Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)

Nick Nolte: Ray Hicks

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Ray Hicks : When I left the Marines I made myself a promise. Never again am I going to be fucked around by morons. The next mother who tries to make me back off is going to have to live it out with me.

• Ray Hicks : They got my buddy, man. Now they're going to kill him and that pretty lady. How am I going to let them do that, huh? Did you see the way she walked to her fate? Nothing but class. she's the love of my life, no shit. Beats the hell out of all of them.

• Ray Hicks : All my life I've been taking shit from inferior people. No more.

• Ray Hicks : When I tell you the story of my life you'll eat your heart out.

  Marge Converse : How did you turn out?

  Ray Hicks : Well, your husband once told somebody I was a psychopath.

  Marge Converse : That's the kind of thing he'd say.

  Ray Hicks : Do you think he could be right?

  Marge Converse : It's a very imprecise term.

• Ray Hicks : You can't deal with people in this outrageous fucking manner.

• John Converse : [about Vietnam]  Don't they say this is where everybody finds out who they are?

  Ray Hicks : Yeah? What a bummer for the gooks.

• Ray Hicks : Nobody can surprise us here. We've got the high ground. We can *win* this one.

• Ray Hicks : That head guy. Who is he?

  John Converse : He's some kind of cop. He's not straight.

  Ray Hicks : No shit.

• Ray Hicks : [shouting at the mountainous horizon]  Hey, John! I got it! I got it all!... You be there for me.

• Ray Hicks : [sitting in a seedy bar that appears to be populated with junkies]  What a lot of shit this place is now.

  Ray Hicks : [Alex the bartender comes over]  Where's the kitchen at the back of the pool tables - what the hell happened to the pool tables?

  Alex : You gotta' change with the times.

  Ray Hicks : The times are fucked. Why do I gotta' sit around looking at these poor junkies? I'd just as soon look at you out there.

  Alex : I ain't got no costume.

  Ray Hicks : You got bigger tits.

• Marge Converse : Why Gerald?

  Ray Hicks : Because he's a Martian! They're all Martians and I'm a loyal American who fought for my flag. Peace was fucking with me and I don't take shit from Martians.

• Ray Hicks : [jamming a pistol-barrel under Danskin's chin]  I'll kill you quick.

• Ray Hicks : [cleaning up his vandalized shack]  Could've been worse. Could've been a body in this sleeping bag. The big ones eat the little ones up here. Welcome to L.A.

• Ray Hicks : It belongs to whoever controls it.

• Marge Converse : Why did you carry for John?

  Ray Hicks : Because he asked me to. I don't always have to have a reason for the shit I do.

• Ray Hicks : In Vietnam I had men that were dead the day they hit that place. In the morning they were in Hawaii, in the afternoon they were dead.

• Marge Converse : Oh, he's really in bad shape. You know, he can't even roll a joint. I mean, he never cared about money. He must have just flipped out over there.

  Ray Hicks : He's not the only one.

• Ray Hicks : You got a good place to stash this?

  Marge Converse : What is it?

  Ray Hicks : It's smack. It's two keys that's never been cut. I'm carrying it for John. That's why you owe me money.

  Marge Converse : What am I supposed to do with it? I work in a bookstore, for Christ's sake.

• Marge Converse : How's your friend?

  Ray Hicks : If I was smart I wouldn't even know him.

• Ray Hicks : [about Marge Converse]  She didn't even say goodbye. How about her?

• Marge Converse : We could still make a deal!

  Ray Hicks : Who's "we"? They know what fuck-ups we are. They've got their pride. I don't think we could pull it off.

  Marge Converse : Well, I think they're fuck-ups, too!

  Ray Hicks : They're animals. You can't make a deal with animals!

• Marge Converse : What's it say?

  Ray Hicks : [reading from a book]  "In danger, all that counts is going forward."

  Marge Converse : Hmm, what else?

  Ray Hicks : "By growing used to danger a man can allow it to become part of him. He grows used to evil."

• Ray Hicks : Do you remember last night?

  Marge Converse : I remember everything with absolute clarity since you walked in on me. Not one funny little thing slips by me. Do you believe me?

  Ray Hicks : What can I do? I gotta believe you.

• Ray Hicks : This isn't what you want. Not really.

  Marge Converse : Maybe it is. Simpler than life.

• Marge Converse : What was he like?

  Ray Hicks : In some ways he was beautiful. In some ways he had his head up his ass.

• Ray Hicks : Am I talking to the right person, Eddie?

  Eddie Peace : Am I a god, Ray? How would I know?