Absence of Malice (1981)

Wilford Brimley: James J. Wells

Photos 

Quotes 

• James J. Wells : I tell you something, you're a smart fellow. Don't get too smart. I'm pretty smart myself.

  Michael Gallagher : Everybody in the room is smart. Everybody's just doing their job - and Teresa Perrone's dead. Who do I see about that?

  James J. Wells : Ain't nobody to see. I wish there was. You're excused now, sir.

• James J. Wells : What'd you figure you'd do after government service, Elliott?

  Elliott Rosen : I'm not quitting.

  James J. Wells : You ain't no presidential appointee, Elliott; the one that hired you is me. You got thirty days.

• James J. Wells : You had a leak? You call what's goin' on around here a leak? Boy, the last time there was a leak like this, Noah built hisself a boat!

• James J. Wells : We can't have people go around leaking stuff for their own reasons. It ain't legal. And worse than that, by God, it ain't right.

• James J. Wells : Tell you what we're gonna do. We're gonna sit right here and talk about it. Now, if you get tired of talking here, Mr. Marshal Elving Patrick there will hand you one of them subpoenas he's got stuck down in his pocket, and we'll go downstairs and talk in front of the grand jury. Now we'll talk all day if you want to. But, come sundown, there's gonna be two things true that ain't true now. One is that the United States Department of Justice is goin' to know what in the good Christ - e'scuse me, Angie - is goin' on around here. And the other's I'm gonna have somebody's ass in my briefcase. Elliot? Jim? Fine. Alright, Elving - hand whichever one of these fellas you like a subpoena and we'll go on downstairs and talk in front of the grand jury.

  District Attorney James A. Quinn : Gallagher's a government witness.

  James J. Wells : A wonderful thing, subpoena.

• James J. Wells : [to Megan]  I think I know where we're headed here. Before we get there, I want to say something to you: Now, you know and I know that we can't tell you what to print - or what not to. We hope the press will act responsibly. But when you don't, there ain't a helluva lot anybody can do about it.

• Davidek : Under the first amendment, my client is not required to reveal her sources of information.

  James J. Wells : That's horse pucky, counselor. The first amendment don't say that and the privilege don't exist.

• James J. Wells : [listening to Quinn and Rosen arguing with each other]  You two guys oughta get married.