What's this war in the heart of nature?
Why does nature vie with itself?
The land contend with the sea?
Is there an avenging power in nature?
Not one power, but two?
I remember my mother when she was dying
Looked all shrunk up and gray
I asked her if she was afraid
She just shook her head
I was afraid to touch the death I seen in her
I couldn't find nothing beautiful or uplifting about her going back to God
I heard people talk about immortality, but I ain't seen it
I wondered how it'd be when I died
What it'd be like to know that this breath now was the last one you was ever gonna draw
I just hope I can meet it the same way she did
With the same calm
Cos that's where it's hidden - the immortality I hadn 't seen
Kids around here never fight
Sometimes
Sometimes when you see them playing
they always fight!
- Is she afraid of me? - Little bit
- Are you afraid of me? - Yes
- Why? - Cos you Iook
You Iook as an army!
- I Iook army, huh? - Yes
Well, that don't matter
It doesn't matter
- Baby's tired - Yes
If she swims, she wants, she will sleep
AII right, come on Turn around
Go, go, go, go Go!
Come on, go
Go, go, go, go!
Witt, patrol boat!
She's American
What's it doing out here all alone?
You haven't changed at all, have you, Witt?
You haven't Iearned a thing
AII a man has to do is Ieave it to you, you'II put your head in the noose for him
How many times you been AWOL?
Been in the army, what? Six years now?
Ain't it time you smartened up and stopped being such a punk recruit?
I mean, if you're ever gonna
We can't all be smart
No, we can't, and that's a shame
Look at you
Truth is, you can't take straight duty in my company
You'II never be a real soldier, not in God's world
This is C Company, of which I'm First Sergeant I run this outfit
Captain Staros, he's the CO, but I'm the guy who runs it Nobody's gonna foul that up
You're just another mouth for me to feed
Normally, you'd be court-martialed
But I worked a deal for ya
Gotta consider yourself Iucky
I'm sending you to a disciplinary outfit
You'II be a stretcher-bearer You'II be taking care of the wounded
I can take anything you dish out
I'm twice the man you are
In this world
a man himself is nothing
And there ain't no world but this one
You're wrong there, Top
I seen another world
Sometimes I think it was just my imagination
Well,
then you've seen things I never will
We're Iiving in a world that's blowing itself to hell as fast as everybody can arrange it
In a situation Iike that all a man can do is shut his eyes and Iet nothing touch him
Look out for himself
I might be the best friend you ever had
You don't even know it
He hates you worse than poison
I never felt he hated me, cos I don't hate him
I Iove Charlie Company
They're my people
They call it "The Rock"
Nobody wants this island Japs just put an airfield there
Fighting's confined to this area
This is their road to Australia, and this is their way of controlling the sea Ianes to America
If we're gonna stop the Japs' advance into the South Pacific, we've gotta do it right there
The Marines have done their job Now it's our turn
Worked my ass off,
Brown-nosed the generals
Degraded myself
for them and my family
For my home
- I admire you, Colonel I do - Thank you, sir
Most men your age would have retired by now
It's OK
We need general officers with maturity and character Iike you
We've got good sergeants and good Iieutenant colonels
But once a man gets those eagles, he can't wait to get that star
He becomes a politician, right?
Goes along to get along
So goddamn hard to stay upright
- You said it there, sir - With the Admiral watching, which he will be
- There's always someone watching - Yeah
Like a hawk
AIways someone ready to jump in, if you're not
- D'you have a son, Colonel? - Yes, sir
Good We don't want our sons or grandsons fighting this war 30 years from now, do we?
- No, sir, we sure don't - Then you crush 'em without mercy
You dig them out of the hills and protect that airfield
Yes, sir
You wonder why Why did the Japs put an airfield there of all places?
I guess we don't know the bigger picture, if there is such a thing
- What do you think? - Well, sir, I never ask myself that question
You're a humble man
Nobody wants that island but you
How much do you want it?
As much as I have to, sir
All they sacrificed for me
poured out like water on the ground
All I might have given for love's sake
Too late
Died
slow as a tree
D'you feel it?
Y es, sir
Thank you, sir
Take topside to the signal bridge
The closer you are to Caesar, the greater the fear
I just can't help how damn scared I am, sarge, all right?
I can't help it I got
My stepdaddy took a block and beat me when I was real Iittle
and I-I was scared and I used to run, I used to hide
Hell, I slept in the chicken coop a whole Iot of nights
And I I never thought it'd get no worse than that
But I'm Iiving by the by the minute here I'm counting the seconds
Hell, we're gonna be Ianding soon and there's gonna be air raids
We're probably gonna die before we get off the beach
This place is It's Iike a big floating graveyard
- What's your name, kid? - I wanna own an automobile when I get out
- What's your name? - Ed-Edward, Edward B Train
Train?
