Von Ryan's Express Page #2

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- Anything else, Sergeant?

- No, sir.

Bird is right. Chicken.

OK, OK. Now we know we're on our own.

- Do you feel up to a bit of running, sir?

- Running?

Dodging the lights, I mean.

It's pretty important.

- What the hell is this?

- Earth, sir, from the tunnel.

We reckon the barracks ceiling can hold

two tons of it if we spread it around right.

Sorry to ask you to make this trip,

but I thought you ought to be here.

Your countrymen were caught

trying to steal supplies.

- What supplies, Major?

- Escape rations. See for yourself.

These men are thieves.

But since they're Americans,

I wanted your approval to punish them.

- What's your side?

- My boys need things from those parcels, sir.

- Food. And more important, mepacrine.

- That true, Major?

Perfectly. But these men are thieves

and should be punished.

Negative. These men are sick. You've also got

50 men in sickbay with the same disease.

- What the hell are you doing about that?

- War produces casualties, Colonel.

Everyone in camp's been exposed to malaria.

The only way a man has a chance of escape is

for him to have mepacrine to keep him going.

Forget the punishment, Major. Bostick,

get these men outta here. See me later.

- My boys are sick, sir.

- Out.

- Major, move those parcels to the sickbay.

- What did you say?

- That's a direct order.

- Damn your direct order!

I'm the ranking officer here. You'll deliver

those parcels tonight. Is that clear, mister?

You'd better know what you're doing,

unless you want a mutiny on your hands.

Mutiny in the Ninth Fusiliers?

Wellington and Marlborough would

spin in their graves, Major, what?

(counting in Italian)

321 present, 83 in hospital,

404 men present or accounted for.

- You may dismiss.

- If you don't mind, Captain...

...I'm assuming command

as senior officer of the camp.

That is, of course, between you.

I will inform Major Battaglia.

I'd rather do that personally.

Will you take me to him?

Rest the men, Major, but keep them here.

Stand at... ease!

Stand easy.

(# classical music)

- (knocking)

- Avanti!

(announces Colonel Ryan in Italian)

(speaks in Italian)

My major warns you that he has

no patience left with the prisoners.

By taking command, you have become

personally responsible for their actions.

Good.

And tell him that, from now on, things will

be much more different than they've been.

(translates)

(Italian)

You have made a good impression

on the major.

- But he warns you against trying to trick him.

- Never. Of course not.

Ask the major to come with me now. I'll prove

how different things'll be around this camp.

(translates)

(Italian)

(Italian)

(prisoners grumble)

What in heaven's name is he doing?

What does it look like?

Ryan!

Ryan!

Ryan, you can't do this.

You can't do this to anyone.

- I'm glad you could join us, Major.

- If you betray us, you'll pay for it.

You're just in time to watch. Have the men

turn about face so they can watch too. Major?

Sergeant Bostick, rip up that shower floor.

Parade... about... turn!

- (angry shouts)

- All right. Now hear this.

While I'm in command, anyone attempting

to escape will be held for court martial.

- Clear?

- (angry outburst)

Stand steady on parade!

You'll get the Nazi Iron Cross

for this, Von Ryan!

By order of the commandant, the showers

will be turned on at 1200 hours.

Razors will be provided

and delousing powder issued.

Beginning tonight, Red Cross parcels

will be distributed once a week.

- You may dismiss the parade.

- Not so fast, Captain.

What about the clothing in the Red Cross

parcels in that storage house?

- (Italian)

- I advise you to forget this matter.

Sure, because Battaglia's got a black market

going in Red Cross clothes. Right?

You tell this man I trusted him

as a gentleman. I want those clothes.

(speaking Italian)

I'm sorry. The major says

he cannot issue... wine.

Wine? Who the hell said anything

about wine? I'm talking about clothes.

It's for your own good, Colonel.

You let yourself be bought

pretty cheaply, didn't you?

Louse powder and hot water? Hah!

- Orde, dismiss the men.

- I'll tell you when to dismiss, Lieutenant.

Bostick, tear the door off that bathhouse,

and use anything else you might need.

Right, sir.

Major Fincham, you will give

an order for the men to strip.

Strip. Understand? Naked.

Parade... strip.

Now take off all of those rags. All of them!

And, Major, that goes for

the officers as well.

Pass thatjunk from the rear to the front

of the line and throw it in the fire!

(laughter)

(Italian)

Captain Costanzo, I said strip.

Sir, I take being

a member of the cloth literally.

(men laugh)

I bow to your convictions, Captain.

- Here comes II Duce!

- Attention!

(shouting in Italian)

The major feels the fire

should be put out at once.

- Tell him we have no firefighting equipment.

- (translates)

(Italian)

- (whistle)

- (laughter)

(Italian)

- He says you are no gentleman, Colonel.

- Only by an act of Congress.

Now what about the clothing?

(Italian)

(Italian)

The prisoners will be issued clothing,

Colonel Ryan.

But you, sir, I'm afraid, must follow me.

(shouts order in Italian)

Good show, Colonel!

Major Fincham!

You may dismiss when ready.

(faraway voices)

(lock being opened)

(Bostick) We made it, Colonel. Our guys

landed at Salerno. Italy's surrendered.

That's great. Just great.

Yeah. Our guys are ready to shove off, but

these limeys back here are giving us trouble.

Hello, sir. Are you all right?

Could you come right away? There's trouble.

- There are no guards.

- They bolted during the night.

Major Fincham took Battaglia prisoner.

He's court-martialling him.

Let the regimental records show Captain

Stein appearing as defending officer...

...Lieutenant Orde as prosecuting officer.

Major Fincham presiding.

If the court pleases.

- Colonel Ryan, this is no affair of yours.

- I'm still the senior officer in this camp.

We're holding a summary court martial

exactly according to regulations.

What happens when you find him guilty,

according to regulations?

- He will be hanged.

- That'll be murder. He's now a civilian.

No, sir. We're still at war,

and the enemy is still the enemy.

- (man) I say hang him!

- (shouts of agreement)

Major, release this man.

Oriani, get him outta here.

- (uproar)

- The parade will stand at ease!

(pleading in Italian)

- (Battaglia continues pleading)

- (hostile shouting)

The major begs me to say that...

...he never meant you harm.

It was Mussolini and his Fascists

who forced him to be harsh.

Now it's all finished for Italy.

- Let the killing be finished too.

- (murmurs from crowd)

You want your revenge with this?

I wantjustice.

Not only for Colonel Lockart and the other

dead, but for those of us who are still alive.

We're 200 miles behind the lines.

I say not only military justice but military

sense dictates we cannot turn this man loose.

- (men) Aye!

- There's a better way, Major.

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