Virus (1980)

Henry Silva: Gen. Garland

Photos 

Quotes 

• Sen. Barkley : Mr. President, has the plague been identified yet?

  President Richardson : Senator, we don't know whether we're dealing with one plague germ or six. We don't even know where it came from or how it is being transmitted.

  Sen. Barkley : Maybe we've been looking in the wrong direction.

  President Richardson : We have looked in every direction, Senator.

  Sen. Barkley : Tell us something about Operation Phoenix, General Garland.

  Gen. Garland : Phoenix?

  President Richardson : What is Operation Phoenix?

  Gen. Garland : Just a... just a paper study.

  President Richardson : Oh?

  Gen. Garland : One of several options being studied in purely theoretical terms, Mr. President, nothing more.

  Sen. Barkley : Maybe a little bit more, General.

  President Richardson : What're we talking about?

  Sen. Barkley : Operation Phoenix was a top secret military study of a new weapon system.

  Gen. Garland : There are many such studies, it goes with a new job. New weapons, new studies... new alternatives...

  Sen. Barkley : A *biological* weapon system.

  Gen. Garland : [to the president]  It was a *paper* study.

  Sen. Barkley : It was an *active* research project, involving a genetic manipulation of existing pathogenic viruses!

  Gen. Garland : It was theoretical!

  Sen. Barkley : New strains were not just studied, they were *created* in a laboratory.

  Gen. Garland : Under completely controlled conditions, I assure you, Mr. President!

  Sen. Barkley : *One* strain, MM88 was stolen and never recovered, and the president was never told about it. Now I'd like to know why!

  Gen. Garland : [tosses papers, gets on phone]  Colonel Rankin, get in here this minute!

  [Rankin enters, coughing] 

  Gen. Garland : Colonel Rankin, Operation Phoenix was *your* baby. MM88, was such a strain developed?

  Colonel Rankin : Yes, sir.

  Gen. Garland : Was any of it stolen?

  Colonel Rankin : No, sir, but it wouldn't have made any difference anyway.

  Gen. Garland : Why not?

  Colonel Rankin : MM88 was a failure. It was benign.

  Sen. Barkley : He's lying.

  Gen. Garland : Senator, I have had enough accusation for one afternoon. Now I demand to know the source of this horrible slander!

  [Barkley has Dr. Meyer brought in, Rankin reacts in horror] 

  Colonel Rankin : Sir, this man is a paranoid schizophrenic, I can vouch for that.

  Gen. Garland : Well there you have it, rumors from the funny farm.

  Sen. Barkley : This is Dr. Baldwin's report, Dr. Meyer is incurably sane. It took us a little while to find that out because Colonel Rankin had him put away.

  Gen. Garland : Colonel, why was he committed?

  Sen. Barkley : To keep him from passing information about Operation Phoenix to my sub-committee.

  Gen. Garland : Colonel Rankin, I could have you shot! You are relieved of your duties!

  President Richardson : Tell me something, is this Italian flu actually MM88?

  Dr. Ed Meyer : I'm sure of it, sir.

  Gen. Garland : Sir, I fully support you in this last ditch effort, but I must stress the importance of the strong military posture at this point. Again I urge a State 1 alert, including the ARS activation,

  President Richardson : General... get out of my sight!