The only things that are permanent is, is dying and the Lord That's it
That's all you gotta worry about This war ain't gonna be the end of me or you neither
- Think we'II catch an air raid? - How in the hell should I know?
AII's I know are them crew guys said they didn't catch no air raid the Iast time
On the other hand, time before Iast they nearly got blew up
What d'you want me to tell you?
You're a big help, Tills Nothing Tell me nothing
Tell you something
We're sitting out here on this ocean Iike a couple of fuckin' ducks in these boats
I already know that
Well, brood on it, Tills
Brood on it
- Ain't you watching the fun? - I ain't interested
- Yeah, I guess it is pretty crowded - Wouldn't be interested, even if it wasn't
Well, I'm on my way to get me that pistol
Yeah? Well, have fun
Yeah, have fun
You'II wish you had one once we get ashore and run into some of them samurai sabers
Open this door! Open this goddamn door!
Open the door!
You all Iearn to deal these cards
AII right Here I am sleeping, yeah
AII right, Iadies Is this a sewing circle or a card game?
AII right, jack's high, jack to bet Robert's got two jacks
I never bargained for nothing Iike this when I signed up for this man's army before the war
How was I supposed to know there was gonna be a fuckin' war, huh? Answer me that
AII I know is Charlie Company's always getting screwed AIways
And I can tell you whose fault it is, too
It's that captain of ours
First he gets us stuck off on this boat where we don't know a fucking soul
Then he gets us stuck way down in fourth place on the Iist to get off this son of a bitch
Hello, Captain
I read in your 201 file that you were an officer before the war
How'd you end up a private?
Cos of my wife
I was in the corps of engineers
We'd never been separated before,
not even for a night
I took it for four months and then I quit
Just resigned
Th-they sent me back to the States
They told me I'd never get another commission
They said they'd, uh, see to it I got drafted and that I for damn sure'd be in the infantry
Sons of bitches
No, I don't blame them
Well, where is she now?
She's home
Why should I be afraid to die?
I belong to you
Move! Move! Move!
Move! Move!
Moving out!
If I go first, I'll wait for you there
On the other side of the dark waters
Put your helmet on
Be with me now
- Feeling the pressure, Captain? - Yes, sir
I Iike you, Captain
And I just want you to know, well, uh, we're in this thing together AII right?
Keep pressing inland till you reach the Iine I'II catch up with you there
- Yes, sir - It's all yours, Captain
Gangway! Gangway there!
Coming through!
Squad Ieaders! Both teams!
This way, son This way, right here
Stand by to go over the side!
Our Father, who art in heaven
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
Your outfit's Iucky
Transports must've been spotted
You're getting outta here just ahead of time
Take a breath, mister You gotta breathe!
- You Charlie Company? - Yeah
We went in a mile Nothing there
Some oil drums There'd be nothing there for
- A week - A week, sir
No casualties Japs must've hauled ass
Two mortars hit the beach, but most guys came in standing up
Darnedest thing I ever did see
They got fish that Iive in trees
If they didn't know this beach was deserted, what else don't they know?
Who are you to live in all these many forms?
Your death that captures all
You, too, are the source of all that's gonna be born
Your glory
Mercy
Peace
Truth
You give calm a spirit,
understanding,
courage
The contented heart
Get a medic here!
Maybe all men got one big soul who everybody's a part of
All faces of the same man
One big self
Everyone looking for salvation by himself
Each like a coal
drawn from the fire
We're going straight up that hill there
- We can't do that, Colonel - Well, there's no way to outflank it
On the Ieft is a cliff that falls down into the river
The Japanese hold the jungle It has to be taken frontally
What about water, sir? It's not getting up here
My men are passing out, sir
Only time you worry about a soldier is when he stops bitching
We're all gonna attack abreast Third PIatoon in reserve
We've gotta cross those three folds of ground You see?
Once we get beyond that, we gotta attack that hill
Colonel says there's no way to outflank it, so we gotta take it head-on by frontal assault
- Whyte? - Yeah?
- See the grassy ridges at the foot of that hill? - Yeah
When you get to the end of that field, eliminate all strongpoints on those ridges
I'm sure the Japs got something there to protect the approaches
Are you here?
Let me not betray you
Let me not betray my men
In you I place my trust
Rosy-fingered dawn
You're Greek, aren't you, Captain?
