The Blue Max Page #2

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He's being awarded the Blue Max.

Uh-huh.

I see you've had a hard day.

No one's ever done that before

about an unconfirmed kill.

Quite novel. You must be in a hurry.

- To your Blue Max.

- Blue Max.

I don't suppose

you've had an unconfirmed kill.

Oh, but I have. I've had, uh... three.

Then you've shot down 23?

No. 20.

By the way, Stachel,

there's an impression around that

you care more about your unconfirmed kill

than you do about Fabian's death.

Perhaps it's force of habit.

In the trenches

we couldn't even bury the dead.

There were too many of them.

I've never had the time to discuss them

over a glass of champagne.

Well, never mind, Stachel.

To your unconfirmed victory.

Next time you must have witnesses.

Witnesses.

Good evening, gentlemen.

Pairings for next week's sorties.

- Let's have them.

- I'll fly with Becker.

Heller and Braun.

- Von Klinger and I will do the ground strafe.

- Gruber and I will fly together.

Good. Who'll fly with Stachel?

I'll fly with Stachel.

He's... he's bringing her in.

This one is dead, Herr Leutnant.

- Easy, easy.

- Bring a stretcher! Quick! Quick!

What happened, Stachel?

The observer. He was going to open fire.

Then we are to assume he was

either very brave... or very foolish.

Confirmed.

It's a cruel worid, Herr Hauptmann.

You said so yourself.

Bearers, halt!

Willi.

I've read your report, Willi.

What really happened?

As I said, Otto, the observer made a move

for his gun, so Stachel shot him down.

You wish to stand by your comrade.

I appreciate that.

What I reported is what I saw.

We are German officers.

We'll fight with chivalry.

- You know that as well as I do.

- Of course.

The observer was blinded.

Did you know that?

No. It could have happened when

Stachel opened fire over the field.

- But did it?

- I don't know.

But you do know how Stachel behaved

when his first claim was disallowed.

If he's shot down

a helpless enemy in cold blood,

it's something I won't tolerate

in my squadron.

All right, Otto. I agree.

There is some measure of doubt.

But I have no reason to change my report.

All right, Willi.

The incident is closed. Officially, anyway.

Is everyone here?

All except Leutnant Stachel, Herr Hauptmann.

Someone inform him this is a parade.

He is ordered to attend.

We are about to honour your dead.

So I see.

Well... aren't you coming?

It's an order.

Why?

Because our commanding officer

has made it one.

He believes in chivalry, Stachel.

Chivalry?

To kill a man, then make

a ritual out of saluting him?

It's hypocrisy.

If they kill me, I don't want anyone to salute.

They probably won't.

All right.

Let's get it over with, shall we?

Stachel.

Thank you.

You know, there's something

of the cobra in you.

I'll have to watch you.

Leutnant von Klugermann.

Parade, stand at ease!

I assume you've talked

to the other pilots about this.

Yes, I am making a thorough inquiry

into the whole incident.

Good. When the opportunity arises,

point the man out to me.

Yes, Herr General.

- Ah, Otto.

- The squadron is drawn up, Herr General.

We were discussing the pilot

who brought this in.

Air Headquarters are quite excited about it.

What's the man's name again?

- Leutnant Stachel, Herr General.

- Mm-hm.

Is he a good flier?

Yes. Yes, he is.

Glad to hear it. Well, we mustn't

keep my nephew waiting any longer,

not to mention my wife.

Parade, left turn!

Sorry to have been so long. Were you bored?

With all these men around?

Look beautiful for them, Kaeti.

Look at Willi.

Doesn't he look splendid?

The Blue Max will go so well with his eyes.

Yes, he is rather vain. He'll probably

wear it in bed for the first few days.

How uncomfortable for the girl.

- Excuse me, Herr General.

- Yes?

The second one on the left.

Front row. That's Stachel.

Right.

"To Leutnant Wilhelm von Klugermann,

for bravery of the highest order in action

against the enemies of the German empire,

and for exceptional services to the fatherland

in that he has destroyed

single-handed 20 enemy aircraft,

the Order Pour le Mrite, by lmperial decree,

Wilhelm, Emperor."

I'm afraid it's rather a small medal, really.

But it's the highest Germany can give.

Thank you, Uncle.

Otto, this pilot of yours - Stachel.

Humble origin, risen from the ranks,

et cetera, et cetera...

- Two years' frontline service, huh?

- Yes, that's right.

To deliver the final blow over your own

airfield, on the doorstep, so to speak...

- That was splendid, wasn't it?

- Splendid?

Otto, if this young man lives long enough,

he could be very useful

to our propaganda department.

The common people of our country

are war-weary, restive.

They need to be provided

with a hero of their own.

Von Richthofen, Willi, are of our class.

This fellow Stachel is common as dirt.

He's one of them. You understand?

Yes, I understand.

But I don't agree with killing helpless men.

Otto, this is 1918. Things have changed.

Unrestricted submarine warfare,

bombing of civilians, poison gas.

Ask your wife - she's a nurse.

Ask Elfi about the mustard-gas casualties.

So, you approve of this kind of ruthlessness?

We fight to win, Otto.

Yes, of course.

Excuse me, Herr General.

Herr General.

May I present Leutnant Stachel?

I saw the plane which you brought in.

Very... interesting exploit.

It proves that our young men

still have vitality, courage,

and the will to win at all costs.

Yes, Herr General. Thank you.

I'm sure we'll hear a lot more of you.

Kaeti, you haven't met our Leutnant Stachel.

Stachel, may I introduce

the Countess von Klugermann?

My aunt... by marriage.

You appear to have caught

my uncle's interest.

Interest from high places is always welcome.

May I get you a drink, Countess?

All right. Champagne.

Champagne.

Pink champagne!

- Pink champagne?

- Yes.

Yes, Countess.

May I have two glasses

of pink champagne, please?

May I have two glasses

of pink champagne, please?

That champagne is getting warm, Stachel.

Not yet.

Silence, please! Silence, please!

Silence!

Gentlemen...

in a few hours

the horizon will be lit up by

the flashes of 7,000 guns - our guns.

They will herald

the greatest offensive in history.

Our defeat of Russia has released

a million men for the Western Front.

I need hardly tell you

that if we destroy

the British and French armies...

before the Americans

can intervene effectively,

we shall have won the war.

God be with us! God be with us!

Oh, Willi, darling.

Mm-hm?

I'm sorry I'm late.

I'm sorry.

Well, I'm not. If you're looking

for your nephew, he's next door.

Yes. I realise that now.

As long as you're here,

perhaps I can get you that drink.

Yes, do.

I'm afraid I'm out of champagne.

- Then whatever you have.

- Schnapps.

Mmm. Horrible.

But quite stimulating.

So that's you - Cobra.

- Cobra?

- Yes, that's what Willi calls you.

Has he been talking about me to you?

I asked.

He says you're quite, uh, deadly...

in sort of a quiet way.

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