Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Richard Burton: Maj. Smith

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Smith and Schaffer are observing the Castle of Eagles fortress, and a nearby military base] 

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : If I'm not mistaken, that's an army barracks over there.

  Major John Smith : No mistake, Lieutenant. This the headquarters of the Wehrmacht Alpenkorps.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Oh, swell. Do you have any other surprises I should know about?

  Major John Smith : I thought you knew, Lieutenant. Why do you think we were chosen for his mission as if not to make social contact?

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : You mean we're gonna go down there? Mingle with the German Army?

  Major John Smith : Of course. Why do you think we're not dressed as German sailors?

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : We'll be recognized as strangers.

  Major John Smith : Training troops come and go all the time. What are six new faces among 600 new faces?

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Look, Major, this is primarily a British operation. I'm an American. I don't even know why the hell I'm here.

  Major John Smith : Lieutenant, you're here because you're an American.

• [repeated line] 

  Major John Smith : Broadsword calling Danny Boy.

• Major John Smith : Lieutenant, in the next 15 minutes we have to create enough confusion to get out of here alive.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Major, right now you got me about as confused as I ever hope to be.

• Mary Ellison : I nearly froze to death in that damn plane. Why couldn't you have supplied some hot water bottles or an electrically heated suit? I thought you loved me.

  Major John Smith : Can't help what you think.

• Lt. Morris Schaffer : [referring to what Smith called him earlier to maintain his cover]  "Second rate punk," huh?

  Major John Smith : All I could think of on the spur of the moment.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Thanks, that makes it even worse.

  Major John Smith : [smiles]  Sorry.

• [last lines] 

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Do me a favor, will you? Next time you have one of these things, keep it an all-British operation.

  Major John Smith : I'll try, Lieutenant.

• Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [into a phone]  Major Wilner speaking. Ja, Colonel.

  SS-Standartenführer Kramer : [into a phone]  Can you describe him?

  Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [into the phone]  That will not be necessary. Ask him to show you his right forearm.

  Major John Smith : Certainly.

  Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [as Smith raises his sleve]  There are two parallel scars, about three centimeters apart.

  SS-Standartenführer Kramer : [into the phone]  The scars are there.

  Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [into the phone]  Ask how he get them.

  SS-Standartenführer Kramer : [to Smith]  How did you get those?

  Major John Smith : I was born with them.

  SS-Standartenführer Kramer : [into the phone]  He says he was born with them.

  Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [into the phone]  That is right. Tell him he's a traitor.

  Major John Smith : Tell him he's a renegade.

  Maj. Wilhelm Wilner : [bursts out laughing]  That is Schmidt! No question about it!

• Major John Smith : You are going up to the castle tonight as, well, yes as a domestic.

  Mary Ellison : How? Naked?

  Major John Smith : Not a bad idea, but it's a bit obvious.

• Major John Smith : Nobody leaves here until I come back. Jock, save me some coffee.

  Sgt. Jock MacPherson : It'll be cold by then.

  Major John Smith : They say that's an advantage. You can't taste cold coffee.

• Major John Smith : [to Schaeffer]  In your own idiom, you're a 'punk'. And a pretty second rate punk at that.

• Mary Ellison : You must be mad.

  Major John Smith : If I wasn't, what would I be doing in this job?

• [after Schaffer kills a German with a knife] 

  Major John Smith : That was quick.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Fear lent him wings, as the saying goes.

• Major John Smith : [referring to Colonel Turner]  They say he knew Hitler quite well.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Yeah, I THOUGHT he looked a little nuts.

• Major John Smith : Now, General Carnaby, perhaps you'll be good enough to give us your real name, rank and serial number.

  [shoots the chair] 

  Gen. George Carnaby : [long pause, then]  Cartwright Jones, Corporal, U.S. Army RA 123-025-3964.

  Major John Smith : Thank you.

• Lt. Morris Schaffer : There's a stop and start button.

  [for the cable car] 

  Major John Smith : See if you can make the motor work.

• [a large body of German troops led by field security chief Colonel Weissner storm into the guesthouse pub in a raid] 

  Col. Weissner : [addressing the crowd]  Attention! We are looking for four or five Alpinekorps deserters from Studguardt. To escape they killed two officers and a guardroom sergeant. They were last known to be heading this way.

  Major John Smith : [quitely to his men]  Clever. Very clever indeed.

  Col. Weissner : [continuting to the crowd]  I want all the officers of Drafts 13, 14, and 15 to come forward at once!

  [to his men] 

  Col. Weissner : Check their papers. Check them carefully.

  Major John Smith : [to his men]  Well gentlemen... any suggestions?

  [Thomas, Christiansen, and Berkley are silent] 

  Major John Smith : [to Schaffer]  Lieutenant?

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Well, I think we'll stand a lot better chance of getting away outside then we will in here.

  Major John Smith : Agreed. Gentlemen... see you after the war.

• Major John Smith : You're late.

  Mary Ellison : One day, I won't come at all.

• Major John Smith : [In the Werfen gasthaus cafe]  And who might you be, my pretty Alpine rose?

  Heidi : Heidi. Stop, Major. I've got important work to do.

  Major John Smith : There's no more important work than entertaining the soldiers of the Fatherland. Shall I sing you a song?

  Heidi : I hear too much singing.

• Major John Smith : Let me make myself perfectly understood. If any of you utters a word... I'll kill you all; do you understand?

• Lt. Morris Schaffer : What were you and that major talking about?

  Major John Smith : I told him I was Himmler's brother.

  Lt. Morris Schaffer : Yeah, well I can see why that would shake him up a little.