Midnight Express
written by Oliver Stone, from the book by Billy Hayes & William Hoffer
Billy: So now it's time for me to speak. What is there for me to say? When I finish, you'll sentence me for my crime. So let me ask you now. What is a crime? What is punishment? It seems to vary from time to time, and from place to place. What's legal today is suddenly illegal tomorrow 'cause some society says it's so; and what's illegal yesterday is suddenly legal because everybody's doing it and you can't put everybody in jail. I'm not saying this is right or wrong. I'm just saying, that's the way it is... But I've spent three and a half years of my life in your prison and I think Ive paid for my error and if it's your decision today to sentence me to more years, then, I...I... My lawyer, my lawyer, that's a good one, says be cool Billy- don't get angry, don't get upset, be good and I'll get you a pardon, an amnesty, an appeal, the this, the that, the other thing. Well, this has been going on now for three and a half years...and I been playing it cool, I been good and now I'm damn tired of being good 'cause you people gave me the belief that I had 53 days left... You… you hung 53 days in front of my face and then you just took those 53 days away, and you, BOO!!, I just wish you could be standing where I'm standing right now and feel what that feels like, 'cause then you would know something that you don't know Mr. Prosecutor, MERCY. You would know that the concept of a society is based on the quality of that mercy, its sense of fair play, its sense of justice...but I guess that's like asking a bear to shit in a toilet... For a nation of pigs, it sure is funny you don't eat them. Jesus Christ forgave the bastards, but I can't. I hate. I hate you. I hate your nation. I hate your people. And I fuck your sons and daughters because they’re pigs. You’re a pig! You’re all pigs.
Kudos and much thanks go to Sasa for this monologue, it is very much appreciated. Thank you to Tommy for additions/corrections.