♪ I've gone away ♪
♪ for to stay a little while ♪
♪ but I'm coming back ♪
♪ I'm coming back ♪
♪ if it be 10,000 miles ♪
Okay! Load 'em up!
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Hey!
Hey, you!
Get that pooch out of here.
Do you want to get him killed?
All right. All right. Come on. Quit stalling.
Well, so long, Arab.
What do you think about that? So long, baby.
Man: All right! All right! You heard the Lieutenant!
What's the matter with the dog, huh?
What's the matter with him?
I don't understand why we can't keep that dog around.
Aw, you poor little fella.
He's gonna freeze out there.
Goodbye, Arab.
[ Chuckles ]
Well, thanks.
What do you want me to do...
[ Dog whimpering ]
Correspondent, huh?
Well, you want to get up to the front, don't you?
Well, get in.
No, no. Come on. Come on.
Get in! Make it snappy!
Here, make room for this guy.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
He ain't a bad guy, is he?
Hey. You're back with us.
[ Conversations continue ]
All right, let's get moving!
Hey, gawky, what are you gonna call that purp, Betty Gordon?
[ Laughter ]
Lay off the gawk. He's my territory.
Yeah.
Who's Betty Gordon?
Ah, the kid's been waiting for a letter from her
ever since we left the states.
Guess you're getting off at the first air base,
ain't you, pop?
Why? Correspondent, ain't you?
The fliers are the guys you guys always write about.
The Hollywood heroes.
We're just the mugs along for the ride.
That's all. Just for the ride.
Ask wingless. He'll tell you.
Yeah. Just one plane, and you're all dead ducks.
Just one plane, and it's [Imitates plane shooting]
All right, men. This is a break.
Unload.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Hey, how far up you going, mister, uh...
Pyle.
Probably end of the line, if it's all right with you.
Sure.
Pyle? You say pyle? Mm-hmm.
Say, aren't you the fellow who writes that column
about, uh, weekend trips or something?
[ Chuckles ] Mostly about something.
That's a pretty good-looking outfit you got.
Well, we're not an outfit yet.
Maybe by this time tomorrow, we will be.
Man: Load 'em up!
All right. Come on, men.
On the truck. Load up.
Come on, on the double.
Say, come to think of it,
you know, my old man reads your column.
He thinks it's great.
Well, I'll be darned.
All right, men. Let's get on.
[ Indistinct talking ]
Hey, fellas, get a load of this... Artie Shaw!
[ Big-band music plays ]
Solid, Jack.
Out of this world.
Gee whiz, Murph. I wish you weren't so long.
It's sort of cold out here in the open.
I'll cut my legs off.
No, geez, you don't have to do that.
I hear we're getting in the real business tomorrow.
Well, so far as I'm concerned, they can deal me out.
The infantry ain't so worse.
Look, this is a modern war, ain't it?
And I'm a modern guy.
And the modern age is up in the air.
That's where I belong... Not down here.
They only washed you out 'cause you're too big.
It ain't your fault.
I'll cut my legs off.
If you had to sneak something out of the village,
why didn't you bring something in skirts?
Oh, I'm not... shh.
Don't interrupt the music.
Listen.
Murder.
Yah!
Woman: This is Berlin
bringing you the jive music of Artie Shaw.
That's our Sally.
Nothing sweeter or hotter in the world, is there?
Remind you of rosalind,
Sylvia,
Phyllis,
Nancy,
Mary Ellen,
Daisy?
[ Chuckles ]
You bet it does.
Summer nights.
The jukebox down the road.
Cokes.
Double malts.
Oh.
A girl's soft laughter in the moonlight.
Tomorrow, you boys of the 18th infantry
will meet our armies for the first time,
armies that have beaten the world...
The French, the British, the Russians.
What chance do you stand?
Says you!
When we get through with you guys, waaaaah!
Why not be sensible?
Be sensible and surrender.
Man: Oh, yeah?
Be my guests in Germany.
Dance with our lovely girls.
They know how to...
To entertain nice, young men like you.
Man: Save one for me, sister! I'll be right there!
What a voice.
[ Chuckles ]
What a bedroom.
What a... [ clicks tongue ]
I'll now sing Germany's latest hit,
with lyrics written especially
for my handsome American friends.
♪ Light for me a cigarette ♪
♪ in that small café where we met ♪
♪ let me feel your fingertips ♪
♪ Linda, Linda, on my lips ♪
♪ where two lovers used to be ♪
♪ are their echoes waiting for me? ♪
♪ And do you still wait for me, too? ♪
♪ As Linda, my love ♪
♪ I wait for you ♪
There's a piece of furniture... I'd love to push around.
