Christopher Plummer credited as playing...
Arthur Wellesley - Duke of Wellington
- [Historical quote]
- Duke of Wellington: [referring to his army] I don't know what they'll do to the enemy; but, by God, they frighten me.
- Lord Uxbridge: [clears throat] Sir.
- Duke of Wellington: [removing his copy of The Times from over his face] Ah, Uxbridge.
- Lord Uxbridge: As I am second-in-command and in case anything should happen to you, what are your plans?
- Duke of Wellington: [brightly] To beat the French.
- [goes back to sleep, replacing the newspaper over his head]
- [referring to the English troops]
- Duchess of Richmond: They're the salt of England, Arthur.
- Duke of Wellington: Scum. Nothing but beggars and scoundrels, all of them. Gin is the spirit of their patriotism.
- Duchess of Richmond: Yet you expect them to die for you?
- Duke of Wellington: Um-hum.
- Duchess of Richmond: Out of duty?
- Duke of Wellington: Um-hum.
- Duchess of Richmond: I doubt if even Bonaparte could draw men to him by duty.
- Duke of Wellington: Oh, Boney's not a gentleman.
- Duchess of Richmond: Arthur! What an Englishman you are.
- Duke of Wellington: On the field of battle his hat is worth fifty thousand men; but he is not a gentleman.
- Duke of Wellington: [on Napolean's maneuver that split the English and Prussian armies] By God, that man does war honor.
- Duke of Wellington: The whole line will advance.
- Lord Uxbridge: In which direction your grace?
- Duke of Wellington: Why, straight ahead to be sure.
- Duke of Wellington: [to the Duchess of Richmond about arranging the ball] You really are the best of my generals.
- Sarah: General Picton doesn't know how to walk in a ballroom.
- Duke of Wellington: But he is very good when he is dancing with the French.
- Mulholland: We're doing murder, your grace.
- Duke of Wellington: I hope to God... that I've fought my last battle.
- Lord Gordon: Good beans, Wellington!
- Duke of Wellington: If there is anything in this world about which I know positively nothing, it is agriculture.
- [as the British cavalry charge across the battlefield]
- Lord Uxbridge: Sound the recall!
- [a trumpeter blows the signal on his trumpet. The cavalry either ignore or can't hear it, continuing to charge towards the French cannon. The trumpeter keeps sounding]
- Duke of Wellington: [irritably] Stop that useless noise!
- [kinder]
- Duke of Wellington: You'll hurt yourself.
- [before the battle starts, the British troops are singing a mocking song about Napoleon]
- William De Lancey: Shall I shut them up, Sir?
- Duke of Wellington: No, no, indulge it . Anything that wastes time is good. Indulge it. Normally I don't like cheering, but there's always a time to cut cards with the Devil.
- Duke of Wellington: Bylandt's's brigade has broken. Plug the gap, if you please.
- General Sir Thomas Picton: Gordon, get your bastards up on to the crest. I'll bring up the rest of the brigade.
- Lord Gordon: Don't hurry yourself, Pic. My lads will hold them, aye, 'til you come.
- General Sir Thomas Picton: Get forward, damn your eyes!
- [the French artillery has begun firing on the English positions]
- Duke of Wellington: Well, that opens the ball.
- Duke of Wellington: They're coming on in the same old style.
- General Sir Thomas Picton: Well, then we shall have to meet them in the same old style.
- William De Lancey: He's commiting Reille's Division now sir, he intends to turn us, on the right!
- Duke of Wellington: What the master does and what he intends are as different as white knight to black bishop.
- William De Lancey: We could quickly move the 95th down, sir.
- Duke of Wellington: I do not intend to run around like a wet hen! There'll be plenty of time, sir.
- Duchess of Richmond: ...this year, soldiers are the fashion.
- Duke of Wellington: [ironically] Where would society be without my boys?