To End All Wars

---

Ernest:
How I miss Scotland

and the sea.

The sea.

There's nothing like it

in all the earth --

salt in your face,

the wind at your back,

and all the world before you,

and you're freer than a bird in

the air or a fish in the ocean.

To be free --

i reckon that's why I joined

the second war to end all wars.

I was at the university

studying to be a teacher

when the call to arms occurred.

I was only too eager

to put aside my studies

for the glory of action.

I stopped reading history

and became a part of it.

I joined the proud ranks

of the argyll and sutherland

highlanders

and became

captain Ernest Gordon.

My commanding officer

was lieutenant colonel

Stuart mclean,

the finest commander

the 93rd battalion ever had...

A man of deep loyalties

to his country, his duty,

and his men --

a loyalty

that was soon to be matched

by his own second-in-command,

major Ian Campbell,

a man of passionate devotion

to the colonel,

as well as the cause.

And it was our loyalties that

would eventually be tested.

The argylls had a legacy of

being the last line of defense,

and we were to prove

that legacy once again

in the face of defeat

and capture by the enemy.

You look the devil in the face

with pride, boys!

Man:
There we go!

Quite!

And try not

and sh*t your kilts.

Come on, then!

Bastards are just playing

with our minds.

When you surrender in war,

you're stripped

of your dignity as a soldier.

All you've got left

is your fellow comrades,

many of whom you've just met.

Lieutenant Jim reardon,

merchant marine,

one of the few Americans

in the area,

attached himself to the argylls

during the allied surrender.

We called him "yanker,"

'cause he was both an American

and a bit of a wanker.

Parade halt!

What's

that stench?

That'll be death,

major.

Man:
Sir!

Parade right!

Parade halt!

Left, hut!

Stand at ease!

Stand easy.

Tenko!

What the hell

does "tenko" mean?

Must be roll call.

Today you will count off

in English.

But tomorrow and forever,

in Japanese.

Start counting!

One!

Two!

Man:
Three!

Man #2:
Four!

Man #3:
Five!

Man #4:
Six!

Big-eared nip.

Bastard.

This is

a shame culture.

You make them lose face,

you'll pay.

Stand easy.

Stuart:

This is an outrage!

I am a senior officer,

and I will not tolerate

this barbaric behavior!

This man has rights!

Are they...

Takashi:

Attention, prisoners.

You are now captives

of his imperial majesty,

the emperor.

Behold the extreme penalty

for those who try to escape.

This is

for your own sake.

You will sign these papers,

promising not to escape.

No escape,

my yankee ass.

This is against

the Geneva convention.

They don't care

about the Geneva convention.

Takashi:
Tomorrow you

will bring these signed papers

from all prisoners.

You are dismissed.

Go.

Go.

What did you

just say?

I told him

you were stupid.

Don't know whether to thank you

or kick your ass.

Ian Campbell.

Dusty Miller.

Where'd you learn

to speak Japanese?

What about

the colonel?

You want

your colonel back?

I owe the man

my life.

Man:
The more hair,

the more lice.

Man:
Ow!

A word of advice --

stay close

to your cobbers.

But when it comes

right down to it,

it's survival

of the fittest.

Every man

for himself.

Barter is the name

of the game, gents.

Doctor:
They call the hospital

the death house.

You don't want

to end up in here.

Relish your health now,

gentlemen.

It's the last

you'll see of it.

There are

thousands more prisoners

in camps

all along the river.

Not too much skinny here

from the outside.

Japs keep us

in the dark.

No radios.

They catch one,

they'll kill you.

Officers, try to keep

your shirt on.

It'll distinguish you

from the grunts,

which is about

the only thing

that's keeping us

from degenerating

into a bloody anarchy.

Ernie, where you going?

To find out

about the colonel.

You're just asking

for trouble!

Doc.

Get him down here.

Easy.

Easy.

It's my back.

My back, my back.

Ah.

Oh, what the bloody hell

happened?

Uh, looks like

you didn't bow.

What?

Always bow before a guard,

Korean or jap.

And never look them in the eyes

when they pass you.

That's pure defiance.

Always look away.

Rules of bushido.

Bushido?

Yeah, their kind

of chivalry.

Respect and obligation.

If you don't respect them,

they feel obligated

to bash you.

Nothing personal.

Well, it sure as bloody well

feels personal.

Yeah, it works both ways.

They do the same

to their own.

That's a comfort.

Now, listen.

You must understand,

these monsters

truly believe

we're an inferior race --

less than human.

Now, beating a prisoner

to them

is like beating

a disobedient dog,

and the fiercer

the beating,

the fiercer their dedication

to the emperor.

You'll be all right,

son.

Make space

for the colonel.

You're buggers for punishment,

you lot.

Get him down here.

Get him down.

Listen, listen,

you should have let them take me

instead, sir.

Anything we can do for you,

colonel?

Ah.

Start preparing.

Preparing for what?

Escape.

What else,

you towheaded yank?

Dusty.

Thank you.

Colonel, I've been watching

these nips.

There's never more

than a handful of them

guarding the perimeter

at any given time,

and they're not watching

very closely.

It just doesn't make sense

to me, unless --

unless what?

Well, unless every prisoner's

been caught or died

in a thousand Miles

of hostile jungle.

Unless the local villagers

are willing

to turn in a p.O.W.

For a bowl of rice.

Unless escape

is impossible.

Excellent.

Yanker...

You find

the best escape route, hmm?

Ian.

Yes, sir.

You should start getting

survival gear together.

Ernest, get things together.

We can trade

with the locals.

Yes, sir.

And as soon as I'm well,

we're on our way.

Yes, sir.

Okay?

Yes, sir.

Good.

Sir.

Good boys.

They're good boys.

That's my boys.

Hey, how about some extra

for my colonel?

He's in

the death house.

If your colonel can't make it,

it means he can't work.

If he can't work,

he can't eat.

Nip rules.

Move along.

Come on, pal.

I'll owe you one.

Hey, you heard him.

He said, "move along"!

Bloody

sheep-humping highlander!

Man:
Come on!

Get up!

Man #2:
Yeah! Nice!

Man #3:
Yeah!

Man #4:
Do it!

Man:
What are you --

bloody chicken?

I'll kick your ass!

Come on, you English!

Come on!

Well, come on, then,

wanker!

Well, come on!

Fight...

It's enough.

What does it take

for a man to lose his dignity?

Come on, you English!

Come on!

How far can he fall

to pay the price of survival?

Dusty built a sanctuary

just outside the camp

called

the church without walls.

We were allowed

to visit it freely.

They knew we had nowhere to go.

Ian:
I'll tell you

what I'm gonna do

soon as I get back

to Glasgow.

Gonna visit

my favorite pub.

I'm gonna sink

And I'm gonna spend

the night

in the arms

of my tender, loving wife.

You married, sir?

No, but if you got a sister,

I'm available.

What about you, Ernie?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes