Colonel Nicholson Quotes in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Colonel Nicholson: What have I done?

Colonel Saito: Do you know what will happen to me if the bridge is not built on time?

Colonel Nicholson: I haven't the foggiest.

Colonel Saito: I'll have to kill myself. What would you do if you were me?

Colonel Nicholson: I suppose if I were you... I'd have to kill myself.

Colonel Nicholson: [raising the glass of scotch he previously declined] Cheers!

Colonel Nicholson: [looks at the completed bridge] I've been thinking. Tomorrow it will be 28 years to the day that I've been in the service. 28 years in peace and war. I don't suppose I've been at home more than 10 months in all that time. Still, it's been a good life. I loved India. I wouldn't have had it any other way. But there are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything. Hardly made any difference at all, really, particularly in comparison with other men's careers. I don't know whether that kind of thinking's very healthy, but I must admit I've had some thoughts on those lines from time to time. But tonight... tonight!

Colonel Nicholson: [recognizes Shears] You?

Major Shears: [lunges at Nicholson] You!

Major Clipton: The fact is, what we're doing could be construed as - forgive me, sir - collaboration with the enemy. Perhaps even as treasonable activity. Must we work so well? Must we build them a better bridge than they could have built for themselves?

Colonel Nicholson: If you had to operate on Saito, would you do your job or would you let him die?... Would you have it be said that our chaps can't do a better job? You're a fine doctor, Clipton, but you've a lot to learn about the army.

Colonel Nicholson: One day the war will be over. And I hope that the people that use this bridge in years to come will remember how it was built and who built it. Not a gang of slaves, but soldiers, British soldiers, Clipton, even in captivity.

Major Hughes: Jennings has a plan, sir. He seems to think...

Colonel Nicholson: Yes, I'm sure Jennings has a plan. But escape? Where, into this jungle? That fellow Saito was right: no need for barbed wire or fence, one chance in a hundred of survival. I'm sure a man of Commander Shears' experience will attest to that.

Commander Shears: I'd say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse.

Colonel Nicholson: It is quite understandable; it's a very natural reaction. But one day - in a week, a month, a year - on that day when, God willing, we all return to our homes again, you're going to feel very proud of what you have achieved here in the face of great adversity. What you have done should be, and I think will be, an example to all our countrymen, soldier and civilian alike. You have survived with honor - that, and more - here in the wilderness. You have turned defeat into victory. I congratulate you. Well done.

Commander Shears: You mean, you intend to uphold the letter of the law, no matter what it costs?

Colonel Nicholson: Without law, Commander, there is no civilization.

Commander Shears: That's just my point; here, there is no civilization.

Colonel Nicholson: Then we have the opportunity to introduce it.

Major Reeves: By the way, sir, I meant to tell you, there are trees in this forest very similar to elm. And the elm piles of London Bridge lasted six hundred years.

Colonel Nicholson: Six hundred years, Reeves?

Major Reeves: Yes, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: Six hundred years... That would be quite something.

Major Clipton: [visits Nicholson in the oven] Sir, you can't stand much more of this. And wouldn't the men be better off working rather than being kept in those cells? The men are doing a wonderful job of it, they're going as slow as they dare; but Saito's cut their food rations. If they don't get put to work, they're going to die. And that's all there is to it.

Colonel Nicholson: Yes, Clipton. I understand, truly. But don't you see it's a matter of principle? If we give in now, there will be no end to it. No!

Major Clipton: Sir, we're lost in the jungle, a thousand miles from anywhere. We're under the heel of a man who will stop at nothing to get his way. Principle? No one will know or care what happens to us! Give in, sir! Please!

Colonel Nicholson: I'm adamant. I will not have an officer from my battalion working as a coolie.

Colonel Nicholson: I realize how difficult it's going to be in this god-forsaken place where you can't find what you need, but there's the challenge.

Colonel Nicholson: We can teach these barbarians a lesson in Western methods and efficiency that will put them to shame. We'll show them what the British soldier is capable of doing.

Colonel Nicholson: Now, there's another important decision that can't be postponed. As most of the British soldiers will be working on the bridge, only a small number will be available for railway work. So, I must ask you, Colonel Saito, to lend us some of your own men to reinforce the railway gang, so that the final stretch of track can be completed as quickly as possible.

Colonel Saito: I have already given the order.

Colonel Nicholson: We must fix the daily work quota for your men. At first I thought of setting it at a yard and a half, so as not to overtire them, but don't you think it would be best if we make it the same as the British soldiers? That would also create a healthy competitive spirit.

Colonel Saito: I have already given the order.

Colonel Nicholson: It only remains for me to say, thank you, Colonel Saito, for your kind attention, and are there any other questions?

Colonel Saito: One question... can you finish the bridge in time?

Colonel Nicholson: Frankly, the consensus of opinion is that it's impossible... but we'll certainly give it a go. After all, we mustn't forget that we've wasted over a month through an unfortunate disagreement for which I was not to blame.

Colonel Nicholson: I tell you, gentlemen, we have a problem on our hands.

Colonel Nicholson: Queer bird... even for an American.

Colonel Nicholson: Reeves, if this were your bridge, how would you get it underway?

Major Reeves: Get it underway, sir? Well, first of all, I wouldn't build it here.

Colonel Nicholson: Oh? Why not?

Major Reeves: As I was trying to tell you a while ago, sir, the Japanese couldn't have picked a worse location. There's no bottom. You see those piles? They're sinking. Our chaps could drive those piles 'til doomsday and they wouldn't hold.

Colonel Nicholson: *Where* would you build it?

Major Reeves: [pointing] Why, further downstream, sir. Across those narrows. Then we'd have solid bedrock on both banks.

Colonel Nicholson: Hughes, if this were your bridge, how would you use the men?

Major Hughes: [chuckles] Well, sir, not the way they're doing it. It's utter chaos, as you can see at a glance. It's a lot of uncoordinated activity; no teamwork. Some of those parties are actually working against each other.

Colonel Nicholson: Yes... I tell you, gentlemen, we have a problem on our hands. Thanks to the Japanese, we now command a rabble. There's no order, no discipline. Our task is to rebuild the battalion.

Major Reeves: Yes, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: It isn't going to be easy, but fortunately we have the means at hand: The bridge.

Major Hughes: "The bridge," sir?

Colonel Nicholson: The bridge. We can teach these barbarians a lesson in Western methods and efficiency that will put them to shame. We'll show them what the British soldier is capable of doing.

Major Hughes: Yes, I see your point, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: I realize how difficult it's going to be in this god-forsaken place where you can't find what you need, but there's the challenge.

Major Evans: I beg your pardon, sir. You mean you really want them to build a bridge?

Colonel Nicholson: You're not usually so slow on the uptake, Evans. I know our men. You've got to keep them occupied. The fact is, if there weren't any work for them to do, we'd invent some, eh, Reeves?

Major Reeves: That we would, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: So we're lucky. But it's going to be a proper bridge. Now here again, I know the men. It's essential that they should take a pride in their job. Right, gentlemen?

Major Hughes: [All officers in unison] Yes, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: Reeves, you're the key man in this situation, as engineer. Tell me what you want, and Hughes and I will organize it. What do you think? Can we make a go of it?

Major Reeves: We'll do our best, sir.

Colonel Nicholson: Fine. We must draw up our plans... then arrange a conference with Saito... and set him straight.