Le déserteur (1949)

Kenneth More: Corporal Newman

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Quotes 

• Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Hmm, nice little place you got here, Burden. Better than the glasshouse, eh?

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : Well, what do you intend to do?

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Well, I might do nothing. All depends. What made you desert, Burden? If you'd hung on a bit longer, you'd have been out now.

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : I had my reasons. Very good reasons.

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : So did thousands of others. And look at them today; on the run, all of 'em. Like you. You ever thought of giving yourself up?

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : What for? No, the war cost me everything I ever had, Newman. If they want me, they've got to catch me. They talked about clemency some time ago, didn't they? Made a deadline for us to give ourselves up. Well I know a man who fell for that. And what did he get? Two years hard labour in a detention barracks and his sentence reviewed every three months. Does that make you want to give yourself up? This was a man with a wife and two kids and three years overseas service to his credit. No, I've done my share. - nearly four years of it. The war's over now. I just want to be left alone.

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Well, if that's how you feel - what's it worth to you?

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : What's it worth to me?

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Now let's keep this straight, Burden; you're nicely fixed up here. And it's 10,000 to 1 against anyone else of our lot ever coming within a hundred miles of the place. They're mostly from the north anyway. So there's no reason why you shouldn't go on in peace and quiet indefinitely. That is, if you're sensible.

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : Peace and quiet? Huh! You don't really think that, do you?

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Why not?

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : Why not? I'll tell you why not; phony identity card, phony ration book, five pounds to a man up north every time there's a new issue. Always on edge...

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : But you still prefer it to the glasshouse, don't you?

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Now listen, Burden, we've all got our troubles. Take me: before the war, I was down the mines. I've no intention of ever going back. I've been too long above ground now and I like it. The only other trade I know is killing. And that's gone out of fashion. Besides, I'm sick and tired of the army. I want a bit of freedom. But, like you, I've got to earn money. So until something better comes along, I've taken a job at the local manor. My sister's married to one of the gamekeepers and he's fixed me up as a sort of general man. But the money's bad. And that's where you come in. To help me out. I'll settle for twenty pounds down and two pounds a week.

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : Blackmail!

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Call it what you like. But that's how it is.

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : How much do you think I earn for heaven's sake?

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : I don't know and I don't care.

  Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown : Well I haven't got twenty pounds to start with.

  Corp. Newman the Blackmailer : Then find it. You can if you want to. And if you don't - I'll turn you in. I'll come back tonight.