Cross of Iron Page #17

all our lives.

ZOLL:

But Steiner, he was asleep -- I swear

it -- he was asleep.

Steiner hesitates, then his eyes fall on something.

169. CLOSE SHOT - THE SINGLE-DOORED WARDROBE

It fills the entire left corner of the room. It is

massively built, but has no lock, the door can only be

closed by a wooden catch.

170. MED. SHOT - STEINER AND ZOLL

STEINER:

(to Zoll, indicating

wardrobe)

Open the door.

Zoll doesn't move, his face reflecting fear. Then, invol-

untarily, he glances toward his tommy gun -- out of reach in

the farthest corner of the room. Steiner catches his Glance.

STEINER:

(coldly)

Don't try it. You couldn't get

there. Come on, open the wardrobe.

ZOLL:

Not until you tell me why you

want me to open it.

STEINER:

(in sudden fury)

Go on, go on, hurry up.

Zoll turns quickly, walks to wardrobe, opens the door a

little.

STEINER:

More.

Zoll pulls the door wide open. The wardrobe is empty inside,

Steiner nods in satisfaction. He turns his head for a

moment to see that the girl's gaze is fixed upon him. He

turns to Zoll.

STEINER:

If she had a gun she'd fill us

both. Get into the wardrobe.

Zoll, his eyes wide with fear, takes a quick step to the

side. Steiner steps up to Zoll, whacks him across the

face with the heavy barrel of his gun. Zoll lets out a

wild shriek, presses both hands against his nose, which

streams blood. Steiner, ignoring his cries, shoves him

into the wardrobe. Steiner slams the door shut, pushes

the wooden catch down. From within, comes Zoll's MUFFLED

VOICE -- "Steiner -- Steiner --"

STEINER:

(loudly)

If you make a sound, I'll fire

through the wood.

From the side he tugs at the wardrobe until he has moved

it somewhat away from the wall. Then, he squeezes between

the wall and the rear of the wardrobe. He braces his

back against the wail and, with a mighty shove, pushes

the wardrobe over. It crashes to the floor, sending up a

cloud of dust, behind which appears the girl's white face.

For a few seconds there is silence, then Zoll begins to

SHOUT and KICK. Steiner hammers the butt of his gun

against the rear wall of the wardrobe. The SHOUTING STOPS.

STEINER:

Stop the racket. And don't be

ungrateful. For you, the war is

over.

(he turns to the

girl; gestures)

You stay here.

He looks at the wardrobe with grim satisfaction, WALKS OUT.

171. INT. HALL

as Steiner COMES OUT. He HEARS a woman SHOUTING from the

other room. Steiner crosses to the room.

172. INT. OTHER ROOM

as Steiner COMES IN. A woman SHOUTS at him.

STEINER:

(looks at the

wounded woman}

How do you feel? Any better?

The woman just stares up at him. Steiner kneels, looks

at the bandage.

Anselm, Kruger and Schnurrbart come RUNNING IN, in a

state of great excitement. The former has a roll of

maps in his hand, the latter carries a walkie-talkie.

ANSELM:

Sergeant -- we were rummaging through

the second wagon and look what we --

STEINER:

You picked a lovely time to go

souvenir hunting. What good is

a Russian walkie-talkie to us?

What have you got?

ANSELM:

A pretty goddamn good map. It's

not only got their positions in front

of Krimskaya -- it's got ours, too.

STEINER:

Why, that's almost German efficiency.

He spreads the map on the table, looks at it critically.

KRUGER:

What do you make of it?

STEINER:

A work of art. What Colonel Brandt

wouldn't give to have this.

(looks at map again)

Their Company Three is pretty well

spread out. Right opposite is a hill

marked on our side.

(again examines

map)

The best spot to cross looks like

Number Three's spot.

KRUGER:

Through a whole company?

ANSELM:

And in our gorgeous gray-green

uniforms, some chance we'd have.

STEINER:

It's the only chance we have. The

dark will give us some --

He pauses, as his eyes fall upon the Russian women. He

stands silent as the men look at him. Then he turns to

Kruger.

STEINER:

Tell them to undress.

KRUGER:

Who?

STEINER:

(impatiently)

Them, the women. Tell them to

undress.

173. CLOSE SHOT - WARDROBE - ZOLL

can be HEARD BANGING FEEBLY on the door.

174. OTHER ROOM

The men are in various stages of jonning the women's

uniforms. They are grumbling.

SCHNURRBART:

Where in hell is Zoll?

There is a sudden silence. The men look at Steiner, who

is searching around for a blouse.

STEINER:

I don't think we have to worry

about him.

KRUGER:

Has he skipped out?

STEINER:

What would you have done in

his place? Hurry up, or we'll

have a Russian regiment on our

necks.

KRUGER:

(bursting out)

Suppose we do sneak through the

Russian lines? Our own men

will mow us down, us looking like

a pack of damned Russians!

A silence falls upon the men.

STEINER:

Don't you prefer a German bullet

to a Russian one? Where's your

national pride?

Bitter, raucous laughter from the men.

The men, the uniforms in their arms, start for the door,

with backward glances at the women. The men GO.

175. MED. SHOT - STEINER AND KRUGER

who are bringing up the rear. The old Russian woman

SHOUTS some thing.

STEINER:

What did you say?

KRUGER:

She still wants to know where

the young girl is.

STEINER:

Tell her when we're gone, to

look across the hall.

Kruger speaks to the woman. The wounded woman moans.

Steiner, his face expressionless, bends, lifts the

bandage. inspects the wound.

KRUGER:

How does it look?

STEINER:

(getting up)

She's a goner. Very soon now.

The wounded woman, looking up at them intently, speaks in

low, halting tones. Steiner looks inquiringly at Kruger,

who shrugs.

KRUGER:

She says how do we like it now

that they have us on the run?

Steiner is silent a moment.

STEINER:

Have you got an answer to that?

KRUGER:

No.

STEINER:

(grimly)

Then, let's go.

He stalks OUT, followed by Kruger.

176. FULL SHOT - THE WOMEN

are donning whatever clothing the men have left behind.

Others have draped blankets around themselves. Three

women are bending over the wounded woman. From the ex-

pressions on their faces we know that the end is near for

their wounded compatriot.

177. MED. SHOT - WOMAN AT WINDOW

She is peering out cautiously. After a few moments. she

turns and says something in Russian to the other women.

Several come hastening to the window, look out.

178. LONG SHOT - WOMEN'S POV

In the b.g., we SEE the men walking off. with Steiner in

the lead, they DISAPPEAR into the woods.

179. MED. SHOT - WOMEN - AT WINDOW

They turn and their faces express grim satisfaction.

Then, a large woman, evidently the leader, looks through

the open door, across the hall to the door beyond. Her

face sets. The women follow her gaze.

180. INT. OPPOSITE ROOM - THE WARDROBE

is lying flat on the floor. The CAMERA MOVES UP CLOSER

to it.

181. INT. WARDROBE - ZOLL

is lying on his stomach, his head resting on his arms,

his mouth to a small crack in the planks. After a moment,

he raises himself up on one elbow, listens carefully. He

thinks he hears something -- but evidently he is mistaken.

He lies flat on the floor again. Then he reaches for his

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