From Here to Eternity Page #7

TREADWELL:

Ah+m suppose to be a automatic

rifle man, not a spud-cutter.

STARK:

(disgustedly)

Rifle man, huh? All somebody’d have

to do would be holler war at you

and it'd be over the hill and far

away.

Stark walks off.

34.

TREADWELL:

... they just give me my chance

they'll see...

He is surprised and pleased as he spears a potato this time.

He raises it triumphantly like a caught fish.

.

MEDIUM SHOT PREW AND WILLARD

The faucet is still on and we cannot hear what Willard says

as he dumps more pans before Prew. However, he is obviously

complaining that Prew is slow. Prew, sweating and angry,

barks something back at him and turns the faucet off.

PREW:

No cook ever used that many panel

Not even for an officers, banquet,

ladies invited! Want me to grow

couple more arms?!

Stark, always alert to trouble, comes into shot. Willard sees

him and speaks with whining dignity, for Stark's benefit.

WILLARD:

All I ask is that you keep the pans

washed up so they're clean when I

need them. In order that I am

allowed to cook the kind of food

required for men who work hard all

day and who need good nourishing

food to get their nourishment.

STARK:

Hole up 'at noise. This man’s hot

as a forty-five shootin downhill.

WILLARD:

(terribly injured)

How you think I can do my job if

the Mess Sergeant takes sides with

a goldbricking KP? What do you

think I am?

STARK:

I think you're a fat cook who can't

cook.

As Willard retires, Maggio pours through from the mass hall.

Screaming joyously, he shoves two empty platters in front of

him.

MAGGIO:

Comin through! Comin through! Me

and my table waiters!

(MORE)

35.

MAGGIO(cont'd)

We workin our tail off. They runnin

us to death. Hot stuff! Comin

through hot stuff one side!

Nobody pays any attention but Prew, who smiles at him. Maggio

winks back.

MAGGIO:

Hello, Prew! Bettern being threwn

in jail, ain't it?

Maggio passes camera, leaving the shot and disclosing Warden,

who has entered from the mess hall in his wake. He carries a

dish of eggs and sausage and is leaning against a pastry

table. He is grinning lovingly toward Prew. He strolls over

to Prew. He eats through following. The smile never leaves

his face, broadens as the scene progresses.

WARDEN:

You look awful tard, kid.

CLOSE SHOT PREW:

working over the sink.

WARDEN'S VOICE

How do you like straight duty?.

Life in a rifle compny, eh?

Prew stops working, turns toward Warden.

PREW:

What makes you think I mind it?

MEDIUM SHOT FEATURING KP'S, STARK, MAGGIO, WILLARD, TREADWELL

as something electric transmits itself and they all stop what

they are doing to look over toward Prew and Warden.

WARDEN:

I didn't say you minded it, kid. I

just said you looked tard. Drawn to

a fine edge.

PREW:

(smiles back)

I don't mind it, Top. It’s a great

life, this. I find a pearl, I'll

cut you in. Fifty-fifty, If you

hadn't put me here, I wouldn't have

had no chance to find it.

TWO SHOT WARDEN AND PREW

36.

WARDEN:

Well, well, there's a man for you.

I'll see if I can fix you up with a

lot more since you like it so much.

How you like the garbage detail?

.

PREW:

Thanks, Top, I've had it. You give

it to me Tuesday. Remember?

WARDEN:

(nods, as if just

remembering)

Well, then, how 'bout street

cleaning detail?

PREW:

That, too. Yesterday.

WARDEN:

(nods)

You got a better memory than me.

Guess the best thing to do is leave

you right in the kitchen a while,

huh?

He pretends to turn away, then stops, turns back.

WARDEN:

Course if you was an ath-a-leet you

wouldn't have to pull KP. Or any

fatigue duty for that matter...

PREW:

(not smiling now)

If you think you can push me into

fightin, Warden, you're wrong. Not

you and Dynamite and The Treatment.

I'm twice the man you are. If you

dint have them stripes I'd take you

out on the green and beat you to a

pulp.

WARDEN:

(smile growing bigger)

Don't let the stripes worry you,

kid. I can always take my shirt

off. Take it off right now.

PREW:

You'd like that. You could get me a

year in the Stockade for that one,

couldn't you?

37.

CLOSE SHOT PREW'S HAND

closing around a heavy mug in the sink.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT PREW AND WARDEN

Warden looking at Prew's hand. Warden's grin broadens with

something more than sarcasm. He is 'impressed and pleased by

Prew's honest anger.

WARDEN:

Don't throw it, Prewitt. It might

break on my head. And that would

cost you one thin dime next Payday.

Warden deliberately turns his back and walks off. Prew looks

after him. CAMERA MOVES IN to FEATURE his hand on the mug. He

grasps it tighter, then lets it fall back into the soapy

water,

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. QUADRANGLE - DAY

CLOSE SHOT PRIVATE FRIDAY CLARK

He is blowing the bugle, sounding Pay Call. The rays of a

blinding sun flash on its shiny surface.

INT. MESS HALL - DAY

MEDIUM SHOT:

The bugle is heard over shot. A line of spruced-up men

stretches through the mess hall. A blanket is spread over a

table and behind it sits Holmes, flanked by Warden and

Mazzioli. In front of Holmes is a pile of greenbacks and a

cigar box filled with silver. He is paying out the man at the

head of the line.

HOLMES:

-- and just see you don't drink all

this up in one place.

The man smiles, appreciating the whimsy, salutes, moves off.

WARDEN:

Prewitt.

Prew, next in line, steps up to the table.

PREW:

Robert E. Lee, RA 345071.

He is crisp, sharp, expressionless. He holds out his hands

for fingernail inspection.

38.

Holmes looks them over, then up at the perfect knot in his

tie. He stares at Prew as if trying to fathom him.

HOLMES:

Have you given any thought to the

boxing team recently, Prewitt?

PREW:

(tonelessly)

I feel the same way, sir.

Holmes’ hands clench. He seems about to fly into a rage when

he senses a motion at his side. He turns to see Warden

looking straight at him. Warden's face has the same

meaningfully expressionless look as Prew’s. Holmes wilts

before it, turns to Mazzioli.

HOLMES:

What's this man's pay?

MAZZIOLI:

(reading from Payroll)

Private Prewitt, thirty dollars

base pay. Deductions-laundry,

insurance, PX checks.

CAMERA MOVES IN to CLOSE SHOT of Holmes# hands laying money

out on blanket.

MAZZIOLI'S VOICE

Total due twelve dollars thirty

cents.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. RIVER STREET, HONOLULU - NIGHT

FULL SHOT:

Payday night. A gay, noisy jamboree. Soldiers, mostly in

civilian clothes, and uniformed sailors swarm down the

street. Taxi drivers arguing with their fares as they pull up

at bars. Filipinos padding in twos and threes.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. NEW CONGRESS CLUB - NIGHT

MEDIUM SHOT AT ENTRANCE

Maggio and Prew, dressed in slacks and Aloha shirts, stand in

front of what looks like a renovated residence. They give

evidence of having already accomplished a little substantial

drinking. The sound of loud piano playing is heard from

within. A sign over the door reads: NEW CONGRESS CLUB - SOFT

DRINKS - DANCING - RECREATION - MEMBERS ONLY. The door opens

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