D'you ever read Homer?
We read Homer at the Point
In Greek
What kind of artillery support do we have, sir? Over
- Two batteries of 105s - They won't make a dent Over
No, but it bucks the men up It'II Iook Iike the Japs are catching hell
OK, you guys
This is it
We're going down in groups of ten
There's no point in going by rushes Only make a better target stopped, so
run all the way
We ain't got no choice We're picked, so we gotta go
I'm gonna take the first bunch myself
I want Charlie Dale with me Dale?
You go organize them guys that's up there
Moving out in five minutes
Let's go
Sico?
- What's wrong with you? - I'm sick to my stomach
Sico, you get up now, or I'II kick you so hard you're gonna be sick
I can't I would if I could
I'm-I'm sick
I'm sick
You ain't sick Get up!
- What's the matter, Sico? - I don't know, Sergeant
It's my stomach I'm in pain, I got cramps
I can't even sit up straight I'm sick
- Come on, get up! - Leave him
I need a volunteer to carry the BAR! Drop your gear I'm taking you to the medics
Thank you, Sergeant
Don't argue with me
Good Iuck, Keck
PIug that hole on your right!
Move!
Maybe they pulled out
Hit dirt!
Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down
Stretcher-bearers!
Come on!
Stretcher-bearers, this way!
- Go get that man - We already got eight or nine down there
- Don't argue with me! Get that man! - He's not the one we should think about
Goddamn it, all of you! Am I in command here or am I not?!
- Am I the captain or a goddamn private? - Others are hit bad That's all I meant
- I gave you an order, private! - Yes, sir!
Hello, First Sergeant
Who we going after over here?
We think it's Jacques
OI' Jockey
Well, shit That's, that's, that's too bad
Sir?
Sir? Sir, can I come back to the company after we get Jockey back to the battalion?
- OK, but you gotta get permission - Sure And my rifle
Nicky! You're still alive!
Keep moving! Keep moving!
Magnificent, Staros, magnificent The finest thing these old eyes have seen in a Iong time!
Beautifully conceived and executed! You'II be mentioned in battalion orders
Young Whyte led beautifully
Yes, sir Over
But sending in your second too was brilliant
They may have carried the ridge I don't think they were hurt too bad BIane Ied well, too
Now, how many emplacements did they Iocate?
Did they knock any out?
We ought to have those ridges cleaned out by noon! Over
Hello! Hello! Staros, are you there?
Here, sir Over
I said, how many emplacements did they locate? Did they knock any out? Over
Children
I don't know, sir
What the hell do you mean, you don't know? How can you not know? Over
I'm right here behind the first swell, sir I'm right here behind the swell
You want me to stand up and wave? Over
No, I can see where you are I want you to do something
I want you to get up there and see what the situation is
I want Hill 210 in my hands tonight
Now, goddamn it, the Admiral got up at dawn for this!
Come to Iife up there, Staros Out!
Move up!
Hey, Keck!
Yeah!
- We gotta get out of here - I know it
BIane's dead
You're in charge
We know you there, Yank!
Tojo eats shit!
No! Roosevelt eats shit!
I got him! I got him!
I killed a man
Hey, Queen!
Queen, you there?
Worst thing you can do Worse than rape
Queen! You see them Japs Ieaving that Ieft ridge?
- I killed a man Nobody can touch me for it - I ain't seen nothing
Well, get your fuckin' head up and Iook around!
I'm serious!
I counted seven Japs Ieaving that Ieft-hand grassy ridge!
I got me one of 'em
So?
I think maybe they're pulling out
Maybe somebody ought to go tell the captain
You wanna be the one to do it?
You just stay put! I'm ordering you!
Down!
Stay Iow
Go! Go!
What do we do now?
We wait right here Maybe they'II send us up some reinforcements
To do what?
To capture some of these fucking positions around here!
- You mean you really wanna go on with this? - Hell, no No, not no uphill charge
If they send us reinforcements, maybe we could scout around
and Iocate these machine guns
- Anyway, it's better than going back down - Something's coming!
They're coming!
What are they doin'?
If they want to throw us out, why didn't they come in force?
Maybe they was acting on their own
Maybe they wanted to get into nirvana
They're coming
Keck!
Jesus!
Oh, Jesus!
I blew my butt off!
- It's all right It's all right - I blew my butt off!
Lay down!
What a fucking recruit trick to pull!
- Take it easy Take it easy - I grabbed it by the pin!
You write my old Iady You tell her I want her to know I died Iike a man
Nobody's gonna have to write her You'II make it
- Don't bullshit me! - Stay down!
