The Great Escape Quotes
[ the German camp commandant explains why so many incorrigible Allied prisoners were placed in the place Stalag ]
Von Luger : We have in effect put all our rotten eggs in one basket. And we intend to watch this basket carefully.
Von Luger : We have in effect put all our rotten eggs in one basket. And we intend to watch this basket carefully.
Movie: The Great Escape
POW : What the hell have you got in there, a piano?
Sedgewick : Oh, that's very funny, mate.
POW : Sedgewick, you won't get this thing through.
Sedgewick : [ pulling his trunk into the tunnel ] I'll cope!
Sedgewick : Oh, that's very funny, mate.
POW : Sedgewick, you won't get this thing through.
Sedgewick : [ pulling his trunk into the tunnel ] I'll cope!
Movie: The Great Escape
[ on some materials he's using for escape clothes ]
Bartlett : Where in God's name did you get these?
Griffith 'Tailor' : Hendley.
Bartlett : Well, where did he get them?
Griffith 'Tailor' : Well, I asked him that.
Bartlett : What did he say?
Griffith 'Tailor' : "Don't ask."
Bartlett : Where in God's name did you get these?
Griffith 'Tailor' : Hendley.
Bartlett : Well, where did he get them?
Griffith 'Tailor' : Well, I asked him that.
Bartlett : What did he say?
Griffith 'Tailor' : "Don't ask."
Movie: The Great Escape
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : [ Danny and Sedgewick are trying to sneak out with a group of Russian prisoners ] Halt! [ walks over to Sedgewick ]
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : Out! [ pause ]
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : OUT!
Danny : [ No, No! Comrade! ] Nyet, nyet! Tovarich!
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : Oh, he's your friend.
Danny : [ Comrade! ] Tovarich!
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : And who vouches for you, Lieutenant Willenski? Come on out, Sedgewick.
Danny : [ hands coat back to Russian prisoner and steps out of line ] Spasiba. [ thanks ]
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : Out! [ pause ]
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : OUT!
Danny : [ No, No! Comrade! ] Nyet, nyet! Tovarich!
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : Oh, he's your friend.
Danny : [ Comrade! ] Tovarich!
Sergeant-Hauptmann Strachwitz : And who vouches for you, Lieutenant Willenski? Come on out, Sedgewick.
Danny : [ hands coat back to Russian prisoner and steps out of line ] Spasiba. [ thanks ]
Movie: The Great Escape
Lt. Cmdr. Eric 'Dispersal' Ashley-Pitt : [ watching Hilts be brought back into camp ] I didn't think he'd get caught so soon.
Bartlett : He wasn't caught.
Bartlett : He wasn't caught.
Movie: The Great Escape
Hendley : Colin's not a blind man as long as he's with me. And he's going with me!
Movie: The Great Escape
Colin : You know, he's right. he's right. I really shouldn't go. My eyes have been getting worse and worse. I think they call it progressive Myopia. I can see things up here. [ looks at pin ]
Colin : yes I can see it well, but, you're just a blur.
Hendley : I know. Ah, Hell, we'll make it in great shape. Colin, do you have any tea?
Colin : Yes, of course.
Hendley : Let's have some.
Colin : Splendid.
Colin : yes I can see it well, but, you're just a blur.
Hendley : I know. Ah, Hell, we'll make it in great shape. Colin, do you have any tea?
Colin : Yes, of course.
Hendley : Let's have some.
Colin : Splendid.
Movie: The Great Escape
[ gathering wood to shore up the tunnels, Hilts removes the wooden slats from bunk beds in the sleeping area of the prisoner barracks, holding a stack of them, and walks carefully out into the hallway ]
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : [ passes Hilts in the hallway on his way to his bunk bed ] Five gold rings. Four calling birds - bloody singing, I've never worked so hard in all my life. Hi, Hilts!
Hilts : [ turns and tries to warn him ] Say, Cavendish...
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear - Alley-oop! [ Cavendish climbs to the top bunk, and vaults onto the unsupported mattress, which collapses under his weight through the bed frame, as well as the two beneath it. Hilts approaches the doorway and sees Cavendish on the floor ]
Hilts : Never mind. [ Leaves ]
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : [ passes Hilts in the hallway on his way to his bunk bed ] Five gold rings. Four calling birds - bloody singing, I've never worked so hard in all my life. Hi, Hilts!
