“A Dry White Season” quotes

“- McKenzie: Would you like a cup of tea?
- Ben: No, no thank you. No, I'm here on a matter of justice.
- McKenzie: Oh, justice. Well I'm afraid that's a trifle more complex to serve you up than a cup of tea.”
Marlon Brando - McKenzie
Donald Sutherland - Ben

“When the system's threatened, they'll do anything to defend it.”

Susan Sarandon - Melanie

“- Melanie: You'd better put your rage into perspective, Benjamin Du Toit. This is a long distance race, you'll need to pace yourself.
- Ben: I suppose cynicism goes with the job!
- Melanie: It's not cynicism, it's realism.”
Susan Sarandon - Melanie
Donald Sutherland - Ben

“- Ben: You must not give up hope, Emily.
- Stanley: Hope's a white word, laanie. It's not hope we need.”
Donald Sutherland - Ben
Zakes Mokae - Stanley

“I don't want you to give up, papa.”
Rowen Elmes - Johan

“I will take your case if only to make it abundantly clear how justice in South Africa is misapplied when it comes to the question of race.”
Marlon Brando - McKenzie

“- Gordon: They've arrested Jonathan.
- Ben: Again? What for?
- Gordon: There is big trouble in the townships. They're killing our children! I saw the bodies, Mr. Ben. Many have been detained. I went to the hospital. To the mortuary. Everywhere! The police deny they have Jonathan.”
Winston Ntshona - Gordon
Donald Sutherland - Ben

“If someone told you your child had died and wouldn't tell you how he died or where the body was buried, wouldn't you be upset?”
Donald Sutherland - Ben

“I heard what the police did, and I'm not saying it was right. But you think the blacks wouldn't do the same thing to us, and worse, if they had half the chance? Do you think they'll let us go on living our nice, quiet, peaceful lives if they win? They'll swallow us up!”

Janet Suzman - Susan

“It's our country, Ben, we made every inch of it! Look at the rest of Africa, it's a mess... It's like in war. You have to choose sides. You are not one of them and they don't want you to be!”

Janet Suzman - Susan

“They don't want us to be really educated. If we learn in Afrikaans, we have no future!”

Bekhithemba Mpofu - Jonathan

“Justice and law, Mr. Du Toit, are often just... well they're, I suppose they can be described as distant cousins. And here in South Africa, well, they're simply not on speaking terms at all.”
Marlon Brando - McKenzie