They Were Expendable (1945)

John Wayne: Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : [as they watch the inspectors drive away]  Wonderful the way people believe in those high powered canoes of yours.

  Lt. John Brickley : Don't you believe in them, Rusty?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And I let you sell me that stuff about a command of my own.

  Lt. John Brickley : You're skipper of the 34 boat, aren't you?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : I used to skipper a cake of soap in the bathtub, too.

  [He walks off] 

• Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : Listen sister, I don't dance!

• Lt. John Brickley : Oh, Snuffy... how about getting some torpedoes from you?

  Submarine commander : For those cracker boxes of yours? No telling when we'll see a mother ship again.

  Lt. John Brickley : How long have you been on patrol?

  Submarine commander : Since the day the war started.

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : What did you get?

  Submarine commander : Two small freighters. We had hard luck.

  Lt. John Brickley : Well, while you've been cruising around the Pacific, those 'cracker boxes' have sunk two converted cruisers, an auxiliary aircraft carrier, a 10,000-ton tanker, a large freighter, a flock of barges and numerous sons of Nippon!

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And also in our brief career, we've carried more messages than Western Union!

  Submarine commander : Well, look, I'd love to help you out, fellas. But you know, I got orders...

  Lt. John Brickley : Snuffy... who played the leading lady in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" in 1932 at the Academy?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And does your crew know about it?

  Submarine commander : [after a long pause]  How many do you want?

  Lt. John Brickley : You've got sixteen?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : We'll take eight.

  Lt. John Brickley : And we'll try and put 'em where they belong.

  Submarine commander : Thanks.

  [walks away slowly] 

• Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : Are you kidding, Brick?

  Lt. John Brickley : Theirs not to reason why. Theirs but to do...

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And die... but I don't want to be bored to death running messages!

  Lt. John Brickley : I'll see that you get the more intriguing ones.

• 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c : Mr. Ryan, this has gone far enough! That 41 boat is always hoggin' the good jobs, sir.

  Seaman Jones : We'll get all the soaking we need on our way up to hit the Japs, sir.

  'Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c : What are we gonna do, sit around on our duffs till they get back, sir?

  Ens. 'Snake' Gardner : 41 can't handle this job alone... sir.

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : How about it, sir?

  Lt. John Brickley : Okay. But if she starts taking water, turn back. Sir.

• Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : Listen Brick, for years I've been taking your fatherly advice, and it's never been any good. So from now on, I'm strictly a one man band!