Man: Turn that radio off!
It was Nazi music.
Now it's mine... Our first German prisoner.
[ Guitar plays "lili Marlene" ]
Hey, pop!
Why wasn't you born a beautiful dame?
Or even an ugly one?
Man: Oh, why don't you guys pipe down?!
All right! All right!
Tonight, boys...
Tonight, I dream in technicolor.
[ Clicks tongue ]
[ Music continues ]
Ah.
Hey, how much further we got to go?
About 20 miles.
How far?
20 miles.
Then you get out and walk another 10,
you know, to get the stiffness out of you.
Where we going, China?
[ Explosions ]
Hey, that's ours... 105s.
Theirs... 88s.
[ Explosions continue ]
I thought you said 20 miles.
That's what I said, 20 miles.
Plane!
[ Gunfire ]
[ Airplane engine roars ]
I didn't even see him.
Hey, what did I tell you guys about the air corps?!
They stink!
Look at 'em scram! Oh, the yellow bellies!
All right, men, in the truck.
Come on. Make I snappy.
The medics will take care of him.
Come on. Come on. On the double.
First death's always the worst.
I suppose so.
On the double, men. Let's get in.
I guess he won't ever get a letter
from that Betty Gordon dame now.
That makes 'em even.
She won't get no more from him neither.
[ Dog whimpers ]
What's... [ clears throat ]
What's gawky's last name?
Henderson.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Well, now they're gonna start beating our dogs.
All right, column, adjust this way.
Come on, here.
Well, Mr. Pyle, this is the end of the line.
We're liable to run into trouble from here on.
A couple of jeeps going back.
Mind if I, uh, go all the way?
Well, it's your funeral.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Walker: All right. Follow me, men!
Is this trip necessary?
Like to be in Tulsa now.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
[ Dog barking ]
Yeah, we're getting amphibious.
All right, men. Fall out.
Fall out!
Hey, where's the little guy?
Pop?
What do you mean, pop? Ernie.
Ernie's a little way back.
He's over 38.
He don't need to be here.
Be here?! He can even go home!
Fall in!
[ Groans ]
Hey, how about getting my name in the paper?
Harry Fletcher, Ashtabula, Ohio.
What'll I say?
Fletcher: Oh, anything, just so the folks back home
see my name in the paper.
Mccloskey: Hey, Ernie.
Tell Cleveland Joe Mccloskey's winning the war, single-handed.
Ernie: Winning the war single-handed.
Joe Mccloskey, who mixed sodas in the corner drugstore,
and Harry Fletcher, who'd just hung out his law shingle,
Danny Goodman, who checked your oil in the summer
and studied medicine in the fall.
And here they are, with guns in their hands,
facing a deadly enemy in a strange and faraway land.
This was their baptism of fire.
[ Explosions ]
[ Rapid gunfire ]
It was chaos indefinable,
going up the brink of possible death in the nighttime.
Puzzled, afraid,
each boy facing the worst moment of his life alone.
It was a battle without letup,
and it was going against us.
Only thing between us and them is Walker's gang.
It's not many men.
Yeah, it's a lucky thing the krauts don't know it yet.
Strobel: Strobel to Walker. Over.
[ Explosions in distance ]
Can't seem to reach Walker.
[ Telephone rings ]
First battalion.
Yes, sir.
I see.
No, sir. Colonel hunt isn't back from reconnaissance yet.
Who is it, Ralph?
Captain horton, sir,
reporting four of his mortars knocked out.
He's pretty badly shot up.
Tell him to pull back to hill 148 and dig in.
Right, sir. [ Dialing ]
"D" company. Hello.
Hello.
"D" company. Hello.
Hello.
They don't answer, Colonel.
Keep trying. Right, sir.
Correspondent.
Pyle. Hello. Hello.
They're pouring more and more strength through the pass.
Yeah, and despite all the fairy stories,
one good green man can't beat a seasoned and crafty veteran,
especially when the veterans
got more and better guns, tanks, planes.
One thing we can do is throw in Benson's tank.
Benson's through.
They knocked him out when they came through the pass.
Well, there it is.
All we got in front of us is Roberts' and Walker's outfits.
"D" company.
A little more than a company.
There's some hot coffee and beans on the fire, sir.
No, thanks.
I think I could use some.
Me too.
Strobel: "D" company.
Hello, hello.
They don't answer, Colonel.
Okay.
[ Explosions continue ]
[ Loud explosion ]
He's beginning to split the plate.
How's it going, Walker?
Well, we're holding out okay, sir.
Our phone went dead.
Captain Roberts sent me up to see if there was...
