The Bridge on the River Kwai Quotes: At the The Bridge on the River Kwai, the captives led by Colonel Nicholson receive a Japanese directive to build a bridge across the River Kwai.
The Bridge on the River Kwai Quotes
1- “A word to you about escape. There is no barbed wire. No stockade. No watchtower. They are not necessary. We are an island in the jungle. Escape is impossible. You would die.” [addressing the soldiers] – Colonel Saito, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
2- “You give me powders, pills, baths, injections, enemas when all I need is love.” [talking to the nurse]– Shears, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
3- “Do not speak to me of rules. This is war! This is not a game of cricket!” – Saito, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
4- “I hate the British! You are defeated but you have no shame. You are stubborn but you have no pride. You endure but you have no courage. I hate the British!” – Colonel Saito, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
5- “One day the war will be over. And I hope that the people that use this bridge in years to come will remember how it was built and who built it. Not a gang of slaves, but soldiers, British soldiers, Clipton, even in captivity.” -Colonel Nicholson, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
6- “- Colonel Saito: Do you know what will happen to me if the bridge is not built on time?
– Colonel Nicholson: I haven’t the foggiest.
– Colonel Saito: I’ll have to kill myself. What would you do if you were me?
– Colonel Nicholson: I suppose if I were you… I’d have to kill myself.”-‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
7- “- Maj. Warden: You’ll go on without me. That’s an order. You’re in command now, Shears.
– Commander Shears: You make me sick with your heroics! There’s a stench of death about you. You carry it in your pack like the plague. Explosives and L-pills – they go well together, don’t they? And with you it’s just one thing or the other: destroy a bridge or destroy yourself. This is just a game, this war!”-‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
8- “- Maj. Warden: I belong to a rather rum group called Force 316. Our headquarters is up in the botanical gardens.
– Commander Shears: Protecting rare plants from the enemy?”-‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
9- “- Commander Shears: You mean, you intend to uphold the letter of the law, no matter what it costs?
– Colonel Nicholson: Without law, Commander, there is no civilization.
– Commander Shears: That’s just my point; here, there is no civilization.
– Colonel Nicholson: Then we have the opportunity to introduce it.” –‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
10- “- Nurse at Ceylon hospital: What makes you so sure you’ll get a medical discharge?
– Commander Shears: Because I’m a civilian at heart, lover, and I always follow my heart.” –‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
11- “- Lieutenant Joyce: I’m sorry, Sir. I thought you were the enemy.
– Commander Shears: Well, I’m an American, if that’s what you mean.” –‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
12- “The fact is, what we’re doing could be construed as – forgive me sir – collaboration with the enemy. Perhaps even as treasonable activity. Must we work so well? Must we build them a better bridge than they could have built for themselves?” – Maj. Clipton ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
13- “Madness! Madness!” – Maj. Clipton ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
14- “Be happy in your work.”– Colonel Saito, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
15- “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.”– Colonel Saito, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
16- “You make me sick with your heroics! There’s a stench of death about you. You carry it in your pack like the plague. Explosives and L-pills – they go well together, don’t they? And with you it’s just one thing or the other: destroy a bridge or destroy yourself. This is just a game, this war! You and Colonel Nicholson, you’re two of a kind, crazy with courage. For what? How to die like a gentleman… how to die by the rules – when the only important thing is how to live like a human being.”– Shears, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
17- ” I’d say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse.” – Shears, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘.
