An American Crime Quotes

  • Shirley Baniszewski: I thought we were just teaching her.

  • Sylvia Likens: Reverend Bill used to say, "For every situation God always has a plan." I guess I'm still trying to figure out what that plan was.

  • Gertrude Baniszewski: There are things in life we have to do, whether we like it or not.

  • Leroy K. New: Are you scared?

    Gertrude Baniszewski: I've been scared about a lot of things for a long time.

  • Shirley Baniszewski: Don't worry Jennie. Mamma's just teaching her.

  • Gertrude Baniszewski: [preparing to write the tattoo onto Sylvia's belly] Ricky... she came back from juvenile! Started stirring up trouble again... Johnny hold her!

    Sylvia Likens: No, please, please!

    Gertrude Baniszewski: Keep her still!

    Marie Baniszewski: If you move, it'll only be messy.

    Gertrude Baniszewski: [gives Marie a lighter and a safety pin] Light that.

    Sylvia Likens: No! No! No! Please! No! No! Please! Please!

    Gertrude Baniszewski: Stop it!

    Shirley Baniszewski: You got it right, mama?

    Gertrude Baniszewski: Make sure it's hot!

    Sylvia Likens: I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

    Gertrude Baniszewski: You liar!

    Sylvia Likens: Please stop, please no! Please!

    [Marie gives Gertrude the safety pin]

    Gertrude Baniszewski: You branded my daughters... now I have to brand you.

  • Gertrude Baniszewski: Who's in charge here?

    Johnny Baniszewski: You are, mama.

  • Gertrude Baniszewski: You know what it's like to be sick, Sylvia. I've been sick for so long, too. I can't... discipline my kids they was I should. I punish them I know, but... sometimes with my medicine I gets so I don't know what I'm doing.

    [begins to cry]

    Gertrude Baniszewski: And I care for them so much. Paula, the thing is... Paula's a lot like me. I had her when I was just about your age. Then Stephanie. Then all the others. Then John left... And here I am on medicine, doing whatever I can to keep my family together. I want something better for Paula... There has to be something better... And I need to protect my children...

    [cries]

    Gertrude Baniszewski: Do you understand that? You kids... you're all I've got... Thank you, Sylvia. Thank you for understanding, thank you.

  • Sylvia Likens: She sacrificed me to protect her children, and she sacrificed her children to protect herself.

  • Ricky Hobbs: [sees her "escaping"] Sylvia.

    Sylvia Likens: [sobbing, whimpering and cringing as he comes near her] No, no, please. Please don't, please.

    Ricky Hobbs: No, no, no, I'm not gonna hurt you. I swear to God, I promise, I promise. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, all right? Look, you gotta believe me, please. Please. You wanna get out of here? You wanna go? Let's go.

    [helps Sylvia up]

    Ricky Hobbs: Come on. You're all right.

    [they go to the car and Ricky gets in after helping Sylvia in]

    Ricky Hobbs: Where are we going?

    Sylvia Likens: [slurred from exhaustion and suffering] I don't know.

    Ricky Hobbs: Do you want to go to the police? We can tell them everything.

    Sylvia Likens: I gotta get to my mom.

    Ricky Hobbs: Where's your mom at?

    Sylvia Likens: [sounding close to tears] I think she's in Porridge.

    Ricky Hobbs: We're going to Porridge.

  • Sylvia Likens: [after they've been lashed, Sylvia sits down next to Jenny, hoping to comfort her] Come on, Jenny. It's not like we've never had a spanking before.

    [Sylvia puts her hand on her sister's shoulder]

    Sylvia Likens: That check's gonna come along, I swear.

    [When Jenny doesn't answer, Sylvia puts her lips to her sister's head and strokes her hair]

  • Stephanie Baniszewski: What was Momma so mad about yesterday?

    Sylvia Likens: You heard. I told everyone Paula was a slut.

    Stephanie Baniszewski: That's not true, is it?

Extended Reading
  • Hilda 2022-03-29 09:01:08

    I read half of it, I can't watch it anymore, and I don't plan to finish it. It's not that the film is bad. "Dancer in the Darkness", "Eden Lake", including such films, I refuse to watch movies that torture people to death.

  • Leif 2022-03-28 09:01:13

    The reality is so unspeakable. There is a strong contrast between the beauty of the first half and the obscurity of the second half, from leisurely to crying. I think the Chinese people will be amazed after watching it. The human world in the movie is so indifferent. Adults (not to mention children) are like every brain. Into a tone particle: eh.