# The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 film about a rebellious U.S. Army Major who, during World War II, is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead into a mass assassination mission of German officers.
    Directed by Robert Aldrich. Written by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller, based on the novel by E. M. Nathanson.

## Major John Reisman

* I never went in for embroidery, just results.
* You've seen a general inspecting troops before haven't you? Just walk slow, act dumb and look stupid!
* You know what to do, free the French and shoot the Germans!

## Joseph Wladislaw

* Killin' generals could get to be a habit with me.

## Archer J. Maggot

* It's judgment day, sinners! Come out, come out wherever you are!

## Samson Posey

* I reckon the folks'd be a sight happier if I died like a soldier. Can't say I would.

## Victor Franko

* Hey! What's the matter with you? You think I want to die? Ha! If you think that then you don't know Victor Franko.

## Other

* Maj. Gen. Worden: This war was not started for your private gratification, and you can be damned sure it's not being run for your personal convenience, either!

## Dialogue

    Major John Reisman: [Kinder has just finished a psychiatric evaluation of Reisman's troops] So what does that give you?
    Capt. Stuart Kinder: Doesn't give me anything. But along with these other results, it gives you just about the most twisted, anti-social bunch of psychopathic deformities I have ever run into! And the worst, the most dangerous of the bunch, is Maggott. You've got one religious maniac, one malignant dwarf, two near-idiots... and the rest I don't even wanna think about!
    Major John Reisman: Well, I can't think of a better way to fight a war.
    Capt. Stuart Kinder: These people don't know their enemy is the Germans. They think the enemy is their own United States Army!
    Major John Reisman: Maybe that's because the Germans haven't done anything to them yet.
    Major John Reisman: Any questions?
    Maggot: Suh? Do we have to eat with niggahs?
    [Jefferson jumps Maggot]
    Sergeant Clyde Bowren: [as Reisman exits the room] What's going on, sir?
    Major John Reisman: Oh, the gentleman from the South had a question about the dining arrangements. He and his comrades are discussing place settings now.
    Major John Reisman: Which one of you guys wants to be a general? [Pinkley raises his hand] Pinkley?
    Pinkley: What kind of general, sir?
    Major John Reisman: Just a plain, ordinary, every day, home-lovin' American general.
    Pinkley: I'd rather be a civilian, sir.
    Major John Reisman: Posey, what did they lock you up for? I mean, what did you do?
    Samson Posey: I already told you that sir.
    Major John Reisman: Well tell me again. I'm sure your friends over here would like to know too.
    Samson Posey: This fella kept pushing me. I don't like to be pushed so I hit him.
    Major John Reisman: Killed a man with your bare hands because he shoved you?
    Samson Posey: I only hit him once.
    Major John Reisman: Only him him once. And drove his jawbone right through his brain because he pushed him.
    Major John Reisman: How come you speak German?
    Joseph T. Wladislaw: My old man came from Silesia. He didn't speak German, he didn't dig coal. If he didn't dig coal, he didn't eat.
    Col. Everett Dasher Breed: Reisman! Some people may consider you a first-class officer. But as far as I'm concerned, you're a disorganized, undisciplined clown. I'm gonna' make it my business to run you out of this Army.
    Major John Reisman: I owe you an apology, colonel. I always thought that you were a cold, unimaginative, tight-lipped officer. But you're really quite emotional, aren't you?
    Samson Posey: I don't want to hurt you Major.
    Major John Reisman: You're not gonna hurt me, I'm gonna hurt you.
    Major John Reisman: What do you think, Sergeant?
    Sergeant Clyde Bowren: I think you'll do just fine, sir.
    Major John Reisman: [emphatically] Don't give me that! I said what do you think?
    Sergeant Clyde Bowren: I think the first chance one of those lovers gets, he's going to shoot the Major right in the head... sir.
    [after being given his mission]
    Maj. Gen. Worden: What do you say, Major?
    Major John Reisman: lt confirms a suspicion l've had for some time now, sir.
    Maj. Gen. Worden: Think we might share that suspicion? l think you should.
    Major John Reisman: Since we are over here to try to win the war, it shouldn't be advertised that someone we work for is a raving lunatic.
    Gen. Denton: Major Reisman is heading toward a court martial of his own. He's the most ill-mannered, ill-disciplined officer that it's ever been my displeasure to meet.
    Maj. Gen. Worden: You think so, Denton? You may be right. But he's sure right about one thing. Somebody up there must be a raving lunatic.
    Major John Reisman: [briefing the dozen] And kill any officer in sight.
    Victor R. Franko: Ours or theirs?

## Taglines

* Train them! Excite them! Arm them!...Then turn them loose on the Nazis!
* D-Day Began When The Dirty Dozen Were Done!

## Cast

* Lee Marvin - Major John Reisman
* Ernest Borgnine - Major Gen. Sam Worden
* Charles Bronson - Joseph Wladislaw (number 9: death by hanging)
* Jim Brown - Robert T. Jefferson (number 3: death by hanging)
* John Cassavetes - Victor R. Franko (number 11: death by hanging)
* Richard Jaeckel - Sergeant Clyde Bowren
* George Kennedy - Major Max Armbruster
* Trini Lopez - Pedro Jimenez (number 10: 20 years' hard labor)
* Ralph Meeker - Captain Stuart Kinder
* Robert Ryan - Colonel Everett Dasher Breed
* Telly Savalas - Archer J. Maggott (number 8: death by hanging)
* Donald Sutherland - Vernon L. Pinkley (number 2: 30 years' imprisonment)
* Clint Walker - Samson Posey (number 1: death by hanging)
* Robert Webber - Brigadier General James Denton
* Tom Busby - Milo Vladek (number 6: 30 years' hard labor)
* Ben Carruthers - S. Glenn Gilpin (number 4: 30 years' hard labor)
* Stuart Cooper - Roscoe Lever (number 5: 20 years' imprisonment)
* Robert Phillips - Corporal Carl Morgan
* Colin Maitland - Seth K. Sawyer (number 7: 20 years' hard labor)
* Al Mancini - Tassos R. Bravos (number 12: 20 years' hard labor)

## External links

* The Dirty Dozen quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* The Dirty Dozen at Allmovie