Observations on Soylent Green

Erroneous vassal! the great King of kings

Hath in the tables of his law commanded

That thou shalt do no murder: and wilt thou, then,

Spurn at his edict and fulfil a man's?

Gilbert: 

[hesitating before killing Simonson] 

Uh... They told me to uh... 

To say that They were sorry, but that you had become... 

unreliable. 

Simonson: 

That's True. 

Gilbert: 

They can't risk, uh... catastrophe, They say. 

Simonson: 

They're right. 

Gilbert: 

Then, uh... this is Right? 

Simonson: 

No, not Right... 

Necessary. 

Gilbert: 

To who? 

Simonson: 

To... God.

Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hands,

To hurl upon their heads that break his law.

He needs no indirect nor lawless course

To cut off those that have offended him.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

We're closing the Simonson case.

Det. Thorn :

The hell you say.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

You heard me. The Simonson case is officially closed. Felonious assault. Sign.

Det. Thorn :

Yesterday you agreed it was assassination.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

There's been 137 reported murders since then. And we won't solve them either.

Det. Thorn :

I'm not gonna falsify that report.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

Got a suspect?

Det. Thorn :

I've got leads.

This isn't somebody you scratch after 24 hours and forget.

I told you there's been a tail on me.

Something stinks here.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

Look. You'll sign this. And I'll bury it.

Det. Thorn :

Like hell you will.

A member of the board of the Soylent Corporation was torn apart with a meat hook!

You can't sweep that carcass under the rug.

Who bought you?

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

You're bought when They pay you a salary.

Det. Thorn :

Who's They?

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

High and hot. 
They want this case closed permanently! Their way.

Now you sign this.

Det. Thorn :

You sign it!

If my name closes this case and somebody higher and hotter wants to know why, it's my job!

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

Sign it. 
I'll cover for you.

Det. Thorn :

I won't put my job in the line for you, Hatcher 

Not my damn job!

To be a Black Thorn is to be The Senior Partners' instrument on Earth.
Doesn't get bigger than that.

But say, my lord, it were not register'd,

Methinks The Truth should live from age to age,

As 'twere retail'd to all posterity,

Even to the general all-ending day.

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

My name is Paul. 

[ It means "small". ]

 Have I done something? 

Det. Thorn :

 No. I'm investigating the murder of Mr. William Simonson.

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

Who do you say?

Det. Thorn :

Simonson. Quite an important man. 

A rich man. 

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

I have no recollection.

Det. Thorn :

You talked to him. 

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

Did I? 

 No doubt about it. 

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

A rich man. Yes. I remember. 

We don't see rich people here anymore. 

 There isn't even enough room for the poor. 

 There's just too many. 

 Far too many. 

Det. Thorn :

Fa... 

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

My memory's eroded. 

 Chiefly, I assign space to people who need space. 

 Do you need some space? 

Det. Thorn :

 I need to know what he said to you.

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

 Are you sure he's dead? 

Det. Thorn :

Yes.

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

Really dead?

Det. Thorn :

He's dead.

What did he talk to you about?

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

Come back tomorrow. 

I'm very tired now. 

Det. Thorn :

Father.

Father. Did you hear his confession?

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

There should be a requiem mass.... 
But there's no room.

Det. Thorn :
Should I make room?
This is very important.

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :
I can't help you.

Forgive me. It's destroying me.

Det. Thorn :

What is? 

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :
The Truth.

Det. Thorn :

The Truth Simonson told you?

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :
All Truth. 

Det. Thorn :
What is it?

What did he confess?

Exhausted Priest w. PTSD :

Sweet Jesus...

Solomon :

It's horrible.

Senior Elder T'Pau, 
Superior Head of The Supreme Exchange :

You must accept it.

Solomon :

I see the words. 

But I can't believe them.

Senior Elder T'Pau, 
Superior Head of The Supreme Exchange :

Believe.

The evidence is overwhelming.

Simonson was a member of The Board.

He learned these facts. And they shook his sanity.

The corporation knew...

...he was not reliable anymore.

They feared he might talk...

...and so he was eliminated.

Solomon :

Then why are They doing this?

Senior Elder T'Pau, 
Superior Head of The Supreme Exchange :
Because it's easier.

I think "expedient" is the word.

What we need is the proof of what they are doing...

...before we bring it to the Council of Nations.

Solomon :

Good God...

Elder :

What God. Mr. Roth?

Where will we find him?

Solomon :

Perhaps at Home.

Elder :

Yes. At Home.

Fielding :

Oh, no.

I won't hit a cop. 

Bastard.

Det. Thorn :

Yeah. I know.

 He slaps his Woman around and tosses her into the corner - Fielding comes flying across the room at him like some kind of Bruce Lee shit, kicking him in the head

Det. Thorn :

You'll get Life for that. Jerk!

Life in a waste disposal plant in a Soylent factory someplace.

[ Or, perhaps not.]

How about that big fat Soylent Corporation?

Do you work for them like Simonson did?

How much did they pay you for that one?

Does Soylent buy your strawberries?

Anybody tails me. Bothers me one more time...

...l'll come back here and kill you both. Got it?

Get off my back!

Solomon :

I haven't eaten like this in years.

Det. Thorn :

I never ate like this.

Solomon :

And now you know what you've been missing.

There was A World once. You punk.

Det. Thorn :

Yes. So you keep telling me.

Solomon :

I was there. I can prove it.

Det. Thorn :

I know. I know.

When you were young. 

People were better.

Solomon :

Oh, Nuts. People were always rotten.

But The World was Beautiful.

Det. Thorn :

Sol. Can you hear me?

Solomon :

Thorn

Yes.

Solomon :

Thank you for coming.

Det. Thorn :

Oh, dear God.

Solomon :

I've lived too long.

Det. Thorn :

No.

Solomon :

I love you. Thorn.

Det. Thorn :

I love you. Sol.

Solomon :

Can you see it?

Det. Thorn :

Yes.

Solomon :

Isn't it beautiful?

Det. Thorn :

Oh. Yes.

Solomon :

I told you.

How could I know?

How could I...?

How could I ever imagine?

Solomon :

Horrible.

Simonson.

Soylent.

Listen to me. Thorn.

Thorn. Listen.

Det. Thorn :

I can't hear him.

Do something. Damn it!

Yes. Sol.

........

Solomon :

You've got to prove it, Thorn.

Go to The Exchange.

Please, Thorn.

You've got to prove it. Thorn.

The Exchange.

Go to...

*****

Det. Thorn :

Hatcher...

...get to the Exchange.

You gotta tell them they're Right.

Chief of Detectives Hatcher :

But let's take care of you first.

Det. Thorn :

You don't understand.

I've got proof.

They need proof.

I've seen it. I've seen it happening.

They've gotta tell people.

Larry Gopnick :

Did you follow that?

Sy Able man :

Of coss.

Except that I know what's going on. 

How do you explain.

Larry Gopnick :

Well, it might be that, in, you know, in L'olam ha-bah -

          

Sy Able man :

Excuse me. 

Not the issue. 

In THIS World, Larry.

( He nods at the chalkboard )

I'll concede that it's subtle. 

It's clevva. 

But at The End of The Day - is it convincing?

LARRY :

Well- yes, it's convincing. 

It's a proof. 

It's mathematics.

          

Sy Ableman :

Excuse me, Larry. 

Mathematics. 

Is the Art of The Possible.

LARRY's brow furrows.