendid company. They have made me captain, of which I am enormously proud. You would think it strange to see me giving orders to a hundred men, most of whom are older than I am. Thank you for sending my volume of Emerson. His words come home to me like truth. "A deep man," he says, "believes that the evil eye can wither, that the heart's blessing can heal, and that love can overcome all odds." My dearest love to Father. Your son, Robert."

"Robert Gould Shaw, the son of wealthy Boston abolitionists, was 23 years old when he enlisted to fight in the War between the States.He wrote home regularly, telling his parents of life in the gathering Army of the Potomac.These letters are collected in the Houghton Library of Harvard University."

"The 54th Massachusetts Brigade lost over half its number in the assault on Ft. Wagner. The supporting white brigades also suffered heavily before withdrawing.The fort was never taken.As word of their bravery spread, Congress at last authorized the raising of black troops throughout the Union. Over 180,000 volunteered.President Lincoln credited these men of color with helping turn the tide of the war."

"O. J. Simpson as Det. Nordberg"

"George Kennedy as Capt. Ed Hocken"

"Ricardo Montalbán as Vincent Ludwig"

"Priscilla Presley as Jane Spencer"

"Leslie Nielsen as Lt. Frank Drebin"

"It's true what they say: Cops and women don't mix. It's like eating a spoonful of Drano. Sure, it'll clean you out, but it'll leave you hollow inside."

"My name is Sgt. Frank Drebin, Detective Lieutenant Police Squad."

"[after subduing a group of terrorists] I'm Lt. Frank Drebin, Police Squad! And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!"

"Raymond St. Jacques - Frederick Douglass"

"Richard Riehle - Kendric, quartermaster"

"Cliff De Young - Col. James M. Montgomery"

"Bob Gunton - Gen. Harker"

"Alan North - Gov. John Andrew"

"JD Cullum - Henry Sturgis Russell"

"Donovan Leitch - Capt. Charles Morse"

"John Finn - Sgt. Maj. Mulcahy"

"Andre Braugher - Cpl. Thomas Searles"

"Jihmi Kennedy - Pvt. Jupiter Sharts"

"Morgan Freeman - Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins"

"Cary Elwes - Maj. Cabot Forbes"

"Denzel Washington - Pvt. Trip"

"Matthew Broderick - Col. Robert Gould Shaw"

"Union Corporal: "Give'em hell 54th!""

"Pvt. Jupiter Sharts: [praying aloud] Tomorrow we goes into battle. So Lordy, let me fight with the rifle in one hand and the Good Book in the other. So that if I may die at the muzzle of the rifle...die on water, or on land, I may know that you blessed Jesus almighty are with me...and I will have no fear."

"Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins: If tomorrow is our great getting up moment...If tomorrow we have to meet the judgment day...Heavenly Father, we want you to let our folks know...that we died facing the enemy. We want'em to know, that we went down standing up! Amongst those that are fighting against our oppression. We want'em to know, Heavenly Father, that we died fighting for freedom!"