The Patriot (2000)

Mel Gibson: Benjamin Martin

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Colonel William Tavington : Kill me before the war is over, will you? It appears that you are not the better man.

  Benjamin Martin : You're right. My sons were better men.

• Benjamin Martin : Aim small, miss small.

• Col. Harry Burwell : This is not a war for the independence of one or two colonies, but for the independence of one nation.

  Capt. Wilkins : Tell me, Colonel, what nation is that?

  Mr. Howard : An American nation!

  Capt. Wilkins : There is no such nation, and to speak of one is treason.

  Mr. Howard : We ARE citizens of an American nation! And our rights are being threatened by a tyrant three thousand miles away!

  Benjamin Martin : Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man's rights as easily as a king can.

  Col. Harry Burwell : Captain Martin, I understood you to be a patriot.

  Benjamin Martin : If you mean by patriot, am I angry about taxation without representation, well, yes I am. Should the American colonies govern themselves independently? I believe that they can, and they should. But if you are asking me, am I willing to go to war with England? Well, then the answer is most definately NO!

• [first lines] 

  [repeated line] 

  Benjamin Martin : I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost is more than I can bear.

• John Billings : There's a story going around 'bout how some twenty Redcoats got killed by a ghost or some damn thing, carried a Cherokee tomahawk.

  Benjamin Martin : Aren't you a little old to be believing in ghost stories?

• Benjamin Martin : Before this war is over, I'm going to kill you.

  Colonel William Tavington : Why wait?

• Major Jean Villeneuve : Are you sure this is the right place to recruit for a militia?

  Benjamin Martin : [shouts]  God save King George!

  [Music stops and the pub regulars pull out their guns and begin throwing stuff at them. The two men run outside and shut the door behind them] 

  Benjamin Martin : I think we came to the right place!

• Lord General Cornwallis : Their names and ranks?

  Benjamin Martin : They refuse to give me their names, but the ranks are nine lieutenants, five captains, three majors, and one very fat colonel who called me a... "cheeky fellow."

• Charlotte : You have done nothing for which you should be ashamed.

  Benjamin Martin : I have done nothing. And for that I am ashamed.

• Benjamin Martin : I'm a parent. I haven't got the luxury of principles.

• Col. Harry Burwell : I'll help you bury him.

  [referring to Martin's recently killed son] 

  Benjamin Martin : I'll bury him.

  Col. Harry Burwell : My wife Alexandria is with child, my first. I fight for that child... Benjamin nothing will replace your sons, but if you come with us you can justify their sacrifice.

  Benjamin Martin : Why?... Why do men feel they can justify death? Is it arrogance or...

  [voice trails off] 

  Benjamin Martin : I have long feared, that my sins would return to visit me... and the cost is more then i can bear.

  Col. Harry Burwell : Benjamin, we have a chance. Green and Dan Morgen are down from Virginia. If we win this next battle victory in the war is within our grasp.

  Benjamin Martin : Go then, seek your victory. I'm a small issue to it.

  Col. Harry Burwell : You're wrong Benjamin, you matter to your men, and to others as well. Your victories and... and your losses, are shared by more then you know. Stay with us. Stay the course!

  Benjamin Martin : I have run my course.

• Benjamin Martin : He cannot be held as a spy.

  Colonel William Tavington : Oh, we're not going to hold him. We're going to hang him.

• John Billings : I say we drink the wine, eat the dogs, and use the paper for musket wading.

  Reverend Oliver : [alarmed]  Eat the dogs?

  Benjamin Martin : [going along with Billings' joke]  A dog is a fine meal.

  Reverend Oliver : [still alarmed]  G-G-Good Heavens!

  [Billings and Martin laugh] 

• Benjamin Martin : [right before the ambush]  Lord, make me fast and accurate.

• Benjamin Martin : [to Villeneuve]  Do you have children?

  [He simply rides away without answering] 

  Benjamin Martin : [sighs]  The French.

• [after Benjamin removes a British soldier's uniform off of Thomas] 

  Benjamin Martin : Not yet... Thomas.

  Thomas : When?

  Benjamin Martin : 17.

  Thomas : That's two years... it's already been two. The war could be over by then!

