Brubaker (1980)

Actors: Nick Baldasare (actor), Don Blakely (actor), Wilford Brimley (actor), Ritch Brinkley (actor), Kent Broadhurst (actor), Alex Brown (actor), John Chappell (actor), Matt Clark (actor), Philip E. Combs (actor), Richard L. Denny (actor), James Dukas (actor), James E. Fraunfelter Jr. (actor), Ron Frazier (actor), Morgan Freeman (actor), Val Avery (actor),

Plot: Henry Brubaker is the new warden at Wakefield prison. He makes his entrance as a prisoner in order to get a convict's-eye-view of the real state of the institution. To his horror he finds all manner of abuse and corruption which, after disclosing his real identity, he sets out to correct.

Keywords: abuse, abuse-of-power, bare-butt, based-on-book, based-on-true-story, beating, brutality, cat, character-name-in-title, corporal-punishment
Genres: Crime, Drama,
Taglines: The most wanted man in Wakefield prison is the warden! One man against a cruel system.

Quotes:

C.P. Woodward: I'm not in the construction business for my health.::Henry Brubaker: Or anybody else's, it seems.

Lillian Gray: You can't reform the system if you're not in it.

Henry Brubaker: I don't see playing politics with the truth.

Henry Brubaker: That's murder they're talking about in there. And if they condone it, how are you gonna turn around and tell these guys why they're locked up?

Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: What you gon' do about Abraham?::Henry Brubaker: I've got Purcell filling out forms in triplicate, and I'm going to get him released just as soon as I-::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Now why do you wanna go and do that?::Henry Brubaker: Do what?::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Look, why don't you just leave him be. I mean, all he knows is this place.::Henry Brubaker: You - You knew that he had been in here as long as he'd been in here.::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Just leave him alone. He's not- He's not botherin' nobody here.::Henry Brubaker: Hey... You can't hide in prison forever, Coombes.

Huey Rauch: Sanitation detail. You too, Bullen!::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Now, wait a minute. This man's hurt.::Huey Rauch: You just deal with colored - I'll take care of the white folks. 'Sides, I don't think Bullen's got much more'n refried shit for brains this morning.

Henry Brubaker: Hey. Can we talk?::Walter: Who the fuck are you? I want the man!::Henry Brubaker: I am. I am the man. I'm the new warden here. My name's Henry Brubaker.::Walter: [throws Bullen and advances on Brubaker] Man, don't be fucking with my head. 'New warden' my ass!::Henry Brubaker: It's true - I swear it.::Walter: Then how come you look like a scumbag?::Henry Brubaker: 'Cause I'm fooling those guys out there.

Henry Brubaker: Mess with me now; you're gonna regret it later.::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: We don't work this thing out fast, mister, you're not gonna be around later.::Henry Brubaker: Do you want ID?::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Listen, man. All I have to do is raise my right hand and that tower guard's gonna blow you out.::Henry Brubaker: ...or you can continue walking with me, like the smart escort I figure you to be.

Larry Lee Bullen: I got picked up for vagrancy - a misdemeanor. Next morning, the toilet's broke clean off the damn wall. There's six men in the cell, and they stick me with destruction of city property over $50. Felony number three.::Henry Brubaker: Habitual. That judge gives you life for a toilet.::Larry Lee Bullen: Yeah, or give me the toilet for life. Same difference. Anyhow; here I am shoveling shit for dead men.::Henry Brubaker: Instead, how'd you like to be a trustee, and run my motorpool?::Larry Lee Bullen: Mr. Brubaker, I've been studying you since you first come in. And it's come clear to me that you are one weird fucking individual. I ain't got you figgered out yet - whether you're a good thing or a bad one.::Henry Brubaker: Does that mean you'll run my motorpool?::Larry Lee Bullen: [whistles] Wear them khakis? Get me a guitar? Be the warden's new boy?::Henry Brubaker: No, you're smarter than that.::Larry Lee Bullen: The whole world's fucked up, Mr. Brubaker. Ain't no use.

Henry Brubaker: Tower number 3 - who'm I looking at? He's looking at me.::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Up there, you got Douglass Mizell.::Henry Brubaker: Who the hell is Doug Mizell?::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: He's a forger. Three times grand theft.::Henry Brubaker: I want a rundown on everybody that's got tower duty. I-::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: I do believe that's Purcell's job, sir.::Henry Brubaker: I want only murderers up there; one-time impulse killers.::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Well, aren't you taking kind of a chance doing that? Aren't you? I mean, uh...::Henry Brubaker: No, it's the habituals you can't trust. Murderers - most of 'em - already have it out of their system. Guys like you, right?::Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: [laughs] There's nobody around here like me.