Michel Ney Quotes in Waterloo (1970)

King Louis XVIII: I know you loved this man.

Michel Ney: I did, once. But I promise you, that I will bring him back to Paris in an iron cage.

[exits]

King Louis XVIII: How they exaggerate, these soldiers, "In an iron cage"? Nobody asked for that.

Michel Ney: Wellington's on the run! I caught him at Quatre Bras! He's retreating!

Napoleon Bonaparte: If Wellington's retreating, what are you doing here?

Michel Ney: But, Sire...

Napoleon Bonaparte: If Wellington's retreating, what are you doing here? Why didn't you follow him? Why didn't you pursue?

Michel Ney: [Raises voice] where are the reinforcements you promised me?

Napoleon Bonaparte: [shouting] Don't you dare criticize me! Don't you dare! Don't you see if Wellington's free to choose his ground then everything I've won in this campaign you've lost!

Napoleon Bonaparte: Cross the river. Tomorrow we will dry our boots in Brussels.

Michel Ney: God willing, sire.

Napoleon Bonaparte: God? God has nothing to do with it.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Well they've done it! The whole of Europe has declared war against me! Not against France, but against me.

Le Bedoyere: They dignify you sire by making you a Nation!

Napoleon Bonaparte: [laughing] Dignify? Dignify? They deny me the decency of law! They make it legal that any clown can kill me.

Michel Ney: Well we've fought with mud in our boots before!

Napoleon Bonaparte: Yes well, I'll discuss peace over Wellington's dead body, that's my peace table!

Michel Ney: [as elite French soldiers retreat in disorder] Are you France? Are you the Guard?