  Benjamin Martin : God willing.

• [last lines] 

  Occam : Gabriel said if we won the war, we could build a whole new world. Just figured we'd get started right here with your home.

  Benjamin Martin : Sounds good. Thank you.

• Gabriel Edward Martin : [shouting]  I'm not a child.

  Benjamin Martin : [shouting]  You're my child.

• Lord General Cornwallis : This is not the conduct of a gentleman!

  Benjamin Martin : If the conduct of your officers is the measure of a gentleman, then I'll take that as a compliment.

• Colonel William Tavington : [after reading the dispatching note]  Who carried this?

  [pause] 

  Colonel William Tavington : Hmm?

  [Tavington looks up; Gabrielle looks away as Benjamin turns his head towards him, looking worried] 

  Colonel William Tavington : [yells]  WHO CARRIED THIS?

  Gabriel Edward Martin : [emerges from in front of the house]  I did, Sir!

  [he walks towards Tavington] 

  Gabriel Edward Martin : I was wounded and these people gave me care. They have nothing to do with the dispatchers.

  [Benjamin walks up behind Gabriel] 

  Colonel William Tavington : [Tavington nods and gives the note to one his men]  Take this one to Camden. He is a spy; hang him, put his body on display...

  Benjamin Martin : [as Tavington's men move to grab Gabriel, Martin quickly intervenes]  He's a dispatch rider and that's a marked case!

  Colonel William Tavington : [ignores Benjamin]  Destroy the livestock. Set fire to the house and barns.

  Benjamin Martin : No! Colonel, he's a uniformed dispatcher, he's a carrying a marked case. He cannot be held as a spy...

  Colonel William Tavington : [smirks]  Oh no, we're not going to hold him. We're going to hang him!

  Benjamin Martin : [as Gabriel is grabbed again]  Colonel!

  Gabriel Edward Martin : [whispers]  Father!

  Colonel William Tavington : Oh, I see. He's your son...

  [pause] 

  Colonel William Tavington : Then perhaps you should have told him the rules of loyalty.

• Nathan Martin : Father?

  Benjamin Martin : Yes?

  Nathan Martin : I killed those men.

  Benjamin Martin : You did what I told you to do. You did what you had to. There was no wrong in it.

  Nathan Martin : I'm glad I killed them. I'm glad.

• Benjamin Martin : When you have a family of your own, perhaps you'll understand.

  Gabriel Edward Martin : When I have a family of my own, I won't hide behind them.

• Benjamin Martin : This battle was over before it began.

• Benjamin Martin : I was intemperate in my youth.

  Patriot Middleton : Temperance can be a convenient disguise for fear.

• Benjamin Martin : May I sit with you?

  Charlotte : It's a free country. Or at least it will be.

• Gabriel Edward Martin : [as he is lying there wounded, and sees his father appear]  Father...

  Benjamin Martin : Shh... don't talk, don't talk.

  Gabriel Edward Martin : [gasps for air, groans]  Father. I'm sorry...

  Benjamin Martin : Ssh, be quiet. I'm going to take care of you. You're going to be all right.

  Gabriel Edward Martin : Pa. I'm sorry about Thomas.

  Benjamin Martin : Oh son, that wasn't your fault.

  [Gabriel lets out a soft groan] 

  Benjamin Martin : That was mine.

  [Gabriel gasps for final breaths of air] 

  Benjamin Martin : Hold on, you're gonna be all right... Don't go. Gabriel, don't...

  [Ben sobs quietly while touching his son's face] 

  Benjamin Martin : [cries and whispers]  Oh! God help me. God help me.

• Gabriel Edward Martin : I'm sorry about Thomas

  Benjamin Martin : Oh, son, that wasn't your fault

  [pause] 

  Benjamin Martin : That was mine.

• Benjamin Martin : I have seven children. My wife is dead. Now, who's to care for them if I go to war?

  Col. Harry Burwell : Wars are not fought only by childless men.

• Benjamin Martin : I'm losing my family.

• Benjamin Martin : Trust the French.

  Major Jean Villeneuve : Yes, trust the French. Where else do I get the opportunity to kill a few Redcoats... Perhaps a few wounded ones when you're not looking.