The Dirty Dozen Page #3

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The Lord gave me that woman

and told me to chastise her.

Then he told you to beat her

to death, huh?

I only do what I'm called on to do.

I was in a state of grace.

And that woman. . .

. . .she tried to soil my spirit.

Well, I'm sure you were, Maggott.

But it seems to me I remember

a quotation that goes like:

Vengeance is mine.

Vengeance is mine.

I will repay, sayeth the Lord.

Paul to the Romans, Chapter 12.

Exactly. Now, isn't that

supposed to mean. . .

. . .that we leave punishment

of the transgressors to his hands?

That's right, major.

That's exactly what it means.

But it doesn't restrict him to the kind

of tools he would use, now does it?

And like I told you, major,

I only do what I'm called on to do.

You know, Maggott, I don't think

you're going to hang after all.

I think a man like you is destined

for higher things. Guard.

Besides, us Southern boys have

to stick together now, don't we?

I sure didn't mean to kill that fella.

But you do like I say,

and maybe they won't hang you.

Fixing to kill me some other way?

It might not come to that.

I reckon the folks would be a sight

happier if I died like a soldier.

Can't say I would.

Who does this hotshot major

think he is?

Making us play wet nurses

to a bunch of scum.

Corporal Morgan.

If you can't find something to do,

I'll find something for you.

Now, move it.

Don't sweet-talk me, whitey.

You know why I'm here.

Or maybe you think I should've let

those cracker bastards. . .

. . .go right ahead and castrate me?

Seeing what those guys

tried to do to you. . .

. . .I'd say that you had

considerable justification.

Thank you, Mr. Major, sir.

I really do thank you for that.

But the court didn't agree, right?

So where does that leave you?

I'm offering you an alternative,

which means you can keep fighting.

-Who for, major?

-For yourself, if you want.

But the Krauts,

they're the real master-race merchants.

That's your war, man, not mine.

You don't like the Krauts,

major, you fight them.

Me, I'll pick my own enemies.

That's your privilege. But you won't

be able to exercise it much longer.

Guard.

Because on March 25th,

you have a date with the hangman.

That's just six days from now.

Buenos das, major.

You know, sergeant, going over

the transcript of that man's trial. . .

. . .there are a couple of things

I don't get.

Did he ever claim

that he didn't do it?

I beg your pardon, but you haven't been

around prisons very much, have you?

You see, the first thing one learns

in prison, everybody is innocent.

This one, he doesn't say too much

about that one way or another.

He's only disturbed because we don't

allow him to have strings for his guitar.

Sergeant, did you ever lose a man. . .

. . .because he hung himself

with a guitar string?

No, sir, I haven't,

and I'm not about to.

Well, if he makes the trip,

see he gets the strings.

Yes, sir.

Attention!

-Tell the men to be seated.

-Yes, sir. Take seats!

-Guards out.

-Sir, l--

-Guards out.

-Yes, sir.

You heard him. Guards, out!

My name, for those of you

who may have forgotten, is Reisman.

You've all volunteered for a mission

which gives you just three ways to go:

You can foul up in training and be sent

back here for execution of sentence. . .

. . .or you can foul up in combat. . .

. . .in which case

I'll blow your brains out. . .

. . .or you can do as you're told,

in which case you might just get by.

You must not attempt to escape.

There will be no excuses,

there will be no appeal.

Any breach of either of these conditions

by any one of you. . .

. . .means you'll all be shipped back

for immediate execution of sentence.

You are therefore dependent

upon each other.

Any one of you try anything smart. . .

. . .and the 12 of you get it

right in the head, all right?

So try to remember that.

Now, are there any questions?

Sir?

Do we have to eat with n*ggers?

It's all right.

The gentleman from the South. . .

. . .made some kind of inquiries

about the dining arrangements.

He and his colleagues are discussing

the place-card settings. All right?

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

Look, corporal, fellas,

let's get with it, right? Remember?

Baseball, pitching?

Chicago's always had the pitching.

But now, as far as--

As far as hitting goes. . .

. . .well, my sister, she can hit

better than half them fellas.

Let's move it out!

-Well, what do you think, sergeant?

-I think you'll do just fine, sir.

Don't give me that.

I said, what do you think?

I think the first chance

one of them lovers gets. . .

. . .he's gonna shoot the major

right in the head, sir.

-Thank you, sergeant.

-Sir.

Okay, Franko. Let's go.

All right, move it out.

Come on.

Over there.

Sergeant, have the men fall in,

facing me.

Sir. All right, on your feet. Fall in

over here, double-quick! Come on now!

Come on, snap it up.

Snap it up!

Jiminez, get in there!

Ten-hut!

All right, Franko, get rid

of that cigarette.

Thank you.

This will be your new home

until further notice.

What there is of it will be built

by you, but the construction. . .

. . .will in no way interfere

with your training.

So the sooner you get it up, the sooner

you'll be sleeping in out of the rain.

-Sergeant.

-Sir?

You're in charge. I want this compound

up and completed within the month.

Thank you.

If this place was on fire,

it'd burn to the ground.

Come on, what are you doing?

All right, come on. Let's move.

Come on.

Hey, Maggott, what are you? German?

Hey, what are you trying to do,

break the window?

All right, sergeant, fall them in.

Fall in, in front of the hut.

On the double!

Round it up!

At ease.

All right, that'll be all for today.

How come they got

all the comforts of home?

Why can't we put our floor in?

Why can't we put our windows in?

-Franko's right.

-I'd rather sleep in my cell.

Mr. Franko, with his keen eye

for detail. . .

. . .has noted that the prisoners'

quarters are not yet ready.

The answer to that is simple:

You are not yet ready

to occupy that hut. . .

. . .with the degree of comfort

that you would like.

When I think that you've earned

that privilege, I'll let you know.

Reveille is at 0530.

That is all. Sergeant.

Sir. You heard the man, chow time!

Dismissed!

That's it, fellas. Speak up, boys.

Speak up.

Wind it up, strike one!

Hey, Joseph, is that the way

they did it in the Polish navy?

You won't win any cigars that way.

Hey, Franko, number please.

Ask the operator for my nickel back.

Why don't you guys

just dry up and blow away?

Meanwhile, on the Atlantic wall...

... the German forces

have been preparing...

...a few nice surprises for you,

gentlemen...

...just in case Mr. Churchill...

...is really foolish enough

to attempt an invasion.

He may not be

unduly worried about this...

...but then, of course, he will not

be taking any active part...

...in such an--

Hey, what's this guy's name again?

You ought to know.

You listen to him every night.

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