Hey, hey
Have I got mud on my face?
Wipe it off Get it off
No!
I'II write her I promise
Take my canteen There's still some water in there
It's for the best
I'm all messed up down there
I can't fuck no more
Whoa Where am I?
Where am I?
You're gonna be all right
Even if you die, you didn't Iet your brother down
If you hadn't thrown yourself against that embankment, we'd all have been killed
I'm cold
I'm freezing
Y-you gonna write his wife?
Fuck, no
I don't know his old Iady
That's the company commander's job You outta your mind? I ain't no good at writing
You told him you would
I'II s I'II say anything to 'em when they're Iike that
Somebody ought to do it
Well, then, you write her Yeah, you write her
What's wrong, Jim?
There's nothing anybody can do for him He'II die before they get him to a surgeon
- Then I can't ask you to go out there - Maybe I could get some morphine into him
- Would it keep him quiet? - Not for Iong, but I can give him two
And I could maybe Ieave him three or four for himself
Couldn't you give 'em to him all at once?
That's what you are
That's all there is for us That's us, that's us
I Iost all twelve I Iost all twelve
AII twelve of 'em
It's insanity up there
I told 'em what to do, I showed 'em where to go and I gave 'em a push
- Somebody help! - I know you I know you, Sergeant
It's insane I don't know who's in charge here, but don't Iet him go! Don't Iet him go!
I'm outta here I'm outta here
I'm outta here AII right, move feet Move, move, move, move Move, move!
I'm moving I'm moving I'm moving now
Don't touch Don't touch Don't Iook at me Don't touch OK, I'm outta here
AII right AII right
Somebody help me!
Help me!
You gotta be quiet I came to help you, Tella
- OK Calm down - Fuck you!
I'm dying! I'm dying, sarge!
OK Well, goddamn it, do it with Iess noise!
- How you gonna get me out? - I'm gonna take you back
- Come on - No!
Put me down! Put me down!
Leave me alone Leave me alone
PIease, Ieave me alone
Give me more Give me more
Here, Tella
Goodbye goodbye
Bye, kid
Goodbye, sarge Goodbye
F-fortunately, Jim, the fate of the company doesn't depend on one man
Sergeant, I saw the whole thing through the glasses
I'm gonna mention you in orders tomorrow and recommend you for the Silver Star
- It's the most courageous thing - Captain,
you say one more word to thank me, I'II knock you right in the teeth
You mention me in your fuckin' orders, and I'II resign so fast
and Ieave you here to run this busted-up outfit by yourself
You understand?
Property! Whole fuckin' thing's about property
What's the matter with you, Staros? Those men should be reinforced immediately!
What are they doing? I can see 'em through my glasses
They're lying behind that ledge!
They should be up and out, cleaning out those machine guns! Over!
I don't think you understand what's going on, sir
We've had heavy casualties
We had a man His gut got shot out on the slopes, sir Created quite an upset
Fine, fine Now, what about those reinforcements? Over
I have, uh, two squads to, uh
First Platoon I can send up, sir Over
What the hell do you mean, two squads?!
Goddamn you, Staros! When I say reinforcements,
goddamn it, I mean it! You commit everybody you have there and do it now!
Your First Platoon, too I see 'em lying on their fat asses doing nothing
Get a man to 'em right now with orders to attack, and move 'em by the flank to the ridge
Then get that Second PIatoon over to the hill!
Have 'em press the center Go straight up that goddamn hill!
Attack them right now!
Jesus, Staros! Do I have to give you a lesson on infantry tactics
while your men are getting their asses shot off,?
Colonel, I don't think you fully understand what is going on here
My company alone cannot take that position, sir
The Japs are too well dug in They've got too much fire power
Colonel, there's a bunker up there
We can't see it, and it's it's chewing my men to pieces, sir
I request permission for patrol reconnaissance around
to the right of Hill 210 I believe the entire position, sir,
can be outflanked with a maneuver there in force
- No! Goddamn it, no! - Might save lives!
There'II be no flanking move
Listen, Staros You're not gonna take your men
around into the jungle to avoid a goddamn fight!
Do you hear me, Staros? I want you to attack right now with every man at your disposal!
Now, attack, Staros! That's a direct order!
Sir, I must tell you that I refuse to obey your order
- There it is, right there See it? - I don't see it
This is not your fault, Jim He's ordering you to
I again request permission for patrol reconnaissance around to the right in force
The time, sir, is 1321 hours, 25 seconds
I have two witnesses here I request that you do the same with witnesses there Over
Staros, don't pull this guardhouse-Iawyer bullshit with me!
