Firestarter (1984)

Freddie Jones: Dr. Joseph Wanless

Photos 

Quotes 

• Captain Hollister : Welcome back, Rainbird. How was Venice?

  John Rainbird : Hm. Sinking.

  Captain Hollister : Is our problem there solved?

  John Rainbird : Our problem there... is solved. Dr. Wanless is here.

  Captain Hollister : [Dr. Wanless enters the room]  Oh, Christ. There goes a beautiful day.

  [Rainbird chuckles] 

  Captain Hollister : Ah, the good doctor. What do you want, Joe?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Have you caught them yet?

  Captain Hollister : We'll catch 'em. What do you want?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : What do I always want? Why do I stay alive? To try to persuade you to sanction them both, expunge them, wipe them from the face of the Earth. Andrew McGee and his daughter constitute the greatest threat that's ever confronted this nation.

  Captain Hollister : That's a lot of crap.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : You feel guilt! Because eight out of ten of our young volunteers have died, committed suicide! You want to justify your participation!

  Captain Hollister : You were all in favor of it at the time.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : I know. I didn't realize. None of us did. Lot Six was nothing more than a synthetic copy of pituitary extract. A powerful painkiller hallucinogen.

  Captain Hollister : For God sakes, Joe. Don't start again. Come on.

  [gives Dr. Wanless a drink] 

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : [after finishing his drink]  You see... You see, uh... this pituitary extract is responsible for the occasional flashes of psi ability which most human beings demonstrate from time to time. Precognition, telekinesis, mental domination. The kind of domination that this experiment brought out in Andrew McGee.

  John Rainbird : What is the point, Doctor?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Ever since this child was born, her father has been trying to inhibit her use of those powers, but, but, what if... his control had weakened now?

  Captain Hollister : Why would he lose control now after all these years?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Ask yourself this question: How exhausting must it have been for Victoria... and Andrew McGee when this child was an infant? The bottle is late, the baby cries, and, at that moment, one of her stuffed toys right there in the crib beside her bursts into smoky flame.

  Captain Hollister : Joe, she's just a little girl. She can light fires, yes, but you're making her sound like Armageddon.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Yes, and that's what it might well be. Suppose lighting fires is merely the tip of the iceberg?

  Captain Hollister : I don't know what you're talking about.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : I am talking about a talent that is directly linked to this child's pituitary gland, undeveloped pituitary gland. What happens when she becomes adolescent and that sleeping gland wakes, and, becomes for twenty months, the most powerful force in the human body? Suppose we have a child here, who someday, is capable of creating a nuclear explosion simply by the power of her will?

  Captain Hollister : [laughs]  That's insane.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Is it? Is it? Then allow me to progress from insanity to utter lunacy. Suppose there is a little girl out there, somewhere today this morning, who has within her, lying dormant at present... the power someday to crack the very planet in two like a China plate in a shooting gallery?

  Captain Hollister : [after a brief moment of silence]  What if we could train this little girl and others as well? Could we ever have more powerful weapons?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : No! No more experiments! Don't force me to go above your head because I swear to you, I will if I have to! I'll have you and this entire establishment eliminated!

  [storms out of the room in anger] 

  John Rainbird : [after Dr. Wanless leaves]  An excitable man.

• Doctor Joseph Wanless : Ever since this child was born, her father has been trying to inhibit her use of those powers. But what if his control had weakened now?

  Captain Hollister : Why would he lose control, now, after all those years?

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Ask yourself this question. How exhausting must it have been for Victoria and Andrew McGee when this child was an infant? The bottle is late, the baby cries, and at that moment, one of her toys right there in the crib beside her bursts into smokey flame.

  Captain Hollister : Joe, she's just a little girl. She can light fires, yes. But you're making her sound like Armageddon!

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Yes!... and that's what it might well be. Suppose lighting fires is just the tip of the iceberg?

  Captain Hollister : I don't know what your talking about.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : I am talking about a talent that is directly linked to this child's pituitary gland; UNDEVELOPED pituitary gland. What happens when she becomes adolescent and that sleeping gland wakes and becomes, for 20 months, the most powerful force in the human body? Suppose we have a child here who, someday, is capable of creating a nuclear explosion simply by the power of her will?

  Captain Hollister : [Laughs]  That's insane.

  Doctor Joseph Wanless : Is it? Is it? Then allow me to progress from insanity to utter lunacy. Suppose there is a little girl out there, somwhere today... this morning!... who has within her, lying dormant at present... the power someday to crack the very planet in two like a china plate in a shooting gallery?

  Captain Hollister : [Falls silent]