Cross of Iron Page #19

through?

SCHNURRBART:

Well, we'd have a better chance

if we didn't have to --

(MORE)

(looks at the sleep-

ing figure of Kern,

lowers his voice)

-- lug him along.

KRUGER:

What else can we do?

(pause)

Too bad about Kern. That's all

we needed.

Suddenly the SCENE DARKENS. The men look up.

191. MOON - THEIR POV

It is covered by thick clouds.

192. MED. SHOT - SCHNURRBART AND KRUGER

SCHNURRBART:

That's the end of the moon for

tonight. That's lucky anyhow.

Suddenly Kern turns on his side and lets out a terrible cry.

Kruger and Schnurrbart start. The scream continues to

issue out of Kern like an endless coil of sound unwinding

and unwinding from his throat.

SCHNURRBART:

Kern! -- Kern! -- for God's sake -- !

But the screaming continues.

193. FULL SHOT

Steiner, Anselm come RUNNING IN. Steiner kneels at Kern's

side.

SCHNURRBART:

(anxiously)

He'll have the Russians on our

necks --

The screaming continues.

ANSELM:

(hysterically)

Shoot him! Shoot him! Or it's

the end of us!

Steiner turns such a look of scorn upon Anselm that he

subsides immediately, shame-faced.

STEINER:

(holding flashlight

close to Kern's

face)

Be quiet now -- You don't have to be

afraid -- we're all with You.

The screaming, which has been dwindling, stops. Steiner

bends to listen to his heart.

KRUGER:

If we only had a medic with us.

He ought to have a shot or morphine.

STEINER:

(dully)

He's dead.

silence a moment.

ANSELM:

Why be hypocrites about it? It's

better for Kern and it's better

for us. We couldn't get through

the lines carrying him.

STEINER:

(enigmatically)

Yes, he was good enough to die in

time.

ANSELM:

What do we do now, bury him?

STEINER:

We haven't got the time. Let the

Russians do it.

SCHNURRBART:

At least we're going to have some

sort of service, aren't we?

STEINER:

I see. You believe in God?

SCHNURRBART:

At any rate, I believe we are

dependent on Someone who decides

our fate.

STEINER:

I believe in God, too, but I think

He's a sadist.

Pause. The men are silent.

STEINER:

All right. For the sake of

Schnurrbart who believes in God,

and so that it shouldn't be brought

up against us at the Peace Table,

we'll have a service.

(grimly)

Gather around.

They do. Steiner looks down at Kern.

STEINER:

If Kern had died at home, a few

dozen, maybe even a hundred people

would be standing around his grave

in their best dark clothes. And

they would Say, "So young, it I s

always the best who go first" --

A few weeks later they would have

forgotten him. Let us not forget

him. And let's not feel too sorry

for him. At least now, he's rid

of his guilt.

(pause)

Cover him up -- and let's go.

Steiner STRIDES OFF. The men stand a moment, then follow

him OFF.

DISSOLVE TO:

194. EXT. SLOPING FIELD - NIGHT - FULL SHOT

AS SEEN FROM a trench. The CAMERA MOVES UP to a MED. SHOT

of Triebig and four MEN in the trench.

Two machine guns have been set up. We SEE Triebig stealing

a furtive look at his watch. Then he looks out over the

field, his eyes trying to pierce the darkness. The CAMERA

FOLLOWS his gaze, MOVES SLOWLY DOWN the field. In the b.g.

we begin to perceive a huddled mass. The CAMERA MOVES

CLOSER and we SEE Steiner and his men, lying flat on the

found. Steiner is looking at his watch. Then he looks

toward Schnurrbart who raises a flare gun, FIRES TWO quick

FLARES.

195. MED. SHOT - TRIEBIG AND THE FOUR MEN

their FACES VISIBLE in the LIGHT o{ the FLARES. Triebig's

expression is tense. He turns to the men who are manning

the machine guns.

TRIEBIG:

Look sharp -- we may be getting

visitors.

The LIGHT from the FLARES dies away. A brief interval

and the THIRD FLARE goes up. In its light, we SEE

Steiner and his men running for the trench.

TRIEBIG:

Russians! Fire!

The two MACHINE GUNS OPEN FIRE. The SCREAMS of men mix

with the RATTLE of guns. We SEE three men drop. Then

the LIGHT is gone. All is darkness again.

TRIEBIG:

(peering into the

darkness)

Steady now -- they may be coming

on again.

A moment's silence, then:

STEINER'S VOICE

(shouting)

Sergeant Steiner here, don't shoot!

Triebig's face goes white. Now, figures are SEEN running

again, for the trench out of the darkness, their arms

upraised.

STEINER:

It's US -- Sergeant Steiner! Don't

shoot!

For a moment Triebig stands paralyzed, his face contorted.

Then, when Steiner is almost upon him, Triebig raises his

tommy gun, points it at Steiner's chest.

ONE OF TRIEBIG'S MEN

(frantically)

Don't Lieutenant -- it's one of our

men!

Triebig, unheeding, is about to press the trigger when

the man hits his arm. Triebig's GUN FIRES harmlessly

into the sky. Steiner and another figure jump into the

trench.

196. MED. SHOT - TRIEBIG

slumped against the rear wall of the trench. He is staring

wildly at Steiner who is bent over double, trying to

catch his breath. His companion is also breathing heavily.

We SEE it is Kruger. The man who had deflected Triebig's

aim addresses him.

MAN:

You see, Lieutenant, I was right.

It's our men.

Triebig, still staring at Steiner, can't answer. Now

Steiner is standing erect. He fixes a steely glance on

Triebig.

STEINER:

Why did you fire?

(savagely)

You got our message!

Triebig finally finds his voice.

TRIEBIG:

Uh--uh--what message?

KRUGER:

(with nervous anger)

We said we were coming through

in Russian uniforms -- and where

and when --

TRIEBIG:

(not looking at

anyone)

I don't know anything about any --

(his voice trails

off)

KRUGER:

Schnurrbart sent it. He --

(looks around)

Where's Schnurrbart?

A silence falls as the men turn to look through the darkness

at the field. Finally --

STEINER:

(voice low but

tight)

Is Anselm there too?

KRUGER:

(barely audible)

He must be.

(pause, puzzled)

I don't get it. How could they

help seeing it was us?

Steiner turns to look at Triebig. Then he turns back to

his men.

STEINER:

(voice still low)

Bring them in.

KRUGER:

(stupidly)

Who?

STEINER:

Who do you think? Schnurrbart

and Anselm.

KRUGER:

But they must be dead.

STEINER:

I know they're dead. Bring them

in.

(to Triebig's

men)

Give them a hand.

Triebig's men look to him for approval. Triebig barely

nods his head, so they scramble up the trench with Kruger

and DISAPPEAR INTO the darkness.

197. MED. SHOT - TRIEBIG AND STEINER

as Steiner turns to face the terrified Lieutenant. Triebig

waits for Steiner to speak but the Sergeant doesn't say

a word. He just looks at Triebig's ashen face. For a

few brief moments, Triebig tries to stand up under Steiner's

unrelenting s tare but he cannot -- and breaks.

TRIEBIG:

(hysterically)

It wasn't me -- I begged him -- !

But he insisted --

Steiner's face shows no surprise.

TRIEBIG:

He could have me shot, Captain

Stransky!

(his hysteria grows)

I said to him -- what does it matter

to you what happens to Steiner --

I begged him -- I --

He is practically shouting now. The men can be HEARD

RUNNING back from the field. Steiner s laps Triebig hard,

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