WarGames (1983)

Matthew Broderick: David

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Stephen Falken : The whole point was to find a way to practice nuclear war without destroying ourselves. To get the computers to learn from mistakes we couldn't afford to make. Except, I never could get Joshua to learn the most important lesson.

  David Lightman : What's that?

  Stephen Falken : Futility. That there's a time when you should just give up.

  Jennifer : What kind of a lesson is that?

  Stephen Falken : Did you ever play tic-tac-toe?

  Jennifer : Yeah, of course.

  Stephen Falken : But you don't anymore.

  Jennifer : No.

  Stephen Falken : Why?

  Jennifer : Because it's a boring game. It's always a tie.

  Stephen Falken : Exactly. There's no way to win. The game itself is pointless! But back at the war room, they believe you can win a nuclear war. That there can be "acceptable losses."

• Joshua : Shall we play a game?

  David Lightman : Oh!

  Jennifer : [giggles]  I think it missed him.

  David Lightman : Yeah. Weird isn't it?

  Jennifer : Yeah.

  David Lightman : [typing]  Love to. How about Global Thermonuclear War?

  Joshua : Wouldn't you prefer a good game of chess?

  [Jennifer laughs] 

  David Lightman : [typing]  Later. Let's play Global Thermonuclear War.

  Joshua : Fine.

• Jennifer : He wasn't very old.

  David Lightman : No, he was pretty old. He was 41.

  Jennifer : Oh yeah? Oh, that's old.

• Mr. Liggett : Now there seems to be a lot of confusion on this next question: asexual reproduction. Could someone tell me please who first suggested the idea of reproduction without sex?

  David Lightman : Ah-heh.

  [whispers something to a classmate] 

  Jennifer : [overhearing, Jennifer starts to laugh] 

  Mr. Liggett : [turns around and sees Jennifer giggling]  Miss Mack! What is so amusing?

  Jennifer : I...

  [Jennifer breaks up into laughter again and turns to look at David, who puts on a show of mock innocence] 

  Mr. Liggett : Alright, Lightman. Maybe you could tell us who first suggested the idea of reproduction without sex.

  David Lightman : Umm... Your wife?

  [the class erupts into laughter] 

  Mr. Liggett : [pointing to the door]  Get out, Lightman. Get out.

• David Lightman : [typing]  Is this a game... or is it real?

  Joshua : What's the difference?

  David Lightman : [muttering]  Oh wow.

  Joshua : You are a hard man to reach. Could not find you in Seattle and no terminal is in operation at your classified address.

  David Lightman : [typing]  What classified address?

  Joshua : D.O.D. pension files indicate current mailing as: Dr. Robert Hume, a.k.a. Stephen W. Falken, 5 Tall Cedar Road, Goose Island, Oregon 97...

• David Lightman : Joshua called me.

  McKittrick : [incredulous]  David, computers don't call people!

  David Lightman : [shrugs]  Yours did.

• McKittrick : See that sign up here - up here. "Defcon." That indicates our current defense condition. It should read "Defcon 5," which means peace. It's still on 4 because of that little stunt you pulled. Actually, if we hadn't caught it in time, it might have gone to Defcon 1. You know what that means, David?

  David Lightman : No. What does that mean?

  McKittrick : World War Three.

• David Lightman : [typing]  What is the primary goal?

  Joshua : You should know, Professor. You programmed me.

  David Lightman : Oh, come on.

  David Lightman : [typing]  What is the primary goal?

  Joshua : To win the game.

• [They are in NORAD, watching the computer WOPR playing Tic-Tac-Toe and Global Thermonuclear War at the same time] 

  Jennifer : What is it doing?

  David Lightman : It's learning.

• David Lightman : Hey, I don't believe that any system is totally secure.

• David Lightman : [typing]  People sometimes make mistakes.

  Joshua : Yes, they do.

• David Lightman : People sometimes make mistakes.

  Joshua : Yes. They do.

• Jennifer : [on the phone]  David, are you watching the news?

  David Lightman : Jennifer, yeah, I'm watching.

  Jennifer : David, is that us on TV? Did we do that?

  David Lightman : It. could be. Oh, Jesus, Jennifer, what am I gonna do? They're going to come get me. I'm really screwed! I am screwed!

• David Lightman : [on the computer]  Hello, are you still playing the game?

  Joshua : Of course. I should reach Defcon 1 and release my missiles in 28 hours. Would you like to see some projected kill ratios?

  David Lightman : 69% of the housing destroyed. 72 million people dead.

  [Types into computer] 

  David Lightman : Is this a game or is it real?

  Joshua : What's the difference?

• Sgt. Schneider : So what, do you think you kids own this place?

  David Lightman : Oh, I was, uh, I was- I was just looking around.

  Sgt. Schneider : You know you're not supposed to leave the group, don't you?

  David Lightman : Yes.

  Sgt. Schneider : So why don't you get back there!

  [the Staff Sergeant shoves David roughly towards the departing tour group] 

  David Lightman : OK. Excuse me.

  Sgt. Schneider : Go on.

  David Lightman : Thank you very much, sir.

• David Lightman : This is unreal! You don't care about death 'cause you're already dead! I know a lot about you. I know you weren't always like this. What was the last thing you cared about?

• Joshua : Which side do you want?

  David Lightman : [Looks at Jennifer]  I'll be the Russians.

• David : I don't believe any system is totally secure.

• [David and Jennifer attempt to find a way to get off Professor Falken's island to prevent NORAD from launching a nuclear attack] 

  David Lightman : I think I saw one...

  [runs ahead for a moment and stops] 

  David Lightman : What kind of an asshole lives on an island and he doesn't even have a boat?

  Jennifer : Maybe we can swim for it. How far do you think it is?

  David Lightman : No. It's uh, two, three miles at least. Maybe more.

  Jennifer : Well, what do you say? Let's go for it!

  David Lightman : No.

  Jennifer : [starts to remove her shoe]  Come on!

  David Lightman : No!

  [pause] 

  David Lightman : I can't swim.

  Jennifer : You can't swim?

  David Lightman : No, I can't, okay? Wonder Woman, I can't swim!

  Jennifer : Well, what kind of an asshole grows up in Seattle and doesn't even know how to swim?

  David Lightman : I never got around to it, okay? I always thought there was gonna be plenty of time!

  Jennifer : Sorry.

  David Lightman : I wish I didn't know about any of this! I wish I was like everybody else in the world, and tomorrow it would just be over. There wouldn't be any time to be sorry... about anything.

  David Lightman : [sits on a large piece of driftwood]  Oh, Jesus! I really wanted to learn how to swim! I swear to God I did.

• David Lightman : [to Joshua]  Come on. Learn, goddammit.

• David Lightman : What he did was great! He designed his computer so that it could learn from its own mistakes. So, they'd be better the next time they played. The system actually learned how to learn. It could teach itself!

• Mr. Lightman : [Sounds of garbage bins falling in the back-yard]  How many times have I told you to put these lids on tightly, would you look at this mess!

  David Lightman : I come down in a minute, alright, Dad?

  Mr. Lightman : NOW! You come down now!

  Mrs. Lightman : Honey, you just do as your father tells you! We're gonna barbecue tonight, you wanna invite your little friend?

  Jennifer : [looking embarrased]  Please...

  Mrs. Lightman : David?

  Jennifer : [David is leaving his room but is caught by Jennifer's legs]  Little friend?

  [giggles]