15 More Things You Didn’t Know About Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
1. Kruge's Dishonor Was Cut
In the shooting script, after the Enterprise’s self-destruct takes out most of Kruge’s crew, there was a scene where Kruge went through his own crisis, “an agony of self-loathing.” Here’s the cut dialogue:
MALTZ: My Lord... what are your orders?
KRUGE: (mainly to himself) I underestimated him... He did the one thing I didn't anticipate … He destroyed himself...
MALTZ: Sir, may I --
KRUGE: Killing his son was stupid! It made Kirk willing to die.
MALTZ: We still have the prisoners, sir. Perhaps their information --
KRUGE: They are useless! It was Kirk I needed. And I let him slip away.
MALTZ: But surely, our mission has not failed -- ?
KRUGE: Our mission is over. I have failed... A human has been bolder and more ruthless than I... (a beat) That -- is the real dishonor.
Actually, that this interesting exchange was cut from the film is the real dishonor.