The Black Rose (1950)

Jack Hawkins: Tristram Griffin

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Quotes 

• Tristram Griffin : I was thinking about going with you.

  Walter of Gurnie : To Cathay?

  Tristram Griffin : Well, where's that?

  Walter of Gurnie : Well, it's a long way from your forest.

  Tristram Griffin : Well, maybe Sarah would like it there.

  Walter of Gurnie : Now, don't talk too lightly about it, Tris,. If we should go to such a place, the chances are all you'll get out of it is that, in the end, you'll be hung by a Mongol instead of a Norman.

  Tristram Griffin : Well, if it comes to that, I'd sooner give the pleasure to somebody I don't know than a Norman I hate.

  Walter of Gurnie : A far land it is then. I guess this is the beginning.

• Tristram Griffin : Who is this Bayan general, the one with all the eyes?

  Lu Chung : Oh, he's the greatest soldier in the world. The great Khan borrowed him from Persia for his war against China. He will conquer the world one day.

• Walter of Gurnie : [after the battle]  I saw you at the beginning. You and your bowman against those fire tubes.

  Tristram Griffin : They sounded like the anger of God! I think perhaps they were! They're killing every man, woman, and child in the district like harvesters through a field of grain! They pull their heads forward by the hair for the ax. Not one left alive! Like harvesters cutting wheat!

• Tristram Griffin : The infidel swine!

• Tristram Griffin : Now, what heathen...

  Walter of Gurnie : The Crusades have given these people reason enough not to love Christians. Besides, we're not looking for trouble. We're looking for the biggest merchant with the biggest caravan to the farthest places.

  Tristram Griffin : He'll likely be the biggest pirate too.

• Tristram Griffin : I don't know why they didn't build me to fit a camel better or build a camel to fit me better.

• Tristram Griffin : Why don't you ever wear your father's boots?

• Maryam : I hoped you would begin telling me about England. What is it like there? Is it very beautiful?

  Walter of Gurnie : I don't know.

  Maryam : Do you think it's beautiful, Tris?

  Tristram Griffin : Yes, I think it's beautiful. The most beautiful place in the world. It smells good. The forest, the English soil. It's clean. The rain washes it that way, I suppose. It's so clean, it's fragrant with it.

• Tristram Griffin : Where are you going?

  Walter of Gurnie : You can't just walk out of here without a plan. I'm gonna find out how to get to China.

• Tristram Griffin : I don't see what you're so particular about. It took me a half an hour to convince four girls they weren't going to bathe me.