Now, I know you're a goddamn lawyer! This is not a court of law
This is a war It's a goddamn battle!
Now, I want that frontal attack I repeat my order Over
Colonel, I refuse to take my men up there in a frontal attack
It's suicide, sir
I've Iived with these men for two years, and I will not order them all to their deaths Over
This is a very important decision, Staros
But ifyou feel that strongly, maybe you have a reason, so I'm coming down
Go take a Iook
I'm not rescinding my order to you, son,
but if I find extenuating circumstances when I get there, I'II take that into account
Now, in the meantime, goddamn it, I want you to hold on until I get there
And, if possible, you get those men on the ridge out and moving! Out
One spot's as good as another, men
There's no place to hide
Just take it easy, son Take it easy Take it easy
Where's where's Fife?
Fife? He's right here, son Fife
Hold m Hold my hand, Fife
Hold my hand
I got it
Oh
I'm dying, Fife
Oh, Captain
Shut up in a tomb
Can't lift the lid
Played a role I never conceived
Get that blouse on, soldier It's not a goddamn bathing beach!
Put it on right now
What you aiming at, son? Let's go get those son of a bitches
Move up!
What are you doing Iaying down there where you can't see a damn thing?
Observing, sir Just sent First PIatoon forward to the ridge
- How many of 'em were hit this time? - Um, none, sir
None? Not one?
Doesn't sound Iike the situation you described to me over the sound power
Well, it's not The situation's changed just in the Iast five minutes, sir
Captain, you Iisten to me
We're going over there and taking everybody with us
Do you have any more complaints or demurrers?
- No, sir Not now - AII right! We're gonna do things my way!
My way! You understand that, Captain?
We're taking everybody over to that Iedge! We may take that ridge by nightfall!
I think the ridge is quite a way from being reduced, sir
Show me how to see things the way you do
We're just dirt We're just dirt
We're gonna get killed if we stay here
Bell, take six men
and go see what's up there
And we'II cover you the best we can from down there
OK
You guys, you guys, stay here OK?
I'm going alone
Come out
Come out where I am
There was a There was a
There's a bunker up there
It's five guns
That strongpoint up there, somewhere up there around those rocks,
is the key to this ridge
Bell here is quite right
From their knob up there, those Iittle brown brothers can cover the whole of the ground
in front of this position for 1,000 yards They've Ieft this Iedge unguarded
Now, goddamn it, that's a mistake That's a hell of a mistake
We need to take advantage of it before they see their error
AII right, all right, I know you're all pretty exhausted,
and we've had a hell of a time getting water up here
For that I'm sorry I apologize to you all
But if we can reduce this bunker tomorrow, I think we can take this ridge
So I'm asking for volunteers
Go back up there and knock it out
Sir?
I'II be glad to go back up
- and Iead the way back for a party - Right
- I'II go, sir - You
AII right
- I'd Iike to Iead the party, Colonel - AII right, John I was hoping you'd say that
- You'II be in command - I'II go, sir
- Sir? - You
AII right, men, that's enough Seven is plenty Gather up
I don't know ifyou realize the importance of this operation, Staros
Once our position is secured, we can move the bombers in
That means air power for 1,000 miles in every direction
Guadalcanal may be the turning point in the war
- It'II cost Iives Is that what's troubling you? - No, sir
I explained to you the importance of this objective
How many men do you think it's worth? How many Iives?
I can't say, sir
Are you prepared to sacrifice the Iives of any of your men in this campaign?
How many? One? Two?
Twenty?
Lives will be Iost in your company, Captain
And if you don't have the stomach for it, now is the time to Iet me know
No, sir You're right about everything you said
Fine, fine
That's all, Captain
One more thing, Staros
It's not necessary for you to ever tell me that you think I'm right
Ever
We'II assume it
Dismissed
I feel sorry for you, kid
- Yeah? - Yeah, a Iittle
This army's gonna kill you
If you were smart, you'd take care of yourself There's nothing you can do for anybody else
You're just running into a burning house where nobody can be saved
What difference do you think you can make? One single man in all this madness
If you die, it's gonna be for nothing
There's not some other world out there where everything's gonna be OK
There's just this one
Just this rock
Go ahead! Come on, come on
Who's deciding who's gonna Iive?
Who's deciding who's gonna die?
This is futile!
Look at me! I stand right up here and not one bullet
Not one shot!
Why?
How come they all had to die?
I can stand right here, I can stand right up and nothing happens to me!
