The Vikings (1958)

Ernest Borgnine: Ragnar

Photos 

Quotes 

• Ragnar : [introducing Lord Egbert to his son]  This is Einar, my only son in wedlock. He's so vain of his beauty, he won't let a man's beard hide it. He scrapes his face like an Englishman.

  Einar : Hail Ragnar! And hail Ragnar's beard!

  [laughs and grabs Ragnars beard] 

• Ragnar : Look how he glares at me. If he wasn't fathered by the black ram in the full of the moon my name is not Ragnar.

• Ragnar : What would you do with him in your country?

  Egbert : We have a special reward which is rather entertaining in a noisy way.

  Ragnar : What's that?

  Egbert : It's nothing much. Just a pit full of wolves half mad with starvation and trained to appreciate the flavor of human blood.

  Ragnar : [to Einar]  Aw, you see, the English are civilized!

• Kitala : The curse of Odin waits on him who kills the slave.

  Ragnar : Then no man shall kill him. Let the tide of the sea do it. Bind him! Cast him into the slop pool at low tide. Take him out.

  Kitala : You'll not kill him, but you throw him into the slop pool to be drowned and eaten by crabs!

  Ragnar : Then let the crabs be cursed by Odin! That's my decision.

• Ragnar : [about Einar]  What man ever had a finer son? Odin could have sired him, but I did!

• Einar : She said she would kill herself if I touched her.

  Ragnar : Ah they all say that. What they mean is they'll kill themselves if you don't.

• Ragnar : I want you to teach Lord Egbert our customs.

  Einar : I'll teach him.

  Egbert : Remember, I live by brains, not brawn.

• Ragnar : What do the runes say?

  Kitala : If Odin willed it that Eric should die, Thor's hammer would sound his death knell, but, the sky is silent.

• Ragnar : Aw, a little skinny perhaps, but not bad. Not bad, at all.

  Egbert : Restrain yourself, my Lord. If she is dishonored, she'll be worthless as a Queen and Aella won't pay ransom for her.

  Morgana : I don't need traitors to plead my cause.

  Egbert : My quarrel's with Aella, Lady, not with you. We were all agreed you would be unharmed while you remain with us.

  Ragnar : Now, remember that Einar. Leave her alone.

  Einar : I haven't touched her. Yet.

  Morgana : And you never will! I'd kill myself first.

  Ragnar : Ah, she doesn't seem to like you.

  Einar : She likes me well enough.

• Einar : You like the scars on my face, don't you? Hmm? Suuuure. My beauty stirs her little heart.

  [Morgana bites Einar's caressing arm] 

  Ragnar : You have better luck with falcons. She'll never call you dainty face!

  [laughs] 

• Ragnar : Let's go ashore and take her along.

  Einar : She stays here.

  Ragnar : We'll talk about her again, when you're more drunk or more sober.

• Ragnar : Come. You'll soon forget the wench! She's too skinny anyhow.

  Einar : Beautiful.

  Ragnar : Aw! And all the bones stickin' out; why, she's an old crow with all the feathers pulled out.

• Einar : I've never had one spit on me. And bite!

  Ragnar : They'll bite all the more now that you're Einar One-Eye.

• Einar : Tell me, did my mother fight you?

  Ragnar : Did she fight me? I have the scars of her scratches and bites all over me. What a woman!

• Ragnar : Now, you really want her? Skinny as she is, I give her to you.

  Einar : What do you mean you - You mean we won't ransom her?

  Ragnar : No! You can have her.

  Einar : [laughs]  Oh, I'll give this little wench from Wales a reason to bite and scratch!