The Young Lions Page #5

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- Get me a cigarette, please.

- Hm?

On the table.

- Morning.

- Morning.

- I hear your show's goin' just great.

- lt's a lulu. Brandy and soda.

Si, signore.

Can you spare it?

- What's the matter?

- Nothing.

Come on, Michael. You can usually

fake an affectionate kiss at lunchtime.

Something fell through in Washington

and I have to take basic training.

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!

I was supposed to leave tomorrow,

but I can go now.

I'm sorry.

That's better. Why don't you

take the afternoon off?

Oh, I can't, Michael.

The Office of War lnformation

can spare you on my last afternoon.

- We'll see each other tonight.

- Say you're involved in a troop movement.

- Really, Michael, I can't.

- On the house.

- This is the last of the cognac.

- I bet they still have plenty in ltaly.

I came here in 1924, sir.

I don't know anything about ltaly any more.

- That was pretty unnecessary.

- Not the way I feel.

Margaret, what do you want from me?

I want you to act like a man.

I want to be proud of you,

the way Hope is proud of Noah.

You want me to get shot. I've read the books.

I know that in ten years

we'll be bosom friends with the Germans and

Japanese. I'll be pretty annoyed I was killed.

Look, Michael, I don't want you to get shot.

I don't... I don't even mind

you wanting to get out of the army.

I just want you to stop pretending

that you think it's all right.

- That all?

- No.

I want us to go someplace and get married.

Now?

- Mm-hm.

- Look, honey, I love you.

But today? Now, you've been seeing

too many war pictures.

- You mean no?

- I could be in for years.

Last chance, Michael.

Honey, that'd be foolish.

I almost forgot. The Office

is sending me overseas.

I was gonna tell you that tonight.

- Oh! Hello, Mrs Ackerman, Mr Ackerman.

- Hello.

- Rather early this morning.

- Yes, we are.

- Oh, today's the day, hey?

- Yes, it is.

Here. Give you courage. Calm the nerves.

Go ahead and drink it. lt's full of cream.

Homogenised.

- Good, isn't it?

- Yes, it is.

I drink two quarts a day myself. Keeps me

young. Well, I've got to be on my way.

- Good luck.

- Thank you.

Oh, you taste good.

I love you.

- Are you ready?

- Jawohl.

Kraus! Kraus!

Ja.

They are all ready, sir.

All right, Leutnant.

Now!

- May I suggest we wait, sir?

- Wait? Why?

Over your shoulder, sir. The sun

will be up in a few moments,ja?

And when the sun is up and in their eyes,

their guns will be completely useless.

A wonderful idea.

We will wait.

Mortar.

Machine guns.

Fire, quick!

Left, ten!

Back, ten!

Kraus! Left!

All right! Cease fire!

Kraus!

I gave no order to stop firing.

What are you doing, Oberleutnant?

The machine guns will continue

to rake the area for 60 seconds!

Fire!

Shoot all wounded.

Leave no one alive here.

We cannot take prisoners.

Our movements must not be reported.

These wounded can give information, and

their planes will be on us before we got back.

Then all our reconnaissance... useless.

Proceed.

Shoot him.

Shoot him.

That's an order.

OK, fellas!

Attention!

At ease.

Prepare for inspection.

- Eighth general order?

- To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.

Wipe that smile off your face, Whiteacre.

You're not a Broadway big shot now, you're

a soldier in the army of the United States.

Rip this man's bed.

This isn't the Astor Hotel, Whiteacre.

The maid doesn't come in here.

Two extra days' fatigue duty.

Let's see the inside

of that footlocker, soldier.

This isn't the New York

Public Library, soldier.

I know this book. lt's a filthy, dirty book. The

army doesn't care what you read, but I do.

Get rid of it. Eyes front.

All right, soldier.

This window hasn't been cleaned at all.

Whole barracks is unmilitary.

Sergeant, these quarters aren't ready

for inspection. Get them ready.

You will learn if there's one sloppy soldier,

it's up to all of you to teach him to be clean.

This platoon is restricted

to the post for the weekend.

- Don't you think punishing the platoon...

- No, Lieutenant, I do not.

Yes, sir.

Rest.

All right, Ackerman.

You've gone and done it. Now I'm gonna

have to take you under my personal wing.

- This ain't no crummy tenement.

- Wait a minute...

Keep your mouth shut. When I want you

to talk, I'll ask you a direct question.

You'll answer yes or no. That's an order.

Now... lesson number one begins.

Ackerman, get yourself a bucket.

Do you know what? You're gonna

wash every window in this barracks.

You're gonna wash 'em until they're clean.

White-glove clean.

That's an order. Now move.

Deal the cards.

Here we go.

Not even a pair on the table.

(soldier) Here comes mama's helper.

- Hi.

- Hi.

(Michael) Did you have a ball?

Hey, uh, Cowley, you know everything.

Who's our ambassador to New York?

We don't have one.

We don't recognise it.

Just relax. They'll get bored.

- lsn't New York part of the United States yet?

- Nope.

- What language do they speak there?

- Language? They talk with their hands.

- Well, how come Ackerman speaks English?

- He's a spy.

Hey, you guys ain't bein' fair

to Ackerman. I feel sorry for him.

- Oh, sure!

- Really, I do.

Look at the dough he could be makin', sellin'

black-market tyres if he weren't in the service.

(Michael) Forget it.

Hey, uh, Ackerman, how come

you're in the service anyway?

He had no influence with the draft board.

They were all lrish.

- What are you bettin'?

- What have we got?

What'd you hear from Hope?

Hope? She's fine, the last I...

- What's the matter?

- Oh, now I've done it. I've done it.

Her birthday.

I got $20 stashed,

and I can't even get to a store.

Maybe you can get something at the PX.

Come on, I'll go with you.

That's a good idea.

My bank.

Whose play is it?

Noah. I'll lend you the 20.

Let's go.

You got a pen?

Noah, forget it. lf I were you...

You're not.

Hey, aren't you gonna eat?

Read this.

Would you act as my second?

- What second?

- I want everything to be absolutely correct,

and I don't trust myself to arrange it.

I might lose my temper.

Are you outta your head? These are

the four biggest guys in the company.

So?

- What do you weigh?

- Never mind what I weigh!

Look, they're only needlin' you

because you had 'em confined to the post.

Will you arrange the schedule?

- OK. You don't want to help, don't help.

- What schedule?

You want me to fight

all four guys in one night?

You're crazy.

I don't wanna have anything to do with this.

Now, take it. Take it!

- OK, Donnelly, so you're a big man.

- Nice punch.

- Come on, I'll buy you a beer.

- What do you know?

The little punk gave me a bloody nose!

Well, you asked for it.

- Teach him a little bit about boxin'.

- Come on, Burnecker, finish him!

- Oh! Oh, look.

- Get it over with.

- Come on, Burnecker.

- Lay it into him, Burny. Come on.

- OK, Burnecker, knock him on his back.

- Don't kill him. Not yet, anyway.

Fix it so he won't wanna fight any more.

Come on.

Come on, hold him up, he's going down.

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