Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)

Paul Newman: Murphy

Photos 

Quotes 

• Murphy : You want to go out tonight, have a drink?

  Isabella : Two hundred cops ask me out every day. Why should I say yes to you?

  Murphy : Cause you say yes to all the others.

  Isabella : Well I guess that makes you the only cop in the Bronx I say no to.

• Murphy : What is this, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral?

  Finley : As long as there's cop killers around, pal, I'm gonna be ready.

  Murphy : It don't make no difference how many guns you got. You only got two hands.

• Morgan : [after Murphy failed to shoot down a purse snatcher who outran him]  You'll catch a heart attack before you catch a nigger, Tarzan.

  Corelli : What's his problem?

  Murphy : He thinks I'm a liberal.

• Corelli : Look on the bright side, though. We get our names in the papers, right? We're gonna be real serious on t.v. Hey, you know, with your good looks, maybe you get to ball an anchor lady.

  Murphy : Yeah?

  Corelli : Yeah.

  Murphy : Not with my luck. If it was raining anchor ladies, I'd get hit with Walter Cronkite.

• Corelli : That's a nice coat. How'd you like me to cut it open, let all the rats out.

  Pimp : This coat cost more than you make in a year, motherfucker.

  Murphy : He knows your name.

  Corelli : Told you I was famous.

• Morgan : Hey Murph, what do you think of that son of a bitch, huh? Connolly. Captain Connolly. That clown they dress up as a cop. That fuckin' banana. I mean, who does he think he's playin' with, some chickenshit rookie? I've been on the job too long, you know what I mean? Yeah, they might get me for coopin'. Or for scorin' a little nookie on the side. Or, maybe even shakin' down a bodega. I never said I was the smartest guy in the world, but when he comes up with this phony witness shit...

  Murphy : They *got* witnesses, Einstein.

  Morgan : Yeah, deaf and dumb ones, right?

  Murphy : Real live ones! The kind that put you away.

  [Murphy gives him a hard and direct smirk, and walks out of the bar] 

  Morgan : Hey Murph! Murphy! Murphy, come here!

  [goes out after Murphy] 

  Morgan : [confronting Murphy on the street]  Murphy! What are you talking about?

  Murphy : They got the little chick that was hiding up there behind the junk pile!

  Morgan : What chick?

  Murphy : Yeah, they got me and Coreli, too... A-Number One police work... Poor kid wasn't botherin' nobody, and you throw him off the roof!

  Morgan : You shut the fuck up!

  Murphy : You fuckin' creep, I wish I was man enough to turn you in!

• Murphy : [Murphy and Isabella are playing the game of you-tell-me-about-me while on their first date. Murphy starts telling Isabella about herself]  Poor family, you're the oldest. You've got a lot of brothers and sisters. You got a brother in the joint. Your mother's sick. You got a scholarship to nursing school and you did real good, but you can't get a job anywhere but here. How'm I doin'?

  Isabella : I don't know yet.

  Murphy : [continuing]  Smoke a little reefer, fool around a little bit, you wanna get married but the selection in the neighborhood ain't that good.

  Isabella : Finished?

  Murphy : Yeah. Now you.

  Isabella : OK, you come from three generations of cops. Your grandfather and your father and your brothers are all cops. All your friends are cops. It's a good thing there are some lady cops or you wouldn't have any sex life.

  [Murphy rolls his eyes knowingly] 

  Isabella : [continuing]  You get drunk every night. You think all men are thieves and all women are sluts, and you don't trust anybody but your partner.

  Murphy : [nodding in agreement]  It's my round.

  Isabella : [stops him]  No, the drinks are on me.

• Connolly : [Murphy has decided to turn in two of his fellow officers, and also resign from the force. He tosses his badge on Connolly's desk]  What's that?

  Murphy : What does it look like? Being a stoolie is my last official act.

  Connolly : [Connolly doesn't want Murphy to quit]  You're a good cop, Murphy. But I don't think you'd be much good at anything else.

  Murphy : I'm gonna run for president. What do you care?

• Murphy : That's just talk, Andy, and you know it. We both know what's right. We ain't got the guts to do it.

  Corelli : Guts? What are you talkin', guts? You mean brains, don't ya? Shit, I'll go through fire with you Murph, and you know I will. But I gotta live with these guys. You turn a cop in, and you're finished. Might as well quit the force and move out of the city. Even if you get a transfer, your rep follows you around. It just ain't worth it. Especially when you won't be doing anybody any good. I ain't a stool pigeon, Murph. I'm sorry.