King Rat (1965)

Tom Courtenay: Lieutenant Grey

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Quotes 

• Lt. Robin Grey : Why do you think it is, Corporal, that you have so much and the rest of us so little? One day, Corporal, you're going to make a slip. All this wealth you've got isn't going to check against my list. And when you do; when that happens... I'll be ready. And you'll be in there...

  [points to the bamboo cage] 

  Lt. Robin Grey : in my cage. I'm not playing at being provost marshall, you know. And I've never yet heard of a run of luck that didn't run out. And yours will - depend on it - because you're like all criminals: you're greedy.

  Cpl. King : Lieutenant, I'd like to point out to you that I don't have to put up with this crap from you. I'm not in your two-bit army, I'm in our two-bit army. If you're looking for something to live for, when we get out of this you come looking for me and I'll hand you your head.

• [Lt. Grey has come into King's hut while Marlowe is there] 

  Lt. Robin Grey : You're slumming aren't you, Marlowe?

  Peter Marlowe : Don't be a snob, old man. Never make a good policeman if you're a snob. Everyone looks the same with their knickers down.

• [last lines] 

  Peter Marlowe : [speaking about King]  It wouldn't have occurred to you would it, Grey, that you're only alive because of what he gave you?

  Lt. Robin Grey : What are you talking about? I never took anything from him. He never gave me anything.

  Peter Marlowe : Only hate, Grey. Only hate.

• Jones : [Trying to bribe Grey to keep him quiet about the tampered food ration weights]  You'll get a pound of rice a week.

  Lt. Robin Grey : Is that all?

  Jones : Okay, two pounds. And half a pound of dried fish.

  Lt. Robin Grey : No sugar, or eggs?

  Jones : They both go to the hospital. You know that.

  Jones : [Long pause, while Grey mulls it over]  What do you say?

  Lt. Robin Grey : I'll tell you what I say, Colonel. I'm gonna' go to Colonel Smedley-Taylor, and I'm gonna' tell him what you've just said.

  Lt. Robin Grey : [Holds up one of the tampered weights]  ...

  Lt. Robin Grey : And I'm gonna' show him this. And if there's a borehole party - and I pray there will be - I'm going ask to lead it. And I'm personally going to shove you down, but not too fast, because I want to hear you scream for a long, long time before you die.

• Lt. Robin Grey : You hypocrite. I think you're in with them. Well, you're none of you gonna' get away with it. I can't prove anything against you yet, but I've got proof against the other two because I've got this weight...

  Lt. Robin Grey : [Grey picks up the supposedly tampered weight from the table and feels it]  ...

  Col. George Smedley-Taylor: The Senior Officers : [Looks Grey coldly in the eye]  What about the weight, Lieutenant?

  Lt. Robin Grey : [Grey suddenly notices that the weight he picked up is not the tampered one he took from Jones and Blakely earlier]  ...

  Col. George Smedley-Taylor: The Senior Officers : I said, what about the weight?

  Lt. Robin Grey : [Looking stunned and confused]  It... This isn't the same. This isn't the one I gave you.

  Col. George Smedley-Taylor: The Senior Officers : You're wrong, Lieutenant. It's *exactly* the same one.

• Lt. Robin Grey : Where's the money?

  Cpl. King : What money, sir?

  Lt. Robin Grey : [Impatiently]  The money from the sale of the diamond!

  Cpl. King : [Acting as if he doesn't know what Grey's talking about]  What diamond, sir?

  Lt. Robin Grey : All right, all right, Corporal. The War will be over one day, and then you'll get yours!

  Cpl. King : [Condescendingly]  All right, sir. I believe you... but until then...

  [He salutes half-heartedly and leaves] 

• Lt. Robin Grey : Why do you think it is? Why do you think you have so much, and the rest of us have so little? One day, Corporal, you're going to make a slip. All this wealth you'e got won't check against my list, and when you do, when that happens, I'll be ready, and you'll be there in my cage. I'm not playing at being provost marshal. You know, I never yet heard of luck that didn't run out. Yours will. Depend on it. Because yours will run out. You will depend on it. Because like all criminals, you're greedy.

  Cpl. King : Lieutenant, I'd like to point out that I don't have to put up with this crap from you. I'm not in your two-bit army, I'm in our two-bit army. And if you're looking for something to live for, when we get out of this, you come looking for me, and I'll hand you your head.