Jake Gittes:
Get on your knees, put your ass in the air and don't move until I say to.

Jake Berman:
You know something, Jake, you might think you know what's going on around here but...you don't.

Jake Gittes:
You can't trust a guy who's never lost anything.

Jake Gittes:
What I do for a living may not be very reputable. But I am. In this town I'm the leper with the most fingers.

Walsh:
Does that mean he wants you to prove your own client is guilty of murder?

Jake Gittes:
Yeah.

Walsh:
Well, 's that ethical?

Jake Gittes:
Larry, he's a lawyer.

Khan:
You are very successful.

Jake Gittes:
Oh, I can't complain.

Khan:
Does that mean you are happy?

Jake Gittes:
Who can answer that question off the top of their head?

Khan:
Anyone who's happy.

Jake Gittes:
You can follow the action, which gets you good pictures. You can follow your instincts, which'll probably get you in trouble. Or, you can follow the money, which nine times out of ten will get you closer to the truth.

Jake Gittes:
I wouldn't extort a nickel from my worst enemy. That's where I draw the line.

Loach Jr.:
Well, I'll tell you, Jake. I knew a whore once. For the right amount of money, she'd piss in a guy's face. But she wouldn't shit on his chest. You see, that's where she drew the line.

Jake Gittes:
Well, Junior, all I can say is: I hope she wasn't too much of a disappointment to you.

Jake Gittes:
The problem with you, kid, is you don't know who you're kiddin'.