Cast a Giant Shadow Page #4

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It's a crazy army.

Let's join the army.

Ram!

Mr. Stone, can I talk to you?

That's not a bad way to train.

Our men tell me there's an old|Bedouin chief in the valley...

...who heard the Americans|sent us a great soldier...

...to help us fight in these hills.|General Eisenhower.

I don't quite have the|haircut for it, but...

We have explained, it's another|American officer of high rank.

- He wants to see you.|- Me?

He's says he's considering|fighting on our side.

We've got to see him.

I have no right|to ask you to come with me.

He's Arab.|If it is a trick, it could be dangerous.

All the more reason for me to go.

Convincing Arabs|is the least of my problems.

"I'm the sheik of Araby

"Your love belongs to me

"At night when you're asleep

"Into your tent I'll creep"

His Master's Voice.

Why do you lie to me? I am not a fool.

You tell me you're an officer|of the American army...

...but what proof do you have?

And you are the commander|of the Yiftach Brigade of the Palmach?

An infant like you?

- I'm second in command.|- You lie!

You are Ram Oren, the commander.

He thought he was too young|to impress you.

That shows that he is foolish.

The only thing that impresses|a man in my age is youth.

Don't you know|who Saman Abou Kader is?

When you were 3,|I was stealing cattle from your father.

There was a man. A lion!

He shot me twice...

...and we came to an agreement|of gentlemen.

I was a guest in your house.|I held you on my knee.

Twice you wet your pants and mine.

You have no honor.

It was an old Bedouin friend of my father's.

- I thought he died long ago.|- Hush, I am far from dead.

You can ask that bag of|fat who just danced for us.

I have risked my life to ask you here|because your father was a man to trust.

I had hopes his son was the same.

And you...

Why have you come to this country?

- To fight.|- With what?

- Have you brought guns from America?|- They will come.

Come back when they get here.

Wait a minute!

You didn't risk your life to invite us here|to dismiss us so quickly.

What's on your mind?

Coffee.

Why do you want to take our home away?

Our desert. We have lived here|for 1,000 years and more.

By what right? A Bible...

...that is more fairy tale|than the Arabian Nights?

From Damascus,|from Amman, from Cairo...

...they send messengers to tell me|the Jews will destroy our land...

...and ravish our women.|- How can you believe...

So I should send all my men at|once to the Grand Mufti's army.

- What answer do you have?|- Your own eyes.

They aren't destroying your land.

Even a blind man can see,|for the first time the desert is blooming.

They're not ravishing your women.|They don't even like your women.

That is not much of an answer.|They don't even like their women.

Listen...

...for 50 years you have|lived beside us without hate.

- Why now, a holy war?|- I'll tell you why:

The Grand Mufti, King Abdullah,|and the Husseinis...

...see the chance to win|money, power and land.

They're fighting to see who gets the most.

- That's true.|- So I'll get some, too.

They won't leave|one camel for your people.

You know them better than I.

You'll fight the war for them,|but when it's over...

...you'll be worse off than before.

Or you'll be dead.

I have no love for the Husseini family.

I'll support you with all of my men...

...if you can first prove to me|that you are strong like your father.

For then you will win.

How can I believe you? I need proof, too.

Wait a minute.

Across the border, near the|mosque of Mishmar Hayarden...

...the Syrians are gathering supplies|for an attack next week.

Eight hundred rifles.

Mortars, two-inch, 21.

Petrol, four tanks of 2,000 liters.

Three cannons of 75 millimeter.

We finish. Now your proof.

- The supplies will be destroyed.|- You're committing my men.

I don't care, it must be done.

You want to violate a border|without authority?

What do you want to do? Wait for a visa?

If it's used against you, they can|take half the Galilee in a week.

So, Commander?

It will all be destroyed within 24 hours.

Watch the sky toward Mishmar Hayarden.

Good night.

Pretty smart cookie.

Ram Oren, don't wet your pants again.

Come on.

Keep down. You should not have come.

- I have strict orders.|- My orders are to advise and observe.

I'm advising you,|it's stupid to attack with a single squad.

You know they have artillery.|You don't have armor.

This dynamite is our artillery,|and the night is our armor.

And the Lord is my Shepherd...

...but maybe he's their shepherd, too.|- You stay.

If so, there'll be a hell of a lot|of confused sheep.

Andre!

Ammunition has been blown up.

Good! They did it!

We have three dead.

Three dead? Who are they?

Eli, Tov, Andre.

Andre? Your husband?

Magda, are you all right?

Yes.

Yes, I'm all right.

I didn't come to Tel Aviv|to say things are peaches and cream.

You want the truth. Things are pretty bad.

How bad, in your opinion?

If the Arabs had a decent campaign plan,|and could attack in force tomorrow...

...they have the potential|to take Tel Aviv in 10 days.

- You had to bring me another expert.|- He doesn't only complain...

Everybody tells me the patient is dying.

The patient has already lived 2,000|years after the doctors gave him up.

He won't live to be 2001|unless he follows directions on the label.

I can write the manuals|for you from memory.

Somebody has to convince|your officers to read them.

Go back into training.

You write, I'll convince.

You know the biggest weapon you have?

The guts, the tremendous guts|of those kids in torn sweaters...

...and open-toed sneakers.

Why throw away their lives...

...by supplying them with|bargain-basement guns or none at all?

Because your government|and the United Nations...

...have embargoed all|arms shipments to us...

...while the British can|arm our enemies openly.

We're lucky we have a few bargain...

No one ever won a war on excuses.

They told you that I|have a terrible temper?

I served in Germany under|General "blood-and-guts" Patton.

You're a pussycat.

You can't expect a boy to|die in somebody else's pants.

The Palmach fight barefoot in the hills...

...while the stores in|Allenby Road have sales.

I'm the unofficial minister of|defense of an unrecognized government.

I have no authority |to requisition supplies.

If you can't get supplies,|break through the window...

...and take what you|want. Just remember...

...the world doesn't pity the slaughtered.

- It only respects those who fight.|- We haven't been fighting?

Not to win. Look, you're like this:

The Palmach, Haganah,|Irgun, Sterngang, government...

You're all pulling in every direction.

But if you can unify them|under one command...

...then you'll have one army|that can move fast and hit hard.

- You can help us do this?|- I don't know.

I don't know if anyone can.|There isn't much time.

But if you want to use me, and|gamble I know what I'm doing...

...then you must give me a free hand.

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