Zulu Quotes
Policemen Ali Sokhela and Brian Epkeen investigate the brutal murder of a young white woman, apparently provoked by the availability of a new illegal drug and somehow connected to the disappearance of black street children.
Bromhead: [mounted, crossing stream] Hot work?
Lieutenant John Chard: [kneeling in stream] Damned hot work.
Bromhead: Still, the river cooled you off a bit though, eh?
[pause]
Bromhead: Who are you?
Lieutenant John Chard: John Chard, Royal Engineers.
Bromhead: Bromhead. 24th. That's my post... up there.
[points into middle distance]
Bromhead: You've come down from the column?
Lieutenant John Chard: That's right. They want a bridge across the river.
Bromhead: Who said you could use my men?
Lieutenant John Chard: They were sitting around on their backsides, doing nothing.
Bromhead: Rather you asked first, old boy.
Lieutenant John Chard: I was told that their officer was out hunting.
Bromhead: Err... yes.
[spurs on horse]
Bromhead: I'll tell my man to clean your kit.
Lieutenant John Chard: Don't bother!
Bromhead: No bother... I'm not offering to clean it myself! Still, a chap ought to look smart in front of the men, don't you think? Well chin-chin... do carry on with your mud pies.
Lieutenant John Chard: [kneeling in stream] Damned hot work.
Bromhead: Still, the river cooled you off a bit though, eh?
[pause]
Bromhead: Who are you?
Lieutenant John Chard: John Chard, Royal Engineers.
Bromhead: Bromhead. 24th. That's my post... up there.
[points into middle distance]
Bromhead: You've come down from the column?
Lieutenant John Chard: That's right. They want a bridge across the river.
Bromhead: Who said you could use my men?
Lieutenant John Chard: They were sitting around on their backsides, doing nothing.
Bromhead: Rather you asked first, old boy.
Lieutenant John Chard: I was told that their officer was out hunting.
Bromhead: Err... yes.
[spurs on horse]
Bromhead: I'll tell my man to clean your kit.
Lieutenant John Chard: Don't bother!
Bromhead: No bother... I'm not offering to clean it myself! Still, a chap ought to look smart in front of the men, don't you think? Well chin-chin... do carry on with your mud pies.
Surgeon Maj. Reynolds: You know what you've got there, my malingering Hector?
Pte. Henry Hook: No, sir. Hook's the name, sir.
Surgeon Maj. Reynolds: You've got a fine glistening boil, my friend. There's one glistening boil for every soldier in Africa. You may not get any medals in this campaign, Hook, but you'll certainly get more boils. For every gunshot wound I probe, I expect to lance 3 boils.
[brandishing a lance]
Pte. Henry Hook: A spot of medicinal brandy would set me up, sir!
Surgeon Maj. Reynolds: Brandy's for heroes, Mr. Hook. The rest of you will make do with boils on your skin, flies in your meat and dysentery on your bellies!
Pte. Henry Hook: No, sir. Hook's the name, sir.
Surgeon Maj. Reynolds: You've got a fine glistening boil, my friend. There's one glistening boil for every soldier in Africa. You may not get any medals in this campaign, Hook, but you'll certainly get more boils. For every gunshot wound I probe, I expect to lance 3 boils.
[brandishing a lance]
Pte. Henry Hook: A spot of medicinal brandy would set me up, sir!
Surgeon Maj. Reynolds: Brandy's for heroes, Mr. Hook. The rest of you will make do with boils on your skin, flies in your meat and dysentery on your bellies!
Lieutenant John Chard: Mr. Bourne, there should be 12 more men working on this redoubt.
Color Sgt. Bourne: They're very tired, sir.
[Chard whirls around]
Lieutenant John Chard: I don't give a damn! And I want this wall nine feet high, firing steps on the inside. Form details to clear away the Zulu bodies, rebuild the south rampart, keep 'em moving! Do you understand?
Color Sgt. Bourne: Yes sir... very good, sir.
Color Sgt. Bourne: They're very tired, sir.
[Chard whirls around]
Lieutenant John Chard: I don't give a damn! And I want this wall nine feet high, firing steps on the inside. Form details to clear away the Zulu bodies, rebuild the south rampart, keep 'em moving! Do you understand?
Color Sgt. Bourne: Yes sir... very good, sir.
Bromhead: Chard. One of my men - Hook - do you know him?
Lieutenant John Chard: [preoccupied] No.
Bromhead: In the hospital, malingering under arrest. He's a thief, a coward and an insubordinate barrack room lawyer. And you've given him a rifle!
Lieutenant John Chard: [distracted] What?
Bromhead: In Queen's Regulations, it specifically states - Damn funny. Like a train... in the distance.
[stops as the sound of thousands of Zulu warriors marching toward the mission can be heard]
Lieutenant John Chard: You were saying about Hook?
Lieutenant John Chard: [preoccupied] No.
Bromhead: In the hospital, malingering under arrest. He's a thief, a coward and an insubordinate barrack room lawyer. And you've given him a rifle!
Lieutenant John Chard: [distracted] What?
Bromhead: In Queen's Regulations, it specifically states - Damn funny. Like a train... in the distance.
[stops as the sound of thousands of Zulu warriors marching toward the mission can be heard]
Lieutenant John Chard: You were saying about Hook?
Pvt. William Jones: What's he up to, 593?
Pte. Robert Jones: Oh, I think he wants to be hero, 716.
Cpl. Frederic Schiess, NNC: Haven't you rednecks got names instead of numbers?
Pte. Robert Jones: 'Tis a Welsh regiment, man! Though there are some foreigners from England in it , mind. I am Jones from Bwlchgwyn, he is Jones from Builth Wells, and there are four more Joneses in C Company! Confusing, isn't it, Dutchy?
Pte. Robert Jones: Oh, I think he wants to be hero, 716.
Cpl. Frederic Schiess, NNC: Haven't you rednecks got names instead of numbers?
Pte. Robert Jones: 'Tis a Welsh regiment, man! Though there are some foreigners from England in it , mind. I am Jones from Bwlchgwyn, he is Jones from Builth Wells, and there are four more Joneses in C Company! Confusing, isn't it, Dutchy?
Lieutenant John Chard: Well, you've fought your first action.
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Does everyone feel like this afterwards?
Lieutenant John Chard: How do you feel?
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Sick.
Lieutenant John Chard: Well, you have to feel alive to feel sick.
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: You asked me, I told you.
[pause]
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: There's something else. I feel ashamed. Was that how it was for you? The first time?
Lieutenant John Chard: The first time? You think I could stand this butcher's yard more than once?
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: I didn't know.
Lieutenant John Chard: I came up here to build a bridge.
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Does everyone feel like this afterwards?
Lieutenant John Chard: How do you feel?
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: Sick.
Lieutenant John Chard: Well, you have to feel alive to feel sick.
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: You asked me, I told you.
[pause]
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: There's something else. I feel ashamed. Was that how it was for you? The first time?
Lieutenant John Chard: The first time? You think I could stand this butcher's yard more than once?
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead: I didn't know.
Lieutenant John Chard: I came up here to build a bridge.
