# Die Hard (film)

Die Hard is a 1988 American action film about a New York cop who tries to save his estranged wife and several others robbed and taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party in a Los Angeles skyscraper.
    Directed by John McTiernan. Written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, based on Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp.

## John McClane

* [after dropping Marco's body onto Powell's car] Welcome to the party, pal!
* [while crawling through a narrow ventilation shaft] Now I know what a TV dinner feels like.
* [after shooting Hans and killing Eddie] Happy trails, Hans.
* [sarcastically mocking Holly] Come out to the coast! We'll get together, have a few laughs.
* Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill the one with feet smaller than my sister...

## Hans Gruber

* Who said we were terrorists?
* [Humming "Ode to Joy", to Mr. Takagi] Nice Suit. John Philips, London. I have two myself. Rumor has it Arafat buys his there too.
* [to Mr. Takagi] And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept...for there were no more worlds to conquer. Benefits of a classical education.
* [to Mr. Takagi] I could talk about industrialization and men's fashion all day, but I'm afraid work must intrude. And my associate here has some questions for you. Sort of fill-in-the-blanks questions.
* [to Mr. Takagi] I'm going to count to three, there won't be a four... Give me the code.
* [addressing the hostages] I wanted this to be professional, efficient, adult, cooperative. Not a lot to ask. Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life. We can go any way you want it. You can walk out of here or be carried out. But have no illusions. We are in charge. So, decide now, each of you. And please remember: we have left nothing to chance.
* [reading McClane's note] "Now I have a machine gun. Ho…ho…ho."

## Others

* Argyle: If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year's.

