Voila! Finally, the Men Of Honor
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the movie starring Cuba
Gooding Jr and Robert De Niro. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Men Of Honor. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
[ Waves Crashing ]
[TVNewscaster] Thirtysix
hours ago, anAmerican B-52 bomber...
crashedinto
the MediterraneanSea.
Moments before impact,
the bomber's crew...
jettisoned a 36-megaton
nuclearwarhead.
Thebomb, capable ofleveling
amajorcity, has beenlostatsea.
Underwayat this houris thegreatest
navalsearch in humanhistory.
Whatdoyou think, Sunday ?
Itshouldbeyouout there.
Why not ? I'm the best
goddamn diver in the whole U.S. Navy.
[ Laughing ] Well, you ain't in
the Navy. You are a damn deserter.
[ Laughing ] Well, you ain't in
the Navy. You are a damn deserter.
- AWOL, AWOL.
- [ Laughing ]
Twentyyears ago, aman'dgo
onabenderlike that,
they'd pin a medal on his chest
and take him downtown for a blowjob.
[ Laughing Continues ]
Instead, yougotyourass
kickedbya couple ofMarines.
- [News Reporter] On little
sleep andin freezing water.
- Ornery son ofa bitch.
-These unsung heroes ofthe deep
don unwieldy -poundsuits.
-Friend ofyours ?
Well, it looks like Chiefhere
is a goddamn nigger lover.
- [ Laughing ]
- [ Grunting ]
All right, asshole. Nowyou're gonna
start addressing me as Master Chief...
or I'm gonna snapyour goddamn
wrist, doyou read me ?
You ain't a Master Chief
no more.
You triflin' me, motherfucker ?
You triflin' me, motherfucker ?
- Sorry, MasterChief!
- Thankyou !
- [ Groaning ]
- Plumbing themosthostile,
unforgiving environment...
- Carl.
- is all in a day's work.
And yet, even as Navy ships--
[Bell Ringing]
[Woman KnockingAtDoor]
Come on, Carl.
Turn offDaddy's radio
andgetready forschool.
[Radio:;
Chattering, Indistinct]
[Mule Braying]
- [Braying Continues]
- Whoa,John.
Come on there.
Get a hold,John.
- Get a hold,John.
- [ Snorting ]
Come on. Come on.
Get up there,Jane.
Come on. Come on.
Good girl.
Whoa,John.
Comehere,Jane.
Come here.
Best come in now.
I told Doc Maddox I'd be done
by Friday, and I will.
- Daddy, you actin' like--
- This was my farm ?
No, son. No matter how hard I work,
I ain't ever gonna own this land.
I heard you and Mama talkin'.
You gonna lose the farm
ifthis wheat ain't in on time.
DocMaddox is gonnabring in another
family, where thekids work too.
Ho !
My kids go to school.
Now, go on 'foreyou're late.
I'm not going to school, Daddy.
Not today.
Not till this field is done.
This field ain't ever
gonna be done.
[ Panting ]
Daddy.
Today is Friday.
[Man] Come on, Tye.
Come on,Jill. Thereyougo.
Come on.
Good boy, good girl.
Thereyougo.
Thereyougo.
- Make me a promise.
- Sir ?
Don't end up like me.
- [ThunderRumbling]
- All right.
We best get movin'.
Rain comin' in.
We best get movin'.
ReadyJane,John.
- Get up there ! Come on !
- [ Grunting ]
[Father]Staylow,John.
Get thehoe,John.
- Get the hoe ! Come on. Get up there !
- [Boy]Get thathoe.
- Get thehoe,John.
- Yeah, get thathoe,Jane.
[ Chattering Continues ]
[ Panting ]
Get thathoe,Jane.
- [ManShouting]
- Ha ! Get thathoe,Jane!
Gee,Jane !
Rah ! Get up there !
Rah! Getup there !
Come on!
Get up there ! Ha !
Get up there ! Ha !
Ha ! Getup there !
Come on, Carl.
You'll miss the bus.
Ho ! Ho !
Let's go, son.
Your father's waitin'on us.
[Man]U.S. Navy's
abig opportunity forayoung man.
[Man]U.S. Navy's
abig opportunity forayoung man.
Yougot thehotshowers.
Yougot the threesquares a day.
- Andunlike theArmy--
- All about the Navy.
It's right here in this book.
And this is mine. I can keep this.
They'rejust giving it to me.
- No foxholes in the Navy.
