Daily Dialogue — December 10, 2011

Major John Reisman: Which one of you guys wants to be a general? [to Pinkley] 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 (Lee Marvin), Pinkley (Donald Sutherland), The Dirty Dozen (1967), screenplay by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller, based on a novel by E.M. Nathanson

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is World War II, suggested by Phil who also suggested The Dirty Dozen.

Trivia: The scene where one of the dozen pretends to be a general inspecting Robert Ryan’s troops was initially written for Clint Walker’s character. However, Walker was uncomfortable with this scene, so Robert Aldrich decided to use Donald Sutherland instead. The scene was directly responsible for Sutherland being cast in MASH, which made him an international star.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Nothing like GI’s giving Generals stick.