Crimson Tide

Capt. Ramsey: [reading Hunter's file] Annapolis. Five patrols on fast attacks. Two on boomers; one as X.O. Capt. Ramsey: Hmm. A year at...[looks to Hunter, impressed] Excuse me. Harvard? [closes Hunter's file] I talked to your former C.O. He tells me he tried to adopt you. As you no doubt heard, my X.O. Has appendicitis. He's the best I ever had. I need a good man to fill his spot. Your name was at the top of the list. Hunter: Well, that's good to know, sir. Capt. Ramsey: [beat] It was a short list. Your interests, Mr. Hunter. What do you like to do? Do you, uh...Do you paint, play ball, play an instrument, ride motorcycles, what? Hunter: I ride horses. Capt. Ramsey: Horses. What's the best horse you ever rode? Hunter: Arabian, sir. Capt. Ramsey: An Arabian? That's a powerful animal. Hunter: Yes. Hunter: You ever ridden one? Capt. Ramsey: Me? Are you kidding? Nah, I couldn't handle an Arabian. Nah, just give me an old paint. Yeah, horses are fascinating animals. Dumb as fence posts but

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0

Capt. Frank Ramsey: Little ducks, there's trouble in Russia. So they called us. And we're going over there and bringing the most lethal killing machine ever devised. We're capable of launching more firepower than has ever been released in the history of war. For one purpose alone: To keep our country safe. We constitute the front line and the last line of defense. I expect and demand your very best. Anything less, you should have joined the Air Force. [crew laughs] This might be our Commander-in-Chief's Navy, but this is my boat. And all I ask is that you keep up with me. And if you can't... that strange sensation you'll be feeling in the seat of your pants will be my boot in your ass! [crew laughs again; Ramsey returns to dock stage and calls out over sound system] Mr. COB! Chief of the Boat: Yes, sir? Ramsey: You're aware of the name of this ship, aren't you Mr. COB? Chief of the Boat: Very aware, sir! Ramsey: It bears a proud name, doesn't it, Mr. COB? Chief of the Boat: Very proud,

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0

Capt. Ramsey: Think it was a mistake, Mr. Hunter? Hunter: Sir? Capt. Ramsey: Using the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hunter: Well, if I thought that, sir, I wouldn't be here. Capt. Ramsey: Interesting way you put that. Hunter: How'd I put it, sir? Capt. Ramsey: Very carefully. [Chuckles] Capt. Ramsey: You do qualify your remarks. If someone asked me if we should bomb Japan, a simple "Yes. By all means sir, drop that fucker, twice!" Capt. Ramsey: I don't mean to suggest that you're indecisive, Mr. Hunter. Not at all. Just, uh... complicated. 'Course, that's the way the Navy wants you. Me, they wanted simple. Hunter: Well, you certainly fooled them, sir. Ramsey: [chuckles] Be careful there, Mr. Hunter. It's all I've got to rely on, being a simple-minded son of a bitch. Rickover gave me my command, a checklist, a target and a button to push. All I gotta know is how to push it, they tell me when. They seem to want you to know why. Hunter: I would hope they'd want us all to know why, sir.

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0

Capt. Ramsey: So, Mr. Hunter, do you think I was wrong to run that drill? Hunter: Not necessarily, sir. Ramsey: Do you think I got that man killed? Hunter: No, sir. One thing had nothing to do with the other. It was an accident. Ramsey: Would you have run the drill? Hunter: No, sir, I wouldn't have. Ramsey: Why not? Hunter: The fire in the galley could have flared back up. I would have seen to it first, sir. Ramsey: I'm sure you would have. Me, on the other hand, I tend to think that's the best time to run a drill. Confusion on the ship is nothing to fear. It should be taken advantage of. Lest you forget, Mr. Hunter, we are a ship of war, designed for battle. You don't just fight battles when everything is hunky-dory. What'd you think, son? I was just some crazy old coot putting everyone in harm's way as I yell "YEE-HA!"? Hunter: That was not my first thought, sir. But there's no excuse. At the time I was fighting the fire in the galley I did not agree with your call, sir. Ramsey: Take

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hunter: Captain, here's the results from the missile drill. Capt. Ramsey: [looks at the missile drill results] Is this the best they can do? Hunter: No sir. But, that's what they did. Capt. Ramsey: I want this down to five minutes. Train on it. Hunter: Yes, sir. Capt. Ramsey: Tell your buddy Weaps to do it again, and keep on doing it until he gets it right. Hunter: Yes, sir. Capt. Ramsey: It looks like the whole crew needs a kick in the ass. Hunter: Or a pat on the back, sir. I just witnessed a fight down in crew's mess, no big deal. It appears that the crew is a bit on edge about all we're going through. Morale seems a bit low. Capt. Ramsey: [picks up the intercom and speaks into it] May I have your attention please, crew of the Alabama, Mr. Hunter has brought it to my attention that morale maybe a bit low. and you might be a bit... [looks to Hunter] Hunter: [whispers] On edge. Capt. Ramsey: [over the intercom] On edge. So, I suggest this. Any crew member who thinks that they can't ha

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hunter: Captain? Got the EAM. Hunter: What do you think? Ramsey: I think there's nothing on this. Hunter: Yes, sir. It, uh, got cut off during the attack. Ramsey: Then it's meaningless. Hunter: Sir, this is an EAM pertaining to nuclear missiles. Ramsey: No, Mr. Hunter, that's a message fragment. Hunter: Because it got cut off during the attack, sir. The message could mean anything. It could be a message to abort. It could be a message-- Ramsey: Could be a fake Russian transmission. Hunter: Which is exactly why we need to confirm it, sir. All I'm asking for is the time we need to get back on line. Ramsey: Calm down, Mr. Hunter. Hunter: I am calm. Ramsey: You don't appear to be calm. Weapons: Conn/Weapons: Missile systems ready to launch in four minutes. Ramsey: Step aside, seaman. Seaman: Yes, sir. Ramsey: We have orders in hand, and those orders are to make a preemptive launch. Every second that we lose increases the chances, that by the time our missiles arrive, their silos could be e

Crimson Tide, CC BY-SA 4.0