Hilts : [ turns and tries to warn him ] Say, Cavendish...
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear - Alley-oop! [ Cavendish climbs to the top bunk, and vaults onto the unsupported mattress, which collapses under his weight through the bed frame, as well as the two beneath it. Hilts approaches the doorway and sees Cavendish on the floor ]
Hilts : Never mind. [ Leaves ]
Movie: The Great Escape
Bartlett : It's possible for one man to get out through the wire, even get away, but there are in fact a considerable number of people besides yourself in this camp who are trying to escape.
Hilts : I appreciate that. [ pauses, looks at Bartlett ]
Hilts : Something's coming. I can feel it, and it's coming right around the corner at me, Squadron Leader!
Hilts : I appreciate that. [ pauses, looks at Bartlett ]
Hilts : Something's coming. I can feel it, and it's coming right around the corner at me, Squadron Leader!
Movie: The Great Escape
Sorren : Roger, who's going to handle security for this lot?
Bartlett : You are.
Bartlett : You are.
Movie: The Great Escape
Herr Kuhn : We have reason to believe this prisoner is the mastermind behind numerous criminal escape attempts.
Von Luger : [ sarcastically ] Squadron Leader Bartlett has been three months in your care! And the Gestapo has only "reason to believe"!
Von Luger : [ sarcastically ] Squadron Leader Bartlett has been three months in your care! And the Gestapo has only "reason to believe"!
Movie: The Great Escape
Herr Kuhn : [ to Bartlett ] Squadron Leader Bartlett, if you escape again, and are captured, you will be SHOT!
Herr Kuhn : [ to Von Luger ] Heil Hitler!
Herr Kuhn : [ to Von Luger ] Heil Hitler!
Movie: The Great Escape
Steinach : Herr Bartlett-! [ Bartlett turns around and says something in German ]
Steinach : Your German is good. And I hear, also, your French. Your arms... [ pulls a gun ]
Steinach : UP! [ Bartlett surrenders ]
Steinach : Your German is good. And I hear, also, your French. Your arms... [ pulls a gun ]
Steinach : UP! [ Bartlett surrenders ]
Movie: The Great Escape
[ the Gestapo have captured Bartlett and MacDonald ]
Preissen : Ah, Herr Bartlett. And Herr MacDonald. We are together again. You're going to wish you had never put us to so much trouble!
Preissen : Ah, Herr Bartlett. And Herr MacDonald. We are together again. You're going to wish you had never put us to so much trouble!
Movie: The Great Escape
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : [ Hilts has just taken some boards out of all the beds and Denys walks in after singing ] 5 golds rings, 4 calling birds, bloody singing, hi Hilts.
Hilts : Denys, wait...
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge, alley-oop! [ jumps on to bed and falls through all three ]
Hilts : [ sees that Denys has fallen through bed ] Never mind.
Hilts : Denys, wait...
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge, alley-oop! [ jumps on to bed and falls through all three ]
Hilts : [ sees that Denys has fallen through bed ] Never mind.
Movie: The Great Escape
[ first title card ]
Title Card : This is a true story. Although the characters are composites of real men, and time and place have been compressed, every detail of the escape is the way it really happened.
Title Card : This is a true story. Although the characters are composites of real men, and time and place have been compressed, every detail of the escape is the way it really happened.
Movie: The Great Escape
Goff : [ Sedgewick has just descended into the tunnel entrance ] Was that Sedgewick with his steamer trunk?
POW : Who else?
Goff : I wish he was back in Australia with his kangaroos.
POW : Who else?
Goff : I wish he was back in Australia with his kangaroos.
Movie: The Great Escape
Ramsey : [ in the first meeting with Von Luger is informed of the large amount of resources being used to guard the prisoners ] Well, it's rather nice to know that you're wanted.
Movie: The Great Escape
Hilts : Hendley: [ Tasting the moonshine, speaks in a raspy voice ]
Hilts : Wow! Hilts: [ tasting the moonshine, speaks in a hoarse tone ]
Hilts : Wow! Goff: [ Tasting the moonshine, is wracked with coughing and weakly says while still coughing ]
Hilts : ... wow...
Hilts : Wow! Hilts: [ tasting the moonshine, speaks in a hoarse tone ]
Hilts : Wow! Goff: [ Tasting the moonshine, is wracked with coughing and weakly says while still coughing ]
Hilts : ... wow...