Well, if there was any change in plans or... what.
No. No change yet.
Better stick around for a while.
Hello, bill.
Hello, Ernie.
[ Loud explosion ]
Coffee?
Thanks.
[ Explosions stop ]
Day to hunt. Day to hunt. Over.
Strobel: Hunt to day. Come in. Over.
Withdrawing tanks.
Position, zebra-8-7.
Zebra-8-7.
Over and out.
[ Explosions in distance ]
Fleers.
Put those papers in the fireplace.
Burn 'em, sir?
Not yet.
[ Explosions continue ]
[ Papers rustling ]
Lieutenant Walker. Lieutenant Walker.
What is it, Sergeant? Lieutenant Walker.
Got to see the Lieutenant.
Yeah, here I am, Warnicki.
Never saw anything like it in my life.
Never saw anything like it in my life, sir.
Sir... take it easy.
Take it easy, boy.
Their heavy tanks...
Overran our position...
Point-blank.
Point-blank, sir.
I had to get out.
Got some of the men behind the hill.
Did the best I could, sir.
[ Sobbing ] Did the best I could.
[ Explosions continue ]
Fleers, burn the papers.
This is the first time
I ever had to pull any outfit out of anywhere!
I wonder when we're gonna start winning this war.
Strobel, notify the company we're pulling out.
We'll save what we can for another day.
All right, men, on your feet.
All right, men, on your feet!
Hey, fella.
Come on. He's dead.
Strobel: Scram. Scram.
Over and out.
Strobel to Jones. Strobel to Jones.
Come in. Over.
Scram. Scram.
Over and out.
American boys beaten... Beaten badly.
One of the few times in our history.
It was a bitter and humiliating experience,
and Joe Mccloskey was wondering
what the folks back home in Cleveland
were thinking of him now.
As we look back on that first defeat
and the bloody victories which followed,
we realized that only battle experience
could make a combat soldier.
Killing is a rough business.
Men live rough and talk rough.
Jimmy: Jimmy O'Brien, 1918, state...
Man: Hi, Ernie. Thanks for putting my name in the paper.
You know, I dreamed I got a commission. Ernie: Selling what?
Man #2: He is my buddy. Man #3: D-a-l-b-r-a-i-g-h-t.
Man #4: I was a shoe clerk. Man #5: Waycross, Georgia.
Man #2: Best outfit in the whole army.
On a dull day, you can always get a fight in the army
by arguing which is the best outfit.
In a year, I'd been to a lot of places
and learned to love a lot of men.
But I always reserved one special place in my heart
for the boys that I'd started with.
Everybody else had a company, and I felt I had one, too...
Company "c," 18th infantry.
I hadn't seen 'em in a long time,
and now I set out to find them again.
They'd been through a lot by now...
The conquest of sicily, murderous landings in salerno.
Now they were part of the force
hammering down the long, hard road to Rome.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Hey, Dondaro!
What town do we take today?
San raviolio.
Didn't we take that yesterday?
Nah, that was San something-else-io.
And I was wondering about wingless Murphy,
Sergeant Warnicki, Lieutenant bill Walker,
and a funny little mutt named Arab.
All right, men! Fall out! Chow up!
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Fall out!
[ Harmonica playing "Dixie" ]
You know, when this war is over,
I'm gonna buy me a map and find out where I've been.
Mail call!
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Mew! Yay!
Lopez! Yeah!
Warnicki! Dondaro!
Hey!
Whoo! I'm a father!
Yay!
Warnicki.
Warnicki! That's me.
Oh, you're lucky.
Letters for Captain Walker?
Man: Come on, sarge! Sergeant!
Yes, sir. Anything there for Captain Walker?
Sorry, Captain. Nothing for you.
Fleers!
Well, let's get the rest of this stuff going.
I'm excepting a letter.
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Ain't she pretty?
Hey, what's this?
Your insurance form.
What's the matter with you?
You forgot to put in a beneficiary's name.
What's that?
Anybody whose name you put down there
gets the 10,000 simoleons.
You mean anybody whose name who I put down gets...
Yeah, and you better put it down
before the next shindig, bub, or there won't be no dough.
Stick your old lady's name down, and you're okay.
I ain't got no old lady.
Well, your old man, then.
Ain't you got no relatives?
Well, stick anybody's name down.
You don't want to let all that wough go to daste...
Day go to woughs. What?
I said, "you don't want to let all that dough go to waste."
[ Harmonica playing "oh, my darling, Clementine" ]
Hey, sarge! What do you know?!
Yesterday, I ain't worth a plug nickel,
and today I can throw 10,000 bucks away just like that.
Hey, what do you got in the package?
