Pride of the Marines Page #11

about what you done

on guadalcanal,

and i saw

your picture in life magazine.

And i want to say

i feel honored you rode in my car.

Thanks.

And i read you were

there with him, sir.

Thanks for letting

us stay up so late last night.

No. Like i said,

it's been an honor.

I want to navigate

this on my own.

Your bags are

right there, gentlemen.

Boy. It sure smells

like philly, all right.

You know, not so long ago,

i left from the same place.

Ain't it grand

to be home?

Say, you don't

see ruth around here, do you?

No.

That's fine.

Now that's

off my mind.

Uh, do you wanna

wait here a second?

There's a conductor

over there i want to ask about trains.

I wanna gauge my time.

Sure, go ahead.

Stick here

with the bags a minute, will you?

I'll be all right.

Porter:
All aboard!

I recognize you

from al's snapshot.

You're ruth.

Yes.

I'm lee diamond.

Didn't you get the telegram?

Yes, but i decided

to come anyway.

Lee, you've

got to help me.

I have to get him

back among his friends, where he lived.

He's got to know

that we...

he's pretty set

on not going.

Where are you

taking him now?

Navy hospital.

Well, he's got to come

home first, even if it's just for an hour.

It'd mean so much

right now.

If he won't go

with you, he won't.

You'll just have

to try.

I've got

al's car with me.

Couldn't you lie to him

and tell him it's a navy car, maybe?

I don't know. It...

i want one chance, lee,

won't you give it to me?

It's his whole life

i'm fighting for.

Yeah. I know.

And yours.

Al, here's luck.

Number one,

there's a navy car waitin' for you;

number two,

i can get a train to new york

in 15 minutes.

Do you mind

if i take you up on that proposition?

Sure, lee.

Go right ahead. Thanks.

Your bag's

on your right.

Here's the navy car.

There's

a good-looking wave ready to take you.

A wave?

Say, that's class.

Don't step out of line.

She's a loo-ie. Ha ha.

I guess i won't

see you for a long time, huh, lee?

Well, maybe

after my furlough,

i can drop off

and see you on my way back to san diego.

Hey, that would be

great, if you could.

You'll probably see

a lot more action before this is over.

Looks that way,

my arm's coming along good now.

It'll be funny,

sittin' around,

thinking of you landing

on a beachhead again.

When i hit the beach,

i'll mark the first nip

for you, al.

Yeah. Get 'em

in the eyes.

Right in the eyes!

Gosh...

that kind of popped

out of me

without me

even thinking of it.

Ha ha.

Take care

of yourself, al.

Likewise.

I'm gonna miss you, you old ball of fire.

Yeah. Likewise.

Say, uh, what were

them old hebrew words you told me?

Sholem alechem?

Yeah. Well, uh...

sholem alechem,

kid.

That goes double

for you, al.

Well, i'm off

to the beachhead.

Ok, lieutenant.

I'll write you, al.

Thanks.

So long, lee.

So long, al.

I know

where we are now...

passin'

independence hall.

I used to remember

hearing the bell strike the hour.

Somehow, whenever

it struck 12 noon, i got hungry.

Out on guadalcanal,

i remembered that bell whenever i was hungry.

Good day for huntin'.

Cold and crisp.

Had my huntin' coat

and boots on... be all right.

Ever go huntin'?

Mm-hmm.

Couldn't hit the broadside

of a barn right now.

Got eye trouble.

That's why i'm here...

get 'em fixed up.

Are we

at the hospital?

Mm-hmm.

Steps.

I used to count steps

when i was a kid.

Now i'm back

at it again.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Any more?

Uh-huh.

7, 8, 9...

ruth...

you're home now.

Please forgive me

for doing it. I had to.

Why? It's no good.

Now, be

reasonable, al, it's christmas eve.

I didn't have

the heart

to tell ella mae

about your wire.

She has dinner

all ready for you, in your honor, and...

loretta has

a present for you.

It won't work.

I'm not going in.

You can tell 'em

anything you want.

You're still

the same stubborn...

look, if you and i

are finished, ok.

But why can't you stay

to a christmas party with your friends?

Loretta:
Al.

Oh, al.

Hiya, kid.

I read all about you

in the newspapers.

You killed 200 japs,

didn't you, al?

So they tell me.

Come on inside.

I'll take your bag.

I'll show you

the way.

You got hurt

in the eyes, didn't you?

Yes, i did.

Sometimes

i need some help.

Ma? Al's home.

What's it like

when you can't see good?

Is it like

being in a dark room?

You got it.

Al! Oh, it's so good

to see you.

I don't see

why i can't be sentimental, too,

especially

under mistletoe.

Hi, ella mae.

How's jim?

Oh, he's fine.

He'll be home from work

any minute now.

Give me your coat.

Now, you just

make yourself right at home again.

Loretta, you come on

in the kitchen

and help me get

the drinks ready.

Al and ruth,

you go on in there and sit down.

Sofa still

in the same place?

Yes, everything's

just the same.

Smoke?

No, thanks.

I don't smoke, al, remember?

Yeah. I remember.

Do you have a match?

Got one.

Things pretty much

the same, huh?

Yes. Everybody's working

a little harder, of course.

Things are

rationed, too.

Yeah. I heard

all about it.

As long as i'm

staying for dinner,

you might

as well know

how they feed chow

at the hospital.

I mean, with people

with eye trouble.

They use

the clock method.

Potatoes at 12:
00

on the plate,

vegetables at 3:
00.

Meat at 6:
00.

You see?

Virginia wrote me, al.

Oh. Great little

fixer, that girl.

She's wonderful.

Yes. She's ok.

You're looking fine, al.

How about you?

You change

your hairdo or anything?

No, I... i look

the same, i guess.

You still wear those

silly-lookin' hats?

I guess you'd think so.

We're awfully

proud of you, al.

Aw.

Cocktails, al,

we're being very festive in your honor.

Cocktails? That's

class, all right.

Have some nuts?

Sure. Thanks.

Oh. Daddy,

al's here!

Where?

Right there.

Al, you old

no-good marine.

How are you?

Boy...

gee, it's good

to see you again.

Isn't it great

to have him back?

Am i glad

you could make it for christmas with us.

Me, too.

Al? Here's

your gun, al.

Thought you might

like to see how clean i kept it.

Ella mae:
Put it

down, dear, he doesn't want it right now.

Here's

your drink, al. Oh, thanks.

Now, you go on upstairs

and get cleaned up.

I won't have

my dinner spoiled.

No, dear.

There,

you see that, al? I'm still henpecked.

Ha ha.

Sounds it.

I'm having a cocktail

too, al... ginger ale and grape juice.

Same old stuff,

huh?

You betcha.

There's some new

boys up the block.

Kinda rough,

but i found a smooth one.

Ha ha.

I bet you did.

We have a super tree

this year, al.

Almost touches

the ceiling. Swell.

You want me to tell

you what's on it? Never mind.

There's a great

big star on top, and underneath...

never mind, loretta,

i don't wanna hear about it!

Oh, honey.

Excuse me.

Of course

i want to hear about your christmas tree.

I'm just tired

from the train, that's all.

It's a nice tree.

Lots of colored

lights.

Sure, honey, sure.

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