## Dialogue

    John McClane: Drop it, dickhead. It's the police.
    Tony Vreski: You won't hurt me.
    John McClane: Oh, yeah? Why not?
    Tony Vreski: Because you're a policeman. There are rules for policemen.
    John McClane: Yeah. That's what my captain keeps telling me. [elbows Tony in the ear]
    Marco: You are dog now! No more table! Where are you going, pal?! Next time you have a chance to kill someone, don't hesitate.
    [McClane, knowing where Marco is from his taunting, shoots through the table, killing him]
    John McClane: Thanks for the advice.
    John McClane: [calling the police on a radio taken from the terrorists] Mayday, Mayday, emergency, anyone copy, channel nine. Terrorists have seized the Nakatomi Building, and are holding at least 30 people hostage. I repeat, unknown number of terrorists, six or more armed with automatic weapons at Nakatomi Plaza, Century City. Somebody answer me, god dammit!
    First LAPD Operator: [to other operator] It's the same address as that fire signal.
    Second LAPD Operator: I'll take this. [to McClane] Attention, whoever you are: this frequency is reserved for emergency calls only.
    John McClane: No fuckin' shit, lady! Do I sound like I'm orderin' a pizza?! They have already killed one hostage, they are fortifying their positions while you're jerkin' me off on a radio! Now send the police down ASAP...
    Second LAPD Operator: [interrupting] Sir, I've already told you: this is a reserved channel. If this is an emergency call, dial 911 on your telephone. Otherwise, I'll report this as an FCC violation.
    John McClane: Fine, report me! Come the fuck down here and arrest me! Just send the police now!
    [Karl shoots at him. The operators react with annoyed surprise on the other end when they hear the gunshots]
    Second LAPD Operator: See if a black-and-white can drive by.
    Hans Gruber: I thought I told all of you, I want radio silence until further-
    John McClane: Ooooh, I'm very sorry Hans. I didn't get that message. Maybe you should've put it on the bulletin board. I figured since I've waxed Tony and Marco and his friend here, I figured you and Karl and Franco might be a little lonely, so I decided to give you a call.
    Karl Vreski: [to Hans] How does he know so much about us?!
    Hans Gruber: Eh, that's... very kind of you. I assume you are our mysterious party crasher. You are most troublesome, for a security guard.
    John McClane: [imitates buzzer] Sorry, Hans. Wrong guess. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy where the scores can really change?
    Hans Gruber: Who are you, then?
    John McClane: Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. The monkey in the wrench. The pain in the ass.
    Hans Gruber: Mr. Mystery Guest? Are you still there?
    John McClane: Yeah, I'm still here. Unless you wanna open the front door for me.
    Hans Gruber: Uh, no I'm afraid not. But you have me at a loss. You know my name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he's John Wayne? Rambo? Marshall Dillon?
    John McClane: I was always kinda' partial to Roy Rogers actually. I really liked those sequined shirts.
    Hans Gruber: Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mister Cowboy?
    [Elevator rings as Hans's minions arrive on John's floor]
    John McClane: [quietly] Yippee ki-yay, motherfucker.
    Ginny: [Karl smashes a table of glasses in fury] God. That man looks really pissed.
    Holly Gennero-McClane: He's still alive.
    Ginny: What?
    Holly Gennero-McClane: Only John can drive somebody that crazy.
    Sergeant Al Powell: [over radio] Hey, John? John McClane you still with us?
    John McClane: Yeah. But all things being equal, I'd rather be in Philadelphia. Chalk up two more bad guys. [Begins removing glass from foot]
    Sergeant Al Powell: Well, the boys down here will be glad to hear that. You know we got a pool going on you.
    John McClane: What kind of odds am I getting?
    Sergeant Al Powell: You don't wanna know.
    John McClane: Put me down for 20, I'm good for it.
    Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson: I got a hundred people down here and they're all covered in glass!
    John McClane: Glass? Who gives a shit about glass? Who the fuck is this?
    Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson: This is Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson, and I am in charge here.
    John McClane: Oh you're in charge? Well I got some bad news for you Dwayne, from up here it doesn't look like you're in charge of jack shit.
    Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson: You listen to me you little asshole-
    John McClane: Asshole? I'm not the one who just got butt-fucked on national TV, Dwayne! Now, you listen to me, jerk-off, if you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem. Quit being a part of the fuckin' problem and put the other guy back on!
    Big Johnson: [Whooping as their helicopter buzzes along just above street level] Just like fuckin' Saigon! Eh, Slick?
    Little Johnson: [grins back] I was in junior high, dickhead!
    Theo: Those guys in the suits, I don't know who they are.
    Hans Gruber: That's the FBI. They're ordering the others to cut the building's power. Regular as clockwork.
    Theo: [grins in realization] Or a time lock.
    Hans Gruber: Precisely. The circuits that cannot be cut are cut automatically in response to a terrorist incident. You asked for miracles, Theo. I give you the F...B...I...
    Holly Gennero-McClane: [noticing Hans taking the bearer bonds] After all your posturing, all your little speeches, you're nothing but a common thief.
    Hans Gruber: I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane. And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite!
    John McClane: So that's what this is about, Hans? A fucking robbery?
    Hans Gruber: [with his pistol pointed to Holly's head] Put down the gun.
    John McClane: Why'd you have to nuke the whole building, Hans?
    Hans Gruber: Well, when you steal $600, you can just disappear. When you steal 600 million, they will find you, unless they think you're already dead. Put down...the gun.
    [McClane complies and drops his weapon. Eddie attempts to draw his weapon.]
    Hans Gruber: [to Eddie] Nein! This is mine!
    John McClane: [with his arms around his head, grinning] You got me.
    Hans Gruber: Still the cowboy, Mr. McClane. Americans, all alike. Well, this time John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly.
    John McClane: That's Gary Cooper, asshole.
    Hans Gruber: Enough jokes.
    John McClane: You'd have made a pretty good cowboy yourself, Hans.
    Hans Gruber: [draw his pistol away from Holly] Oh, yes. What was it you said to me before? "Yippee ki-yay, motherfucker."

## Taglines

* High above the city of L.A. a team of terrorists has seized a building, taken hostages and declared war. One man has managed to escape. An off-duty cop hiding somewhere inside. He's alone, tired... and the only chance anyone has got.
* Thirteen terrorists. One cop. The odds are against John McClane... That's just the way he likes it.
* He's the only chance anyone has got.
* It's Christmas Eve In L.A. And The Party Action's About To Explode... On The Fortieth Floor!
* Suspense, Excitement, Adventure, On every level!
* 40 Stories High — with Suspense, Excitement and Adventure on every level!
* 40 Stories of Sheer Adventure

## Cast

* Bruce Willis — John McClane
* Alan Rickman — Hans Gruber
* Bonnie Bedelia — Holly Gennero McClane
* Reginald VelJohnson — Sgt. Al Powell
* Paul Gleason — Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson
* James Shigeta — Joseph Takagi
* Alexander Godunov — Karl
* Clarence Gilyard Jr. — Theo
* De'voreaux White — Argyle
* Hart Bochner — Harry Ellis
* Grand L. Bush — FBI Agent Johnson
* Robert Davi — FBI Special Agent Johnson

## External links

Encyclopedic article on Die Hard on Wikipedia
* Die Hard quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* Die Hard at Rotten Tomatoes
* Die Hard at Mojo
* Die Hard at Metacritic
* Die Hard
* Die Hard · Die Hard 2 · Die Hard with a Vengeance · Live Free or Die Hard · A Good Day to Die Hard  Last words in the Die Hard film series