Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

Gene Hackman: Reigart

Photos 

Quotes 

• Admiral Reigart : Let's go get our boy back!

• Admiral Reigart : [firmly talking to Burnett on the radio]  Burnett!

  [pauses] 

  Admiral Reigart : Zero-six, you've been shot down, life is tough. You're a combat aviator! Start acting like one! Remember your training, put some angles between you and your pursuers. Evade and survive and we will bring you home! You got that? We WILL bring you home!

• Admiral Reigart : [to Burnett]  Unless we're parked in San Diego Bay, you're at war every time you step on this boat.

• Master Chief Tom O'Malley : [Reigart makes his final decision on rescuing Burnett, despite doing so against orders]  You will lose your command for this.

  Admiral Reigart : So be it! I'm not gonna let that kid die out there while we sit around on this ship!

• Admiral Reigart : Our man is down behind enemy lines, now what the fuck is the problem?

  Admiral Piquet : [Yelling]  Do you have any idea how much damage this incident may cause to the peace process?

  Admiral Reigart : All I know, Admiral, is that the American people want their pilot back.

  Admiral Piquet : Exactly! Americans, all you care about is your own damn pilots! What happens when the fighting starts again? Will America recommit its forces to stop a major war? No, you don't have any control over that little detail, do you? You might have helped save your man today, Reigart, and I emphasize 'might', but you risk the lives of thousands tomorrow.

• Chris Burnett : [Burnett arrives at the designated evacuation point] 

  [Over the radio] 

  Chris Burnett : Alpha Whiskey, this is Zero-Six, come in.

  Admiral Reigart : [Over the radio]  Zero-Six, go ahead.

  Chris Burnett : Zero-Six is at rally point three and is standing by.

  Admiral Reigart : Zero-Six, latest intel says your current location undoable for pickup. Standby to copy rendezvous point.

  Chris Burnett : Say again your last, I am at the rendezvous point.

  Admiral Reigart : You need to hump it out to safe zone. I set IP Cadillac, Canada 1-5, Virginia 2-0, for evac.

  Admiral Reigart : [Burnett looks at his map and realizes the newly designated extraction zone is miles away from his current position]  No. Negative, negative! I do not understand. Why is this spot not doable for pickup? I am good to go! I say again, I am good to go, NOW!

• Admiral Reigart : You still got your boots, have you, cowboy?

  Chris Burnett : Roger. They were tied on.

• Admiral Reigart : You dont know the FIRST thing about serving your country.

• Admiral Reigart : You should be glad you're not in the middle of a fight, Lieutenant. Because with your attitude, you wouldn't last very long.

  Chris Burnett : Sir, with all due respect, I've given the Navy seven good years. I think I've served my country.

• Admiral Piquet : Admiral, what's going on down there?

  Admiral Reigart : We have an F18 shot down over southern Bosnia. One pilot is suspected dead.

  Admiral Piquet : Who authorized the search and rescue mission?

  Admiral Reigart : I did.

  Admiral Piquet : Call it off. Stand down, Admiral.

  Admiral Reigart : Maybe I didn't make myself clear! We have pilots down! One is probably already dead!

  Admiral Piquet : Admiral, I've spoken personally to Bosnian military commanders and they assure me the shoot down was perpetrated by renegades outside of their control, attempting to disrupt the peace process.

  Admiral Reigart : Well of course they're going to say that.

  Admiral Piquet : They're also claiming, Admiral, that your aircraft was way off mission.

  Admiral Reigart : Yes, well...

  Admiral Piquet : If we fly in there, we create a shitstorm, and the whole treaty will collapse.

  Admiral Reigart : Admiral, Burnett says that Serb troops murdered his pilot!

  Admiral Piquet : Is your pilot an expert on Bosnia? Can he tell the difference of the uniform of a Serb, Croat, and Muslim? Because I can't, and I've been posted here for five years.

• [Last lines] 

  Chris Burnett : [Aboard the helicopter after the rescue mission]  Hey, Admiral! You're holding a letter for me. I'd like to have it back!

  Admiral Reigart : I think I can find it!

  [Reigart hands Burnett the letter. Burnett then crumples the letter, which had stated his intent of leaving the Navy. The rest of the crew look on happily and amused. The song 'Rescue Blues' by Ryan Adams fades in]