Somethin' to eat?
I don't know. Well, open it.
How you gonna find out if you don't open it?
That's an idea.
It's from the old lady!
Look what she's done.
She had the kid's voice put on a record... junior's voice.
He couldn't even say "mama" when I left home.
Gee whiz! Let's listen to it.
Ah, who's got a phonograph around here?
Maybe they got one in the next town.
Yeah!
What are we waiting for?! Let's get going!
Why don't you look where you're going?!
Get out of that Jeep, and I'll beat your brains out!
I... who you mad at?
How are you, Warnicki? Why, it's Ernie!
Hey, fellas, it's the little guy!
How you been, ern?
Seen any dames?
Yeah, I brought you a couple, yeah.
Oh, good, good!
You're back, Ernie.
I wanted to...
What's been keeping you? Oh, I've been...
We've been saving sugar for you, Ernie.
Thank you, private.
At last I met Ernie pyle.
Now I can write the old man, and he can relax.
Well, here we go again, Ernie.
You know, every time you show up, there's a big battle.
And the last time, it was Tunisia.
You, uh, better check your dog tags, fellas.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah, that's me. I go around starting wars.
Got to make a living somehow.
Got to have something to write about.
You know something else? What?
My old man says I look like you.
[ Laughter ]
Good to see you boys.
Glad to see you.
Walker: All right, men! We're moving out!
Ernie, how about borrowing your fingernail clippers?
Hiya, bill. Hello, Ernie.
I see you're going up in the world. Oh, these?
Congratulations. Thanks.
It's because I survived longer
than the other looeys, I guess.
All right, Sergeant. Let's get the men out of here!
All right, men! Follow me!
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Ernie: Hiya, wingless.
Hiya, Ernie. How's the air corps?
Ah, I'm afraid the buddy system's got me.
Me too.
Well, you got an outfit now?
You bet your life we've got an outfit.
Pretty tough.
They are tough. They're killers.
They better be.
[ Explosions in distance ]
[ Gunfire ]
[ Vehicle approaching ]
[ Brakes squeal ]
Push it right.
[ Indistinct shouting ]
[ Gunfire ]
Tooling around with the infantry's
no way to reach a ripe old age.
I'm gonna build me a highway to Berlin over those...
[ Explosions ]
Okay, cover me, you guys.
I'll get 'em.
[ Gunfire ]
Where's your platoon?!
Up the street!
[ Gunfire ]
Looks like this one's on us.
Okay. I'll cover you.
[ Gunfire ]
The promised land.
Hiya, babe.
[ Speaking Italian ]
Listen, rainbow, even if I was dumb,
I'd still speak your language.
[ Speaking Italian ]
Si?
Si.
[ Clicks tongue ]
[ Gunfire, explosions ]
There's that [Clicks tongue] war again.
Sounds like they're paging me.
[ Speaking Italian ]
Honest, rainbow, this hurts me more than it does you.
I'll be back. Don't worry.
[ Speaking Italian ]
Okay? Okay?
Okay.
[ Gunfire ]
Let's go to church, Warnicki!
Okay, just a minute.
You wait there, junior. Pop'll be right back.
[ Gunfire ]
[ Explosion ]
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
[ Echoing ] Lousy kraut swine!
Man: [ Echoing ] Lousy amerikanische schwein!
[ Echoing ] Lousy kraut swine!
[ Explosion ]
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
This is a funny place to be killing men in, isn't it?
[ Gunshot ]
[ Bell ringing ]
Woman: Viva americane!
[ Bells chiming ]
Maria!
[ Speaking Italian ]
[ March music plays ]
[ Speaking Italian ]
Man: Viva Roosevelt!
Boy: Viva Roosevelt-a!
[ Speaking Italian ]
[ Crying ]
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Americano cigarette! Gimme!
Cigarettes are no good for children.
Get away. Get away.
Cigarette! Me americano!
Oh, you're g.I. Joe, huh?
Gimme, g.I. Joe!
Cigarettes no bono for kids. Here.
[ Harmonica playing ]
If this war don't kill me first, my feet will.
Me, I feel like I'm 45.
I feel like I was, too... And I darn near am.
Mew: How old are you, Ernie?
43.
I'm 26.
If I knew I'd live to be 43,
I wouldn't have a worry in the world.
Oh, yes, you would.
You'd be just like me,
worrying about whether you'd get to be 44.
Spencer: Hey, guys, we got a 12-hour rest.
[ Speaks Italian ]
Ross: Where's that whiz bang going?
I know I'm gonna get some sleep.
Hey, Murph.
Hey, Murph!
That red-headed nurse of yours is in town...
