Sharpe (TV Series)

Sharpe's Company (1994)

Sean Bean: Lt., Cpt. Richard Sharpe

Quotes 

• Richard Sharpe : I'm a soldier, sir, not a bloody clerk! I fetch, I forage, and I take punishment drills! It's "yes sir, no sir, can I dig your latrine, sir?" and it's not bloody soldiering!

  Major Nairn : It *is* bloody soldiering! What the hell do you think soldiering is? Just because you've been allowed to swan about like a bloody pirate for years...!

  Richard Sharpe : Look, sir, when you fling us up against those walls, you'll be glad there's some pirates in there, and not just bloody clerks!

• [Harper, framed by Hakeswill for theft, is being flogged] 

  Drummer Boy : Ninety-three! Ninety-four! Ninety-five!

  [Harper has spit out his gag and is grinning widely as the lash lands] 

  Drummer Boy : Ninety-six! Ninety-seven! Ninety-eight! Ninety-nine! One hundred! One hundred and all's done, sir!

  [Harper is released. Still grinning, he starts to walk away] 

  Colonel Windham : Harper? Come back here.

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : Sir?

  Colonel Windham : You're a brave man. I salute you for it.

  [He tosses Harper a golden guinea. Harper catches it] 

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : Thank you, sir. Thank you.

  [He walks past Sharpe] 

  Richard Sharpe : You all right?

  [Harper's grin remains, but his voice quavers] 

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : [whispering]  Jesus, it hurts like hell! I couldn't have taken much more.

• Richard Sharpe : That rifle's loaded and rammed, Sergeant.

  Hakeswill : Sir?

  Richard Sharpe : Did you know, Sergeant?

  Hakeswill : Me, sir? No, sir, never, sir!

  Richard Sharpe : This yours, Sergeant?

  Hakeswill : No, sir. Not me, sir. Him, sir. Private 'Arper, sir!

  Richard Sharpe : Well how many more are loaded?

  [puts rifles under Hakeswill's chin, pulls trigger, nothing happens] 

  Richard Sharpe : Harris!

  [throws him the rifle] 

  Richard Sharpe : Cooper! Hagman! Perkins!

  [threatens Hakeswill with Harper's volley gun] 

  Richard Sharpe : They say you can't be killed, Sergeant Hakeswill. It is known. 'Come with me, my lads, for I cannot die. I'm going to live for ever, for they tried to hang me once but did... not... do it.' I could almost believe it. Except in the case of someone you tried to kill, Sergeant Hakeswill... and did... not... do it. I wonder who that might be, Sergeant. You're a dead man, Obadiah. BANG!

• [while talking to Harper on sentry, Sharpe hands him a bottle of whiskey] 

  Richard Sharpe : Here. St. Patrick's Day.

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : God save Ireland... you're a grand man.

  [takes a pull] 

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : For an Englishman.

• Richard Sharpe : Sgt. Hakeswill...

  Hakeswill : Permission to speak, sir!

  [pause] 

  Hakeswill : I've nothing to say, sir.

  [drops voice] 

  Hakeswill : Oh my word, what a surprise... Sharpie.

  Richard Sharpe : You are come to me?

  Hakeswill : Ever such a long way. I was despairing.

  Richard Sharpe : LEFT FACE!

  [Hakeswill obeys automatically] 

  Richard Sharpe : QUICK MARCH!

  [Hakeswill walks forward until he is facing the wall. Sharpe grabs his head and mashes his face into the wall] 

  Richard Sharpe : You lay a finger on any of my men, Sgt., and I'll bloody kill you.

• Richard Sharpe : Come smartly to attention now. Atten-SHUN!

  [Obadiah stands up straight - and Sharpe belts him, hard. Hakeswill bows over] 

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : Oh, now see, you don't move when an officer's talking to you. You should know that.

  Richard Sharpe : Unless you want to hit me, Obadiah?

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : Obadiah?

  Richard Sharpe : Dead, if you strike an officer, Obadiah. Dead. Oh... but he can't die. See his neck? They tried to hang him once, and it didn't kill him.

  Teresa : I can kill him.

  Richard Sharpe : In every battle some try. Look how he stands up. Never disobeys an officer, do you, Obadiah? Why, they love him! I would kill him here and now. Except I swore to do it in front of his victims, for all to see. It's been a long time coming. For he is *evil*, is Obadiah!

• Richard Sharpe : Obadiah, and a blackguardly officer called Morris, once beat a native Indian half to death, until I stopped them. They blamed me for it, and I was flogged. Watch him, Pat. He preys on the men. He'll snaffle kit, belts, frogs, haversacks, all entered or found lost by Obadiah, which leads to floggings unless he gets paid. Then wives. He beats men till their wives come to him, which I call rape. I've seen his like before. An evil man marching in a cloud of pipely. And because he kicks up salutes, obeys every officer, he's bombproof to all but us. We who come up from the ranks, we're smart to him.

  Sgt. Patrick Harper : We are that.

• Captain Rymer : The men hate digging.

  Richard Sharpe : Wouldn't you?

  Captain Rymer : [Awkward]  I have never dug.

• Hakeswill : Company, atten-shun! Come to show these lazy bastards how it's done, sir?

  [Sharpe throws up a salute, "accidentally" knocking Hakeswill into the trench with his elbow] 

  Richard Sharpe : Carry on, Sergeant.

• Richard Sharpe : Three rules... Sharpe's Rules, by which i regulate the Light Company: First: Fight well, fight hard! Second: Don't get drunk unless i tell you! Third: Steal nothing but from the enemy or when starving!

• Matthews : Would you take me with you if you get your command of the forlorn hope?

  Richard Sharpe : No.

  Matthews : Oh, do, Richard, sir, it would make my name!

  Richard Sharpe : William, the forlorn hope are dead men the hour their names are called... That's why it's called 'forlorn'!

  Matthews : But it is glorious, is it not? And of use! Some don't die! - If it's not of use, then why is it done?

  Richard Sharpe : Somebody has to be first.