For the Boys Page #7

Don't worry. We got a big show

in Bien Hoa tonight.

10,000 guys.

That's certainly a lot of guys.

I'd like to get a look

at the stage area if I could.

I know the men

are gonna really enjoy the show.

- I hope so.

- Yeah.

Thank you, Major.

Pretty exciting, huh?

Yeah, I guess so.

Yeah? Help you, son?

So I finally got you two

in the same room.

Danny.

- Danny, Danny, Danny.

- Ma.

It's OK. It's OK, Ma.

Hello, son.

Good to see you again.

You're mixing it up pretty good,

I hear, huh? Huh?

Sir?

Charlie action, firefights, like that.

Yeah.

They're out there.

You look like hell.

I'm fine. I'm fine, Ma.

I can't tell you how damn proud we are

of what you're doing here.

We're gonna beat

those little bastards, you know.

Yes, sir.

As soon as we find 'em.

- Williams.

- Captain Danny.

- O'Connor.

- Hi, Captain.

Come on.

What? What is it, Danny?

Honey, talk to me, for God's sake.

It's a shame, really.

Such a beautiful country.

I don't know how it's ever gonna

come back from all this.

- He doesn't get it, does he?

- Honey, don't say that.

He moved heaven and earth

to bring us here.

With the cameras.

- He's gonna get it all on film, right?

- Why are you surprised?

What have you been writing him

all this time?

What he wanted to hear.

- What'd you want me to write?

- The truth.

The truth?

See that kid up there?

The corporal?

Yeah.

He's a sweet kid.

He's from Chicago.

His father's a schoolteacher.

He collects ears.

He cuts the ears off of dead bodies.

He's got a hell

of a little collection of 'em.

In 20, 25 years...

he's gonna sell them stateside, he says.

I gotta send him home.

He's only 19 years old and he's gone.

It's a nightmare.

Please.

You know, Eddie, he's got a lot of friends.

He could get you out of here.

I'm a captain, Mom.

I got men under me here.

And anyway....

it'd break Eddie's heart.

I went to the doctor.

He said my sex life was all in my head.

I said "Yeah, I know,

I want it lowered."

You gotta laugh or else they're gonna sell me

to the VC for target practice.

- Where are the girls?

- Girls!

- Girls!

- Hold it. Did I hear girls?

We got girls!

We got girls!

Hey, Janie, come here!

Hey, hey, hey!

Hold it, hold it.

Hold it, hold it. Guys, guys, guys.

Come here, come here.

Let's have a hand

for little Janie Perkins.

She'll be back later.

She's gonna do more later. Lighten up.

Now back off here a little bit.

I got a special treat for you guys.

I'm gonna tell you now.

You know your captain Danny Leonard?

Hell of a man, hell of a man.

His mother...

His mother flew 12,000 miles

to be with him and to be with you.

Best singer I've ever heard.

She's here for you guys.

Let me bring her out.

The wonderful Miss Dixie Leonard.

Dixie! Dixie!

All right, shut up.

Shut up!

You guys are the sorriest bunch of grunts

I ever saw in my life.

Where the hell did you learn

your manners?

Don't you know you're supposed to say

"excuse me" before you attack a lady?

Show us your tits, Mama!

I would, sonny,

but you'd probably have a heart attack.

All right, shut the f*** up.

It's Christmas time.

Gonna sing a little song for you.

I need stuff like Danny listening.

He's not in the audience.

I can't find him.

Keep looking, will you?

Incoming!

Drop! Drop!

Move it! Move it! Move it!

Get down in there, you hear me?

Don't come out!

We flew back with him

on the plane, Eddie and me,

And... we buried him,

and we never spoke again,

25 years,

Listen, why don't you just relax?

Just close your eyes

for a couple of minutes, OK?

Do that for me?

I'll be right back.

The thing you wanna avoid

is outlasting everybody.

Can you remember that?

Sure.

Good.

Just close your eyes.

I've gotta...

I'm gonna be right back, OK?

Just two minutes, OK?

Where the hell are you? We go in 20 minutes.

Eddie's asking for her.

Forget it. You don't want her

on the stage with him. Not on live TV.

- What happened?

- Her life.

Jesus, don't get poetic with me,

you little putz!

- Listen, it won't work, Stan.

- OK, dump her and get your ass down here.

I don't think so, Stan.

She needs to be with somebody.

Is everything all right?

Go see if Joan Collins

is out in the audience.

Miss Leonard?

Jesus. Miss Leonard, are you all right?

Miss Leonard! Miss Leonard!

Miss Leonard.

Open this door, goddammit! Dixie!

It opens out, genius.

You're dressed.

Balenciaga. What do you think?

You look beautiful.

You thought I was taking

a bunch of sleeping pills.

No, I...

This dress cost me.

I ain't gonna waste it. Let's go.

You're gonna do it?

50 million people.

He can't handle that by himself.

And that better be a stretch limo

or you're in deep sh*t.

Yes, ma'am.

Stand by with the girls, please.

Ready to cue the girls in and cue 'em in.

And ready, boys.

And dissolve... Send them in.

- She's coming!

- Here she is!

Miss Leonard! Can we have a picture?

Come on, back off. Back off!

Let her through!

Come on, Miss Leonard.

Please!

- Keep the hands in.

- What?

- She's here.

- Great. Get her into make-up quick.

Standby on two. And take it.

Get outta the way.

Miss Leonard, I'm Stan.

I'm the producer.

This is such an honour.

We're thrilled you decided to come.

- Where's Eddie?

- No time for that.

After this number we go to commercial,

then the tape of the president's greeting,

then the film clips, then we intro

Senator Ramsey for the presentation,

then you and Eddie, "Glad to be here",

couple of shticks, then you do your thing.

- Sounds lovely.

- Five minutes,

- Where?

- Make-up.

- This way.

- Right over there.

Where are you going?

Hey, kid, I am talking to you.

Son of a b*tch still makes me nervous.

You go easy on him.

Remember, he's an endangered species.

Ain't we all?

- Thank you.

- For what?

You know, showing up,

being a pushy assistant.

Ex pushy assistant.

You got a bigger talent,

like your mother says.

You can fix things.

- Goodbye, Miss Leonard.

- Goodbye.

Ooh!

Miss Leonard! I can't believe it.

I'm Lou Presti, Eddie's manager.

Eddie, look who's here.

You won't believe it.

Well, the "late" Dixie Leonard.

- Hello, Eddie.

- Lou, that's five dollars you owe me.

- You got it.

- We had a little side bet.

He said "She's not coming. Forget about it.

She can't take the pressure."

I said "This one, you don't know."

Couldn't stay away, huh?

50 million people.

That's a Leica, isn't it?

Right. That's very good.

Are you a photographer, Miss Leonard?

No, but my husband was. May I see that?

Sure, sure.

- It's kinda heavy. Be careful.

- Yes, I see. Oh, my. Yes.

Don't touch that.

What the hell are you doin'?

- Those are all my shots!

- You want pictures of me, you ask me.

Lou, Lou.

- Clear the room.

- Please, would you mind, everybody?

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Eddie...

Please, please.

So I see the years

have not mellowed you.

You want mellow,

buy yourself a Rudy Vallee record.

Funny.

Listen up. You cleared the room.

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