We
We together
One being
Flow together like water,
till I can't tell you from me
I drink you
Now
You're my light
My guide
John, I'II be behind you If you wanna break through, we'II come after
We'II charge at your whistle signal
AII right, Iet's go, men Go get 'em
OK
Stay down, below this Iedge,
and I'II call down the data from above
Once the 81s have plastered that rock as much as possible,
we're gonna crawl out along that big rock for cover
and then flank 'em to the right
OK?
OK OK
Azimuth 1470 from Easy Roger 7
100 Ieft, add 200
Uncle Baker 1, fire mission
Azimuth 1470 from Easy Roger 7
Left 100, add 200
Machine gun Will adjust Over
Understand 1470 from Easy Roger 7
Left 25, drop 50!
Left 25, Uncle Baker 1
Left 25, drop 50
Fire for effect Over
Roger, Uncle Baker 1
Let's go!
OK, we're gonna continue on up the hill to the right
Nobody fire or throw the grenades till I give the signal
OK, Iet's do it
Is he OK? Is he all right?
What we gonna do? Can't take him with us
- No, we can't Ieave him here - He's from your platoon You stay with him
We can Ieave him and pick him up on the way back, if he's still alive
- Is he dead? - Not yet
Dale, stay with him! Cover our flank! Move!
Behind you!
We're pinned down!
Fall back!
Go!
Watch out
CIear!
Come on Get out
Go on
Think you're soldiers, huh?
You piece of shit!
Son of a bitch!
AII right?
I shot a man
Stinks around here
- AII these dead people - Put a cigarette up your nose
Look at 'em move!
We got 'em on the run!
Way to go, John When they saw you make that attack and win,
you put their hearts back into them
- Hey, hey! - Don't do that, soldier
Take care of the others G-2 will want them There'II be somebody around before Iong
We've wasted enough time here Let's go
Sir, I've a few recommendations for decorations
Yes We'II get everything for all of 'em that we can, but Iater
Meantime, I want you to know I'm personally recommending you for something, John
Perhaps the big one
- Thank you, sir, but I don't feel - Yes, you do, John
Getting it for you will be the goddamn problem!
But, hell, it'd be a big thing for the battalion and the regiment, if you did get it
We better move out
We need to extend our Iines, hook up with the other companies and push on to the top
Would you Iike to take command of Baker Company?
Of course
Sir, I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but about the water If we don't get water
Don't worry about water
John, I don't want anything to break up this attack of ours now we have the momentum
We'II have some water in a couple of hours
I've arranged for that
Now, we just can't stop now, goddamn it, and wait for it
No, sir
That's right
And if some of the men pass out, why, hell, they'II just have to pass out
AII right
They could, uh
- They could die from it - They could die from enemy fire, too!
They're all tough boys
Come on, men, Iet's go! You'II see plenty more of those where we're going!
Are we going up this hill or aren't we?
John, I'm convinced that the Japanese position can be broken now
AII we have to do is keep going and we'II have this hill We'II have this hill by sundown
You see the spirit in these men? D'you see the new spirit?
Well, I want to take advantage of that before something happens to sap their strength
To have this battalion relieved in a defeat,
or even to have it reinforced from troops from the reserves,
if we were to stall before reaching the top, well,
Jesus Christ, that's just a hell of a Iot more than I could stand!
I've waited all my Iife for this
I've worked, slaved, eaten oh, untold buckets of shit to have this opportunity!
And I don't intend to give it up now
You don't know what it feels Iike to be passed over
I mean, you're young Y-y-you're just out of the Academy
You're-you're, you know, you-you've got your war! This 15 years, this-this is my first war!
John, some day you'II understand
You're Iike a son to me, John
You know what my son does?
He's a bait salesman
You've done a hell of a job, John
I'm gonna make sure that you get everything, everything that you deserve
Thank you, sir
God
Goddamn it! I want three runners!
Get me three runners!
You go back to the rear to find water
and get back here with it as fast as you can!
We attack in one hour! We'II throw everything we got at 'em
We're going all the way! Nothing'II stop us
It's high ground by nightfall!
You seen many dead people?
Plenty
They're no different than dead dogs,
once you get used to the idea
They're meat, kid
Are you righteous? Kind?
Does your confidence lie in this?
Are you loved by all?
Know that I was, too
Do you imagine your sufferings will be less because you loved goodness?
Truth?
Get fucking on the ground! Get down! Get down!
Get down Stay there
Get on the ground! Get on the fucking ground!
Now!
This great evil
Where's it come from?
How'd it steal into the world?
What seed, what root did it grow from?
Who's doing this?
Who's killing us?