Movie: The Great Escape
Ramsey : [ after hearing complaints about the plethora of escapes ] Colonel, do you expect officers to forget their duty?
Von Luger : [ reluctantly ] No. It is precisely because we expect the opposite that you are here.
Von Luger : [ reluctantly ] No. It is precisely because we expect the opposite that you are here.
Movie: The Great Escape
Hilts : What do they call a mole in Scotland?
Archibald 'Archie' Ives, 'The Mole' : A mole.
Archibald 'Archie' Ives, 'The Mole' : A mole.
Movie: The Great Escape
Danny : Oh, Hendley. I need a pick. Big, heavy one.
Hendley : Only one?
Danny : Two would be better.
Hendley : Only one?
Danny : Two would be better.
Movie: The Great Escape
[ last lines of part one ]
Hilts : [ after Ives is killed ] Sir, let me know the exact information you need. I'm going out tonight.
Bartlett : Right. [ to Danny ]
Bartlett : Open up Harry. We dig. Around the clock.
Hilts : [ after Ives is killed ] Sir, let me know the exact information you need. I'm going out tonight.
Bartlett : Right. [ to Danny ]
Bartlett : Open up Harry. We dig. Around the clock.
Movie: The Great Escape
Danny : Willy, since I was a boy, I hate and fear little rooms, closets, caves.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : But Danny, you've dug seventeen tunnels. Over seventeen!
Danny : Because I must get out! I hide the fear, and I dig. Tomorrow night in the tunnel with all those men... I'm afraid maybe this time I will lose my head and ruin the escape for everybody.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : But Danny, you've dug seventeen tunnels. Over seventeen!
Danny : Because I must get out! I hide the fear, and I dig. Tomorrow night in the tunnel with all those men... I'm afraid maybe this time I will lose my head and ruin the escape for everybody.
Movie: The Great Escape
Ramsey : Did the Gestapo give you a rough time?
Bartlett : Not nearly as rough as I now intend to give them.
Ramsey : Roger, personal revenge must be kept out of what we have to do here. Too many lives are at stake.
Bartlett : [ scoffing ] What my personal feelings are is of no importance. You appointed me Big X. And it's my duty to harass, confound, and confuse the enemy to the best of my ability.
Ramsey : That's true.
Bartlett : Well, that's what I intend to do. I'm going to cause such a terrible stink in this... Third Reich of theirs, that thousands of troops that could well be employed at the front will be tied up here looking after us.
Ramsey : How?
Bartlett : By putting more men out of this... "perfect" camp of theirs than have ever escaped before. Oh, not blitzing out two or three or a dozen, but two hundred, three hundred. Scatter them all over Germany.
Ramsey : Do you think that's possible?
Bartlett : Well, the men are here to do it. The goons have put every escape artist in Germany in this camp. You said so yourself.
Ramsey : Have you thought of what it might cost?
Bartlett : I've thought of the humiliation if we just... tamely submit. Knuckle under and crawl. Surely, you don't advocate that, do you, sir?
Ramsey : I have to point out one thing to you, Roger. No matter how unsatisfactory this camp may be, the High Command have still left us in the hands of the Luftwaffe. Not the Gestapo and the SS.
Bartlett : Look, sir, you talk about the High Command and the Luftwaffe, and then you talk about the Gestapo and the SS. To me, they're the same! We're fighting the bloody lot! There's only one way to put it, sir: they are the common enemies of everyone who believes in freedom.
Bartlett : Not nearly as rough as I now intend to give them.
Ramsey : Roger, personal revenge must be kept out of what we have to do here. Too many lives are at stake.
Bartlett : [ scoffing ] What my personal feelings are is of no importance. You appointed me Big X. And it's my duty to harass, confound, and confuse the enemy to the best of my ability.
Ramsey : That's true.
Bartlett : Well, that's what I intend to do. I'm going to cause such a terrible stink in this... Third Reich of theirs, that thousands of troops that could well be employed at the front will be tied up here looking after us.
Ramsey : How?
Bartlett : By putting more men out of this... "perfect" camp of theirs than have ever escaped before. Oh, not blitzing out two or three or a dozen, but two hundred, three hundred. Scatter them all over Germany.
Ramsey : Do you think that's possible?
Bartlett : Well, the men are here to do it. The goons have put every escape artist in Germany in this camp. You said so yourself.
