Band of Brothers (2001)

James Madio: Frank J. Perconte

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Easy Compagny is patrolling through the Bavarian woods] 

  Frank Perconte : Hey, George.

  George Luz : Yeah?

  Frank Perconte : Kind of remind you of Bastogne?

  George Luz : Yeah, now that you mention it. Except, of course, there's no snow, we got warm grub in our bellies, and the trees aren't fucking exploding from Kraut artillery, but yeah... Frank... other than that, it's a lot like Bastogne.

  Frank Perconte : Right?

  George Luz : Bull, smack him for me please?

  [thump] 

  George Luz : Thank you.

• Frank Perconte : Hey O'Brien, relax, would ya? I'm trying to read.

  Pvt. Patrick O'Keefe : It's O'Keefe.

  Frank Perconte : Is that right?

  Pvt. Patrick O'Keefe : Yeah, Patrick O'Keefe. My friends call me Patty.

  [starts humming] 

  Frank Perconte : Hey O'Brien, shut up!

  Pvt. Patrick O'Keefe : I told you, it's O'Keefe.

  Frank Perconte : Do you know why no one remembers your name? It's 'cause no one wants to remember your name! There are too many Smiths, DiMatos, and O'Keefes and O'Briens who show up here, replacing Toccoa men that you dumb replacements got killed in the first place! And they're all like you. They're all piss and vinegar. "Where are the Krauts at? Let me at 'em! When do I get to jump into Berlin?" Two days later, there they are with their blood and guts hanging out. Screaming for a medic, begging for their goddamn mothers! You dumb kids don't even know you're dead yet. Hey, you listening to me? Don't you know this is the best part of fuckin' war I've seen? I've got hot chow, hot showers, a warm bed. The way I see it, Germany is almost as good as being home. I even got to wipe my ass with real toilet paper today! So quit asking when you're gonna see some action, will ya? And stop with the fuckin' love songs!

  [pause] 

  Frank Perconte : When'd you ship out? Two weeks ago?

  Pvt. Patrick O'Keefe : [quiet]  Yeah.

  Frank Perconte : Its been two years since I've seen home. Two years. This fuckin' war.

• Joe Toye : Three day supply of K-rations, chocolate bars, Charms candy, powdered coffee, sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, my weapon, my .45, canteen, two cartons of smokes, Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenade, Gammon grenade, TNT, THIS bullshit, and a pair of nasty skivvies!

  Frank Perconte : What's your point?

  Joe Toye : This stuff weighs as much as I do! I still got my 'chute, my reserve 'chute, my Mae West, my M1.

  Frank Perconte : Why you keeping the brass knuckles?

  Joe Toye : I could use some brass knuckles.

• Capt. Herbert Sobel : [the company is in formation at Camp Toccoa]  You people are at the position of attention!

  [Sobel walks up to Perconte, who presents his rifle for inspection] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Private Perconte, have you been blousing your trousers over your boots like a paratrooper?

  Frank Perconte : No, sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Then explain the creases at the bottom.

  Frank Perconte : [pause]  No excuse, sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Volunteering for the parachute infantry is one thing, Perconte, but you've got a *long* way to prove that you belong here. Your weekend pass is revoked.

  [Sobel moves down the line to Luz] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Name.

  George Luz : Luz, George.

  [he presents his rifle for inspection; Sobel examines it and tosses it back at him] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Dirt in the rear sight aperture. Pass revoked.

  [Sobel moves down the line to Lipton] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : When did you sew on these chevrons, Sergeant Lipton?

  Carwood Lipton : Yesterday, sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : [holding up a single thread]  Long enough to notice this. Revoked.

  Carwood Lipton : Sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : [Sobel moves on to Malarkey]  Name.

  Donald Malarkey : Malarkey, Donald G.

  [he presents his rifle for inspection] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Malarkey. Malarkey's slang for "bullshit," isn't it?

  Donald Malarkey : Yes, sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : [Sobel examines Malarkey's rifle, then tosses it back at him]  Rust on the buttplate hinge spring, Private Bullshit. Revoked.

  [Sobel moves on to Liebgott] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Name.

  Joseph Liebgott : Liebgott, Joseph D., sir.

  [he presents his rifle for inspection] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : [Sobel pulls Liebgott's bayonet out of its sheath and examines it]  Rusty bayonet, Liebgott. You wanna kill Germans?

