Directed by Michael Cimino. Written by Deric Washburn.

Michael Vronsky

• Those are sun dogs...It means a blessing on the hunter sent by the Great Wolf to his children...It's an old Indian thing.

• [to Linda] I just wanted to say how sorry I am about Nick. And how, I know how much you loved him and I know that it will never be the same. I just wanted to tell you that.

• You wanna play games, I'll play your fucking games.

• Here's to Nick.

Julien Grinda

• What is there to be afraid of in this war? The war is a joke, a silly thing...I pay my players - cash - American. However, should you prefer German marks or perhaps Swiss francs, that of course can be arranged.

• If you are really brave and lucky, I can make you very, very rich.

• When a man says no to champagne, he says no to life.

Others

• Steven's mother: I still do not believe this. My own boy with a strange girl and not so thin, if you understand my meaning...The next thing you know, he goes to Vietnam...I do not understand, Father. I understand nothing anymore, nothing...Can you explain? Can anyone explain?

• Steven's mother: You marry this girl, you leave her with me, and you go with these bums to Vietnam.

• Nick: Did you hear about the happy Roman? He was "GLAD HE ATE HER"!

• Linda: I was hoping, somehow Michael, maybe you had Nick with you...He never wrote to me, he never called me.

• Axel: You're so full of shit, you're gonna float away.

• Steven: The place is great...It's like a resort...I mean they got basketball, bowling...Princess Grace came to see us the other day.

Dialogue

Michael: I'll tell ya one thing, if I found out my life had to end up in the mountains, it'd be all right, but it has to be in your mind.

Nick: What? One shot?

Michael: Two is pussy.

Nick: I don't think about one shot that much any more, Mike.

Michael: You have to think about one shot. One shot is what it's all about. The deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that - they don't listen. Do you ever think about Vietnam?

Nick: Yeah. I don't know. I guess I'm thinkin' about the deer, goin' to 'Nam. I like the trees, you know? I like the way the trees are on the mountains, all different. The way the trees are. I sound like some asshole, right?

Michael: I'll tell ya, Nick. You're the only guy I go huntin' with, you know. I like a guy with quick moves and speed. I ain't gonna hunt with no assholes.

Nick: I hope they send us where the bullets are flyin' and the fightin's the worst, huh?

Green Beret veteran: Fuck it.

Michael: Well, what's it like over there? Will you tell us anything?

Green Beret veteran: Fuck it.

Nick: Will you marry me?

Linda: Yeah.

Nick: You would? [She nods] What I mean is, when we get back from...when we get back. I don't know what the hell I mean.

Linda: What goes through your mind comes out your mouth.

Michael: Everything's going so fast. Hey Nick, do you think we'll ever come back?

Nick: From 'Nam?

Michael: Yeah.

Nick: You know somethin'? The whole thing - it's right here. I love this fuckin' place. [Michael laughs] I know that that sounds crazy. If anything happens Mike, you don't - don't leave me over there. You got, you gotta...Just don't leave me. You gotta promise me that, Mike.

Michael: Hey!

Nick: No man, you got, you gotta, you gotta promise definitely.

Michael: Hey Nicky...You got it, pal.

Michael: Every time he comes up, he's got no knife, he's got no jacket, he's got no pants, he's got no boots. All he's got is that stupid gun he carries around like John Wayne. Stanley, see this? This is this. This ain't somethin' else. This is this. From now on, you're on your own.

Stanley: I fixed you up a million times. I fixed him up a million times. I don't know how many times I must have fixed him up with girls. And nothing ever happens. Zero...Nobody ever knows what the fuck you're talkin' about. Huh? 'This is this.' What the hell is that supposed to mean? 'This is this.' I mean, is that some faggot soundin' bullshit or is that some faggot...There's times I swear I think you're a fuckin' faggot...Last week, he could have had that new red-headed waitress...He could have had it knocked. And look what he did. Look what he fuckin' did. Nothin'.

Nick: What do you think you are, God?

Michael: We gotta play with more bullets...That means we gotta play each other...You gotta listen to me. You wanta stay down here and die?...Go ahead Nickie. It's gonna be all right...Don't worry, in five minutes we're gonna be outa here...It's gonna be all right, Nickie, go ahead. Shoot. Shoot, Nickie.

Michael: What kind of beer would you like?

Linda: What? I don't know. I don't care. Any kind.

Michael: I'll get you a Rolling Rock.

Linda: Okay.

Michael: It's a good beer, it's the best around.

Linda: So, how are you, anyway?

Michael: I'm fine, OK. How are you?

Linda: Me? I'm OK. I'm fine. I go along, you know. Still workin' at the market. There's a million things to do. You sure you're all right, huh?

Michael: Yeah.

Linda: What about your wounds?

Michael: There's nothin', just healed. Just the usual complications, that's all.

Linda: But we heard...

Michael: No, that's not true. A lot of guys went through it.

Linda: Oh, I'm so glad you're alive. I'm so happy. I really don't know what I feel.

Stan: How does it feel to be shot?

Michael: Don't, don't hurt. That's what you want to know. And how's it been, doing OK?

Stan: Yeah, same old thing, you know. Nothin's changed. I'm gettin' more ass than a toilet seat and Axel here, he's gettin' better than ever.

Axel: Hey Stan, why don't you show him that gun - that little pussy thing you carry around in the back there. Look at that...

Michael: What's that for?

Stan: The same thing the other one was for.

Michael: And what was that?

Linda: Why don't we go to bed? Can't we just comfort each other?

Michael: No, I can't. Not here. I gotta get out of here. I'm sorry. I just gotta get out...Look, I don't know. I feel a lot of distance and I feel far away. I'll see ya later.

Steven: [holding up cash] This comes every month from Saigon. I don't understand...That place is gonna fall any day now.

Michael: It's Nicky, Steve.

Steven: Where is a guy like Nick gettin' money like this?

Michael: I came 12,000 miles back here to get you...What's the matter with you? Don't you recognize me?...Nicky, I love you, you're my friend. What are you doing? We don't have much time, Nick. [Nick pulls the trigger on a gun, clicking on an empty chamber] Is this what you want? Is this what you want? I love you, Nick. [Michael pulls the trigger, clicking on an empty chamber] Come on, Nicky, come home. Just come home. Home. Talk to me. [looking at Nick's track marks] What did you do to your arms? Do you remember the trees? Do you remember all the different ways of the trees? Do you remember that? Do you remember? Huh? The mountains? Do you remember all that?

Nick: One shot. [He smiles and laughs in recognition]

Michael: One shot, one shot.

[Nick pulls the trigger, shooting himself]

Michael: Nicky, Nicky, don't, Nick, no!!

Cast

• Robert De Niro - Michael Vronsky
• John Cazale - Stanley 'Stosh'
• John Savage - Steven
• Christopher Walken - Nikonar 'Nick' Chevotarevich
• Meryl Streep - Linda
• George Dzundza - John
• Chuck Aspegren - Peter 'Axel' Axelrod
• Shirley Stoler - Steven's mother
• Rutanya Alda - Angela
• Pierre Segui - Julien Grinda
• Mady Kaplan - Axel's girl
• Amy Wright - Bridesmaid
• Mary Ann Haenel - Stan's girl
• Paul D'Amato - Sergeant