The Twilight Zone (TV Series)

A Game of Pool (1989)

Esai Morales: Jesse Cardiff

Photos 

Quotes 

• James L. 'Fats' Brown : You called?

  Jesse Cardiff : But... you're...

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : Dead? Not really. As long as people talk about you, you don't really die. As long as people speak your name, you continue. The legend doesn't die because the man does.

  Jesse Cardiff : This is impossible.

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : Nothing's impossible. Just some things are less likely than others, that's all.

• James L. 'Fats' Brown : You know, Jesse, there's more to life than this pool hall. I mean, it's not right for you to keep yourself cooped up here like this. I mean, you ought to get out a little more, see what's going on out there.

  Jesse Cardiff : You didn't become the best by sitting on a park bench. You spent plenty of time with a cue in your hands.

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : Yeah, of course I did, but I still had a life. I mean, I've been to places where they never even heard of pool. I know, I know I - I don't, I don't look the part, but I've made love. I've watched sunsets. I've swam in the ocean. And when I think of all the - the beautiful, the beautiful things that there are to do in this world, it hurts me... to see you rotting away, 'cause that's what you're doing. You're rotting in this dark room.

• Jesse Cardiff : You said if I'd won, I'd live. If I'd lost, I'd die.

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : [unscrews cue stick]  And you will... as all second-raters die. You'll be buried and forgotten, without me touching you.

  [sets stick down] 

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : See, if you'd had beaten me...

  [walks over to retrieve cue case] 

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : if you'd had beaten me, if you'd had beaten me, you would have lived forever.

  Jesse Cardiff : You tricked me.

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : [loads cue into the case]  No, no. No, you just had to be tested under pressure, that's all. Any man can be a marksman if the target doesn't shoot back.

  [shuts case, turns around, walks away] 

• Jesse Cardiff : You may be some tin god, but I think you're just a big balloon waiting for someone to put a needle in you. Well, I'm that somebody. And this

  [indicating his cue stick] 

  Jesse Cardiff : is the needle.

• Jesse Cardiff : It couldn't be just a friendly game, could it?

  James L. 'Fats' Brown : Oh, I take them as I get them. It's not just a friendly game to you. It's a "life or death" thing, so I acted accordingly. You see, the champions and the legends serve a purpose. They're an incentive, a challenge.