David Mills
What's in the box?
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[last lines]
William Somerset
Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for." I agree with the second part.
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David Mills
Wait, I thought all you did was kill innocent people.
John Doe
Innocent? 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!
David Mills
Murderers?
John Doe
A woman...
David Mills
Murderers, John, like yourself?
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 Doe
Wanting 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 Somerset
I just don't think I can continue to live in a place that embraces and nurtures apathy as if it was virtue.
David Mills
You're no different. You're no better.
William Somerset
I 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.
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William Somerset
David. If you kill him, he will win.
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William Somerset
Shut up!
John Doe
She begged for her life and...
William Somerset
Shut up!
John Doe
She begged for her life, and the life of the baby inside her.
[Mills freezes in grieved disbelief, and Doe notices]
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[William Somerset looks at an object in the road]
David Mills
What do you got?
William Somerset
Dead dog.
John Doe
I didn't do that.
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William Somerset
If 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 Mills
I'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 Mills
You're no messiah. You're a movie of the week. You're a fucking t-shirt, at best.
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William Somerset
This guy's methodical, exacting, and worst of all, patient.
David Mills
He's a nut-bag! Just because the fucker's got a library card doesn't make him Yoda!
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John Doe
It seems that envy is my sin.
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John Doe
What 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.
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William Somerset
This isn't going to have a happy ending.
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John Doe
Become vengeance, David. Become wrath.
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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 Doe
It's more comfortable for you to label me as insane.
David Mills
It's VERY comfortable.
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John Doe
Realize detective, the only reason that I'm here right now is that I wanted to be.
David Mills
No, no, we would have got you eventually.
John Doe
Oh 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 Doe
I 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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Photographer
I got your picture, man, I got your picture!
David Mills
Oh yeah? Detective Mills, M-I-L-L-S, fuck off!
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David Mills
I 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 Mills
C'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 Mills
Yeah, a landlord's dream: a paralyzed tenant with no tongue.
William Somerset
Who pays the rent on time.
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John Doe
People 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 Mills
Has he tried to speak or communicate in any way?
Dr. Beardsley
Even if his brain were not mush, which it is, he chewed off his own tongue long ago.
William Somerset
Uh... Doc, is there absolutely no chance that he might survive?
Dr. Beardsley
Detective, 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.
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[picks up the phone]
David Mills
Hello?
John Doe
I admire you. I don't know how you found me, but imagine my surprise. I respect you law enforcement agents more everyday.
David Mills
Well, I appreciate that... John. I tell you...
John Doe
No, 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?
David Mills
Hmm.
John Doe
You 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 Somerset
If John Doe's head splits open and a UFO should fly out, I want you to have expected it.
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William Somerset
But 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 Mills
Very true. Very, very true.
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William Somerset
It's impressive to see a man feeding off his emotions.
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John Doe
Nothing wrong with a man taking pleasure in his work. I won't deny my own personal desire to turn each sin against the sinner.
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California
Somebody call somebody.
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David Mills
Who 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."
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William Somerset
We'll just talk to him.
David Mills
Uh huh. Yeah. Excuse me, sir. Are you, by any chance, a serial killer? Okay.
William Somerset
You do the talking. Put that silver tongue of yours to work.
David Mills
Have you been talking to my wife?
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William Somerset
Did the kid see it?
Detective Taylor
What?
William Somerset
The kid.
Detective Taylor
What 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 Somerset
Gentlemen, gentlemen... I'll never understand. All these books, a world of knowledge at your fingertips. What do you do? You play poker all night.
Library Guard
Hey! We've got culture! We've got culture comin' out our ass!
George, Library Night Guard
[turns on classical music]
How's this for culture?
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William Somerset
[after finding out that Detective Mills's apartment is close to the railway tracks]
Just a soothing, relaxing, vibrating home huh?
[chuckles to himself]
[laughs hysterically, Tracy joins in]
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Tracy Mills
Hi, idiot.
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John Doe
Don't ask me to pity those people. I don't mourn them any more than I do the thousands that died at Sodom and Gomorrah.
William Somerset
Is that to say, John, that what you were doing was God's good work?
John Doe
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
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Crazed Man in Massage Parlour
He - 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 Davis
Nothing's been touched. Everything's like I found it.
William Somerset
What time was death established?
Officer Davis
Like I said, I didn't touch anything... but he's had his face in a plate of spaghetti for about forty-five minutes now.
David Mills
Wait a minute, no one bothers with vital signs?
Officer Davis
Did I stutter? This guy ain't breathing, unless he's breathing spaghetti sauce.
David Mills
So that's how it's done around here.
Officer Davis
I 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 Mills
Do you like what you do for a living? These things you see?
Man in Massage Parlour Booth
No, I don't. But that's life.