You know, your fiancée.
Is she?
What a lucky guy you are,
meeting the gal you're engaged to in the states way over here.
Hey, did you hear that?
My ever-loving's coming to town!
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Okay, men, your three minutes are up now!
Move on out! Let these other guys in!
Come on, get out of there!
Snap it up! Snap it up, men!
Snap it up, boys!
Two minutes to lather, one to rinse!
We ain't got all day!
Come on!
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Hey, sarge, what's all that?
This?
Yeah.
Well, the yellow one is for national defense.
The red-and-white is for very good conduct.
The real pretty one over here with all the colors
is for being in this theater of operations.
No kidding!
Yeah.
You know any good war stories, sarge?
Yeah, as a matter of fact, I...
[ Laughter ]
All right! Come on, your three minutes are up!
Come on! Move on! Let's go!
Let's go! Come on! Come on! Come on!
Come on, let's go.
[ Singing operatically ]
Hey, look at Murph.
He's falling asleep on his feet.
Hey, Murphy!
Murphy, come on!
This is your dig bay! Or your day big!
It's your big day, Murph!
Come on, wake up!
Hey! Okay! Okay, fellas!
If red wants to go through with it, I'm game!
[ Conversing in Italian ]
Hey.
Hey!
Anybody know where I can find a phonograph?
[ Conversing in Italian ]
A phonograph.
A victrola. A music box, see?
[ Conversing in Italian ]
Hey, what's the matter?
Don't any of you guys understand plain English?
[ Conversing in Italian ]
Look...
A phonograph.
A victrola.
A music box, see?
Oh! [ Speaking Italian ]
Oh, she's got one, Arab!
We're gonna hear junior yet!
[ Speaking Italian ]
Yeah, sure.
That's right. Sure.
[ Conversing in Italian ]
No.
No!
[ Conversing in Italian ]
Look, please.
♪ Ah, Maria ♪
♪ Maria ♪
[ All singing in Italian ]
Ah, shut up.
Brother, the whole town must have shaved with this thing.
Everything's all set.
Oh, swell. Get Ernie. He's gonna give the bride away.
Yeah, we'll even get the wedding in the papers!
Get the Captain, too. He's an okay Joe.
[ Indistinct talking ]
[ Soft grinding ]
It works.
What did I tell you? It works!
No needle.
Mew: Ernie! Hmm.
Wake up! We need you!
Red wants you to give her away!
What do I want to give her away for? I like red.
Come on! Don't go back to sleep! Oh, leave me alone.
The only way you'll get me out of here is to carry me out.
We figured on that, too. [ Whistles ]
Come on, you guys. Hustle it up.
Come on.
Let's go. Wake up. Wake up.
[ Indistinct talking ]
Hey, now! What's the matter with you?
You're holding up the whole show!
What?
Come on, fellas! Let's go.
Here goes, Arab.
Junior's gonna talk to his pappy.
[ Soft grinding ]
[ Record playing backwards ]
Backwards! I must have...
♪ ...honeymoon ♪
♪ oh, what a wedding with no honeymoon ♪
Hey, Warnicki!
♪ ...no honeymoon ♪
♪ oh, what a wedding with no honeymoon ♪
Come on! Murph's getting married!
♪ ...no honeymoon ♪
♪ oh, what a wedding with no honeymoon ♪
Warnicki: Come on.
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here
in the sight of god and this company
to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony.
Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?
I do.
Repeat after me.
I, Robert, take thee, Elizabeth, to be my wedded wife...
To have and to hold from this day forward...
For better, for worse...
For richer, for poorer...
In sickness and in health...
To love and to Cherish till death us do part.
To love and to Cherish until death us do part.
[ Airplane engines roaring ]
Those whom god hath joined together...
Let no man put asunder!
Hit the dirt!
[ Explosion ]
It'll take a better man than that to put us asunder.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Procession, halt!
Okay, kids. It's all yours.
[ Indistinct talking ]
Boys, honestly...
Thanks.
[ Soft guitar music plays ]
All right, you guys. What are you looking at?
Let's get going.
[ Snoring ]
Where you been? Goofing off, eh?
Hey, Dondaro.
Uh-oh.
Tell me, Dondaro, what's your power over women?
[ Clicks tongue ] What's the matter with you guys?
You all look tired.
Good morning, dear.
I don't like it. It's too quiet.
Maybe they've pulled back all the way to Rome.
Unh-unh.
At this rate, we'll be in Rome in three days.
[ Bell chiming in distance ]
All right, men. Fall out.
Look at that old monastery up there.
Huh?
So peaceful.
You'd never think there was a war
within a thousand miles of it.
