'Breaker' Morant
1980
Harry Morant: Shoot straight, you bastards - don't make a mess of it!
George Wittow: Did you write that, Harry? Harry Morant: No, no. It was a minor poet, called Byron. Peter Handcock: Never heard of him. Harry Morant: Like I said, he was a minor poet.
Harry Morant: It's a new kind of war, George. It's a new war for a new century.
Lord Kitchener: Needless to say, the Germans couldn't give a damn about the Boers. The diamonds and gold of South Africa they're after. Major Bolton: They lack our altruism, sir. Lord Kitchener: Quite.
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!
Major Thomas: The barbarities of war are seldom committed by abnormal men. The tragedy of war is that these horrors are committed by normal men in abnormal situations.
Harry Morant: Live each day as though it were your last; one day you're sure to be right.
Sentry: Do you want the padre? Harry Morant: No, thank you. I'm a pagan. Sentry: And you? Peter Handcock: What's a pagan? Harry Morant: Well... it's somebody who doesn't believe there's a divine being dispensing justice to mankind. Peter Handcock: I'm a pagan, too. Harry Morant: There is an epitaph I'd like: Matthew 10: 36. Well, Peter... this is what comes of 'empire building.' Major Thomas: Matthew 10: 36? Minister: "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
Peter Handcock: New South Wales Mounted? What kind of lawyer are you? Major Thomas: I haven't been accused of murder yet. What kind of officer are you? Harry Morant: Handled many courts martial, Major? Major Thomas: No, This is my first. Back home I was a country town solicitor, handling wills and land conveyences. Harry Morant: Good God. They really want us to be convicted, don't they.
Major Thomas: Tell me, Mr Robertson what was Lt Hancock's reason for putting Boer prisoners on open cattle cars on the trains. Capt Robertson: Well the Boers had been mining the lines and blowing up a lot of trains. He thought it might stop them. Major Thomas: Well did it? (Robertson looks at the prosecutor) Major Thomas: Did it? Capt Robertson: Yes, but I don't think... (he's interrupted)
Harry Morant: We shot them under Rule 303.