Ishtar (1987)

Charles Grodin: Jim Harrison

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Quotes 

• Jim Harrison : No, if two Americans die it has to be unofficially.

• Chuck Clarke : So what are you doing here, Jim?

  Jim Harrison : I'm with the CIA.

  Chuck Clarke : Interesting work?

  Jim Harrison : lt's okay. lt's a little rough right now because the Communists are trying to instigate a coup against the Emir and take over lshtar.

  Chuck Clarke : Why?

  Jim Harrison : That's how it works. Today they get lshtar, tomorrow they get North Africa.

  Chuck Clarke : Why?

  Jim Harrison : That's how it works.

• Jim Harrison : Sir? We did NOT fire on two Americans in the desert. We did NOT. Who told you that? The Secretary of State? Well, how would he know?

• Chuck Clarke : You see, Jim, all the big record companies want to sign us for an album. But right now, we're just refining our songs, you know, so we don't get ripped off by people like Simon & Garfunkel and, you know, Springsteen. So we do it in Morocco. Then it's ours.

  Jim Harrison : You know, you're the first guy in show business l've met over here. Do me a favor. Do me a favor. Give me an autograph for my kid.

• Jim Harrison : The men in straw hats are members of Emir Yousef's army. They're trying to kill you.

  Chuck Clarke : l thought Emir Yousef was our guy.

  Jim Harrison : He is. He is. But he doesn't like the idea of your friend dealing with a known Communist.

• Chuck Clarke : As one agent to another, l've heard the emir is a prick.

  Jim Harrison : Really? Well, we'll have to look into that.

• Jim Harrison : Chuck, while l was waiting for you here, Shirra Assel was spotted leaving your hotel room. When she left, her clothes were torn, her shirt was out, she was breathing heavily. We feel fairly certain that there was a sexual encounter between Shirra Assel and Lyle and that Lyle was recruited as a left-wing agent when they, uh...

  Chuck Clarke : Oh, don't be silly. Lyle's not a communist. He's from the South. And l don't think she's that kind of girl.

  Jim Harrison : She's a suspected terrorist.

  Chuck Clarke : Granted. But that doesn't mean she sleeps around.

• Jim Harrison : lt could certainly cost us lshtar. And we can't afford that, Chuck, especially since Morocco signed a pact with Gaddafi.

  Chuck Clarke : ls that near here?

  Jim Harrison : Gaddafi's a person. He rules Libya.