Gene Hackman: Lex Luthor
Photos
Quotes
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General Zod : What more do you want? I can see the greed written on your face.
Lex Luthor : A small incentive, O' Fullest One. A mere bauble to jog the memory.
General Zod : What more?
Lex Luthor : Cuba.
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Lex Luthor : This place has *everything*!
Eve Teschmacher : Wrong.
[pause]
Lex Luthor : Why didn't you go before we left?
Eve Teschmacher : [gritting teeth] That was two days ago!
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Lex Luthor : Oh, Magnificent One, what I am bargaining with is what you do not have. The son of Jor-El.
General Zod : The Son of Jor-El?
Lex Luthor : [whispering to Ursa] I said that didn't I?
General Zod : Jor-El, our jailer?
Lex Luthor : No, Jor-El the baseball player. Yes, your jailer.
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Lex Luthor : What am I gonna do with you people, huh? I mean, I held up my end, I delivered the blue boy. What do I get from my triple threat? "Bow! Yield! Kneel!" That kind of stuff closes out a town.
General Zod : Why do you say this to me when you know I will kill you for it?
Lex Luthor : Kill me? Lex Luthor? Extinguish the greatest criminal flame of our age? Eradicate the only man on Earth with...
Ursa : Let me kill him.
Lex Luthor : ...Superman's address?
General Zod : What more do you want? I can see the greed written on your face.
Lex Luthor : A small incentive, oh fullest one. A mere bauble to jog the memory.
General Zod : What more?
Lex Luthor : Cuba.
[Non growls]
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[during the Metropolis fight between the Kryptonians and Superman, Jimmy is taking a cup of coffee to Perry White, when Lex Luthor intercepts and takes it]
Jimmy Olsen : Hey, that's for the Chief!
Lex Luthor : Chief's got it.
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[Luthor is now persona non grata to the Kryptonians, so he goes to Superman to bargain]
Lex Luthor : [quietly] You think you know people, right? Promises are made, gifts exchanged. I've got to hand it to you. You always told the truth. A guy always knew where he stood with you.
[Superman indicates for Luthor to face away from the Kryptonians as he leans in to Luthor]
Superman : Try to get them all into that molecule chamber. It takes away their powers, see, reduces them to human beings. Now if you could...
[shushes Luthor quickly as the Kryptonians advance]
Lex Luthor : [quickly] Don't go in there, General! It's a trap!
Superman : [angry] Luthor, you poisonous snake!
Lex Luthor : It's a molecule chamber, Your Grace! It turns people like you...
[somewhat embarrassed]
Lex Luthor : into people like me.
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[Luthor puts together how he was tricked after the defeat of the Kryptonians]
Lex Luthor : He switched it. He did it to them. I means, the lights were on out here... while he was safe in there.
[Superman coyly salutes Luthor]
Superman : I knew you'd double-cross me, Luthor. A lying weasel like you couldn't resist the chance.
Lex Luthor : [backpedaling] Are you kidding? I was with you all the time! That was beautiful! Did you see the way they fell into our trap?
[laughs]
Superman : [sternly] Too late, Luthor. Too late.
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[while doing prison laundry, Lex feels something wet on the clothes he's holding]
Lex Luthor : Slasher Fogelstein's a bed-wetter.
[He tosses the wet clothes to Otis. Otis then leans over to a prisoner with his back turned]
Otis : Slasher Fogelstein's a bed-wetter! Pass it!
[the prisoner then turns around with a very angry look on his face. Otis backs away, sheepishly]
Otis : Hi, Mr. Fogelstein.
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[arriving at the disheveled cityroom of the Daily Planet after the Kryptonians' rampage]
Lex Luthor : Hi! You should see the White House. They'll be cleaning for months.
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[the Kryptonians stand at the White House, bored. Lex Luthor manages to weasel his way in, waving a handkerchief as though it's a white flag]
Lex Luthor : Lex Luthor.
[beat]
Lex Luthor : *Lex* Luthor? Maybe you've heard of me? The greatest criminal mind on Earth?
Ursa : [to Zod] I told you this was a puny planet.
[Ursa and Non approach Luthor with menace]
Lex Luthor : Wait. Wait! Wait until you get to know me better. I can, uh -- I can give you -- anything you want! The unlimited freedom to maim, kill, destroy! Plus -- Lex Luthor's savvy, Lex Luthor's school of bett...
[Luthor's hand gets crushed by Ursa]
General Zod : We have all of this without you. You cannot bargain with what you do not have.
Lex Luthor : With respect, Your Magnificence, what am I bargaining with is what you do not have: the son of Jor-El.
[All three are stunned]
General Zod : The son of Jor-El?
Lex Luthor : [to Ursa] I did say that, didn't I?
General Zod : Jor-El, our jailor?
Lex Luthor : No, Jor-El, the baseball player.
[menaced again by Ursa and Non]
Lex Luthor : Yes! Jor-El, your jailor!
General Zod : His son is on this planet?
Lex Luthor : Perhaps you're more familiar with his nom de voyage or name he travels under: Superman.
General Zod : So... this is Superman.
[to Luthor]
General Zod : How do you know of Jor-El?
Lex Luthor : As I told Your Fullness earlier...
[smiles]
Lex Luthor : I'm about the best there is.
General Zod : [standing up] Revenge! We will kill the son of our jailor!
Ursa : Revenge!
Lex Luthor : [gleeful] Revenge! Now we're cooking, huh?
General Zod : He flies then?
Lex Luthor : Constantly.
General Zod : He has powers as we do?
Lex Luthor : Sure, but he's just one. Whereas you are three...
[Non growls]
Lex Luthor : Or four if you count him twice!
General Zod : We will bring him to his knees!
[the Kryptonians exit]
Lex Luthor : Wait! Wait! First you must find him and Lex Baby is the only one who knows where he is.
[Hating to have to tolerate him any more, Zod stares back at Luthor]
General Zod : What... do you want?
[Luthor strides over to the President's desk and kicks his feet up while lighting a cigar]
Lex Luthor : Well, General... the world is a big place. Thank goodness my needs are small. I have a certain weakness for... beachfront property.
General Zod : What do you want?
Lex Luthor : [does the famous Nixon victory pose] Australia!