  Joseph Liebgott : Yes, sir.

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : [Sobel hits Liebgott's helmet with the bayonet]  Not with this.

  [he walks out in front of the company and holds the bayonet up for every man to see] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : I wouldn't take this rusty piece of shit to war, and I will not take *you* to war in your condition!

  [he thrusts the bayonet into the ground] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Now, thanks to these men and their infractions, every man in the company who had a weekend pass... has lost it.

  [pause] 

  Capt. Herbert Sobel : Change into your PT gear, we're running Currahee.

• Frank Perconte : Hey this guy says he's not a Nazi. All of Germany and I haven't met one Nazi yet.

• Sgt. Burton 'Pat' Christenson : The stories about Speirs are probably all bullshit anyway.

  Ken Webb : Stories? What stories?

  Frank Perconte : Well, supposedly, Speirs shot one of his own men for being drunk.

  Ken Webb : You're kidding. That's unbelievable.

  Sgt. Burton 'Pat' Christenson : Yeah, and there's another one about him giving cigarettes to twenty German POW's before killing 'em.

  Ken Webb : He shot twenty POW's?

  Frank Perconte : Well, actually, I heard it was more like thirty.

  Ronald Spiers : [Speirs arrives]  Christenson.

  Sgt. Burton 'Pat' Christenson : Lieutenant Speirs.

  Ronald Spiers : I got the name right, didn't I? Christenson?

  Sgt. Burton 'Pat' Christenson : Yes, sir.

  Ronald Spiers : What are you men doing out here?

  Sgt. Burton 'Pat' Christenson : We're watching the line, sir.

  Ronald Spiers : Well, keep up the good work. While you're at it, you might want to reinforce your cover.

  Frank Perconte : Oh... well actually, sir, Lieutenant Dike said not even to bother, that we're only gonna be here one day.

  Ronald Spiers : Lieutenant Dike said that, huh? Then forget what I said. Carry on.

  [starting to walk away. Then turns around] 

  Ronald Spiers : Oh, anyone care for a smoke?

  [Christenson and Perconte look at him silently] 

  Ronald Spiers : [to Webb]  You?

  [Webb shakes his head vigorously] 

• Frank Perconte : [after dropping an unmedicated injured Sisk]  Oh Skinny, you got blood all over my trousers.

  Wayne Sisk : [in pain]  I'm real sorry, Frank.

• Frank Perconte : Hey Luz, can you do Major Horton?

  George Luz : [imitating Major Horton]  Does a wild bear crap in the woods, son?

• Frank Perconte : Hey Luz, how far are we going?

  George Luz : Oh, Jesus, Frank, I don't know. Until they tell us to stop.

  Donald Hoobler : High ground. There's high ground up ahead.

  Frank Perconte : Okay, genius. Answer me this, then. How come Easy Company is the only company who's either at the front of an advance, or, like now, exposed at the far edge of the line?

  Donald Hoobler : To keep you on your toes.

  Frank Perconte : No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying, we're never in the middle. And we're the fifth of nine companies in this regiment. Able to Item. Think of it.

• [on a boat headed for Europe] 

  Warren Muck : Right now, some lucky bastard's headed for the Pacific, get put on some tropical island, surrounded by six naked native girls, helping him cut up coconuts so he can hand feed them to the flamingos.

  Joe Domingus : Flamingos are mean. They bite.

  Wayne Sisk : So do the naked native girls.

  Frank Perconte : With any luck.

• Frank Perconte : How was your jump?

  Pvt. Albert Blithe : Well, missed the DZ

  Frank Perconte : Yeah, that goes without saying.

  Pvt. Albert Blithe : I guess.

  Frank Perconte : Got any souvenirs to trade?

  Pvt. Albert Blithe : Huh?

  Frank Perconte : [shows an armful of wristwatches]  They're all ticking, unlike their previous owners.

• Frank Perconte : Now just think... if you had any class or style like me, somebody might've mistaken you for somebody.

  Sgt. Martin : Oh, like your fuckin' Sergeant?

  Sgt. Martin : [shows Perconte the Sergeant insignia on his arm] 

  Frank Perconte : [says in a meek fashion]  I'm just kiddin'.

• Sgt. Martin : Hey, Frank... you keep cleaning those teeth, the Germans are going to see you from a mile away.

  Frank Perconte : That's right Pee Wee, you keep laughin'!