Revenge of the Red Baron Page #2

In a year's time,

we will be having our lunch in London.

Manfred,

you know, sometimes I think

you don't hear anything I tell you.

Do you really think you'll live forever?

Every moment I'm in the air

with these Spandaus in my hands,

that's forever.

Good luck.

Stay in the sun.

Boelke's dead because of

that damn clown from the provinces.

Easy.

- Von did another victory!

- He didn't hit Richthofen.

It was your landing gear he struck.

Why the hell didn't you pull up?

It was Von you hit, wasn't it? Wasn't it?

So that's it.

I don't have a "von" in front of my name.

You're all a bunch of peasants.

You let him get away with murder

because he's Baron von Richthofen.

I did what I felt was best.

I thought that

if I could head right for the English,

as though I were going ram him he...

I owed Boelke everything.

- If I could've taken his place...

- You'd like that, wouldn't you?

Goddamn you, you'll never take his place.

You killed him.

And if they ever give

this squadron to me...

I'll put in for transfer 10 minutes later.

If Richthofen did cause the accident,

I suppose we are expected

to nail a carcass to a tree.

Not necessarily, Colonel.

Von has choice of crucifixion

or canonization.

Well, now, obviously the squadron

needs a new leader.

But then, there are several choices.

- Voss, Goering...

- I know Voss.

If you choose Voss, we'll be back here

next week doing this all over again.

To be perfectly candid, sir,

I prefer Goering.

I like his way of thinking.

But it won't work.

The people won't warm to him.

And as for the politicians, well,

what they really need is a man for Berlin.

We need another Boelke.

Who would Boelke have chosen?

It is difficult to know how

one may bid farewell to such a comrade.

I can say to you only these words.

Who will defend this army,

older than the empire itself?

War is both king of all

and father of all.

Some it has revealed as gods,

others as men.

What's he doing up there?

Why did they give him the decoration?

Who knows? It doesn't mean anything.

The hell it doesn't.

I wonder what they'd give him

if he got us all killed.

Well, he's only 23.

Do you gentlemen remember

what it was like to be 23?

I was never 23.

If I had been, I'd remember.

Come in.

Ah, Richthofen.

Von Richthofen, I believe.

Good to see you.

Come, shall we have a drink?

You know Boelke

thought a deal of you, Baron.

He was more than kind to me.

We are going to give you

the squadron, von Richthofen.

Well, what do you think of that?

I think that would be very nice.

To Baron Manfred von Richthofen,

may he lead as did Boelke, his teacher.

And hunt the British from the skies.

And live to enjoy his reward.

Herr Rittmeister, you started

the war as a cavalry officer, yeah?

RICHTHOFEN.:
Yeah.

So now, how does it feel to fly?

To fight in the sky?

My ancestors were Teutonic knights, sir.

I merely exchanged the horse

for an airplane.

I see.

Then the flying is just a means to an end?

The flying is wonderful, but it's the hunt

that I find more satisfying.

The stalking, the chase,

and, finally, the kill.

The climax.

Then you enjoy it, then? The war?

Oh, what shall I say?

War is the father of nations.

It makes them slaves

or it makes them free.

Victory brings with it a climax,

a sense of fulfilment.

But the danger every day, every minute,

while you are in the air?

I never think of it.

It's like the weather. Always there.

But when you hunt, you think of

what you're hunting, don't you?

Oh, good morning.

It's a lovely day.

Come down.

You understand?

I have a motorcycle.

We can go for a ride by the river.

Daffodils... How do you say?

Come down.

Come on.

Come down.

I have to go.

Do you understand?

I'm a pilot.

I have to go fight the Germans.

I'll try to come back.

What the hell do you mean, "Paint them"?

How can you conceal an airplane?

You're out of your mind.

What do I know how, Herr Rittmeister?

They gave me this order.

It says, "Paint them". Look.

Holzapfel, should a man

hide from his enemies?

That depends, Herr Rittmeister.

Should a gentleman

hide from his enemies?

No, Herr Rittmeister, he should not.

Then perhaps we should...

What the hell is this?

"Paint them".

- It's so stupid.

- It says, "Paint multicolored,

in order to obscure the character

and shape of the craft".

Right. Multicolored.

Udet, Goering, all of you,

call out your crewmen.

Tell them it's special duty.

Lothar, you and Holzapfel,

get over to Supply,

get me every can of paint you can find

and plenty of brushes.

- What colors?

- Every color in the rainbow.

Germany's bid for a voice

in the destiny of Europe, gentlemen,

is more than a war. It's a crusade.

- And what does that call for?

- Rationing, Herr Major?

It calls for sacrifice, Herr Richter.

Young leaders who are totally dedicated.

You've all heard of the exploits of Baron

von Richthofen and Boelke's Jasta.

Yellow.

Yellow. Blue.

- Blue.

- Blue.

They'll transfer every damn one of us

to the infantry.

I'll be roasting rats on the Somme.

I got them.

Good, Lothar. That's wonderful.

I think I'll take some black first and

paint a Fraulein on my brother's, yeah?

Now, what color shall we paint my plane?

- What do you think?

- Well, I think it's fine.

My God! They'll see it 20 miles away.

They represent the best in Germany today.

If one is embarking on a crusade,

these are the knights

that one would want to...

To hire, Herr Major?

You are a cynic, Herr Richter.

They are just completing some work

on their aircrafts.

They may be tired, keyed up.

Take that into consideration, gentlemen.

Come on. Hurry up. Hurry up!

Let's finish this thing here.

God! Wait till the son of b*tches get here.

The sons of b*tches are here, Lieutenant.

Gentlemen, it's good to see you.

Rittmeister, perhaps you can explain this.

We're following orders, Colonel.

Come now, Rittmeister,

the orders were clear enough.

A triumph of clarity.

They said, "Paint the planes".

To render them unobtrusive.

It said, "Paint them multicolored

to obscure the character and shape".

I think they have you there, Cargonico.

God knows, they are multicolored.

Whatever character or shape

they may have is fairly well obscured.

But this is preposterous.

Everyone in the air service knows

we are using brown and green lozenges

for camouflage.

I beg the Colonel's pardon.

We are German fighting men,

not English sparrows.

The Emperor may command that we die,

but no one has the right to

command that we hide.

Gentlemen, naturally

I approve your sentiment.

But this display, it's fantastic.

It's a circus, Colonel Cargonico,

a flying circus.

A win for the black.

Come on, there's another one there.

Your father's fine. Your mother

sends her love, so does my sister.

That's nice.

How the hell did you get over here

so quickly? I thought you were in school.

I was.

Till one of my teachers said

this would be the last one.

- Last what?

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