The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Page #2

kind of hopeless.

So we've decided

to ask your advice...

if we should resign

from the service.

You want me to tell you

to quit flying?

Sure, the planes

are no good and--

and the pay is small,

but 20 years from now

San Francisco will be

just a few hours from New York,

and New York

will be a bombing run

from Berlin.

The whole--

The whole world

will be in the air.

[ Airplane Passing Overhead ]

Go ahead and quit

if you want to,

but don't ask me about it.

[ Buzzes ]

Oh. Billy.

Come in.

Oh, I-- I didn't think

you'd gone to bed yet.

I'm sorry I woke you.

Go on back to sleep.

No, no, come in.

Billy!

What are you doing

in Washington?

Well, I-- I didn't

mean to disturb you.

I've just been

driving around,

thought you might be up.

I'd better go.

Don't be silly.

Can I get you

anything?

No, thank you,

Margaret.

[ Chuckles ]

I wouldn't be

very good company

tonight.

You look tired.

Why don't you sit down.

I'll get you a glass of milk.

I know how you feel,

Billy.

It was tough luck

about the ship.

Well, it's not only

the ship.

The whole thing

has fallen apart.

My boys came to me tonight.

They want to quit.

All of them.

I'm not surprised.

We all get a little discouraged

at one time or another.

I've been thinking

maybe I've been wrong

about everything.

Maybe men

weren't meant to fly.

That doesn't sound

like you, Billy.

When I got

to be a general,

I thought,

Now I'll be able

to do things,

change the whole works.

But they're

out to stop me.

There's always

a bigger general.

[ Scoffs ]

General Yesterday.

No, thank you, Margaret.

I really don't care

for anything.

You go back to bed,

and I'll go where I belong.

Now, Billy,

drink this

and relax.

You can't

possibly sleep

the way you are.

Sleep?

[ Chuckles ]

There's a little job

I have to figure out

for tomorrow--

how to sink

a great, big, steel-covered,

unsinkable battleship...

when my commanding officer

has made it impossible.

You can't blame Guthrie

for that, Billy.

He's just going

according to rules.

That's the way we all

have to work-- by the book.

You know that.

Sure.

We go by the book.

Suppose some other country

throws away the book.

Then where are we?

I've got to open their eyes

to what can happen.

I've got to

sink that battleship.

You can't do

the impossible.

I can try.

Zach, will you

call Langley Field,

ask for Russ Peters,

tell him to get the boys up

and say I'm on my way

back there now.

Now? Oh, can't you

wait till morning?

No, there's--

there's something

I've got to do tonight.

And you know what?

I'm scared to death.

But Zach'll tell you

that's normal

for a flyer.

Billy, what are you

going to do?

You'll hear about it.

Don't forget that call,

will you, Zach?

Good night, kids.

Good night, Billy.

Night, Billy.

What is this

all about?

I don't know.

Call came

from Washington.

What's up,

General?

There's been a change

in orders, boys.

We go in at low level today

with 2,000-pound bombs.

Hey, now you're talkin'!

That's more like it!

When do we start?

How did you work it,

General?

Never mind.

Get the ordnance men out

and start loading.

General.

Is this really

on the level, sir?

Did new orders

really come through?

You heard what I said,

didn't you?

Yes, sir.

General.

This is a strange

time of night for orders

to come out, sir.

Are you sure

you're not just

doing this on your own?

Don't you worry

about that, Russ.

You just get out there

on the field

and get those planes ready.

Okay?

Yes, sir.

What are they doing?

They're dropping down

for a low-level attack.

But that's

against the rules!

Did you

authorize this?

Absolutely not.

[ Shouting ]

[ Explosions ]

[ Bombs Whistling ]

[ Explosions ]

How was that for

a military toy, Senator?

[ Laughing ]

[ Airplanes Passing ]

"General Mitchell's

whole course

has been so lawless,

"so lacking

in reasonable teamwork,

"so indicative of

a personal ambition for

his branch of the service...

"at the expense

of everyone with whom

he is associated...

"that his actions

render him unfit for a high

administrative position...

"such as he now occupies.

"The secretary of war

hereby directs...

"that Brigadier General

William Mitchell...

"be relieved

of his command

in the air service...

"and be assigned to duty

at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

"To accommodate

his new duties,

General Mitchell

will revert

to the rank of colonel."

Would you excuse us,

gentlemen?

Progress is necessary...

in an army, Billy,

but you've first

got to have an army.

There's no progress...

if your officers

are undisciplined.

I put my star on the line

for something I believe in,

and I lost.

Your contribution

is on record, Colonel.

It won't be lost.

I hope not, sir.

But there's more

at stake than me.

It's the air service.

It's a new weapon,

a big one.

The biggest

in the world.

Put me down

another step.

Make me a captain, sir,

but let me stay

in the air with my boys.

[ Sighs ]

Sorry, Billy.

Anything else?

No, sir.

It's not so bad

in Texas, Billy.

I've been there.

Yes, sir,

General.

Without a doubt,

your fort ranks

at the top of the list...

of the military

establishments we've

visited on our tour.

That's right,

General.

That's mighty fine

of you gentlemen.

A little more,

Congressman?

No, thank you, General.

There's a request I'd

like to make though.

Certainly, Mr. Reid.

There's one of your officers

I'd like to talk to.

Could I see Col. Mitchell?

Mitchell? Why, of course.

I'll send for him

right away.

No need to take him

away from his duties.

I just want to say hello.

If somebody could

show me where he is,

I can find my way back.

Why, of course,

of course.

It is recommended...

that said shed be located

within 20 yards

of the machine shop...

and be of

sufficient capacity...

for the storage

of spare parts as well.

Suggested dimensions are--

Thanks very much.

I'll find my way back.

Frank!

What are you doing here?

I'm on a junket.

Thought I'd drop around,

see how you are.

[ Chuckles ]

Well, I lost my stars,

but I still have all my buttons.

Gee, I'm glad to see you.

How are things in Washington?

Give me the news.

There hasn't been any

since you left.

Sergeant, take these

to Major Anderson.

Tell him

they're okay.

Yes, sir.

How are all my boys?

Have you seen them?

The ones that are left

are all right.

Have you seen Russ Peters?

I haven't heard

from him lately.

He's all right.

He's better off

than you are.

This climate must remind you

of your Philippines campaign.

Nobody's shooting

at me here.

The heat should be great

for your malaria.

I haven't had

a chill all summer.

Say, Frank, do you know

if the army's ordered any of

those new Ford Tri-motors?

I know. No.

They're a wonderful

airplane.

Isn't there something

you can do about it?

They won't listen to me.

What areyou

gonna do about it?

All I can do.

I'll write another letter

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes