Bridge of Spies * Quotes

James Donovan: "Aren't you worried?"
Rudolf Abel: "Would it help?"

Rudolf Abel: "Standing there like that, you reminded me of that man when I was young. My house is overrun by boarder guard. This man, my father's friend, he was beaten. Every time they hit him, he stood back up again. They hit him harder, still he got back to his feet. I think because of this they let him live."
James Donovan: "And I remind you if him?"
Rudolf Abel: "Standing man... standing man..."

Donovan: "Hoffman is the agent, right?"
Hoffman: "I am."
Donovan: "German descent..."
Hoffman: "Yes, so what?"
Donovan: "My name is Donovan, Irish, on both sides of father and mother. I am Irish, you are German. But what makes us Americans? Just one thing, a one, a... the rulebook. We call it the Constitution and agree to the rules, and that's what makes us Americans. It is everything that makes us Americans."

"We are engaged in a war. This war does not for the moment involve men at arms, it involves information. You will be collecting information. You will be gathering intelligence about the enemy. The intelligence you gather could give us the upper hand in a full thermonuclear exchange with the Soviet Union, or it could prevent one. For public purposes, as far as your wife or mother or sweetheart or the good lord above, your mission does not exist. if it does not exist, you do not exist. You cannot be shot down. You cannot be captured."

"Enjoy your big American breakfast."

"We have to have the conversations our governments can't."

Donovan: "The death sentence is not a foregone conclusion. Don't worry."
Abel: "I'm not afraid to die, Mr. Donovan. Although, it wouldn't be my first choice."