The Young Lions Page #7

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I'm gonna make a soldier out of you

if I have to break you in half to do it.

Yes, sir.

You'll get no passes.

You'll be on KP every day for the next week.

Also, you'll have the same cot

and the same men around you.

You'll have to make sure any punishments

handed out to them aren't caused by you.

Yes, sir.

Now get out of here. I don't want

to see you in this room again.

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

- (PA) Captain.

- Yes?

This is Major Price. The colonel

requests that you report to his offiice.

I'll be right there, Major.

You wished to see me, sir?

There are many kinds of officers

that we get in a war.

Men like Green, Emerson...

and a few officers like you.

Fortunately, a very few like you.

Sometimes we find you out.

Occasionally, we don't.

ln your case, we've been lucky.

I've just completed an investigation of the

reasons for Private Ackerman's behaviour.

- Sir, I can explain. You see...

- I hope you can.

I'll read you the charges that'll be brought

against you at your court martial.

''That said officer wilfully persecuted

Private Noah Ackerman

by ordering mass punishment of his entire

company as a means of disciplining him.''

''By wilfully and knowingly permitting

savage beatings to be inflicted upon him

by members of his company.''

''By attempting to blackmail Private Michael

Whiteacre, who interceded on his behalf.''

Do you want me to go on?

I thought not. I've preferred

these charges against you,

and... I officially serve you with them now.

Hey! Hey, you guys,

I think I've just seen a ghost.

I don't see anything.

- I think it's Ackerman.

- You're crazy. He's in New York, livin' it up.

- lt's somebody who looks like Ackerman.

- Nobody looks like Ackerman.

(laughter)

All right, you guys, make room for one more.

I've just found a pigeon with 20 bucks.

Come on, whose bet?

Five? You're outta your mind!

- Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon, Captain. May I help you?

Yes. Do you have

a Captain Hardenburg in this section?

- Yes, he's here.

- Would it be possible to see him?

- Are you a friend of his?

- Mm, yes.

- Very good. He's right in there. Go right in.

- Thank you.

- Captain Hardenburg?

- ls that you, Diestl?

Yes, sir. I was just released from my hospital

this afternoon, and I came to say goodbye.

That's very nice of you.

- Well, are you feeling any better, sir?

- Ja.

- Better each day.

- Good.

But they tell me I will be here for six months.

Six months? Well, I'm sorry

that it will be so long for you.

Why sorry?

lt gives me the opportunity

to think of the future.

I plan to go into politics.

Oh, yes.

My face will be a reminder of what

I have given for the fatherland.

lt will stand me in good stead...

with our audiences at public meetings.

Well...

You know, sir, that... they do

remarkable things nowadays with...

Yes, remarkable. Remarkable.

Glass eyes, plastic noses.

Reconstructed cheekbones.

I have written to Gretchen in this

kind of detail, to prepare her for it,

and she has assured me she's proud of me,

and it will make no difference.

Gretchen... is the name of my wife.

Yes, I know.

How do you know?

Ah, yes, you delivered a package for me.

She is quite handsome. lsn't she?

Yes, sir, she's quite handsome.

She will be very useful to my career.

What I would like you to do for me is...

visit her again,

to reassure her.

I know it's a great deal to ask,

to speak for a man to his wife

under these circumstances,

but I want her to hear from

a third party that I am... salvageable.

Yes, I-I-I will be glad to do that.

Thank you. Thank you, Diestl.

Now...

come closer.

Yes, sir.

Are we alone?

- Yes, except for...

- Yes, yes. lt's all right.

I have one more favour to ask of you.

I want you to bring me a bayonet.

- A bayonet?

- Yes, yes. A bayonet.

- Well, I think...

- What is the matter with you?!

Not for me.

For him.

He has no hands left. Or anything left.

He wants to die. I have promised him.

(whispers) He whispers to me

when we are alone.

And he can hear.

He's a watchmaker... in Nuremberg.

Specialist for stopwatches.

He has three children. And he wants to die.

Where is my hand?

Approximately over his heart.

Good.

That's where I will place the bayonet.

We have practised it every night for a week.

Come back tonight with the bayonet.

Diestl, will you bring me the bayonet?

Yes, sir.

Goodbye, Diestl.

Goodbye, sir.

(woman) Yes?

lt's, uh, Christian Diestl.

Who?

Christian Diestl.

Hello.

Oh. Lieutenant.

- Yes.

- Come in.

How are you?

I'm all right. And you?

Forgive me. I must look awful,

but I haven't slept for so many weeks.

We've had so many air raids.

Come in. Excuse me.

They come over two, three times a night.

You can't imagine what it's like.

The soldiers at the front

would strike under such conditions.

I mean it. There's no heat, no light.

Oh yes.

I remember. Sit down.

Thank you.

Did you bring any food from Russia?

- Africa.

- Of course. My husband's company.

Ja.

All I have left is some kmmel.

No, no. Thanks.

Do you hear from your husband?

He killed himself.

- He what?

- He killed himself.

With a bayonet.

I have the letter somewhere.

He asked me to come here

and speak to you for him.

Perhaps it's just as well.

He wanted to come back here.

Naturally, I didn't encourage him.

I spent a whole night

composing the most tactful letter.

I told him, of course, he would be better off

in some permanent veterans' hospital.

What are you doing now? For heaven's sake,

Christian, be a little realistic.

You people are getting stranger and stranger.

Stay a little while.

Maybe I can find some vodka.

I'll make myself pretty for you.

Christian?

Christian!

- Brandt.

- Christian, how wonderful to see you again!

lt's good to see you, Brandt.

- Oh no!

- I can't believe it!

lt was bad, huh?

No. They moved us around

a little bit, but, you know, it's...

Listen, now - what's the matter with you,

being so near the front, Brandt? What... huh?

You know me. lt was a mistake in the orders.

What are you doing here?

Are you stationed here?

No, I am waiting for transportation.

I'm trying to get to Paris.

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

- I see you are a captain from taking pictures.

- lt's an outrage. I should be a major.

You've no idea how glad I am to see you.

I'll take that,

and bring us some glasses, please.

I've been here for two days

waiting for somebody to go to Paris.

- Listen, what are you doing in Paris, Brandt?

- My headquarters are there.

This is your headquarters - with

blonde hair, who likes goose liver?

- Yeah, yeah. That's the one.

- ln other words, you have no orders?

- Only a desire.

- Ja, ja.

Look, Christian, I've also managed to

acquire a little French car all my own.

- This follows naturally.

- Yes, but look.

I wouldn't last an hour before somebody

requisitioned it, but you have combat orders.

- With you, there'd be no questions asked.

- You have this car here, just...

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