Robbing us of life and light
Mocking us with the sight of what we might have known
Does our ruin benefit the Earth?
Does it help the grass to grow or the sun to shine?
Is this darkness in you, too?
Have you passed through this night?
I'm gonna sink my teeth into your Iiver
You're dying
See them birds up there?
You know they eat you raw?
Where you're going, you're not coming back from
What are you to me?
Nothing
Have a seat here
Staros, I'm relieving you of your command
Lieutenant Band will take over for you
I already told him
It's a hard thing to do
Difficult decision to make
I don't think you're tough enough
You're too soft You're just too softhearted You're not tough-fibred enough
Anyway, it's it's my decision to make I've already made it
I don't Iike to see my men get killed, sir
Have you ever had anyone die in your arms, sir?
Have you?
I don't see any reason to make a scandal out of this
I don't want it in the records of the battalion There's no reason for you to have it on yours
This has nothing to do with cowardice or inefficiency
Look at this jungle
Look at those vines, the way they twine around the trees, swallowing everything
Nature's cruel, Staros
I'm going to Iet you apply for reassignment to the Judge Advocate General Corps
for reasons of ill health
You're a Iawyer
- You had malaria yet? - No, I haven't
Doesn't matter I can fix that
Anyway, you probably will have it
I'm also recommending you for the Silver Star
And I'II recommend it in such a way it definitely won't be refused
Might as well have the Purple Heart, too
Why?
Because of that scratch on your face and because of those cuts on your hands
Listen to me, Staros
I think it's best you go back with the next batch of wounded and prisoners
It is no goddamn good for you to keep hanging around
The quieter we keep this, the better it'II be for all
This is from Colonel Tall
"Our victory gives us the highest reasons for pride"
"It will prove a milestone in the battle for Guadalcanal"
"Tomorrow the division commander will arrive to make an inspection of the Iine"
"After the inspection we're to be relieved by a battalion of the division's reserve regiment"
"I've secured for the battalion a week's rest off the Iine"
That's all
Hours like months
Days like years
Walked into the golden age
Stood on the shores of the New World
I would've come by and paid you guys a visit,
but
I just felt Iike being alone, you know?
Yeah?
We wanted to thank you, sir
For asking to make that flanking move
For watching out for us
Keeping us together
We're all sorry to see you go
We feel Iike you got a rotten deal
Well, I'm not sure that you're right
Tough part is
not knowing if you're doing any good
That's the hard part
But it doesn't matter I don't care
I'm glad to be going
I'm glad
- There's still time We could file a complaint - For what?
What good would that do?
Anyway, I wanna go
Leave it alone Let it Iay
Isaste san palikaria mu
What does that mean, sir?
It means "You've been Iike my sons"
You are my sons
My dear sons
You live inside me now
I'll carry you wherever I go
Can't nothing make you forget it
Each time you start from scratch
War don't ennoble men
It turns 'em into dogs
Poisons the soul
My dear wife,
you get something twisted out of your insides by all this blood, filth, and noise
I wanna stay changeless for you
I wanna come back to you the man I was before
How do we get to those other shores?
To those blue hills
Love
Where does it come from?
Who lit this flame in us?
No war can put it out,
conquer it
I was a prisoner
You set me free
No matter how much training you got,
how careful you are,
it's a matter of Iuck whether or not you get killed
Makes no difference who you are, or how tough a guy you might be,
if you're in the wrong spot at the wrong time, you're gonna get it
I Iook at that boy dying,
I don't feel nothing
I don't care about nothing any more
Sounds Iike bliss
I don't have that feeling yet
That numbness
Not Iike the rest of you guys
Maybe cos I knew what to expect
Maybe I was just frozen up already
I haven't touched another woman since I was called up
Or talked to one
I don't wanna
I don't wanna feel the desire
AII right Abrahams!
Abrahams Here you go
Stack! Where's Stack?
Bring him out
Bell?
Bell!
Another one for Bell Another one for Bell
Dear Jack,
I've met an Air Force captain I've fallen in love with him
I want a divorce to marry him
I know you can say no, but I'm asking you anyway,
out of the memory of what we had together
Forgive me
It just got too lonely, Jack
We 'll meet again some day
People who have been as close as we 've been always meet again
I have no right to speak to you this way
I can 't stop myself
A habit so strong
Oh, my friend of all those shining years
Help me leave you!
What's your name?
We were a family
How'd it break up and come apart?
So that now we're turned against each other
Each standing in the other's light
How did we lose the good that was given us?
Let it slip away?
Scatter it careless?
