Peter O'Toole: General Tanz

The Night of the Generals

General Tanz

General Tanz: The whole business disgusts me, but even I must relax once in a while. It's like the natural functions. Revolting, but inevitable.

General Tanz: [to Hartmann] I don't want to have to blow your handsome head to pieces.

Major Grau: Preliminary investigation has established that each of you was... well... unaccounted for last night.
General Tanz: To whom should we be accountable, Major?

General Kahlenberge: General Tanz, forgive me, but, uh, just as a matter of curiosity - what do you feel is the exact purpose of this exercise?
General Tanz: You've read the memorandum.
General Kahlenberge: Oh yes. Yes, I have indeed...
General Tanz: And what does the memorandum say?
General Kahlenberge: That Phase One is intended to intimidate the population, to search houses, to find and arrest resistance.
General Tanz: Then that is the exact purpose of the exercise.
General von Seidlitz-Gabler: An excellent plan, by the way - much like my own when I first came here, only I was never given the ultimate authority to implement it.
General Kahlenberge: But, um... am I to understand that if there is resistance during Phase One, you would then go to Phase Two, and even Phase Three, which would mean the destruction of the entire city?
General Tanz: You are to understand exactly that.
General Kahlenberge: Well, uh... isn't that somewhat... excessive?
General Tanz: Excessive.
[goes to map]
General Tanz: You will be aware that we are thirty miles from Moscow. We are moving ahead on a 5,000 mile front. Every available soldier is needed if we are to conquer Russia. Yet here in Warsaw, three divisions are rotting, because of a few thousand criminal Poles and Jews hiding in slums. It is... excessive to permit this state of affairs.

General Tanz: [complaining about his orderly] Filthy pig. Last week he offered me an unwashed glass, now he enters my sight looking as though he just exhumed his grandmother with his bare hands! Absolute cleanliness, that's what I demand from the people around me, do I make myself clear?

[at the museum, General Tanz can be seen viewing a portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. As he looks at it, he begins to have a seemingly manic reaction to it. While watching, Hartmann becomes concerned. After a few seconds, he suddenly grabs Tanz by the arm. Suddenly, Tanz comes to his senses before glaring intensely at Hartmann]
General Tanz: [sharply] How dare you touch me!
Corporal Hartmann: [nervously] Excuse me, sir, but... but...
General Tanz: *Never* do that again!

[General Tanz can be seen sitting with Corporal Hartmann at an outdoor café in Paris. As they each have a drink, they can be seen talking]
General Tanz: Tell me, when it comes to the final choice... who is more important? You? Or I?
Corporal Hartmann: A General is more important than a Corporal, sir.
General Tanz: Of course. Never forget that, no matter what happens.

[at a café in Paris, General Tanz can be seen speaking with Corporal Hartmann]
General Tanz: Give me your wallet, Corporal.
[Hartmann looks surprised by the sudden command as he reaches into the pocket of his coat and pulls out his wallet]
General Tanz: I shall take a short walk.
[Tanz takes a wallet of his own and pulls out some money. Which he places on top of Hartmann's wallet. As he's doing this, he notices that the latter's wallet contains a picture of Ulrike]
General Tanz: You have good taste.
[Tanz puts his wallet away and stands up]
General Tanz: Pay the bill and leave an adequate tip. When I return, I may wish to study further details of Parisian nightlife.
Corporal Hartmann: Yes, sir.

Eleanore von Seidlitz-Gabler: I must say, I still find it hard to get used to the idea of young girls in the army.
General Tanz: We're building a new world order, and women should not be exempt from playing their part.

General Tanz: Are you, by any chance, using perfume?
Major Grau: I occasionally use a strong eau de cologne after shaving. Good night, sir.

General Tanz: At 7:30, you are to wake me. Bath water, 31 degrees. Breakfast to consist of four raw eggs, two slices of toast, coffee, one ounce of brandy.

General Tanz: Tell me, corporal, are the sights of Paris confined to those which stimulate the intellect and stomach?
Corporal Hartmann: By no means, sir.
General Tanz: Then we must be thorough.

General Tanz: Define the term "decadent art."
Corporal Hartmann: Well, sir, it's a matter of interpretation. Technically speaking, to be decadent is to be weak, diminished in energy, sterile. I don't personally think the paintings we saw are decadent. But then, I don't really know what decadence is, not officially anyway.

General Tanz: Orders are to be obeyed. That goes for Generals as well as Lance Corporals.

General Tanz: Any conclusions you may have drawn from my behavior are false and dangerous.

General Tanz: Pay the bill and leave an adequate tip. When I return, I may wish to study further details of Parisian nightlife.