- [Carl]
I wish Iknew whatI was gonnabe.
Knowing you,
it's gonna be something big.
[Recruiter]
Itdon'tstop there.
He ain'tsaidone word
since we met therecruiter.
He'sjust real scared
foryou.
Coloreds now.
First uniform is paid for by Uncle Sam.
- I loveyou, Mama.
- I loveyou.
- [Chattering Continues]
- [Man] You'llbeallright, son.
[Recruiter] Yougota $ paycheck
just waiting foryou.
Recruiter say fi rst leave
come in September.
I wouldn't believe everything
that recruiter says.
Putitaway forarainy day
orsendithome to Mom andPop.
I'll come back,
help mow the hay.
Don't.
Don't ever come back here.
You get in there
and fight, Carl.
Don't take promises.
Bust their old rules
ifyou have to.
And when it gets hard--
and it will--
don't quit on me.
Ever.
Now, go on.
Don't come back here.
Not for a long time.
Charge it when you get
whereyou're going.
[EngineStarts]
"A.S.N.F."
What's that supposed to mean ?
- [ Sobbing ]
- Mm, mm, mm.
Come on, boy.
You got a big future...
in the U.S. Navy.
- [ Laughing ] A big future !
- [GrillSizzling]
[Men Laughing]
Look here. I advise the next time
you see this Navy recruiter,
tell him to take whatever
crystal ball he's lookin' through...
and shove it
directly up his ass.
- [ Laughter Continues ]
- Ijustgotback from fiightin'a war,
makin'the whole world
free fordemocracy.
They still got me standin' here,
slavin' over a hot grill next toyou.
There's only three choices
a coloredman's gotin the U.S. Navy.
[Man]
What's that, Chief?Bein'a cook ?
- Officer's valet or gettin'
the fuck out ofthe Navy.
- Youlistenin; Carl ?
Big future.
[ Laughing ]
- Big future, I'll be doggoned.
- It'llbeallright.
- [ Chattering Indistinct ]
- [Man On P.A.] That's it. That's it.
Ooh, hot, hot, hot.
[Man]Hellain'tgotnothin'
on theSouth Pacifiic.
Damn !
[Men Whooping, Shouting]
[WaterSplashing]
Whoo !
Geronimo !
[Splashing,
Whooping Continues]
Hold that.
Carl, what the hell
areyou doing ?
Reckon I'm gonna take a swim.
Nigger, you crazy. Tuesday is
colored swim call on this boat.
Well, I'm hot on Friday.
Carl, crackers see thatnappy
headcomin; they--
What are they gonna do,
make me wash more dishes ?
[Man] Waitaminutenow.
Someone's all confused.
Bettergetyourass
offthis deck !
Itis not Tuesday, son.
What the hell
areyou doing, boy ?
- Youcan'tdo that, boy!
- You're in some deep shit!
- Wrong day, asshole !
- [ Chatters, Indistinct ]
All right. Make way !
[ Shouting, Chattering ]
Captain wantsyourass
back on theboatrightnow.
[ Shouting Continues ]
- He'll beatyou !
- Go, Carl !
- Keep goin' ! Go, Carl !
- [Shouting Continues]
- Let's go, Carl !
- [ Laughing ]
Beathim byamile !
[ Buoy Dinging ]
- Whoo !
- Oh !
[ Laughing ]
- [SailorChattering]
- Okay.
You got anything
to say foryourself?
Your response is noted.
[ Sighs ]
Youeverhearof
theSearch andRescueswimmers ?
- You know, sailor falls overboard,
these men--
- Dive in and save 'em. Yes.
Youjust became one.
I'm transferring you to their unit.
You're the fastestdamnswimmer
on this ship,
and you have got the balls
to back it up.
Thankyou, sir. I'll pack up
and report to the deck department--
You'rejust there to swim.
Nothing else.
Staywith the stewards.
Lethim out.
Hey, Carl. Youknow, the onlyreason
yourass ain'tin thebrig...
- is 'causeyou high yellow, boy.
- [Laughter]
- Damn!
- Search andRescueSquad.
Boy, you in good
with Captain Pullman now.
Put in a good word for me, they
might let me drive the boat.
[Carl's Voice] "You're never
gonnabelieve it, butyesterday...
Imade Seaman, which is Navy
foraglorifiieddeckhand.
I'm stillnotsure whatI'm gonnabe,
butI'llmakeyouproudofmeyet.
Anyway, Dad, sounds like themail
chopper's here, so Ibetterget topside.