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[first lines]
Detective Taylor
Neighbors 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 Somerset
Yeah, 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 Swarr
My 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.
David Mills
Why us?
Mark Swarr
He says he admires you.
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David Mills
Honestly, have you ever seen anything like this?
William Somerset
No.
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David Bowie
The heart's filthy lesson... falls upon deaf ears...
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William Somerset
Even the most promising clues usually only lead to others.
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William Somerset
It's not what you think.
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William Somerset
I meant to ask you something before, when we spoke on the phone: Why here?
David Mills
I don't follow.
William Somerset
Why all the effort to get transferred? It's the first question that popped into my head.
David Mills
I guess the same reasons as you. The same reasons you had before you decided to quit, yeah?
William Somerset
Y... You just met me.
David Mills
Maybe I'm not understanding the question.
William Somerset
Very simple. You actually fought to get re-assigned here. I've just never seen it done that way before.
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Nine Inch Nails
You get me closer to God!
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[Mrs. Gould is being shown photos of her husband's murder scene]
David Mills
Mrs. Gould, I'm truly sorry. I truly am.
Mrs. Gould
[sobs as she looks at the photos]
I don't understand.
David Mills
Okay. I need you to look at each photo very carefully. Look and see if there's anything strange or out of place, um. Anything at all.
Mrs. Gould
I don't see anything.
David Mills
You sure?
Mrs. Gould
[emotional]
Please! I-I-I just, I-I can't do this right now!
David Mills
Okay.
Mrs. Gould
[turning to the next photo]
Wait.
David Mills
What?
Mrs. Gould
Here. This painting. It's upside down.
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David Mills
Ladies 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."
Mills
Didn't see it.
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William Somerset
Oh, wait! You care?
David Mills
Damn right.
William Somerset
And you're going to make a difference?
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David Mills
You've read my files, right? You've seen the things I've done?
William Somerset
No.
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David Mills
How is it working for a scumbug like this? You proud of yourself?
Police Captain
Ease back, Mills.
Mark Swarr
I'm required by law to serve my clients to the best of my ability, and to serve their best interests.
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California
Oh my God, he shot him!
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William Somerset
May I speak freely?
Police Captain
We're all friends here.
William Somerset
This should not be his first assignment.
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David Mills
Hold on, John, I seem to remember us knocking on your door.
John Doe
Oh, that's right, and I seem to remember breaking your face.
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David Mills
How much money do we have left?
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John Doe
I spared you, David.
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Police Captain
[to Mills]
What do you think?
David Mills
I'm in.
Mark Swarr
It has to be both of you.
William Somerset
If he were to claim insanity, this conversation is admissable. The fact that he's blackmailing us with his plea...
Mark Swarr
And 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
William Somerset
If there really are two more dead.
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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?
[Chuckling]
Mills
Yeah.
[Chuckling]
Somerset
If you're actually man enough to file a claim, I'd buy you one out of my own pocket.
Mills
If I keep coming home late, my wife's gonna think something's up.
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Crazed Man in Massage Parlour
Get this thing off of me! Get this thing off of me!
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George, Library Night Guard
Yo, smiley. You're really going to miss us.
William Somerset
I just might!
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David Mills
Now, I wasn't standing around guarding the Taco Bell, alright? I worked homicide for five years.
William Somerset
Not here.
David Mills
I understand that.
William Somerset
Well, over the next seven days, Detective, you'll do me the favour of remembering that.
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David Mills
Get out of the FUCKING HALL, police!
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[Mills complaining to Somerset]
David Mills
I'm so sick of waiting for him to commit his next crime. Man, why aren't we out there?
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Mills
"Marquis de Sade"
[mispronouncing it as shaa-day]
Somerset
It's "Marquis de Sade"
[pronouncing it as saad]
Mills
Whatever!
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William Somerset
I can't tell you whether or not to keep the baby. But if you do, you spoil that kid every chance you get.
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Dante
Yea, even children, slain!
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Police Captain
You're retiring, six more days and you're all the way gone.
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William Somerset
You know what happens if you kill a suspect!
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Man in Booth at Massage Parlor
Hey, everybody that comes in there has got a package under their arms. Some guys are carrying suitcases full of stuff.
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Mills
Marquis de Sade
[pronouncing it as shar-day]
Mills
.
Somerset
It's Marquis de Sade
[pronouncing it as sad]
Somerset
.
Mills
Whatever!
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William Somerset
I had to consider the integrity of the scene.
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William Somerset
Even the most promising clues usually only lead to others. So many corpses roll away unrevenged.
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William Somerset
If 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?
David Mills
John?
John Doe
I doubt I enjoyed it any more than Mills would enjoy time with me in a room without windows.
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William Somerset
In 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.
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