Breaker Morant (1980)

Rod Mullinar: Major Charles Bolton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Major Bolton : How did Lt. Handcock look?

  Corporal Sharp : Like he was thinking, sir... like... I can't think of the...

  Major Bolton : Did he look like he was agitated?

  Corporal Sharp : Agitated? Yes, that's it, sir. Yes, sir, he looked agitated.

  Major Thomas : Objection. Major Bolton is leading the witness.

  Major Bolton : I will rephrase the question, sir. Tell me, Corporal Sharp, how did Lt. Handcock look?

  Corporal Sharp : Agitated, sir!

• Lord Kitchener : Needless to say, the Germans couldn't give a damn about the Boers. The diamonds and gold of South Africa they're interested in.

  Major Bolton : They lack our altruism, sir.

  Lord Kitchener : Quite.

• Major Bolton : [discussing the death of Reverend Hesse]  When he left Fort Edward, you knew that he was going to report back here to the authorities in Pietersburg.

  Harry Morant : I had no way of knowing what he was going to do.

  Major Bolton : But it would have been in your interest, would it not, to prevent him?

  Harry Morant : Well, I hardly know about that. All I do know is that someone prevented him, and I'm still here on trial.

  Major Bolton : I suggest that you instructed Leftenant Hancock to follow the Reverend Hesse and to shoot him!

  Harry Morant : I had sent a message to Colonel Hall in Pietersburg informing him of my intentions towards the Boer prisoners. I have nothing to hide.

  Major Bolton : I find that statement hard to believe.

  Harry Morant : Then I suggest, sir, that you recall Colonel Hall from India. He will confirm it. I don't mind waiting.

• Major Bolton : Of course, Morant and his friends are guilty.

  Major Thomas : Are they? Why not arrest the firing squad? They did the actual killing.

  Major Bolton : But they were following Morant's orders.

  Major Thomas : That's right. Just as Morant - was following orders.

• Col. Ian (Johnny) Hamilton : Colonials, most of them. Australians.

  Major Bolton : I understand they've been quite effective, sir.

  Col. Ian (Johnny) Hamilton : Very effective. We've just arrested three of them for shooting Boer prisoners and a German missionary.

  Lord Kitchener : I've received, Bolton, a telegraph message from Whitehall. The German government has lodged a serious protest - about the missionary, in particular.

  Major Bolton : Yes, sir.

  Lord Kitchener : The Kaiser, as you know, is our late Queen's grandson.

  Col. Ian (Johnny) Hamilton : The fact is that Whitehall feels the Germans are looking for an excuse to enter the war. On the Boers' side, of course. We don't want to give them one.

• Lt. Col. Denny : You are still introducing irrelevant material.

  Major Thomas : Sir. I wish to establish, and I have made the point before in connection with Mr. Robertson, that a precedent in this war has been well and truly set.

  Major Bolton : Sir, I would like to point out to my *learned* colonial colleague that the fact of the crime being previously committed in no way pardons the behavior of Lieutenant Morant and his friends.

• Major Bolton : I've been wondering if you realize how anxious your own government is for a conviction.

  George Wittow : What do you mean?

  Major Bolton : Well, you've just become a Commonwealth. Your prime minister, Mr. Barton, wants to dissipate any lingering impressions of a frontier colony. Frontier behavior. You can be quite sure the conviction of these men will meet with Australian approval.

• Major Bolton : Where did you go when you left Fort Edward approximately half an hour after the Reverend Hesse?

  Peter Handcock : I went visiting.

  Court Official : Visiting?

  Major Bolton : Visiting?

  Lt. Col. Denny : Visiting?