William SomersetErnest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for." I agree with the second part.
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David MillsWait, I thought all you did was kill innocent people.
John DoeInnocent? Is that supposed to be funny? An obese man... a disgusting man who could barely stand up; a man who if you saw him on the street, you'd point him out to your friends so that they could join you in mocking him; a man, who if you saw him while you were eating, you wouldn't be able to finish your meal. After him, I picked the lawyer and I know you both must have been secretly thanking me for that one. This is a man who dedicated his life to making money by lying with every breath that he could muster to keeping murderers and rapists on the streets!
John Doe[interrupts]A woman... so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever.
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John DoeWanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.
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William SomersetI just don't think I can continue to live in a place that embraces and nurtures apathy as if it was virtue.
William SomersetI didn't say I was different or better. I'm not. Hell, I sympathize; I sympathize completely. Apathy is the solution. I mean, it's easier to lose yourself in drugs than it is to cope with life. It's easier to steal what you want than it is to earn it. It's easier to beat a child than it is to raise it. Hell, love costs: it takes effort and work.
William SomersetIf we catch John Doe and he turns out to be the devil, I mean if he's Satan himself, that might live up to our expectations, but he's not the devil. He's just a man.
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David MillsI've been trying to figure something in my head, and maybe you can help me out, yeah? When a person is insane, as you clearly are, do you know that you're insane? Maybe you're just sitting around, reading "Guns and Ammo", masturbating in your own feces, do you just stop and go, "Wow! It is amazing how fucking crazy I really am!"? Yeah. Do you guys do that?
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David MillsYou're no messiah. You're a movie of the week. You're a fucking t-shirt, at best.
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William SomersetThis guy's methodical, exacting, and worst of all, patient.
David MillsHe's a nut-bag! Just because the fucker's got a library card doesn't make him Yoda!
John DoeWhat sick ridiculous puppets we are / and what gross little stage we dance on / What fun we have dancing and fucking / Not a care in the world / Not knowing that we are nothing / We are not what was intended.
Police Captain[answering phone that interrupted his conversation]This is not even my desk!
[hangs up]
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William Somerset[Reading from one of John Doe's journals]On the subway today, a man came up to me to start a conversation. He made small talk, a lonely man talking about the weather and other things. I tried to be pleasant and accommodating, but my head hurt from his banality. I almost didn't notice it had happened, but I suddenly threw up all over him. He was not pleased, and I couldn't stop laughing.
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John DoeIt's more comfortable for you to label me as insane.
John DoeRealize detective, the only reason that I'm here right now is that I wanted to be.
David MillsNo, no, we would have got you eventually.
John DoeOh really? So, what were you doing? Biding your time? Toying with me? Allowing five innocent people to die until you felt like springing your trap? Tell me, what was the indisputable evidence you were going to use on me right before I walked up to you and put my hands in the air?
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John DoeI visited your home this morning after you'd left. I tried to play husband. I tried to taste the life of a simple man. It didn't work out, so I took a souvenir... her pretty head.
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PhotographerI got your picture, man, I got your picture!
David MillsOh yeah? Detective Mills, M-I-L-L-S, fuck off!
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John Doe[to Mills]Detective. Detective. DETECTIVE! You're looking for me.
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David MillsI don't think you're quitting because you believe these things you say. I don't. I think you want to believe them, because you're quitting. And you want me to agree with you, and you want me to say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right. It's all fucked up. It's a fucking mess. We should all go live in a fucking log cabin." But I won't. I won't say that. I don't agree with you. I do not. I can't.
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David MillsC'mon, he's insane. Look. Right now he's probably dancing around in his grandma's panties, yeah, rubbing himself in peanut butter.
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William Somerset[discovering what's inside the package]California, tell your people to stay away. Stay away now, don't - don't come in here. Whatever you hear, stay away! John Doe has the upper hand!
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David MillsYeah, a landlord's dream: a paralyzed tenant with no tongue.
John DoePeople will barely be able to comprehend it, but they won't be able to deny it.
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David Mills[Banging a book in frustration]Fuckin' Dante... poetry-writing faggot! Piece of shit, motherfucker!
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David MillsHas he tried to speak or communicate in any way?
