I Want You (1951)

Robert Keith: Thomas Greer

Photos 

Quotes 

• Thomas Greer : [about being a soldier]  Now remember, if you can move it, pick it up. If you can't move it, paint it. And if it moves by itself, salute it.

• Thomas Greer : You remember all that junk I used to have around the living room, all those helmets, and guns, and swords...

  Martin Greer : Yeah?

  Thomas Greer : I suppose you noticed the last time you were over at the house that they're gone.

  Martin Greer : Yeah.

  Thomas Greer : I threw 'em away. Do you know why?

  Martin Greer : Well, they pick up a lot of dust, pop.

  Thomas Greer : No, no, I threw 'em away because I... I haven't got any right to 'em.

  Martin Greer : What do you mean?

  Thomas Greer : I wasn't in the 42nd. I never was in no Rainbow Division. I never crawled through the wire, or shot at anybody. Nobody ever shot at me. I never heard a shot fired. I... I was in Paris for the whole war. I was a dog robber for a general in the... Quartermasters. I lived for 22 months in a hotel.

  Martin Greer : I know, pop.

  Thomas Greer : [taken aback]  What?

  Martin Greer : I know. I knew all along.

  Thomas Greer : Well, why did you let me go on like that all these years?

  Martin Greer : There are certain lies a son never can call his father on, pop. When Tony's time comes, I hope he'll do the same for me. Now, come on, let's go downstairs. And don't take it too hard, pop. If they had sent you to the front, you'd have been a first class fighting man.

  Thomas Greer : Well, that's what I keep telling myself, but, who knows?