What's keeping us from reaching out?
Touching the glory?
I'd have had you, Witt, if you was a Jap,
Iong ago
They Ieave you here?
Yup
I slowed 'em up
Don't mind, really
The medic fixed me up pretty good
I got plenty of ammo
Somebody'II be along for me eventually
- They got you good - Right in the knee
Yeah
I'm out of this war for good, Witt
- What you doin' down here? - Uh, just, you know,
I'm heading back to the company
Yeah
Well, you give all them boys my best
You can come with me if you want
I'II help you along
No, it's nice and quiet
Peaceful up here
I'd just slow you up There'II be somebody along
I'II remind 'em
OK
Hey, Witt
Who you making trouble for today?
What d'you mean?
Well, isn't that what you Iike to do?
Turn Ieft when they say go right?
Why are you such a troublemaker, Witt?
You care about me, don't you, Sergeant?
I always felt Iike you did
Why do you always make yourself out Iike a rock?
One day I can come up and talk to you,
by the next day it's Iike we never even met
Lonely house now
You ever get Ionely?
Only around people
You still believing in the beautiful Iight, are you?
How do you do that?
You're a magician to me
I still see a spark in you
One man looks at a dying bird and thinks there's nothing but unanswered pain
But death's got the final word
It's laughing at him
Another man sees that same bird,
feels the glory
Feels something smiling through him
We need to get out of here right now
- You explain to headquarters the situation? - No
Do they know where we are? Cos we're sitting ducks out here
Well, I think that's up to me to judge, Sergeant
I think we just need to send somebody up there and find out how close they are OK?
It's easy
Hey, Weld, uh get headquarters on that thing
The fire's coming closer, sir
Line's cut!
We need to send somebody out there to find out where that Iine is being cut
And we need to find out how close they are
Come on
Uh, OK OK
Hey, you
You go
You're going, Fife
Coombs You go, too
Come on!
I'II go I want you to know I think the whole thing's a bad idea, though
If they come down here in any strength, Lieutenant, they'II knock our position to hell
You don't have to go Others'II volunteer
No, I wanna go, sir In case something bad happens, I wanna be there
AII right You stay by the river
That jungle's too thick And be very careful
I will
Good Iuck, Witt
You OK, Fife?
A reinforce battalion
We need to go back
Tell the Iieutenant
Let's go
I'm hit!
One of us needs to stay here and hold 'em off
We'II be all right
My friend here doesn't have Iong,
so you go
You go on ahead
Witt!
They're coming
I gotta go I don't want you to be afraid
Just hide out here till you hear firing, then push on down the river
No
- Where's Coombs? - Get back Get back, they're coming
Fall back
Where's Witt? Fife, where's Witt?
Fife, where's Witt?
Fife Fife, where's Witt?
America
Where's your spark now?
Now, I know you men have been making and drinking this goddamn swipe
That's OK by me
Everything a lie
Any man in my outfit can get as drunk as he wants to every night
Everything you hear and see
As Iong as he's in shape to make reveille and carry out any assignment given
If he can't do that, he's gonna have trouble from me
- So much to spew out - I prefer to think of myself as a family man,
and that's what we all are here, whether we Iike it or not
We are a family
I'm the father
Guess that makes Sergeant Welsh here the mother
They just keep coming, one after another
That makes you all the children in this family
Now, a family can have only one head, and that is the father
Father's the head, mother runs it That's the way it's gonna work here
- If any of you wanna see me about anything, - You're in a box
- anything at all, - A moving box
you will find that I am available
This war is not gonna be over by next Christmas
It's gonna be a Iong time before we get home
They want you dead
Or in their lie
Only one thing a man can do
Find something that's his
Make an island for himself
If I never meet you in this life,
Iet me feel the lack
A glance from your eyes, and my life will be yours
Somethin' I can come back to Some kind of foundation
I mean, I don't know what, you know, what your plans are, but
I'm determined now I've been through the thick and thin of it
You know, I may be young, but I've Iived plenty of Iife
I'm ready to start Iiving it good
You know, my daddy always told me it's gonna get a Iot worse before it gets better
You know, cos Iife ain't supposed to be that hard when you're young
Well, I figure after this the worst is gonna be gone
It's time for things to get better That's what I want
That's what's gonna happen
I'm getting older now
By no means old, but older
Where is it that we were together?
Who were you that I lived with?
Walked with?
The brother
The friend
Darkness from light
Strife from love
Are they the workings of one mind?
The features of the same face?
Oh, my soul,
Iet me be in you now
Look out through my eyes
Look out at the things you made
All things shining