The Fourth Protocol (1987)

Michael Caine: John Preston

Photos 

Quotes 

• Brian Harcourt-Smith : [after Preston finds out about the polonium disc and presents his report]  I regard this report as alarmist, irresponsible and lacking sufficient evidence.

  John Preston : [surprised and irritated]  Evidence? Can't you read?

  [Forcefully] 

  John Preston : That metal disc can only be used as part of trigger for an atom bomb...

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : That remains to be seen. Don't think I don't know what's goin' on Preston. You're trying to worm your way back into favours by dreaming up some far fetched story of which you naturally are the hero...

  John Preston : And you're trying to kick out anyone who doesn't make themselves available to get your arse. But if you were to look at this thing straight, just for a moment, you'd find that there is something goin' on out there...

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : It is my prerogative as the head of this country's security service...

  [interrupted by a visibly disgusted John Preston] 

  John Preston : *Acting head* sunshine. And if you ask me you're acting like a complete asshole.

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : [after a brief pause a fuming but restrained Harcourt-Smith takes the report and writes as he speaks aloud]  NO FURTHER ACTION. And you are suspended for insubordination, indefinately.

  [a frustrated Preston has a resigned look on his face] 

• John Preston : Have they told you anything?

  Captain Lyndhurst : Just that he's a terrorist.

  John Preston : Oh, he's more than just a terrorist. He is a top Soviet agent, a pro.

  Captain Lyndhurst : Is he alone?

  John Preston : Maybe there's a woman in there. He's armed with a bomb.

  Captain Lyndhurst : How big a bomb?

  John Preston : Atomic bomb.

  [Lyndhurst and the other SAS stop what they're doing and look at John in stunned silence] 

• [Harcourt-Smith was embarassed by Preston's unauthorized, though successful previous mission] 

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : Just what the hell do you think you're playing at? First, you have the unmitigated gall to proceed without my permission. Next, you deliberately embarrass the service in front of that shit Irvine! Of course, I'm well aware that you somehow consider yourself outside the normal chain of command. But may I remind you that this is a Service, not a free-for-all! And when you're done showing off, you come back to work for me. And I, as Director-General of the Security Service...

  John Preston : *Acting* Director-General. Bernard Hemmings isn't dead yet.

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : [Through growing, though restrained anger]  Look, Preston, let's get one thing perfectly clear. If, or rather *when*, I am confirmed as head of this department, you are simply going to disappear, without a trace!

  John Preston : I will bear that in mind.

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : Meantime, I want another report, complete in every detail, on my desk, before you go home!

  John Preston : Would that include this meeting, sir?

  Brian Harcourt-Smith : [Finally losing his temper]  DO IT!

• John Preston : [to Karpov]  You and Irvine set it up, didn't you?. You gave us Petrovsky in exchange for the evidence you will use to destroy Govershin. You could very well become the next Chairman of the KGB.

  Sir Nigel Irvine : Preston, you're out of your depth.

  John Preston : It's just a game to you, isn't it? You both don't give a shit about anything except your lousy careers! It's about time they put you in a fucking museum!

  General Karpov : [as Preston walks away]  Do you think he'll talk?

• John Preston : [Livid, as a defenseless Petrofsky is executed by SAS]  We *NEEDED* To *TALK* To Him!

  Captain Lyndhurst : [Matter-of-fact]  Sorry, boss... orders!

• Wynne-Evans : It's polonium.

  John Preston : What's polonium?

  Wynne-Evans : Well, when combined with lithium, the two together form an "initiator." That's... a detonator for a bomb.

  John Preston : A bomb?

  Wynne-Evans : An atomic bomb.