Or a thousand years.
Well, maybe you're right
about the krauts pulling all the way back to Rome.
I don't get it, though.
If they wanted to slug it out here,
they can make it plenty tough.
[ Rumbling, explosion ]
[ Bombs whistling, explosions ]
Get me artillery fire control.
Hello, Pete? This is Walker.
You know that building up on top of the mountain?
The monastery?
You call it that if you want to,
but I call it, in military terms, an observation post.
If you don't want to get us all killed,
you'd better give it the business.
Can't. Got an order about it... Religious shrine.
[ Explosions ]
Does that sound like religion to you?!
Man: Medic!
All right, men! Let's go!
[ Thunder crashing ]
Lost three.
[ Thunder rumbling ]
I suppose this could be deeper.
Yeah, kind of looks like
we're gonna need a permanent home here.
Yeah.
[ Thud ] [ Groans ]
Spencer: Patrol, patrol, patrol.
One more patrol, and I'll go nuts!
Personally, I'd feel a lot healthier
if that monastery wasn't lookin' down my throat.
[ Bell chiming ]
[ Explosions in distance ]
[ Coughs ]
[ Explosions continue ]
Just got back, Captain.
Drew a lot of small arms fire on hill 457.
Mortar fire... 793.
Terrific artillery but couldn't locate it.
They got Lieutenant josephs, Spencer, and Trenton.
Michaelson got it in the arm, but I got him back okay.
Okay, Sergeant. You'd better go get some chow.
You take over josephs' platoon.
Right, sir.
Oh...
If, uh...
If Lieutenant josephs had any personal belongings,
send 'em over, will you?
Oh, my aching back.
[ Water dripping ]
Somebody ought to phone the plumber.
You know, it sounds pretty silly when you say it,
but sometimes resting like this,
I get a kick out of just breathing.
Hot java, Steve?
No.
[ Record playing backwards ]
[ Explosions in distance ]
There goes that monastery again.
Everyone knows it's being used for an observation post.
Why in the devil don't they bomb it?
I'm a catholic, and I say bomb it.
Dondaro: Check, brother.
I got a wife and a kid.
Think I want to die for a piece of stone?
Why wasn't I born a 4-f instead of good-looking?
Lieutenant Hawkins reporting, sir.
Replacements.
Yeah, I'll be right with you.
[ Explosions continue ]
[ Cup clatters ]
Maid'll clean it up later.
All right, Sergeant. Line the men up.
Man: All right, men. Fall in.
You first four, first platoon.
Sergeant Warnicki will show you to your hotel suites.
The next six, second platoon.
The corporal will take care of you.
The rest of you, go with Lieutenant Hawkins.
You take over Lieutenant Henry's platoon.
Right past that mansion and down the hill, but turn to your left.
All right, that's all.
[ Explosions continue ]
Any of you dog-faces know anything about a phonograph?
The cream of the crop I always get.
Man: Hit it!
[ Explosion ]
Gee, a guy could get killed around here.
All right. Let's synchronize our watches.
You stick with Sergeant Warnicki, Lieutenant.
He knows the terrain.
Okay, move 'em out.
All right. Let's go.
So long, Arab.
Good luck.
[ Pants ]
[ Grunts ]
[ Sighs ]
[ Groaning ] My poor aching back.
[ Dog whimpers ]
[ Sniffles ]
Bad cold.
[ Typewriter clacking ]
Our hero! Our hero! Our hero!
What's the gag?
Your mail, Mr. Pyle.
Thanks.
I see you already opened it.
Why not? It was marked "personal."
What's in it?
Oh, nothing much.
You've just won the pulitzer prize, that's all.
Well, I'll be darned.
I regret to inform you, Mr. Pyle,
you are no longer a newspaper man.
You are now a distinguished journalist.
Poor devil. Got to be famous now.
[ Sighs ]
Tsk-tsk.
Well, well, well.
Man: It will be a comfort for you to know that your sons,
wherever they are...
At sea or in the sky or in their foxholes...
Yes, sir, your boys are celebrating, too,
with the finest Turkey, cranberry sauce,
and all the fixings.
Tough skin on this bird.
I always like to eat the stuffing first.
Cranberry sauce.
Mmm, mmm!
Poor folks back home... Sure got it rugged.
[ "O come, all ye faithful" playing ]
[ Record playing backwards ]
I told you you should've brought a phonograph.
You had Turkey.
The other outfits had Turkey.
The general had Turkey.
My men are gonna have Turkey.
B-But we tried to.
Trying ain't good enough!
Either you'll get those turkeys,
or supply is gonna have to get themselves a new Lieutenant!
