The Black Rose (1950)

Orson Welles: Bayan

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Quotes 

• Walter of Gurnie : Oh, how do we find your tent?

  Bayan : Scholar, if any man in my army can't tell you where my tent is, our poetic young bowman can use him as a target.

• Bayan : At least I'm good enough to know, no war was ever won that was fought in the same way as the war before it.

• Bayan : That's the only way you can ever sleep soundly, you know, when your enemy's sleep is eternal.

• Bayan : Well, it's worth something to be willing to die for something.

• Bayan : A bowman and a scholar, both without a country. It's just possible you two could be of service to me. I'll think about it. It's your move.

• Bayan : Think. I have a new plan for war. Find a flaw in it if you can. It's a plan for China. Many men have tried to conquer China, but she swallowed them all. Strike a blow into a great, soft pillow. The pillow gives with the blow, and the force is spent. You can't conquer geography. Occupy a country, and what happens? Your soldiers become jailers, and you're that much weaker. What do we do? Think, scholar. We don't occupy at all. We strike and strike on. Destroy. Strike at the very heart of China - Kinsai. Destroy the government. Destroy the will to resist.

• Bayan : What's the matter, Englishman? We won today. But you have no joy in the victory. Why? It's the business of battle. It's very simple. Kill the enemy. A soldier must like to kill. No man can follow me who hasn't the belly for that.

• Bayan : You can refuse to go if you want to. The risk is great enough.

  Walter of Gurnie : No. I'll go, my Lord.

  Bayan : It's settled then.

  [as Walter turns to go] 

  Bayan : Scholar? Maybe I'm a little sorry I thought of this journey for you, but be sure of this: if they kill you, I'll kill 10 of them for every hair on your head... I have a strange feeling I may not see you again... If that's true, I'll miss you, Scholar... I don't miss many men.

  Walter of Gurnie : Well, for your sake, I'll try not to get killed.

• Bayan : What I can't touch doesn't exist. You conquer, or somebody conquers you. That's all there is to it.