The Professionals (TV Series)

Private Madness, Public Danger (1977)

Gordon Jackson: George Cowley

Photos 

Quotes 

• George Cowley : I don't suppose you fought in the War, Mr Sutton?

  Eric Sutton : No

  George Cowley : I fought in several. The worst was against a... barbaric race... but British are nothing if not adaptable. We learn barbarism very quickly. We had a problem one day. Was the road ahead mined? We had prisoners, but they wouldn't talk. So we bound them and made them lead the advance. They didn't think we would, not at first. But then the first man ahead was gone... like that. An anti-personnel mine is very nasty thing, Mr Sutton, very nasty. And then the second man. And the third. And then... they talked. Then, they knew we meant it. A shocking story. It shocked me at the time, and it still shocks me. But it was necessary... to save hundreds of lives. It was necessary. I'm willing to be shocked again. If necessary.

• George Cowley : I don't suppose you fought in the War, Mr Sutton?

  Eric Sutton : I fought in several. The worst was against a... barbaric race... but British are nothing if not adaptable. We learn barbarism very quickly. We had a problem one day. Was the road ahead mined? We had prisoners, but they wouldn't talk. So we bound them and made them lead the advance. They didn't think we would, not at first. But then the first man ahead was gone... like that. An anti-personnel mine is very nasty thing, Mr Sutton, very nasty. And then the second man. And the third. And then... they talked. Then, they knew we meant it. A shocking story. It shocked me at the time, and it still shocks me. But it was necessary... to save hundreds of lives. It was necessary. I'm willing to be shocked again. If necessary.

  George Cowley : I fought in several. The worst was against a... barbaric race... but British are nothing if not adaptable. We learn barbarism very quickly. We had a problem one day. Was the road ahead mined? We had prisoners, but they wouldn't talk. So we bound them and made them lead the advance. They didn't think we would, not at first. But then the first man ahead was gone... like that. An anti-personnel mine is very nasty thing, Mr Sutton, very nasty. And then the second man. And the third. And then... they talked. Then, they knew we meant it. A shocking story. It shocked me at the time, and it still shocks me. But it was necessary... to save hundreds of lives. It was necessary. I'm willing to be shocked again. If necessary.