[ Imitates gunfire ]
I'll, uh...
I'll, uh, scrounge around and see what I can find, sir.
What about Cranberries?
Oh, now, wait a minute!
Cranberries.
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪
Believe it or not, boys, it's Turkey.
Saint ichabod!
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Give me a drumstick!
Give me anything!
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Leave me something else beside the south side.
Captain Walker speaking.
I see.
Just one prisoner or two?
Well, naturally, sir.
We'll try to get as many as we can.
Replacements?
No, they're not here yet.
Yes, sir.
♪ Christ the savior is born ♪
[ Sighs ] Another patrol.
I'll go.
Oh, no, you've had enough.
Every step forward is a step closer, sir, to home.
Okay, get me 10 men.
Wine? You bring wine?
What's Christmas without wine?
[ Speaking Italian ]
And after you finish that little repast,
we got one cigar apiece.
Walker: All right, Sergeant.
All right, men! Let's go!
♪ Jesus, lord, at thy birth ♪
[ Upbeat music plays ]
Hope: Well, that's it, buddy.
This is Bob "command performance" hope,
speaking for the armed forces radio service
and saying merry Christmas and happy new year
from all of us over here.
God bless all of you over there.
[ Cheers and applause, upbeat music plays ]
[ Explosions in distance ]
Dondaro: Hey, Ernie? Hmm?
You been to Hollywood.
Ever know, uh, Carole?
I met her.
Is it true she has those great big...
[ Loud explosion ]
Well, that's the rumor.
Uh, tell me something. Are they really on the...
[ Loud explosion ]
Are they?
I, uh...
I forgot to ask.
Probably.
[ Clicks tongue ]
You've been around a lot, haven't you, Ernie?
New York, Washington, Hollywood, everywhere.
You know, when this shindig is over, I'm gonna look you up.
Good.
I might want you to get me a job.
Yeah.
[ Bell chiming ]
Replacements came up, sir.
Fine. I'll assign them.
We'll need five more.
Get him down to headquarters,
and even if it hurts, take good care of him.
Anything else, Captain? No, thanks.
Saved you some Turkey, sarge.
Don't want any.
[ Explosion ]
[ Groaning ] Oh, my poor back.
Sure wish he'd get to hear junior.
[ Explosions in distance ]
[ Record playing backwards ]
[ Clicks tongue ]
It's not me.
[ Chuckles ]
Well, fellas...
I'm gonna turn in.
Good night, fellas.
Thanks for the merry Christmas, Ernie.
[ Grunts softly ]
Hi, Ernie.
Merry Christmas, bill.
Merry Christmas, Ernie.
A nightcap?
Don't mind. [ Sniffs ]
[ Coughs ]
What's that, a secret weapon?
Grappa.
Grappa?
Italian moonshine.
You get a purple heart with every third drink.
[ Sighs ]
Me, I'd rather have the good ol' Albuquerque sunshine.
Yeah, it must be pretty nice in new Mexico
this time of the year, huh?
Sure is.
I always wanted to get out west.
Oh, someday, maybe.
Well, if you do...
Look us up.
That girl and me will show you how it's done.
You married?
Well, yes and no.
I wanted one thing. She wanted another.
She walked out.
Chapter closed.
I don't know.
Names.
I've been pulling old names out, putting new names in.
You know, you're not the only writer in this outfit.
I've been writing, too...
Jones...
Peterson...
McCarthy...
Spitofsky...
Smith.
"Dear Mrs. Smith, your son died bravely today on the..."
[ Scoffs ]
And the... the new kids that come up.
That's what gets you, the new ones.
Some of them have just got a little fuzz on their faces.
They don't know what it's all about, scared to death.
I know it ain't...
I know it ain't my fault they get killed, but...
Get so I feel like a murderer.
I hate to look at 'em, the new kids.
Here, drink up, Ernie.
Here's to faid pass, fila beach, salerno, oran.
Ohh, yeah.
I'm tired.
Well [clears throat] you'd better try to get some sleep.
That reminds me of w.C. Fields' sure cure for insomnia.
"Get plenty of sleep."
[ Chuckles ]
Names and addresses.
And the hills to be taken.
[ Chuckles ]
You'd be simply amazed
at the number of hills still to be taken.
Ernie, why the devil don't you go home?
I often ask that myself.
If only we could create something good
out of all this energy...
And all these men.
They're the best, Ernie.
The best.
Yep.
Well, it's a world the other world never know.
Even the air force.
Up there, they approach death differently.
When they die, they're clean-shaven, well-fed.
If that's any comfort.
But the g.I...
Well, he lives so miserable and he dies so miserable,
you j...
