Dunkirk Page #9

Wait.

Very well, Ramsay.

You'll have them.

Thank you, sir.

Thank God for that,

sir.

That means

we've still got a chance.

Order Ivanhoe, Impulsive,

and Icarus to Dunkirk.

Harvester and Havant to

La Penne, with all dispatch.

Very good, sir.

Gee, there's more of us.

It's getting closer

every time.

If we don't get off by tonight,

we'll be in the bag.

I don't fancy we're gonna

bank on that

blasted mole again.

I reckon we've had

the big ships.

We'll try

the little boats next.

Take a chance

from where we are.

SOLDIER:

Take cover!

Take cover!

It's the Vanity.

They've got her, Mr. Holden.

They've got her.

SOLDIER:
Stretcher bearer.

Stretcher bearer.

Over here! Here!

Where's Joe?

We never saw him.

I don't think

he stood a chance.

Small boat out there,

Captain!

Just like that!

One minute there,

next minute gone!

Doesn't Jerry ever let up?

What's there to stop him?

A squadron of two

of your blokes might.

Where are they?

Sleeping it off!

We've knocked out plenty.

Yeah, and plenty left.

Sky's full of the swine.

Where is the Air Force?

Ah, they've got no guts.

They've got as much guts

as you or anyone here.

Where are they then?

Cut it out! Cut it out,

I tell you!

If they got so much guts

they'd be here, wouldn't they?

Well, wouldn't they?

I haven't see an aircraft

I can recognize for three days.

You mustn't blame the boys.

They've got

a lot to gripe about.

Why don't you change

into battle dress or something?

It's blasted wicked, Sam,

and you know it.

We only had four fighter

squadrons in the forward area.

What do they expect

to get over here?

There are only about

three airfields in England

that can send fighters

this distance.

I said, I know.

But they don't.

And there a lot like them.

If I were you

I'd get that battle dress.

No, thanks.

Well, suit yourself.

SOLDIER:

Incoming!

Here we go again.

BINNS:

Field dressing, quick!

There's a casualty

clearing station over there,

behind the dunes.

[SOLDIER SCREAMING]

BARLOW:

Welsh guards, close on me!

Come on over here,

all the Welsh guards!

BARLOW:

Service corps, close on me!

Over here,

the Service Corps.

Padre.

Orderly.

[PATIENT COUGHING]

Huh, they're closing

in pretty steadily now.

We'd better make up our minds

what we do when they reach us.

Will there be another ship in,

sir?

Well, not in daylight, anyway.

That's definite.

They might try again

tonight.

We're not moving anything

up to the mole

until we get

definite orders.

That's a heavy machine gun.

Must be pretty close

if we can hear that.

It's the first time.

Right, chum.

That's the best

I can do for you.

Next one!

Orderly.

Supposing we don't get

any orders, sir?

Supposing they come in sooner

than we think?

There orders are that

one medical officer

and 10 men stay behind

for every 100 patients.

That means three

medical officers.

30 of the ranks.

I'll stay if you want me to,

sir.

No, we'll draw lots.

SERGEANT:
Write out the names

on slips of paper.

How many medical officers

do we have here?

Sixteen, sir.

Seventeen.

Put my name in with them.

The first three out

of the hat stay.

Put two on the field.

Five to one I'm a loser.

[SOLDIER GROANING]

You better draw, Sergeant.

You're more or less

a disinterested party.

Lieutenant Ripley, sir.

It was a slip at five to one.

You couldn't lose.

Captain Dean, sir.

He was killed this morning.

Lieutenant Kennedy, sir.

He's outside.

Let him know, please,

will you?

Lieutenant Levy, sir.

[GUNFIRE OUTSIDE]

How is he?

Is he gonna be all right?

I don't know.

They're gonna keep him.

That's rotten luck,

isn't it?

Yeah. Yeah.

Hey, Corp! Seen this?

[GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSIONS]

Well, you know what you

can do with that, don't you?

I don't know whether

anybody's interested.

But there's a small boat

on the beach.

That's ours.

Where?

Down there.

But it looks as if somebody

thought of it first.

Come on.

[ALL CLAMORING]

Get off it, lads.

Keep off, please.

SOLDIER:

What's wrong, sir?

Those blasted fools

rushed us.

We're half full

of water anyway

and not in working order.

We've drifted ashore.

Anything we can do?

I doubt it.

Jammed up solid

coming across.

Mike! He used to work

in a garage.

I own a garage

but I expect we could do with

some expert help, though.

Want any more, sir?

No, no, two would be enough.

Well, can I go ashore,

Mr. Holden?

We'll both go ashore.

I'm not much good

with engines, anyway.

What's the trouble, Mac?

Ah, it's the gears, I think.

They're jammed up solid.

I never thought

I'd see a sight like this.

Us neither, sir.

What a mess!

What a shambles we've made

of this rotten affair.

When was it we went into

Belgium?

May 10, wasn't it?

Yes, that's right.

Less than three weeks

and now this.

One can hardly credit it.

Takes a bit of believing,

doesn't it?

[]

What do they think

about all this at home?

I don't know.

They weren't thinking much

about it when we came away.

They didn't know much.

Things look very different

from the other side, you know.

I suppose they think

we've made a muck of it?

Somebody's made

a muck of it.

But I don't think

it's the army.

What do you mean?

Listen!

I can't hear anything.

The guns have stopped.

Do you suppose they've chucked

their 'and in?

Don't be a clot!

They've certainly stopped.

Maybe it's like

that leaflet said.

We can't have packed it in!

Listen!

There it is.

It's their bombers again.

That's why

they've stopped shelling.

They're sending

in a low level attack.

What do you do? Run?

Where to, son?

You mean, we stay put?

What else?

Get your head down.

Come on, son.

SOLDIER 1:

Can you see them?

SOLDIER 2:

No.

SOLDIER 1:
Do you think

they're coming for us?

SOLDIER 2:
Who else,

you blasted mug?

[PRAYING IN FRENCH]

BINNS:
Keep counting, son.

Keep counting.

SOLDIER 3:

Five, 10, 15, 20, 25...

SOLDIER 4:
I wish I was blind,

stinking drunk.

BINNS:
Oh, Mother of Mercy,

keep me through this night.

Oh, Mother of Mercy,

keep me through this night.

SOLDIER 5:

I don't wanna die!

I don't wanna die!

SOLDIER 6:

You might have to.

SOLDIER 5:

I don't wanna die!

SOLDIER 6:
You might bloody well

have to, chum!

Oh, God!

MAN:

Stretcher bearers.

Stretcher bearers.

Stretcher bearers! Over here!

Is it always like this?

Like as not it won't happen

again tonight, son.

I should kip down

and get a bit of sleep.

[ALL MURMURING]

What happened?

What caused all this?

Stupidity.

Everybody saying

that war was so damnable

it couldn't happen again.

Shoving our heads in the sand

like a lot of ostriches.

Well, the Germans

didn't think that way.

To them,

war meant guns or butter.

They chose guns.

We chose butter.

No, you can't blame

the Army.

They had what we gave them,

last war weapons,

last war methods.

This is the result.

What happens now,

after this?

If we're lucky,

we'll get another chance.

Heaven knows

we don't deserve it.

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