Cross of Iron Page #9

relationship.

STRANSKY:

(looks at his hands,

speaks softly)

Your impertinence can only come from

stupidity -- and digging holes.

(stands up brusquely

and paces the room

several times be-

fore he comes to a

stop in front of

Steiner)

I have met more than one person of

your type -- and I have always crushed

them like vermin. I consider you

nothing more than an insolent lout

who cannot keep his hands off his

comrades' property.

99. CLOSE SHOT - STEINER

as he stands up slowly. He makes a visible effort to

control himself.

STEINER:

(voice steady and

quiet)

You'll regret that.

100. MED. SHOT - STRANSKY AND STEINER

Steiner wipes his sleeve with his right hand.

STRANSKY:

For that remark alone, back home

I would have had dogs chase you

over the fields until your feet

were bleeding straps.

STEINER:

We're not back home.

STRANSKY:

You'll wish you were before long.

(turns his back on

Steiner, picks up

the phone)

Triebig? Come in here!

He hangs up, turns, sees that Steiner is leaning easily

against the wall.

STRANSKY:

Stand at attention!

Steiner takes a half step forward, lets his arms dangle.

The door opens and Triebig COMES IN.

STRANSKY:

How far has my new bunker progressed?

TRIEBIG:

About a foot and a half.

STRANSKY:

The bunker is to be ten feet deep.

Sergeant Steiner will work on it

tonight until that depth is reached.

TRIEBIG:

(astonished)

Tonight?

STRANSKY:

Tonight. I shall hold your respon-

sible for having that bunker ready

by tomorrow morning.

TRIEBIG:

Yes, sir.

Steiner has listened with an impassive face. Now, without

change of expression, he holds the door open for Triebig,

then he turns to look at Stransky. without a word, he

GOES OUT.

101. EXT. BUNKER- TRUCK SHOT - TRIEBIG AND STEINER

as they walk toward the spot (seen in b.g.) where the new

bunker is being dug. They walk in silence a moment.

TRIEBIG:

I want you to know I have nothing

to do with this business.

STEINER:

That's lucky for you.

(pause)

Where's your "friend"?

TRIEBIG:

(looking straight

ahead)

He's dead.

STEINER:

Oh -- too bad.

(sardonically)

Well -- bear up. Fresh recruits are

coming in every day.

Triebig looks at him and his voice shakes with hatred.

TRIEBIG:

I have only one wish, and the

Commander shares it. We could

court martial you or get rid of

you some other way. But we want

to have the pleasure of seeing

you -- croak.

STEINER:

(smiles)

You'll have to take very good care

of yourself if you want to outlive

me.

Triebig clenches his fists in helpless fury.

TRIEBIG:

Thank you for the warning.

STEINER:

You're entirely welcome.

By this time they have reached the pit where four men are

digging.

TRIEBIG:

(to the men)

Ail right -- you're relieved. You

may return to your quarters.

The men, seeing only Steiner with Triebig, don't quite

comprehend.

TRIEBIG:

(shouting)

I said you may return to your

quarters!

The men hastily drop their shovels, clamber out of the pit,

and walk AWAY. They keep looking back at Triebig and

Steiner, still not certain of what's going on. Triebig

turns to Steiner.

TRIEBIG:

If I were you, I'd make sure it

was done by morning.

STEINER:

It won't be for lack of trying,

sir.

Triebig glowers at him, walks AWAY. Steiner jumps into

the pit, starts to shovel. The CAMERA notes that Steiner

is up to his kneecaps in the pit.

DISSOLVE TO:

102. CLOSE SHOT - PAIR OF MUDDY BOOTS

The CAMERA PANS UP from the boots to Steiner's face.

Steiner is asleep in a chair, his feet stretched out.

The scene is the outer room of Brandt's command post.

After a moment, the inner door opens and Kiesel and

Triebig COME OUT.

KIESEL:

You'll wait here, Lieutenant.

Triebig nods nervously, Kiesel looks at Steiner, shakes

his head.

KIESEL:

Steiner!

Steiner opens his eyes, stumbles to his feet, straightens

up. Kiesel holds the door open. Steiner looks at Triebig,

then walks IN.

103. INT. BRANDT'S ROOM

Brandt is sitting behind a huge, clumsy desk piles with

all sorts of useless objects. He holds a lighted cigarette

between his fingers. Steiner and Kiesel COME IN.

BRANDT:

So there you are. Next time you're

wounded, give me a week's notice

that we're going to lose you, ha,

ha. How are you, Steiner?

STEINER:

I can't complain.

Brandt stands up, shakes hands heartily, then gestures

toward chair.

BRANDT:

Make yourself comfortable.

(extends cigarette

case to Steiner)

How was it in the hospital?

STEINER:

(laconically)

Pretty good.

BRANDT:

And the Rest Home?

STEINER:

I recommend it.

BRANDT:

(laughs, then, casually)

That night you were wounded -- did

you know that Captain Stransky

led the Second Company's counter-

attack?

STEINER:

That's what they tell me.

BRANDT:

Is it true?

STEINER:

The counterattack was led by

Lieutenant Meyer. Captain Stransky

was nowhere in sight.

Brandt and Kiesel exchange glances.

KIESEL:

Are you sure of that?

STEINER:

Absolutely. In the first place,

I would have seen him, and in the

second place, Lieutenant Meyer had

to report to the Captain what had

been happening in the lines.

KIESEL:

How do you know that?

STEINER:

I was there when Lieutenant Meyer

phoned.

BRANDT:

A-ha!

(sharply, to Kiesel)

Fetch Triebig.

Kiesel GOES OUT.

BRANDT:

(grimly)

I think you're entitled to a little

fun.

104. MED. SHOT -AT DOOR

as it opens and Triebig and Kiesel COME IN. Triebig looks

very worried. For a moment, Brandt just looks at Triebig

who bites his lip. Finally, Brandt speaks. His voice is

unusually soft and low.

BRANDT:

You signed your Captain's report,

Lieutenant Triebig. Were you

present when Captain Stransky

led the counterattack?

TRIEBIG:

(after a notice-

able hesitation)

I accompanied the commander to the

hill and saw him calling several

men around him. Then he sent me

back to the command post.

BRANDT:

Then how do you know that Stransky

really led the counterattack? You

signed a statement to that effect,

Lieutenant Triebig.

TRIEBIG:

I -- I learned of it from wounded

men who were returning.

BRANDT:

Can you give me the name of one

of these wounded men?

TRIEBIG:

They weren't staff men -- just company

men. I -- I knew them only by sight.

Besides, it was pitch dark when I

spoke to them.

BRANDT:

(icily)

I want you to know, Lieutenant

Triebig, that I have had your

statements checked. Captain

Kiesel will inform you of the

results of our investigation.

Steiner watches closely as Kiesel takes a sheet of paper

out of his pocket, studies its contents for a moment.

KIESEL:

(placidly)

Our investigation so far has

disclosed that at the moment

there are forty-two men in 2nd

Company who took part in that

counterattack. They declare

Unanimously that the attack was

led by Lieutenant Meyer. None

of them saw Captain Stransky, and

none of them heard that he was

even with the company.

Brandt turns to Triebig, who looks ds if he were standing

against a wall watching an execution squad line up in front

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