The Dam Busters (1955)

Michael Redgrave: Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.

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Quotes 

• Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production : You say you need a Wellington Bomber for test drops. They're worth their weight in gold. Do you really think the authorities will lend you one? What possible argument could I put forward to get you a Wellington?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Well, if you told them I designed it, do you think that might help?

• Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Do you know how much water it takes the Germans to make a ton of steel?

  Doctor : I haven't the least idea.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : One hundred tons. Now just look at this.

  [gestures to a map on his desk] 

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : The whole of this great arsenal of war factories in the Ruhr depends for its water on three enormous dams. The Moehne. The Eder. And, the Sorpe. They control the level of the canals and supply a lot of hydroelectric power as well. When those are full they hold four hundred *million* tons of water. Just think of the chaos if we could break those walls down.

• [Last lines] 

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : [Morning after the raid]  Is it true? All those fellows lost?

  Gibson : Only two aircraft went down in the attacks. That was Hopgood's over the Moehne and Maudsley's at the Eder. Astell got it soon after crossing the coast. And Dinghy Young was shot down over the sea, on his way home. The rest we don't know about. They've been calling them since midnight, but they haven't answered. The flak was bad. Worse than I expected.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : [upset]  Fifty-six men... If I'd known it was going to be like this, I'd never have started it.

  Gibson : Now you mustn't think that way. If all these fellows had known from the beginning they wouldn't be coming back they would have gone for it just the same. There isn't a single one of them that would have dropped out. I knew them all. I know that's true. Look, you've had a worse night than any of us. Why don't you find the doctor and ask for one of his sleeping pills?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : [Shakes head]  Aren't you going to turn in, Gibby?

  Gibson : No, I... I have to write some letters first.

  [Gibson walks off into distance. Theme music. Roll credits] 

• Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : You know, there's such a very thin dividing line between "inspiration" and "obsession", that sometimes it's very hard to decide *which* side we're really *on*!

• Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : How are you getting on with the low flying?

  Gibson : Ah, it's awfully hard to get accuracy. I mean to within a few feet. Especially at night, over water. Still, we'll find some way of doing it.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Yes, yes, it must be very difficult.

  Flight Lt. R.C. Hay, DFC : Bomb-aiming is another headache, sir. The ordinary bombsight isn't accurate enough at such a low level. And you want the aircraft to drop their bombs dead on the same spot, one after another?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Yes, yes, within a few feet.

  Gibson : Well, we'll look after our headaches and leave you to look after yours.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : I'm afraid that's all we can do at present. Oh, I shall get it right within a few days. You must try and come down again.

  Gibson : I'd like to, sir.

• Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : How'd you get on?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : It's hopeless.

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : What happened?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Nothing. I walked up and down Whitehall. In and out of offices. Up and down stairs. Sat outside rooms. I felt like a peddlar trying to sell clockwork toys.

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : I wish there was something I could do.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : There is, Mutt.

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : What?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Let's take the whole thing straight to Bomber Command.

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : Harris?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Yes! You're one of the few men that really know him. If he sees the films and gets interested... Well, it'll only need one word from him.

  [sees Mutt shaking his head] 

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Why not?

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : Well, there's a bit of a snag there. See, he gets so innundated with fantastic inventions...

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Oh, that's ridiculous! Everything he's using had to have been invented. Look, if you tell him that it's worthwhile he'll listen to you, won't he?

  Capt. Joseph Summers, CBE : I'll do what I can... But don't blame me if he throws us both out of the window.

• Bomber Harris : [Wallis and Summers have come into his office]  Hello, Mutt. Wallis.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Good morning.

  Bomber Harris : What is it you want?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : I've got an idea for destroying the Ruhr Dams. The effects on Germany would be enormous.

  Bomber Harris : I know all that. I've read the report.

  [thumps file folder on his desk] 

  Bomber Harris : But, do you *really* think you can knock down a dam with *that* thing?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Yes.

  Bomber Harris : Well, it looks clever enough on paper. But that goes for *all* of these wheezy ideas. When you try to make them work, they fall down *flat*.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : This one doesn't.

  Bomber Harris : How do you know?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : We've tested it and proved it. I've got some films here I'd like you to see.

  Bomber Harris : [mildly surprised]  Why... If you've proved the thing, why hasn't it been taken up?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : I don't know. But the films only take five minutes to run. You could see them and judge for yourself.

  Bomber Harris : Well... All right.

  [gets up from desk and heads toward projection room] 

  Bomber Harris : Send the projectionist out of the room. If this thing's as good as you say, there's no point in letting everyone know.

  [indicates his aide, Air Vice-Marshall Saundby] 

  Bomber Harris : Saundby can run the film.

• RAF Officer at trials : [after another failed test of the full-sized bomb]  Well, it's a bad business isn't it?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Yes, I'm afraid it is.

  RAF Officer at trials : What are you going to do?

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : I think I know the trouble, I must work on it again.

  RAF Officer at trials : Well, here we are on the 22nd of April. The deadline date for the raid the 19th of May. That's barely four weeks.

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : Give me a few more days. A week at most.

  RAF Officer at trials : If you go and change the design. the factories will never do it in time...

  Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S. : I shan't change the design. I must just strengthen the casing and try a new method of release.

  RAF Officer at trials : Oh well, a week from today. If it doesn't work then, we shall have to call it off. There's nothing else we can do.