Miller's Crossing (1990)

John Turturro: Bernie Bernbaum

Photos 

Quotes 

• Bernie : Look in your heart! Look in your heart!

  Tom Reagan : What heart?

• [Tom holds Bernie at gunpoint, and walks him out deeper into the forest] 

  Bernie : Tommy, you can't do this! You don't bump guys! You're not like those animals back there. It's not right, Tom! They can't make us do this. It's the wrong situation, they can't make us different people than we are. We're not muscle, Tom. I... I... I... never killed anybody. I used a little information for a chisel, that's all. It's my nature, Tom! I... I... I... can't help it, somebody gives me an angle, I play it. I don't deserve to die for that. Do you think I do?

  [Tom doesn't answer, he just keeps walking] 

  Bernie : I'm... I'm... I'm just a grifter, Tom. I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm an nobody! But I'll tell you what, I never crossed a friend, Tom. I never killed anybody, I never crossed a friend, nor you, I'll bet. We're not like those animals! This is not us! Th... th... this is some hop dream! It's a dream, Tommy! I'm praying to you! I can't die! I can't die... out here in the woods, like a dumb animal! In the woods, LIKE A DUMB ANIMAL! Like a dumb animal! I can't... I can't... I CAN'T DIE OUT HERE IN THE WOODS!... like a dumb animal. I can't... die!

  [Bernie falls to his knees, praying] 

  Bernie : I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart! I'm praying to you! Look in your heart...

  [Tom slowly aims his gun at Bernie] 

  Bernie : I'm praying to you! Look in your heart. I'm praying to you... look in your heart... look in your heart! You can't kill me... look in your heart.

• Tom Reagan : So what's the deal, you get to live and Verna has to be Leo's girl?

  Bernie : I have nothing to do with that, she'll sleep with anyone Tom, you know that! She even tried to teach me a thing or two about bed antics once. Some crackpot idea about saving me from my friends. She's a sick twist all right.

  Tom Reagan : She speaks highly of you.

  Bernie : Yeah, well, you stick by your family.

• Tom Reagan : [on finding someone sitting in the dark in his apartment]  Hello Bernie.

  Bernie : Hello Tom. What's the rumpus? How'd you know it was me?

  Tom Reagan : You're the only one I know who'd knock and then break in.

  Bernie : Your other friends wouldn't break in, huh?

  Tom Reagan : My other friends want to kill me so they wouldn't've knocked.

• Bernie : Don't smart me! See I wanna watch you squirm; I wanna see you sweat a little, and when you smart me... it ruins it.