Airplane! Warfare Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Airplane!.

Quote #4

TED: That's the way I've always wanted it to be, Elaine.

ELAINE: But it won't be. Not as long as you insist on living in the past!

It's clear that Elaine doesn't understand the extent of Ted's trauma. It's probably significant for Ted that his loved ones don't acknowledge the pain he feels as legitimate. Flashbacks aren't really "living in the past."

Quote #5

ELAINE: They've cleared you of any blame for what happened on that raid. Isn't that good news?

TED: Is it? Because of my mistake six men didn't return from that raid.

ELAINE: Seven. Lieutenant Zipp died this morning.

Though the character Zipp is introduced flippantly as part of a throwaway joke by Elaine, and really only exists for the sake of Dr. Rumack's speech at the end of the film, Ted still feels tremendous guilt over Zipp's fate.

Quote #6

ELAINE: What's his problem?

TED: That's Lieutenant Hurwitz. Severe shell shock. He thinks he's Ethel Merman.

Despite the fact that this is one of the funnier scenes in the movie (with the real Ethel Merman), it's actually a very clever way to comment on the absurdity of war—in this case, PTSD as it affects the patients in the military psychiatric hospital. "War is hell," Ted concludes.