“It's out of the question, George. Absolutely out of the question.”
Why it's great
A flat refusal repeated for emphasis; nothing polite softens it.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
Borrowing the car tonight is out of the question.
00:00 / 04:00
00:00 / 04:00
Broulard Pitches the Anthill Offensive, Explained
Paths of Glory · 1957
Chapter 1 of 17 · 4'00"
General Broulard visits Mireau with a request: take the Anthill from the Germans, and do it within two days. Mireau refuses outright — "It's out of the question" — and says his battered division cannot even hold it. Broulard then lets slip a hint about a promotion, and Mireau slowly reconsiders.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 1:29–1:50
Mireau Refuses the Anthill Attack
20s - 2:01–3:04
❝ Monologue · 8 lines Mireau Says His Men Come First
64s
Broulard Pitches the Anthill Offensive, explained
What happens
General Broulard arrives at Mireau's headquarters to propose a major offensive: seizing the Anthill, a German strongpoint held for a year, within two days. Mireau flatly refuses, saying his depleted division cannot manage it. Broulard answers softly, suggesting another officer would simply take the job, and Mireau gradually talks himself into accepting.
What's really going on
What's really going on is a seduction. Broulard never orders Mireau to take the Anthill; he packages it as an honor, lets Mireau refuse, and keeps the door open. "Paul, if there's one man in this army who can do this for me, it's you," he says, and when Mireau pushes back, Broulard applies the softest possible pressure: your record is good enough to refuse, someone else would simply do it. That is the trap, because Mireau hears 'someone else' and starts measuring himself against it. His pride does the rest. He barely resists an attack he has just called impossible, and by the end he is telling Broulard, "We just might do it."
Key lines & what they mean
- “It's out of the question, George. Absolutely out of the question.”
- Mireau's flat refusal: he will not accept the assignment, and he repeats the phrase to make sure there is no room for argument.
- “Paul, if there's one man in this army who can do this for me, it's you.”
- Broulard's flattery, which frames an impossible order as a compliment and puts the pressure on Mireau's pride.
- “My men come first of all, George, and those men know it too.”
- Mireau's stated creed: he claims his soldiers outrank his own ambition and reputation, which the scene quietly undercuts.
- “Nothing is beyond those men, once their fighting spirit is aroused.”
- Mireau's shift: having called the attack impossible, he now says his men can do anything if they are motivated.
- “What is my ambition against that?”
- Mireau insists his career matters less than his men's lives, a claim the coming battle will test.
- “What are you trying to say, George?”
- Mireau cutting through Broulard's hedging, sensing that the friendly chat has a hidden purpose.
Theme
- Power — Broulard uses politeness and a hint of a promotion to steer Mireau into a mission he first refuses.
- Pride — Mireau flips once another officer is mentioned, letting vanity override his own judgment about the attack.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level3/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“Paul, if there's one man in this army who can do this for me, it's you.”
Why it's great
Flattery disguised as a fact: it names him the only man for the job.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
If there's one person who can fix this, it's you.
“My men come first of all, George, and those men know it too.”
Why it's great
A commander states his one loyalty in plain words and expects it to be believed.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
In this team, the players come first.
“Nothing is beyond those men, once their fighting spirit is aroused.”
Why it's great
It praises the troops while quietly reopening the door to more support.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
Nothing is beyond this crew once they get going.
“What is my ambition against that?”
Why it's great
A rhetorical question that weighs his career against his men's lives.
Register
literary
Use it yourself
What is my comfort against their safety?
“What are you trying to say, George?”
Why it's great
He cuts through the circling and asks for the point.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
What are you trying to say about my report?
Monologue
One character carrying the scene — shadow the whole passage❝ Mireau's soldier's creed
What is my ambition against that? What is my reputation in comparison to that? My men come first of all, George, and those men know it too. I know that they do. You see, George, those men know that I would never let them down. That goes without saying. The life of one of those soldiers means more to me... than all the stars and decorations and honors in France.
Two rhetorical questions put his career next to his men's lives and settle the scale.
Paths of Glory: your progress
Chapter 1 of 17 · about 49 min to go
Up next · 02armchair officerThe scene: Broulard Visits Dax at the FrontTakeaways
What you walk away with- A flat refusal can end a negotiation before it starts.
- Flattery here is a tool, not a compliment.
- His loyalty to the men is real and it is his lever.
- Formal words like discretion carry quiet warnings.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy does Mireau first refuse to attack the Anthill?
He says his division has been cut to pieces and what remains cannot even hold the Anthill, let alone take it. He calls the assignment out of the question.
Why does Mireau change his mind?
Broulard never orders him. He flatters him, mentions that another officer would simply take the job, and hints at a promotion, and Mireau talks himself into agreeing.
What is the Anthill?
A key German position the enemy has held for about a year. Taking it is the object of the offensive Broulard is proposing to Mireau.
What does "out of the question" mean?
It means something is impossible or will not be considered. Mireau uses it to reject the attack outright before he later reverses himself.
What does Broulard hint at to draw Mireau in?
He brings up a star, suggesting a promotion may follow, though Mireau insists it had nothing to do with his decision.