Fort Apache (1948)

John Agar: 2nd Lt. Michael Shannon O'Rourke

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Philadelphia is visiting in the home of the O'Rourke's - Col. Thursday comes in, displeased] 

  Lt. Col. Thursday : Come, Phil.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Col. Thursday, sir, I would like...

  Lt. Col. Thursday : Mr. O'Rourke, I want no words with you at this time.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : But, Colonel, sir...

  Lt. Col. Thursday : You heard me, sir. Now get out of here before I say something I may regret.

  RSM Mchael O'Rourke : This is my home, Colonel Owen Thursday. And in my home I will say who is to get out and who is to stay. And I will remind the Colonel that his presence here - uninvited - is contrary to Army regulations... not to mention the code of a well-mannered man!

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Dad, please. Col. Thursday, sir, what I've been trying to tell you, sir, is that I love your daughter; and I ask her now, in your presence,

  [turns to Philadelphia] 

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : to be my wife.

  Philadelphia Thursday : Yes, Michael.

• Captain Yorke : Lt. O'Rourke, follow me.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : But, the troop, sir...

  Captain Yorke : Don't argue. Mulcahy, take over.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Captain Yorke, I refuse...

  First Sgt. Festus Mulcahy : Get outta here, ya skirt! Or I'll put ya across me knee and belt the pants off'ya! Get out now!

  [O'Rourke rides after Yorke as the troopers start laughing] 

  First Sgt. Festus Mulcahy : As you were, men!

  [Draws his sabre] 

• Lt. Col. Owen Thursday : Captain Yorke, send a wagon and a detail to repair the wires and bring back the bodies.

  Captain Yorke : Yes, sir. Sergeant Major, assemble a platoon from A Troop...

  Lt. Col. Thursday : A platoon? I said a detail, Captain: an officer and four men.

  Captain Yorke : The apaches may still be around, sir...

  Lt. Col. Thursday : I'm running a command not a debating society, Captain Yorke.

  Captain Yorke : A detail of four men. I will be in command...

  Lt. Col. Thursday : Mr. O'Rourke will be in command.

  Captain Yorke : Mr. O'Rourke in command. Have them take sixty rounds of carbine ammunition per man...

  Lt. Col. Owen Thursday : That's a lot of ammunition for men who've been trained to shoot. Thirty will be ample.

  Captain Yorke : ...thirty will be ample... and eighteen per revolving pistol. You'll call for volunteers.

  RSM O'Rourke : With the colonel's permission, I volunteer.

  Lt. Col. Owen Thursday : Permission refused. Carry out your orders, Sergeant Major.

  Captain Yorke : You'll leave within the quarter hour, Mr. O'Rourke. Questions?

  [RSM O'Rourke has left the office. Lt. O'Rourke salutes Col. Thursday and leaves] 

  RSM O'Rourke : [speaking to his son outside]  Michael. Michael, you know what's expected of you, now.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Sure, Dad, I know.

  [leaves the building] 

  RSM O'Rourke : [to the bugler]  Derice, go get Quincannon out of the guardhouse. Wait.

  [to the courier] 

  RSM O'Rourke : O'Feeney, go to the stables and find Mulcahy, Shaddock and Johnny Reb. Tell 'em they're volunteerin' for an extra-hazardous mission... above and beyond the call of duty. Tell 'em their regiment is proud of 'em. Now, get goin', the whole of youse.

• Captain Yorke : [quoting regulations]  "An officer, upon reporting to a new post, must wait upon his commanding officer at the first possible moment. He will leave his card."

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : [continuing to quote the regulation]  "He will leave an additional card for each lady in the commanding officer's family."

  Captain Yorke : [continuing]  "All other officers on the post will, in turn, leave their cards at the quarters of the incoming officer."

  [to O'Rourke] 

  Captain Yorke : Right?

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Right!

  [to Philadelphia] 

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Now do you understand?

  Philadelphia Thursday : It was just a duty call?

  Captain Yorke : That's it - just a duty call. But there's nothing in the regulations that says the commanding officer's daughter should receive such cards on her backporch... in her nightie.

  Philadelphia Thursday : Pish tosh! This is not a nightie.

  [to O'Rourke] 

  Philadelphia Thursday : It's a dressing gown, isn't it?

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : I wouldn't know.

• Captain Yorke : Were you born in Philadelphia?

  Philadelphia Thursday : No, Pomfret, Connecticut. I was named after my mother.

  Captain Yorke : Oh, she was born in Philadelphia?

  Philadelphia Thursday : No, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She was named after grandmother. Grandmother was the first Philadelphia in our family.

  2nd Lt. Michael O'Rourke : Oh, then she was...

  Philadelphia Thursday : No, Provincetown, Massachusetts.