Theatre Night (TV Series)

Arms and the Man (1989)

Pip Torrens: Captain Bluntschli

Quotes 

• Raina : Some soldiers, I know, are afraid of death.

  Bluntschli : All of them, dear lady, all of them, believe me. It is our duty to live as long as we can, and kill as many of the enemy as we can.

• Raina : [after Bluntschli has confessed to her that he had had to pawn her father's coat]  You have a low, shopkeeping mind! You think of things that would never come into a gentleman's head!

  Bluntschli : That's the Swiss national character, dear lady.

• Sergius : Captain Bluntschli!

  Bluntschli : Eh?

  Sergius : You have deceived me. You are my rival. I brook no rivals. At six o'clock I shall be in the drilling-ground on the Klissoura road, alone, on horseback, with my sabre. Do you understand?

  Bluntschli : Oh, thank you, that's a cavalry man's proposal. I'm in the artillery, and I have the choice of weapons. If I go, I shall take a machine gun. And there shall be no mistake about the cartridges this time.

• Bluntschli : You never saw a cavalry charge, did you?

  Raina : How could I?

  Bluntschli : Ah, perhaps not - of course not. Well, it's a funny sight. It's like slinging a handful of peas against a window pane: first one comes, then two or three close behind him and then all the rest in a lump.

  Raina : [in rapture]  Yes, the first one! - the bravest of the brave!

  Bluntschli : Hm! you should see the poor devil pulling at his horse.

  Raina : Why should he pull at his horse?

  Bluntschli : [impatient of such a silly question]  It's running away with him, of course! Do you suppose the fellow wants to get there before the others and be killed?

• Sergius : Bluntschli, I have allowed you to call me a blockhead. You may now call me a coward as well. I refuse to fight you. Do you know why?

  Bluntschli : No, but it doesn't matter. I didn't ask the reason when you cried on and I don't ask the reason now that you cry off. I'm a professional soldier. I fight when I have to and am very glad to get out of it when I haven't to. You're only an amateur; you think fighting's an amusement.

  Sergius : You shall hear the reason all the same, my professional. The reason is that it takes two men - real men - men of heart, blood and honor - to make a genuine combat. I could no more fight with you than I could make love to an ugly woman. You've no magnetism: you're not a man, you're a machine.

  Bluntschli : [apologetically]  Quite true, quite true. I always was that sort of chap. I'm very sorry.

• Sergius : [to Raina]  Tiger cat!

  Raina : [to Bluntschli]  You hear this man calling me names, Captain Bluntschli?

  Bluntschli : What else can he do, dear lady? He must defend himself somehow.