Cast a Giant Shadow Page #5

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Absolute authority to consolidate|all your forces immediately.

- That's all you want?|- Yes, that's all I want.

You must understand we're|very new at this business.

Our Haganah and our Palmach are|wonderful, brave, boys and girls.

But, like children of the same|family, they're jealous of each other.

What about the other groups?

- The Irgun?|- Yes.

Also very brave.

Listens to no one,|conducts its own war against the British.

The Sternists? Brave. And|occasionally shoot at us, bravely.

We could have a very nice little|war here without the Arabs.

You want me to give you|absolute authority over all of them?

Yes.

If you can find out how to|get it, please let me know...

...because if, God forbid,|anything went wrong...

...it'd be nice to have|an American to blame it on.

- I guess the meeting's over.|- Look, try to understand.

We're in the importing business.|We import people.

That's the reason we're here.|We only fight because we have to.

We have no quarrel with the Arabs,|only with their leaders.

We still hope for an agreement.

The traditional greeting|in this country is "Shalom. "

Peace.

Shalom.

The olive branch hasn't|worked around here...

...since Noah ran the|ark into a mountain.

Col. Marcus, don't|think we're ungrateful.

You write those manuals.

Go, inspect. Go to the Negev.

Go especially with the|convoys to Jerusalem...

...for there is our greatest danger.

Make your reports,|your recommendations, please.

All right. I'll try it your way.

I'll advise. I'll observe.

You need a lot more than|advice, or the night of May 15...

...you'll be wading |in the Mediterranean.

Maybe. Maybe not.

We might be even tougher|pussycats than anyone has any idea.

We'll see.

He's been in the Negev|desert on an inspection tour.

Next week, he's going|in a convoy to Jerusalem.

And he's dictating from memory...

...every army training|manual he can remember.

He says they need it|more than the Bible.

Did he happen to mention who|he's dictating the Song of Solomon to?

What do you mean by that?

- Why should I repeat gossip?|- Why should you stop now?

Since you ask...

A very dear friend of mine got a letter|from a dear friend of hers in Palestine.

There's this woman, lost her husband.|He's been seen everyplace with her.

Magda Simon. I know.

Mickey wrote me about her.|She's been assigned to him by the army.

Instead of paying him? A nice army!

Mother, don't be a mother.

Besides, Mickey and I have...

- What's the matter?|- I don't know.

I don't know. A terrible pain.

I'll get the bicarbonate.

No, mother. Call the doctor.

- What kind of a pain?|- I... don't argue.

I think I'm losing the baby.

- Shalom, Magda.|- Shalom.

My family live in Jerusalem.|To them, chickens are better than gold.

Why do you let women|go on these convoys?

- Magda volunteered.|- She's been through enough.

She lost her husband, she's...

We need everyone.

Especially since the British|search us for weapons.

The British are usually too polite...

...to search a woman thoroughly.

You're lucky you're not occupied|by the French.

Get out!

- Can you see Magda?|- No.

- Let's stop!|- There's no stopping here.

The worst is over.

- Can you see Magda's truck?|- I think she stopped.

Now, hold it. Hold it.

Magda!

Come on!

Come on, Magda!

Magda! Come on!

Come on, Magda!

Come on, Magda!

Cover me.

Move over. Here, take this.

Magda?

Help me, Mickey! Help me!

Doctor!

Can you help her?|I don't understand Hebrew.

Asher, can you help me out?

He doesn't seem to|understand what I've said...

- Is she wounded?|- She's in shock.

Until the wounded are cared for,|we have no time for hysteria.

She needs a sedative, booze, anything.

- You saw what she went through.|- I'm sorry.

Listen, Asher, I don't mean to pull rank...

...but I'm here under orders|of the Minister of Defense.

Mr. Stone, we have no rank for you to pull.

The Minister of Defense is in|Tel Aviv, we're in Jerusalem...

...and this convoy's my responsibility.

Perhaps they handle things|differently at West Point, so...

...write me a training manual.|I hear you're good at it.

- But you're leaving us.|- I just got a letter from my wife.

She never likes to worry me,|but she admitted she's in the hospital.

I think it's more serious than she says.

I'm sorry your wife isn't well.

She certainly needs me|a lot more than you do.

- No, I think our need is greater.|- The hell it is.

I got to Jerusalem, and your commander...

...started looking for a vacant cross|to nail me to.

I turned in my draft of the training|manuals for your infantry a week ago.

It's still in your secretary's|office under a package of cheese.

Here are recommendations|for consolidating...

...the Palmach and Haganah|into one unified striking force.

Don't laugh too loud.

We have a few small problems, too.

The UN is having second thoughts|about granting us independence.

A lot of pressure's being brought|to bear to have us postponed.

A month, a year, forever.

- You're not going to?|- No.

Not if we can be sure the baby will be|born with at least one friend in the world.

Mickey...

- If the United States...|- Politics isn't my racket.

Not anymore.

And I finished my work|as a paper soldier...

...and since that's the only work|you'll allow me to do...

...I think we'll all be|a lot happier if I go home.

I'm sorry to see you go, but...

...shalom.

Peace.

We should both live so long.

So you're really leaving?

You should be out cold.

Mrs. Martinson said|she gave you quite a shot.

I have so many, they don't work. Please.

- You'll go out like a light.|- A blessing.

While I was packing,|this fell out of a pocket.

It's my good-conduct ribbon.

But still you leave us.

I got this letter from my wife.|Nobody needs me here.

Don't give me ribbons.

I couldn't start the truck|because I didn't want to!

Because I wanted to run away!|And now you run away, just like me!

- You coward!|- Magda!

Come on, Magda!

Come on, Magda.

I'm sorry!

You have every right to go.|It's not your country.

Poor Andre, it was all the country he had...

...and for him, I couldn't cry.

Don't go. Stay.

Are you blind,|you stupid, married American idiot?

I am so tired of blood.

I am so tired of shooting.

I am so tired of wanting and not having.

Since you first came here, I...

No, not now.

It's not fair.

I want...

Damn you, Mrs. Martinson.

Shalom.

Keep the change.

- What's going on?|- Come on inside and find out.

If it isn't Errol Flynn!

It's a welcome-home party, Mickey.|All the relatives.

Give him a beer, will ya?

Mickey!

Emma.

Emma, I thought you were in the hospital.

Mickey, I'm so glad you're back.

- Come on, I want to talk to you.|- Okay.

Mickey!

A letter came for you yesterday|from the British Embassy in Washington.

It's marked "Personal. "

- What's it say?|- They're going to give you a medal for...

I'm only guessing.

I'm sorry I lost the baby.

I'm sorry, too.

I waited to write to you|till I was getting better.

- I knew you'd worry.|- Of course I'd worry.

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