The Ice Harvest (2005)

John Cusack: Charlie Arglist

Photos 

Quotes 

• Charlie Arglist : As Wichita falls... so falls Wichita Falls.

• Charlie Arglist : Did I ever tell you my father was a twin?

  Pete Van Heuten : Identical?

  Charlie Arglist : Fraternal. Looked a lot alike, though, him and my uncle. Different temperaments completely. My father, he's a cop. By-the-book guy. Believed in the law, wanted his only son to be a lawyer. Drank in moderation, didn't smoke. Kept up his life insurance premiums. Voted in every election, not just for president.

  Pete Van Heuten : Lemme guess, uncle didn't vote?

  Charlie Arglist : He said he didn't want to encourage the bastards. In and out of jail from the time he was 16... drunk all the time, fucked everything that walked. Won a fortune playing poker, lost it all the same way. Lost an eye in a fight. My father was 54 when he died of a massive embolism, right here in Wichita. My uncle died the very next day in a car wreck in California. So the point is... it is futile to regret. You do one thing, you do another... I mean, so what? What's the difference? Same result.

• Vic : Well? How'd it go?

  Charlie Arglist : Good. Went good.

  Vic : How much?

  Charlie Arglist : A lot.

  Vic : Am I gonna have to slap the shit outta you? How much?

  Charlie Arglist : Vic, it's a great, big, fuckin' pile of money: two-million - one-hundred - forty-seven-thousand dollars and change. My God, we're actually doing this.

  Vic : No, we're not doing it. It's already done.

• Renata : [answers phone]  Hello?

  Charlie Arglist : Renata?

  Renata : Charlie.

  Charlie Arglist : Listen. You were right. Vic and I have been skimming.

  Renata : Well, duh!

  Charlie Arglist : I think Roy Gelles must have found out, and I think he might have killed Vic.

  Renata : That's terrible!

  Charlie Arglist : So I was thinking it might be best if I left town, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.

  Renata : You have the money?

  Charlie Arglist : What? Which?

  Renata : The money we're talking about. That you and Vic have been skimming. Try to keep up, OK?

  Charlie Arglist : No. Vic had it.

  Renata : So, your idea is that we should run away together and be poor?

  Charlie Arglist : I thought I'd give it a shot.

• Charlie Arglist : Christmas Eve. Ho ho fucking ho!

• Pete Van Heuten : Take me with you, man.

  Charlie Arglist : Oh, Fuck. Jesus, Pete.

  Pete Van Heuten : No, I mean it. Take me with you, buddy. I can't do my life, man. I can't do it.

  Charlie Arglist : Just get some rest.

  Pete Van Heuten : I hate myself. I want a new life.

  Charlie Arglist : You don't want mine.

  Pete Van Heuten : I really do.

  Charlie Arglist : I'm in trouble. I'm in big fucking trouble.

  Pete Van Heuten : But that'd be great. Don't you see? We go out in a blaze of glory. Like men. Like men, Charlie No goddamn life left for men anymore. Not here. This country, all that's left for men is money and pussy.

• Vic : Don't be so worried. The hard part's done already. Everything worked just like you said it would.

  Charlie Arglist : Yeah. I guess.

  Vic : Just act normal for a few hours and we're home free. OK?

  Charlie Arglist : OK.

  Vic : OK.

  Charlie Arglist : Uh, you wanna take the money and not me?

  Vic : You wanna take the money?

  Charlie Arglist : No, I-I-I don't know. I was just...

  Vic : Well, if you wanna take the money... I mean, if you think you could do a better job at guarding two-million dollars...

  Charlie Arglist : No, no, no. It should be you. It should be you. It's just that we didn't discuss that.

  Vic : Are we through discussing it? Or is there more to say on the subject?

  Charlie Arglist : No. We're done.

  Vic : Cool. OK. Shut the door.

  Charlie Arglist : OK.

  Vic : And Charlie? Act normal.

  Charlie Arglist : Yeah.

• Pete Van Heuten : [standing outside his home where his wife's family is waiting to have Christmas dinner]  That's my chair in there. You wanna know the truth? I can't fill it.

  Charlie Arglist : Neither could I, if it makes you feel any better.

  Pete Van Heuten : Listen, Charlie. Before we go in, there's something I have to tell you. It's been on my conscience, and you can punch me if you want to.

  Charlie Arglist : I don't think I'm gonna want to.

  Pete Van Heuten : Back when you and Sarabeth were still married, that last year... she and I were fucking.

  Charlie Arglist : [not surprised]  No kidding?

  Pete Van Heuten : Like minks. Everywhere. Kitchen table, your bed, garage.

  Charlie Arglist : Wow.

  Pete Van Heuten : Jesus, Charlie, we were friends! It doesn't make you angry?

  Charlie Arglist : Actually, it makes me curious. It makes me wonder who she's fucking now.

• Pete Van Heuten : [waking up in back of Charlie's car]  Ugh... Where are we?

  Charlie Arglist : We're in heaven, Pete.

  Pete Van Heuten : Oh... They got pancakes?

  Charlie Arglist : They got everything.

  Pete Van Heuten : Good.

• Charlie Arglist : It's Christmas! Everyone's nice on Christmas!

  Vic Cavanaugh : Only morons are nice on Christmas.

• Renata : Are you in love with me, Charlie?

  Charlie Arglist : I've always liked you.

• Charlie Arglist : Pete, I know you're not asking for my advice, but listen... you should really shut the fuck up.

• Charlie Arglist : All in all, i think that went well.

• Charlie Arglist : Oh, Vic?

  Vic : What?

  Charlie Arglist : [Shows a severed thumb]  Whose thumb is this?

  Vic : Oh yeah, Roy. good news: Charlie brought your thumb.

• Charlie Arglist : It's Christmas, Dennis. It's God's birthday.

• Charlie Arglist : People always say there's no such thing as the perfect crime... but I don't agree with that. If you plan things carefully enough, if you think through every last detail; if you have nerves of steel, if you can remain calm no matter what happens... then there should be no problem you can't handle. It's really all a matter of a character. Of course, if I had any character, I wouldn't have stolen $2 million from my boss. Christmas Eve. Ho ho fucking ho.