Ramsey : Have you thought of what it might cost?
Bartlett : I've thought of the humiliation if we just... tamely submit. Knuckle under and crawl. Surely, you don't advocate that, do you, sir?
Ramsey : I have to point out one thing to you, Roger. No matter how unsatisfactory this camp may be, the High Command have still left us in the hands of the Luftwaffe. Not the Gestapo and the SS.
Bartlett : Look, sir, you talk about the High Command and the Luftwaffe, and then you talk about the Gestapo and the SS. To me, they're the same! We're fighting the bloody lot! There's only one way to put it, sir: they are the common enemies of everyone who believes in freedom.
Movie: The Great Escape
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : [ arriving at Stalag Luft III ] How far are the trees, Danny?
Danny : Over... two hundred feet.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Yeah, I'd say three hundred.
Danny : Long ways to dig.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : We'll get Cavendish to make a survey. I wish Big X were here.
Danny : Willy, you think X got away?
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Well, he'd have sent us word somehow if he had.
Danny : Gestapo, you think?
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Either that or he's dead.
Danny : Over... two hundred feet.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Yeah, I'd say three hundred.
Danny : Long ways to dig.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : We'll get Cavendish to make a survey. I wish Big X were here.
Danny : Willy, you think X got away?
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Well, he'd have sent us word somehow if he had.
Danny : Gestapo, you think?
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : Either that or he's dead.
Movie: The Great Escape
Bartlett : Gentlemen, no doubt you've heard the immortal words of our new commandant: devote your energies to things other than escape, and sit out the war as comfortably as possible.
Sedgwick : [ derisively ] Ha!
Bartlett : Well, that's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to devote our energies to sports and gardening, all the cultural pursuits as far as they're concerned. In fact, we're going to put the goons to sleep. Meanwhile, we dig. Now, even a superficial look at the compound shows us that Huts 104 and 5 are closest to the woods. The first tunnel goes out from 105, directly east under the vorlager, the cooler, and the wire.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : But that's over three hundred feet, Roger!
Bartlett : Did you make a survey, Dennis?
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : Only a temporary one, sir. I make it just over three hundred and thirty-five feet.
Bartlett : Let me know when you've got an exact one. Willie, this time we'll dig straight down thirty feet before we go horizontal. That'll rule out any question of sound detection or probing.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : All right, Roger. But did you say "the first tunnel"?
Bartlett : I did. There will be three. We'll call them Tom, Dick, and Harry. Tom, as I said, goes out directly east from 104. Dick goes north from the kitchen, and Harry goes out parallel to Tom from 105. If the goons find one, we'll move into the other.
MacDonald : How many men do you plan to take out, Roger?
Bartlett : Two hundred and fifty. [ Shocked stares ]
Bartlett : There will be no half-measures this time, gentlemen. There will be identification papers and documents for everyone. And Griff, we'll need outfits for the lot.
Griffith
Sedgwick : [ derisively ] Ha!
Bartlett : Well, that's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to devote our energies to sports and gardening, all the cultural pursuits as far as they're concerned. In fact, we're going to put the goons to sleep. Meanwhile, we dig. Now, even a superficial look at the compound shows us that Huts 104 and 5 are closest to the woods. The first tunnel goes out from 105, directly east under the vorlager, the cooler, and the wire.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : But that's over three hundred feet, Roger!
Bartlett : Did you make a survey, Dennis?
Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish "The Surveyor" : Only a temporary one, sir. I make it just over three hundred and thirty-five feet.
Bartlett : Let me know when you've got an exact one. Willie, this time we'll dig straight down thirty feet before we go horizontal. That'll rule out any question of sound detection or probing.
Flight Lt. William Dickes "The Tunneler" : All right, Roger. But did you say "the first tunnel"?
Bartlett : I did. There will be three. We'll call them Tom, Dick, and Harry. Tom, as I said, goes out directly east from 104. Dick goes north from the kitchen, and Harry goes out parallel to Tom from 105. If the goons find one, we'll move into the other.
MacDonald : How many men do you plan to take out, Roger?
Bartlett : Two hundred and fifty. [ Shocked stares ]
Bartlett : There will be no half-measures this time, gentlemen. There will be identification papers and documents for everyone. And Griff, we'll need outfits for the lot.
Griffith
Movie: The Great Escape