The Thin Red Line Page #5

I've arranged for that.

Now, we just can't stop now, goddamn it,and wait for it.

No, sir.

That's right.

And if some ofthe men... pass out,why, hell, they'll just have to pass out.

All right.

They could...

- They could die from it.- They could die from enemy fire, too!

They're all tough boys.

Come on, men, let's go! You'll seeplenty more ofthose where we're going!

Are we going up this hill or aren't we?

John, I'm convinced thatthe Japanese position can be broken now.

All we have to do is keep going and we'llhave this hill. We'll have this hill by sundown.

You see the spirit in these men?D'you see the new spirit?

Well, I want to take advantage ofthat beforesomething happens to sap their strength.

To have this battalion relieved in a defeat,

or even to have it reinforcedfrom troops from the reserves,

if we were to stallbefore reaching the top, well,

Jesus Christ, that's justa hell of a lot more than I could stand!

I've waited all my life for this.

I've worked, slaved, eaten... oh, untoldbuckets of sh*t to have this opportunity!

And I don't intend to give it up now.

You don't know what it feels liketo be passed over.

I mean, you're young.You're just out ofthe Academy.

You're, you know, you've got your war!This 15 years, this is my first war!

John, some day you'll understand.

You're like a son to me, John.

You know what my son does?

He's a bait salesman.

You've done a hell of ajob, John.

I'm gonna make sure that you get everything,everything that you deserve.

Thank you, sir.

God...

Goddamn it! I want three runners!

Get me three runners!

You go back to the rear to find water

and get back here with it as fast as you can!

We attack in one hour!We'll throw everything we got at 'em.

We're going all the way! Nothing'll stop us.

It's high ground by nightfall!

You seen many dead people?

Plenty.

They're no different than dead dogs,

once you get used to the idea.

They're meat, kid.

Are you righteous? Kind?

Does your confiidence lie in this?

Are you lovedbyall?

Know thatl was, too.

Do you imagine your sufferings will be lessbecause you loved goodness?

Truth?

Get f***ing on the ground!Get down! Get down!

Get down. Stay there.

Get on the ground!Get on the f***ing ground!

Now!

This great evil.

Where's it come from?

How'd it steal into the world?

What seed, what root did it grow from?

Who's doing this?

Who's killing us?

Robbing us of life and light.

Mocking us with the sightof what we might have known.

Does our ruin benefit the Earth?

Does it help the grass to growor the sun to shine?

Is this darkness in you, too?

Have you passed through this night?

I'm gonna sink my teeth into your liver.

You're dying.

See them birds up there?

You know they eat you raw?

Where you're going,you're not coming back from.

What are you to me?

Nothing.

Have a seat here.

Staros, I'm relieving you ofyour command.

Lieutenant Band will take over for you.

I already told him.

It's a hard thing to do.

Difficult decision to make.

I don't think you're tough enough.

You're too soft. You're just too softhearted.You're not tough-fibred enough.

Anyway, it's my decision to make.I've already made it.

I don't like to see my men get killed, sir.

Have you ever had anyonedie in your arms, sir?

Have you?

I don't see any reasonto make a scandal out ofthis.

I don't want it in the records ofthe battalion.There's no reason for you to have it on yours.

This has nothing to do withcowardice or inefficiency.

Look at this jungle.

Look at those vines, the way they twinearound the trees, swallowing everything.

Nature's cruel, Staros.

I'm going to let you apply for reassignmentto the Judge Advocate General Corps

for reasons of ill health.

You're a lawyer.

- You had malaria yet?- No, I haven't.

Doesn't matter. I can fix that.

Anyway, you probably will have it.

I'm also recommending youfor the Silver Star.

And I'll recommend it in such a wayit definitely won't be refused.

Might as well have the Purple Heart, too.

Why?

Because of that scratch on your faceand because of those cuts on your hands.

Listen to me, Staros.

I think it's best you go back withthe next batch of wounded and prisoners.

It is no goddamn good for youto keep hanging around.

The quieter we keep this,the better it'll be for all.

This is from Colonel Tall.

"Our victory gives usthe highest reasons for pride."

"lt will prove a milestonein the battle for Guadalcanal."

"Tomorrow the division commanderwill arrive to make an inspection ofthe line."

"After the inspection we're to be relieved by abattalion of the division's reserve regiment."

"l've secured for the battaliona week's rest offthe line."

That's all.

Hours like months.

Days like years.

Walked into the golden age.

Stood on the shores ofthe New World.

I would've come byand paid you guys a visit,

but...

I just felt like being alone, you know?

Yeah?

We wanted to thank you, sir.

For asking to make that flanking move.

For watching out for us.

Keeping us together.

We're all sorry to see you go.

We feel like you got a rotten deal.

Well, I'm not sure that you're right.

Tough part is...

not knowing ifyou're doing any good.

That's the hard part.

But it doesn't matter. I don't care.

I'm glad to be going.

I'm glad.

- There's still time. We could file a complaint.- For what?

What good would that do?

Anyway, I wanna go.

Leave it alone. Let it lay.

What does that mean, sir?

It means "You've been like my sons".

You are mysons.

My dearsons.

You live inside me now.

I'll carryyou whereverlgo.

Can't nothing make you forgetit.

Each time you startfrom scratch.

War don't ennoble men.

It turns 'em into dogs.

Poisons the soul.

My dear wife,

you get something twisted out of yourinsides byall this blood, filth, and noise.

I wanna stay changeless foryou.

I wanna come back to youthe man I was before.

How do we get to those othershores?

To those blue hills.

Love.

Where does it come from?

Who lit this flame in us?

No war can put it out,

conquer it.

I was a prisoner.

You setme free.

No matter how much training you got,

how careful you are,

it's a matter of luckwhether or not you get killed.

Makes no difference who you are,or how tough a guy you might be,

if you're in the wrong spotat the wrong time, you're gonna get it.

I look at that boy dying,

I don't feel nothing.

I don't care about nothing any more.

Sounds like bliss.

I don't have that feeling yet.

That numbness.

Not like the rest of you guys.

Maybe cos I knew what to expect.

Maybe I was just frozen up already.

I haven't touched another womansince I was called up.

Or talked to one.

I don't wanna...

I don't wanna feel the desire.

All right. Abrahams!

Abrahams. Here you go.

Stack! Where's Stack?

Bring him out.

Bell?

Bell!

Another one for Bell. Another one for Bell.

Dear Jack,

I've met an AirForce captain.I've fallen in love with him.

I wanta divorce to marryhim.

I know you can say no,but I'm asking you anyway,

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote