The Best Jim Duncan Quotes

James: [smiling genially, sure that he can smarm his way out of the situation] Everything under control?
Chief: You've gotta move all these people out of here.
James: Aw, now, just how bad is it?
Chief: It's a fire, mister, and all fires are bad.

Roger: [He tears up his breeches buoy ticket and indicates some of the men directly behind him] The women are gone. WE are going next.
James: [Punches him hard in the stomach; to the other men] You've all got numbers, and you're going to take your turn. And if it's any consolation, I'm going to be the last one out of here, along with my son-in-law!

James: Did you change any of Doug's electrical specifications?
Roger: I most certainly did.
James: For God's sake, why?
Roger: The reason should be obvious, especially to you.
James: We've got a fire, and if it was caused by anything you did I'm going to hang you out to dry... and then I'm going to hang you!

[Chief O'Hallorhan has just found out the fire is heading towards the elevator shaft]
Chief: You'd better call Duncan, tell him to stop those people in the car room from using that express elevator, or somebody's going to get killed.
[Roberts picks up the phone to comply]
Chief: [addressing a colleague] OK, Kappy... ring in a third alarm. I want some rescue squads here and I also want choppers. We're going to need them if we're going to get those people. - All right, come on, firemen. I'll be on 81.
Doug: [on the phone to Duncan as injured firemen are brought into the office to get medical help] The fire's moving towards the main shaft. Use the scenic elevator - don't overload.
James: OK, Doug.
[Duncan hangs up the phone and turns to do so but is confronted by Roger Simmons]
Roger: I don't like the way you talked to me.
James: You drunk?
Roger: Not yet.
James: Well then, get out of my way!
Roger: You didn't talk like this two years ago, did you? Running over budget and out of money? Did you ask me then how I could shave two million dollars off our electrical costs?
James: [making his way to the elevators] Shut up and help me with these people!
Roger: And let me ask you, my dear father-in-law! Am I the only subcontractor you encouraged to cut corners?
James: [addressing people in the crowd] Excuse me.
Roger: Where did you save the other $4 million in Doug's original budget?
[Duncan reaches the front of the crowd and pushes past Simmons]
James: [Addressing the crowd at the elevators, and lying to save his own life:] Please, please. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry. You'll have to move back into the Promenade Room, and we'll be taking you down by the scenic elevator. Now, these express elevators can be activated by fire, and with the probability of short circuits, the cars might stop on the floor where the fire is. So please, we'll use the scenic elevator. It's over here.
[Suddenly an elevator door opens behind Duncan, and several people surge past him into it. Duncan tries to stop them but is unable to, and the door closes behind him and the elevator starts down. Duncan hits the button to try to stop the elevator but it does not return]

James: [showing Senator Parker a rare case of vintage wine] That's all you're going to drink tonight!
Senator: The whole case?

James: Have someone call me when the fire department arrives. In the meantime, get into your dinner jacket, come on up, and join the party!

[Duncan is talking about Roberts' unemployment after the Tower job]
James: You know, there's a saying that goes "No matter how hot it gets up there during the day...
James: [in unison] There isn't a damn thing you can do at night."
James: That's right. Now what the hell are you going to do at night in the middle of nowhere?
Doug: Sleep like a winner.

Senator: At this rate it's going to take a couple of hours to get everyone down. So, I would suggest that those of us with stout hearts and trim waistlines start using the stairs.
James: That's 135 floors.
Senator: All downhill.

Chief: All right. It's your building, but it's our fire. Now, let's get these people the hell out of here.
James: Now, I don't think you're listening, Chief. There's no way for a fire on 81 to reach up here, not in this building.
Chief: OK. I'll do it.
[He prepares to announce an evacuation]
James: [stops him] Hold it, hold it. The Mayor's out there. Do you want me to pull rank on you?
Chief: When there's a fire, I outrank everybody here. Now, one thing we don't want is a panic. Now, I could tell them, but you ought to do it. Just make a nice cool announcement to all your guests and tell them the party's being moved down below the fire floor. Right now.

[Carlos has tied himself to a wine case in preparation for the water tank detonations]
James: For God's sakes, Carlos, don't tie yourself up to a lot of glass.
Carlos: That's the '29!

[about the fire spreading up the building]
Mayor: How much time do we have?
James: Bob, I wish I knew.
Mayor: Goddammit, Jim, you built the place!
James: I just don't think that all of us are going to make it.

James: What I wanted to tell us is that Senator Parker is flying in for the dedication tonight. And he's almost guaranteed to sign the Urban Renewal Contract. Now do you know what that means? Skyscrapers like this all over the country! You design 'em, I'll build 'em.
Doug: Don't you think you're suffering from an edifice complex?
James: You'll never leave.
Doug: Right after the party - come on downstairs and watch me burn my black tie.

Doug: I thought we were building something that... where people could work and live and be SAFE! If you had to cut costs, why didn't you cut floors instead of corners?
James: Now listen. Any decisions that were made for the use of alternate building materials were made because I as a builder have a right to make those decisions; if I remain within the building code and god-dammit, I did!
Doug: [Chuckling] Building code? Jesus. Building code. Come on, Dunc, I mean that's a standard cop-out when you're in trouble. I was crawling around up there. I mean, duct holes weren't fire-stopped! Corridors without fire doors in it, sprinklers won't work, and an electrical system that's good for what? I mean, it's good for starting fires! Hoo boy, where was I when all this was going on? Because I'm just as guilty as you and that god-damned son-in-law of yours! What do they call it when you kill people?

James: You know there's... nothing that any of us can do to bring back the dead.

James: Give me the architect that designed you, and who needs Doug Roberts?
Susan: I do.