Passchendaele Page #2

---

...it broke her heart.

She... she died

of a broken heart.

.Nurse Mann, please escort

the sergeant back to the ward.

.Major Nigel Bernard,

Canadian Army Medical Corps,

re:
patient T-331,

Sergeant Michael Dunne.

Physically the patient nears repair.

Diagnosis remains

however neurasthenia,

Dr. Walker's dissent noted.

In light of his service record,

the recommendation...

...is that the soldier be

reassigned to the home front,

...possibly in recruitment,

in support of our ongoing effort.

I came to wish you luck.

It's not likely

I'll see you again, is it?

I don't want to leave.

No, that's...

That's not accurate.

I don't want to leave you.

I'm not what you think I am.

You don't know

what I think you are.

You talk in your sleep.

- I don't sleep.

- How can I talk?

You don't even

know my first name.

No, I don't. No.

And that's a hell of a thing, that is.

- Good-bye, Nurse Mann.

- Bye.

- It's Sarah.

- What?

Her name...

...is Sarah.

Thanks.

Rigor, Sergeant.

Rigor is our shibboleth.

No slight intended to

my immediate predecessor,

...but the sails

on this ship are slack.

The home front is awash

in saboteurs and provocateurs.

Odd those words

sound French, what?

Allies and all.

Be that as it may, our immediate

concern is recruitment.

Minimum age 18. Infantry,

Service and Medical Corps:

...minimum height 5 foot 3 inches,

chest 33 and one half inches.

Gunners - Carmichael,

remove this.

Ah, yes sir!

Capital asset, Carmichael.

Gunners:
minimum height

5 foot 7 inches,

- ... chest 34 and one half inches

give or take, you understand.

Preference given

to unmarried men.

The blind and the deaf

are to be avoided,

...and asthmatics are

strictly ne touche pas,

...given the problems

associated with gas.

And on that note,

may I say, in confidence...

I have seen acts

of depravity, Dunne.

Kroonstad.

Human depravity.

But gas? Even the Boer

would not sink so low.

We use gas, sir.

Of course we do.

Cut from the same cloth,

you and I.

A rarefying experience, combat.

Something Carmichael

will never encounter.

Blind as a bat,

feet like a fried egg.

- Isn't that right, Carmichael?

- More than right, sir.

You saw action

in South Africa, sir?

I've studied your dossier, Sergeant.

But you can rest easy.

I have my eye on you.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I present to you...

...a Distinguished Conduct Medal

winner,

...a proud member of Calgary's

own 10th Battalion,

...Second Brigade,

First Canadian Division.

Please rise

for Sergeant Michael Dunne!

- I thought he'd be bigger.

- In what sense?

- In the sense that he'd be bigger.

- Please, please.

You're embarrassing

the good sergeant.

Would all of those women who are

present please resume your seats?

Thank you.

And all those men

too old to serve,

...would you also

resume your seats?

And all the boys who are

not yet of age to serve,

...would you take

your seats as well?

And now, I ask you

to look at the men...

...who stand amongst you...

...and explain to Sergeant Dunne...

...why they are not doing

their part for their King,

...their country and their God!

Kamerad.

Eyes wide open.

Next.

- Name?

- David Mann.

What's your marital status, David?

- Single.

- And you're of legal age?

- Look, I applied before.

- Yeah, I see that.

And according to this form,

...you were rejected

because you have asthma.

Do you now have medical

clearance on that asthma?

I wouldn't be here, would I?

And this isn't Germany.

I don't carry documents with me.

You're in uniform,

but you aren't at the front.

- You have anything to document that?

- As a matter of fact I do.

They diagnosed me as neurasthenic,

which means 'shell shock,'

...which means

I'm mentally incompetent,

...and this is the paper

that proves it.

Haven't you ever

heard of patriotism?

Do you have a relative who's a nurse?

A sister or something?

And you live out

on Stewart Avenue?

Maybe.

Okay, as long

as I'm sitting at this desk,

...you will not be going to this war.

Next.

Name.

How's that feel, war hero?

You only got one arm.

Sad, ain't it?

How 'bout we get drunk?

Mikey, Mikey, Mikey!

Forget about the nurse!

There's a gaggle of women,

all free and clear,

...ready to hike up their skirts.

You want to know why?

- 'Cause you give them money.

- No, because I let them know...

...they are in the presence

of a real-life war hero.

- When did you become a hero?

- When I lost my arm.

You lost your arm

in a lumber mill.

The ladies don't know,

which is what I love about this war.

Joe. Got a postcard from Highway.

Seems like the Redskin's

back on his feet,

...and by the sounds of it, he's cutting

a swath right through London.

- That's what I hear.

- Hey, John.

Michael Dunne.

Lord God, it's good to see you

in one piece.

- Oh, more or less.

- On the house, my friend. Your call.

I'll have whatever you got

underneath the counter.

I'll be back in a second.

- Hey, Royster.

- To Dunne.

Well, well, well...

You two are so...

...jesusly rhetorical.

This man who just left,

...this man would not allow

me to serve - and why?

He's been over there. He's run Fritz

through with a bayonet.

Johnny, what's this kid

doing in here?

- Time to go, son.

- Do I smell Kraut?

- You calling me a Kraut, boy?

- You calling me a boy, Kraut?

I'm just a one-armed man.

What are you trying

to do here, kid?

Mister,

I'm just trying

to save my soul...

Hey, leave the boy alone!

Let it go, Roy.

What, are you nuts?

He would have killed you.

You know that?

You come with me.

- Thank you for bringing him home.

- You don't have to thank me.

It's, uh, a good excuse

to see you again.

- Well, thank you anyway.

- Okay.

Hey...

Do you think maybe I could

accompany you to a dance or...?

- I don't dance with soldiers.

- I could lose the uniform.

I don't dance

with naked soldiers.

I'm trying to flirt.

- And I'm not making it easy, am I?

- No.

What if I asked

your father for permission?

That would be difficult.

He doesn't like suitors?

No. My father's dead, Sergeant.

He was killed on Vimy Ridge.

Ah, Jesus.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

Good night.

Good night...

Ah Christ, that's harsh.

Lot of rum over there, I guess.

Yeah, but they water it down.

Plentiful though, no?

If there's a show on.

- Battle, you mean?

- Mm-hm.

Christ, that word's got a ring.

It's like...

It must be like top of the world.

And all the sh*t

these Krauts get up to!

They crucified

one of our guys, for God's sake!

- That never happened.

- Still.

No, it's a good story.

It just never happened.

Still...

You know...

I follow it.

Lot of people,

...they take it, leave it.

But me?

Every day come five o'clock

I got a paper in my hand,

...nose right to the print.

Every step you two take,

you and Highway,

I'm right there with it.

And it ain't just the liquor talking,

...but I am.

You're what?

Okay, Mikey. I am.

Okay, you're what?

Proud.

I'm proud of you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes