From Here to Eternity Page #27

WARDEN:

All right, all right, you men!

Quiet down! Quiet down! It's only a

war. Ain't you ever been in a war

before?

The men begin to quiet down, look to Warden respectfully.

Through the scene the heavy earth shudders are felt and heard

as bombs hit in the far distance. Also the sound of the

strafing planes.

WARDEN:

We're gonna organize a fire

umbrella defense. I want the noncoms

to get BARs and ammunition

from the Supply Room and get up on

the roof. Henderson, you're in

charge of the loading detail. Get

movin!

The non-coms push out the door.

TREADWELL:

Hey, what about me? I been waitin

all my life to git to shoot a BAR

at somethin!

WARDEN:

Okay. It's your life.

Treadwell hurries after the non-coms.

WARDEN:

The rest of you guys - the CQ will

unlock the rifle racks. Every man

get his rifle and go to his bunk

and stay there. And I mean stay

there! I'm making each squad leader

responsible to keep his men inside.

If you have to use a rifle butt to

do it, that's okay, too.

There are shouts of protest. The men are over the first shock

now and beginning to get angry, anxious for action.

.

141.

WARDEN:

You heard me! This ain't no

maneuvers. You go runnin around

outside you'll get your ears shot

off. You want to be heroes, you'll

get plenty chances later. You'll

probly have Japs in your laps

before night.

SOLDIER:

What if they bomb us?

WARDEN:

You hear a bomb comin, you're free

to take off for the brush. But

don't worry -- the Japs’ll probly

drop all their bombs on Pearl

Harbor and Hickam. They ain't gonna

waste ‘em on us. So let's can the

chatter. We're wastin time. Squad

leaders, get ‘em upstairs!

Squad leaders begin to herd their men out. Warden jumps off

the pool table. Stark and Karelsen come up to him.

STARK:

What you want me to do, First? I

got a hangover, but I can still -

WARDEN:

You stick in the kitchen and make a

big pot of coffee. No -- make a

barrel of coffee.

KARELSEN:

I think I could get one of them

Japs with a machine gun, Milt.

We'll put the tripod over a

chimney. And hold her down by the

legs.

WARDEN:

Whatever you say, Pete.

They smile at each other affectionately, then push into the

crowd leaving the Day Room.

EXT. SUPPLY ROOM - DAY

MEDIUM SHOT:

The non-coma are arguing violently with Leva at the door to

the Supply Room. Jap planes are loud overhead.

142.

LEVA:

I don't care. I can't issue any

live ammunition without a signed

order from an officer.

HENDERSON:

But there ain't no officers yet,

you jerk! Lieutenant Ross lives off

the post.

LEVA:

(folds arms)

I'm sorry fellows. Lieutenant Ross

give me them orders himself. No

signed order, no ammo. And that's

all they are to it.

Warden hurries up to the group.

DHOM:

He won't let us have no ammo, Top!

CHOATE:

Hats got it locked up. An the keys

in his pocket.

WARDEN:

Gimme them keys!

.

LEVA:

I can't, Top. I got to obey my

orders. No live ammo without a

signed -

They flatten against the wall as a Jap plane roars building-

high down the street, machine guns flaring. After it passes,

they rush back to Lava,

WARDEN:

What's the matter? You blind? You

see them planes --?!

Lava puts his hand in his pocket protectively, shakes his

head.

LEVA:

I ain’t gonna do it, Top. I -

WARDEN:

Okay. Chief, bust the door down.

(to Leva)

Get the hell out of the way!

143.

Choate, Henderson and Dhom back up for a run at the door.

Leva moves in front of the door.

WARDEN:

Go ahead. Bust it down. He'll get

out of the way.

LEVA:

Remember I warned you. I did my

best.

WARDEN:

Okay. I'll see you get a medal.

Warden dashes up the porch steps as Choate, Henderson and

Dhom launch themselves at the door. Leva steps aside. The

door rattles ponderously, then flies open. The three

battering rams careen into the Supply Room. The men standing

by cheer and rush in after them. Leva shakes his head grimly.

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY

FULL SHOT:

The men are sitting on their bunks, unhappily, holding their

rifles. Others who have slept through breakfast are dressing

hastily. Warden rushes into the room. The men immediately

bark ad-libbed questions at him:

SOLDIERS:

(ad lib)

What's the deal, First?

Why can't we go up on the roof?

Where's the ammo, Top?

Are we soljers -- or Boy Scouts?

WARN:

(pitilessly)

Start rollin full field packs! We

may have to move out of here. Squad

leaders, get ‘em packin!

In b.g. Henderson and others are going up the porch stairs to

the roof. They tote BARs and loading clips. Karelsen and two

helpers follow with a heavy machine gun and belt boxes.

Warden starts for the porch stairs. He is attracted by

something, stops, looks out of scene.

.

MEDIUM SHOT THORNHILL FROM WARDEN'S POV

lying under an empty bunk with three mattresses piled on it.

He is in his underwear and a helmet, hugs his rifle.

MEDIUM SHOT THORNHILL AND WARDEN

144.

WARDEN:

You'll catch a cold, Turp.

THORNHILL:

Don't go out there, First Sergeant!

You'll be killed! They're shootin

it up! You'll be dead! You'll not

be alive any more. Don't go out

there!

WARDEN:

You better put your pants on.

Warden hits the floor as a plane is heard so loud and low it

sounds as if it's coming right into the room. A dotted line

of bullets crosses the floor and moves into Warden's and

Karelsen's room. Warden jumps up and rushes into the room.

INT. WARDEN'S ROOM OFF SQUAD ROOM - DAY

MEDIUM SHOT:

as Warden runs in. Broken glass lies all over the floor.

Bullet holes are stitched across the top of Warden's

footlocker. He throws back the lid fiercely. His linen is

polka-dotted with holes. He tosses out shirts, shorts, etc.,

digs underneath them. He pulls out a quart bottle of whisky;

it is untouched. Warden smiles with relief. He lifts the

bottle to his lips, drinks long and heartily.

EXT. ROOF OF BARRACKS - DAY

FULL SHOT ROOF:

About twenty of Company GIs men, including almost all the non-

cams, are on the roof, They are crouched behind the chimneys

or down on their knees in the corners. The BARs are propped

on the low walls or chimney tops, their muzzles pointed to

the sky.

LONG SHOT SHOOTING FROM ROOF TO SKY

Three Jap planes, forming a V, are heading straight for

camera.

FULL SHOT MEN ON ROOF

DHOM:

(shouting)

Come on, you dirty sons -

The scream of the planes drowns Dhom’s voice. There is a

tremendous clatter as the men fire. The Jap planes pass,

untouched.

145.

From this moment on there is no letup of the noise -- there

is a wild cacophony of Jap planes, BARs, Karelsen’s machine

gun, the deep sound of bombs hitting in the far distance. And

Chief Choate, singing the Regimental marching song, loudly

and lustily.

.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

as Warden comes up on the roof through the skylight. He

shouts incoherently at the men. They shout back in a wild

cheer. They are like a pack of hungry men enjoying their

first big meal in years. In b.g. the Jap V has swung about

and heads back. Warden grabs a BAR from the roof.

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