Flyboys Page #5

- It's Arthur Becker, huh?

- So I changed my name.

You're from Wisconsin, I see.

There is a very large German population

in Wisconsin

and your name is German.

I'm no spy.

Why didn't you give us your correct name?

Are you a German sympathizer?

No.

We will find out the truth.

- Look, it's not what you think.

- Why not?

We shoot spies, you know.

Sir, may I?

Beagle.

- Come clean.

- I can't.

They're gonna shoot you.

What could be worse than that?

- I swear I'm not a spy.

- I know.

So just tell them what you did

or they're gonna lock you up.

Is that what you want?

I committed a crime back in the States.

- Spit it out, Beagle.

- I robbed a bank.

Hey, I was in debt to a bookie,

and I needed the money.

THENAULT:
Was anyone hurt

in the robbery?

No.

How can we be sure?

Because I used a toy gun.

Excuse me?

I used a toy gun. It was all I had.

(MEN SNICKERING)

Can you prove what you're saying?

No.

I can't.

I can.

I saw a discrepancy in his next of kin file

so I sent away for more information,

and I was sent these telegrams

confirming the robbery.

Beagle, in his haste

to escape an armed guard,

dropped most of the money

along with the toy gun.

And although he escaped with only $12.36,

he is guilty of armed robbery

and if he was returned

to the United States,

they would lock him up

for a very, very long time.

The question for us is, can we allow him

to continue flying for the Escadrilles

because we have no legal jurisdiction

in this matter?

It is up to you.

Don't look at me.

Whether he continues to fly is up to them.

It's their squadron.

(RAWLINGS CLEARS THROAT)

Well, I'd like to know what you would have

done if they didn't give you the money.

I don't know. Throw the toy gun at him?

- You probably would have missed.

- LOWRY:
Definitely.

Sir?

We don't condone what Beagle's done,

or the horrible way in which he botched it.

But we also don't think he should be

thrown out on stupidity alone.

Although I'd never trust him

with my wallet,

I think we all will continue to trust him

with our lives,

on the off chance that one day

he might actually hit something.

THENAULT:
So be it.

Toy gun, huh? That's good. Yeah.

You see, that's why

we have to load our own ammo.

Half these bullets are bent.

Then the guns jam.

They spotted a group of Fokkers.

They're headed towards our infantry

on the road to Rambucourt.

Let's go.

(ALL EX CLAIM)

(SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING)

(GROANING)

(SCREAMING)

(CHEERING)

Yes! Yeah!

Lowry!

(GUN FIRING)

(GROANING)

(MEN SHOUTING IN FRENCH)

(GUNS FIRING)

(SHOUTING IN GERMAN)

(SHOUTING IN FRENCH)

(MAN GROANING)

(GUNS FIRING)

(SCREAMING)

(CHATTERING)

(EXPLOSION)

(MAN SHOUTING)

(GUNS FIRING)

(GROANING)

(MACHINE GUNS FIRING)

(MEN SHOUTING)

- Can you move?

- No, something's pinning my hand.

(GROANING)

Just get out of here, Rawlings!

(YELLS)

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Hey, come here, come here, come here.

Push the tail up.

Wait. Wait.

(GUNS FIRING)

Okay, push! Push!

(GRUNTING)

- Rawlings, please, just go.

- I'm not gonna leave you.

Just go!

(GRUNTING)

(EXPLOSION)

- What are you doing?

- I'm sorry, Beagle.

No, Rawlings, no!

(SCREAMING)

Get up!

Move! Go!

Go!

(BEAGLE SCREAMING)

BEAGLE:
My hand!

(BEAGLE SOBBING)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Mind if I join you?

This is a

It's incredible.

Would you care to share a glass with me?

This 'cause I saved your life?

No. No, it's because

I've been a pompous ass.

Pour me a glass.

Oh, my.

I stole this from my father's cellar.

If he'd have known, he would probably say

it's the only thing I've ever done

successfully in my life.

Please.

Nice.

I'm glad you like it.

He's gotta be proud you came here.

No.

Actually, it was kind of his idea.

And how many planes you gotta

bring down to get back in his good graces?

Probably just my own.

What does your father do?

My daddy was a slave.

(DOOR CREAKS)

You restless tonight, Rawlings?

Maybe.

- What about you?

- It was a good day.

Not for Wolfert.

- You had no choice but to kill him.

- He had a choice with me.

Yeah, whatever happened in the air

or whatever happened on the ground

with Beagle,

you gotta get that out of your head.

Okay.

Meanwhile, Beagle goes through life

without a hand.

He volunteered for this war.

He knew what he was getting into.

I don't care what happened in the past.

You can't let that affect you.

You got to forget about it.

Otherwise you're a danger to yourself

and everyone else up there.

Do you let go of the past?

(SIGHS)

I...

I heard some things.

- That you lost...

- That I lost my family in a fire?

(CHUCKLES)

No. I didn't fly for Pancho Villa either.

The truth is, I was a lot like you.

Full of idealism,

maybe even a sense of honor.

Then you realize this war

ain't gonna be won by either side.

Some day it'll just end.

(SIGHS)

And everyone will go home,

get on with their lives.

Tall grass will cover the battlefield.

And all the pilots we've lost

wouldn't have changed a damn thing.

Guys like you won't quit.

So I got to stick around

and try to knock some Huns off your tails,

and give you a chance to survive

this useless war.

- That's what you do.

- Not with enough success.

The guys I started with

are a testament to that.

Well, if this war is really meaningless,

then why do you fly extra missions?

Get the ones I've missed.

Get the ones that killed my friends.

You got to find your own meaning

in this war.

I mean, I'll be real disappointed

if we had more pilots die in vain

than the Germans.

How many you got left?

One.

The Black Falcon.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOG BARKING)

(VEHICLES APPROACHING)

(MEN SHOUTING)

RAWLINGS:
See, this whole wing.

Patch on a patch.

And when they gonna send us

a new canvas?

- SKINNER:
Always "next time."

- Hey, Rawlings.

The Germans have crossed

the Meuse River.

And reports say they've overrun Souilly.

Lucienne.

Is that plane fuelled? Is this plane fuelled?

- SKINNER:
Rawlings!

- Yes, sir.

Give me a start. Give me a start. Let's go.

SKINNER:
Rawlings, you know you're

not allowed to take the plane!

(BANGING ON DOOR)

(CUP CLATTERS)

Hey. Hey.

- You all right? You all right?

- Yeah?

- How you come?

- My plane. A vion,

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

- Germans.

- All right. I'm gonna get you out of here.

No, it's all right.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

(SPEAKING IN FRENCH)

Go get them. Go get them.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

- Lf Rawlings returns alive, arrest him.

- Yes, sir.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

- Good luck.

- Stay right here. Okay?

You don't go anywhere.

You stay right here.

(AFFIRMS IN FRENCH)

(BIDS FAREWELL IN FRENCH)

RAWLINGS:
I'll be back before sunrise.

(AIRPLANE ENGINE WHIRRING)

- RAWLINGS:
You got her?

- Got them.

Come on, guys.

What are you doing flying at night

without authorization?

I don't have time to explain.

I have to go get one more person.

This plane is not for your personal use.

Leave this plane and return to quarters.

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