Mister Roberts (1955)

James Cagney: The Captain

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lt. j.g. Douglas A. Roberts : How did you get in the Navy? How did you get on our side? Oh you ignorant, arrogant, ambitious... keeping sixty-two men in prison 'cause you got a palm tree for the work they did. I don't know which I hate worse, you or that other malignant growth that stands outside the door

  The Captain : Why, you stinking little...!

  Lt. j.g. Douglas A. Roberts : How did you ever get command of a ship? I realize in wartime they have to scrape the bottom of the barrel, but where did they ever scrape you up?

  The Captain : There's just one thing left for you, mister. A general court martial!

  Lt. j.g. Douglas A. Roberts : That suits me fine, court martial me!

  The Captain : You've got it!

  Lt. j.g. Douglas A. Roberts : I'm asking for it! If I can't get transferred, I'll get court martialed off! I'm fed up! But you'll need a witness. Call your messenger - I'll say it all over again in front of him. Go on, call him. You want me to call him?

  The Captain : No. You're a smart boy, Roberts. But I know how to take care of smart boys. I hate your guts, you smart college guys! I've been seeing your kind around since I was ten years old... working as a busboy. "Oh busboy, it seems my friend has thrown up on the table. Clean up that mess, boy, will'ya?" And then when I went to sea as a steward... people poking at you with umbrellas. "Oh, boy!", "You, boy!", "Careful with that luggage, boy!" And I took it. I took it for years! But I don't have to take it any more. There's a war on, and I'm captain of this vessel, and now *you* can take it for a change! The worst thing I can do to you... is to keep you right here, mister, and here is where you're going to stay. Now, *get out!*

• Lt. j.g. Douglas A. Roberts : Captain, you told me...

  The Captain : Never mind what I told you. *I'm telling you!*

• The Captain : [on the loudspeaker in reference to his missing palm tree]  All right! Who did it? Who did it? You are going to stand sweating at those battle stations until someone confesses! It's an insult to the honor of this ship! The symbol of our cargo record has been destroyed and I'm going to find out who did it if it takes all night!