Dr. BeardsleyEven if his brain were not mush, which it is, he chewed off his own tongue long ago.
William SomersetUh... Doc, is there absolutely no chance that he might survive?
Dr. BeardsleyDetective, he'd die of shock right now if you were to shine a flashlight in his eyes. He's experienced about as much pain and suffering as anyone I've encountered, give or take... and he still has hell to look forward to. Good night.
John DoeI admire you. I don't know how you found me, but imagine my surprise. I respect you law enforcement agents more everyday.
David MillsWell, I appreciate that... John. I tell you...
John DoeNo, no, you listen, all right? I'll be readjusting my schedule in light of today's little... setback. I just had to call and express my admiration. Sorry I had to hurt... one of you, but I really didn't have a choice, did I?
John DoeYou will accept my apology, won't you? I feel like saying more, but I don't want to ruin the surprise.
[hangs up]
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William SomersetIf John Doe's head splits open and a UFO should fly out, I want you to have expected it.
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William SomersetBut you gotta be a, a hero. You want to be a champion. Well, let me tell you. People don't want a champion. They want to eat cheeseburgers, play the lotto and watch television.
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William Somerset[to Tracy]Anyone who spends a significant amount of time with me finds me disagreeable. Just ask your husband.
David MillsWho knows. So many freaks out there doin' their little evil deeds they don't wanna do... "The voices made me do it. My dog made me do it. Jodie Foster told me to do it."
Detective TaylorWhat the fuck sort of question is that? You know, we're all going to be really glad when we get rid of you, Somerset. It's always these questions with you. "Did the kid see it?" Who gives a fuck? He's dead, his wife killed him. Anything else has nothing to do with us.
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William SomersetGentlemen, gentlemen... I'll never understand. All these books, a world of knowledge at your fingertips. What do you do? You play poker all night.
Crazed Man in Massage ParlourHe - he put that thing on me...! He made me wear it!... He told me to fuck her, and... and I did! I fucked her! He had a gun in my mouth! The fucking gun was in my throat! FUCK! Oh God, oh God... please help me. Help me. Please help me.
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Officer DavisNothing's been touched. Everything's like I found it.
Officer DavisI beg your pardon, Detective, but this guy's been sitting in pile in his own piss and shit. If he wasn't dead, he would have stood up by now.
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David MillsDo you like what you do for a living? These things you see?
Detective TaylorNeighbors heard them screaming at each other, like for two hours, and it was nothing new. Then they heard the gun go off, both barrels. Crime of passion.
William SomersetYeah, just look at all the passion on that wall.
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Cop on SWAT Team[preparing to break down a door]SWAT goes before dicks.
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Mark SwarrMy client says there are two more bodies... two more victims, hidden away. He will take Detectives Mills and Somerset to these bodies, but only Detectives Mills and Somerset, and only at six o'clock today.
William Somerset[as SWAT prepare to breach and clear]They love this.
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David MillsLadies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a homicide.
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Somerset[Reading from a piece of paper left by the killer]One pound of flesh, no more no less. No cartilage, no bone but only flesh. "Merchant of Venice."
William SomersetIf he were to claim insanity, this conversation is admissable. The fact that he's blackmailing us with his plea...
Mark SwarrAnd my client reminds you, two more are dead. The press would have a field day if they found out the police didn't seem too concerned about finding them... giving them a proper burial
Mills[while shaving their chest in order to install listening devices]Hey, man, if I should accidentally shave off a nipple, would it be covered by workman's comp?
William SomersetEven the most promising clues usually only lead to others. So many corpses roll away unrevenged.
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William SomersetIf you were chosen,by a higher power, if your hand was forced, it seems strange you'd get such enjoyment. You enjoyed torturing those people. That doesn't seem to fit with martyrdom, does it?
John DoeI doubt I enjoyed it any more than Mills would enjoy time with me in a room without windows.
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William SomersetIn this city, minding your own business is a perfected science. At the precinct, Sunday nights, a public crime prevention course is offered. The very first thing they teach is that you should never, ever scream "help." Always scream "fire," because people don't want to get caught up in anything. But, a fire... that's an evening's entertainment. They come running.