Gene Ryack Quotes in Air America (1990)

Billy Covington: [Gene is loading a machine gun] Excuse me, is that an Uzi?

Gene Ryack: (glances at Babo & Billy) You know, that would make a great TV commercial? 'Excuse me, is that an Uzi?' 'Why, yes it is. Hey, self-defense is no laughing matter! That why when I want number one I pack an Uzi... accept no substitutes.'

Billy Covington: I don't wanna crash twice in one day!

Gene Ryack: Don't worry, I crash better that anyone I know.

Gene Ryack: There'll be another, new war opening soon in a theater near you.

Rob Diehl: You know more about it than American intelligence Gene!

Gene Ryack: Rob, I wish you wouldn't use the words American Intelligence to describe what it is you do!

Gene Ryack: Here at Air America, what's considered psychotic behavior anywhere else is company policy.

[to Billy]

Gene Ryack: Why don't you go home huh? Look at me, look at Neely, we're all a bunch of trouble junkies, we've been mainlining danger and adrenaline for so long nothing else gets us off, it's kind a sick.

[pause]

Gene Ryack: Before you pick up the habit and you will pick up the habit. Go back to L.A. and be the weirdest guy in the room again. Whada you think?

Gene Ryack: I've seen things here that I could never possibly have imagined, and I've got a pretty broad imagination.

Billy Covington: Gene, you cant sell the plane! It's government property!

Gene Ryack: The U.S. Government doesn't exist in Laos and neither does this plane!

Billy Covington: Good point!

Rob Diehl: [Rob and Gene stare into the midst of flaming wreck where a pilot lay as emergency personnel race past] Do you think he's dead?

Gene Ryack: Well, if he's not dead, he's very calm.

Gene Ryack: Maybe you don't get this, but when you die that's it! End of story, blackness. They stick you in a box, cover you up with dirt, don't even let you out for weekends.

Rob Diehl: Hey Gene, You will remember what I said?... Shhhh!

Gene Ryack: Well the problem is Rob, you and I weren't here, this conversation never happened, so I cant remember what the fuck you didn't tell me!

Gene Ryack: Well down here at Crazy Gene's Used Airplanes, people think we're out of our minds since we slashed the prices on our used C-123's!

Billy Covington: What the f*** are you doing here, man? Do you believe in this war?

Gene Ryack: I used to believe in all these wars.

[laughs]

Gene Ryack: See, I had this theory once. I believed in the politics of Saturday night.

Billy Covington: And...?

Gene Ryack: I rated all governments and countries by how good or bad their Saturday nights were... and... I KNEW that Moscow and Peking had to be a stone DRAG at that time of the week. So I was flying for a cause. I was fighting to defend... chicken BBQs and weinee roasts, and Ray Charles songs and drinkin' Southern Comfort till you passed out behind the bar.

Billy Covington: Politics of Saturday Night. I can relate to that theory.

Gene Ryack: Yeah, it's not bad, is it? Just not particularly true, that's all. I hear they party pretty hard in Moscow.

Billy Covington: No need to give up a good theory just because it isn't true.

Billy Covington: Pilot hijinks? This is psychotic behavior.

Gene Ryack: Well, here at Air America, what is considered psychotic behavior anywhere else is just company policy.