[ Snoring softly ]
Walker: Dondaro!
Nice time?
I always like to see one of my men get some relaxation.
You know, Dondaro,
it'd give me a great deal of personal pleasure
to break every bone in your body!
Goofing off down there was one thing!
Up here, it's another!
Now get out of here before I kick the...
Wait!
Report to Sergeant Warnicki.
Tell him you're gonna dig latrines
for every man in this company from here to Rome!
Nice deep ones.
You're lucky, Dondaro! You're learning a trade!
[ Laughs ]
When this war is over,
I'm gonna write a book exposing this army.
Hey, Dondaro?
Tell me, confidentially...
Was it worth it?
[ Clicks tongue ]
[ Airplane engines roaring ]
Hey, fellas! Look! Look!
[ Indistinct talking ]
[ Speaking Italian ]
Yee-ha! Here they come!
Boy, ain't they pretty?
It won't be long now.
Okay, Steve! Let's go! Warnicki: Come on, men!
Ernie: General Eisenhower had made his decision...
Bomb the monastery.
"He said," if we must choose
"between destroying a famous building
"and sacrificing our own men's lives,
then our own men's lives count infinitely more."
[ Explosions ]
[ Indistinct shouting ]
Here was one of the grim ironies of war.
The very rubble of the monastery
became a fortress for the Nazis,
and they stopped us cold.
We were right back where we started from.
Warnicki... ain't he back?
We better take him some coffee.
Keep an eye on him, too.
When we gonna hit 'em again?
18:00.
Coffee, Captain?
No, thanks.
It's hot.
No, thanks, Pete.
Tough time getting back, sir.
What kept you?
Shut up.
Shh.
Woman: Hello, Steve.
Say "hello" to your daddy. Come on, junior.
Junior: Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
I'll kill 'em. Come on, junior. Come on.
I'll kill 'em! Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
And them...
Hello, daddy.
Them! Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
If it wasn't for them, I'd be home with junior. Hello, daddy.
Goodbye, Steve.
I love you. I'd be home with little junior!
I'll kill every mother's son of them!
I'll kill them! Grab him!
[ All grunting ] Let me at 'em!
I'll kill 'em! I'll kill every one of 'em! Warnicki!
I'll bloody kill them!
Warnicki!
I'll kill every one of 'em!
Ow.
[ Mumbling ] Hello, daddy.
Hello, daddy.
Hello.
Take him to the medics.
Go on, junior.
Go on.
Say "hello" to daddy.
Hello, daddy.
Walker: All right, men. Let's do something about that.
[ Explosions ]
The machines had done their best, and it wasn't enough.
Now came the time, as it comes in every war,
when the greatest fighting machine of them all,
the infantry soldier, had to go in and slug it out.
[ Gunfire, explosions ]
[ Triumphant music plays ]
Where you from, Joe?
Louisiana. Louisiana? Good.
Man: Cassino looks a lot better from this side!
Man #2: All away to Rome!
Yeah, I got a good telephone number there!
[ Harmonica playing "Dixie" ]
Hey, fella, do you know where the 18th infantry is?
This is it.
Ernie: "C" company?
What's left of it.
Man: Hiya, Ernie.
Howdy, long shot.
Where you been, Ernie?
Oh, spreading it around.
Hi, Ernie. Hiya.
Welcome to this side of cassino, Ernie.
Finally made it, huh?
Guys moving up the road look kind of chipper, don't they, Ernie?
Sure do.
Well.
Hi, Ernie! Hi, Ernie! Hi, Ernie! Hi, Ernie!
Long time no see. That's right.
We kicked the door open,
and those guys make the grand entrance.
Let 'em have their fun. They're still young.
Got an extra chair here?
Oh, yeah. Have one, Ernie.
[ Groans softly ]
Glad to see you, Ernie. Thanks.
Haven't you eaten that dog yet?
[ Laughter ]
[ Harmonica playing ]
[ Music stops ]
Come on, fellas. Give me a hand, will ya?
It's Dondaro.
It's the Captain.
I'm sorry, old man.
[ Dog whimpers ]
[ Voice breaking ] I sure am sorry, sir.
[ Somber choral singing ]
All right, men. Let's go.
[ Woman vocalizing ]
That is our war,
and we will carry it with us
as we go from one battleground to another
until it's all over.
We will win.
I hope we can rejoice with victory but humbly,
that all together we will try,
try out of the memory of our anguish
to reassemble our broken world
into a pattern so firm and so fair
that another great war can never again be possible.
And for those beneath the wooden crosses,
there is nothing we can do
"except perhaps to pause and murmur, "thanks, pal.
Thanks."