Give Mom abig hug forme.
Yourlovingson, Carl. "
Yourself
In thehigh school
ofhappiness
- Good afternoon, Chief.
- Iconfess Ijustcan'tlive--
- [Explosion]
- What the--
[Sirens Blaring]
[Sailor] Mail chopperclipped
aradio mast!He's down !He's down !
[ManShouting Orders
On P.A.]
Splasha diver, now!Men on
thatchopper. I want 'em up alive.
Diver's coming up.
Bring it up.
Bring it up !
Come on ! Faster ! Pull him up !
Come on, Vince. Pull him up !
- Come on ! Faster, faster !
- Brashear, get on that steadying line.
Keep itup !
Layback into that!Keep itsteady!
Keep itsteady!
Keep itsteady!
Bring him in !
Coming down !
Bring him down !
Sailors, gethim up !
On thehatch. Ready ?
Come on.
Face down !
[ Man Grunting ]
- No.
- Goddamn !
IfI'djustbeena couple ofminutes
earlier, he'dbebreathin'now!
[Pullman] Youdidyourbest,
ChiefSunday. LieutenantHanks.
Sir.
- Complete the diving operation.
- Yes, sir.
[Man]
The copilotis stillin the water.
Caughlin, it'syour turn overtheside.
Bring thatmanhome. Hathim.
Take ChiefSunday to the chamber
for decompression.
Lay back on him.
On the side !
Divercomin'up
andover!
- Chief?
- Drop the goddamn weight !
Drop the weight!
[Shouting, Chattering]
- Man overboard!
- Standby divers, you're in !
What the hell's going on ?
MasterChief,
wejustlost Caughlin, sir.
- We got a standby diver going--
- He can't wait that long.
Tellme whatyou're doing ?
Igotaman on.
Gonna bounce dive, put him on
a rescue line and yank him out.
- Bounce dive ?
- Bounce back before
the nitrogen builds in my system.
He's too deep already,
and you will call me "sir."
Goddamn it, I got a man dyin'
down there, sir !
Give mea wrench !Give me
thatspare lifelineandairhose!
I've lost two men
on mywatch.
I've got another drowning, and I'm not
about to letyou commit suicide.
- You will stand fast !
- He'll be dead beforeyou get to him !
- The air hose !
- Stand off ! I will takeyou
to the captain's mast,
and you will lose ifyou touch
that water, doyou hear me ?
Yes, sir !
Goddamn it !
Master ChiefSunday,
you've sustained a serious embolism.
- Embolism ?
- Both lobes ofthe lungs
were severely scarred.
Can't cheat the laws ofnature
forever, can you, Doc ?
I'm afraid the condition's
totally inoperable.
[ Sighs ]
Ain't that a bitch ?
So what happens next time I go diving ?
I start taking on bottom pressure ?
Any increased pressure at all
will kill you, instantly.
Kill me. Goddamn, for a minute there
I thought this was serious.
- Ifyou could keepyourvoice down.
- Hell, no.
Goddamn,
I feel like singin', man.
- Ah, fuck !
- Where areyou going ?
Getmea drink. Celebrate.
Youhadmegoing.
I thoughtIcouldn'tgo diving nomore.
- ChiefSunday,
you're scaring thepatients.
- How about me ?
Goddamn. Hey, I got an idea.
Maybeyou can use me around here.
Hell, I'm lookin'
to make a career move.
Maybe, maybeyou can get
someone to change the bed pans !
- Change the fuckin' bed pans !
- [Orderly]Chief!
- Change the fuckin' bed pans !
Hey ! Hey !
- Hey !
- [ Screams ]
- [ Indistinct Shouting ]
MasterChiefSunday, given
your currentphysicalcondition...
and the far graver issue...
- ofyourrecentacts ofmisconduct,
- [Laughter]
you willbemedically
disqualifiiedfrom diving,
fi ned one-halfmonth's pay
for three months...
andreassigned
toa trainingposition,
where itis
mygreatest wish...
thatyou will embrace
anewfoundrespectforauthority.
This hearing is concluded.
[GavelRaps]
- That's what I want to be, sir.
- A Navy Master Diver ?
- Yes, sir.
- Last week, you were a cook.
- Well, the man I just saw--
- The man you saw is a Master Chief.
That's the highest rank an enlisted man
can achieve in the Navy.
A lotofgoodmenspenda career
trying toget there andfail.
Besides,
they are not gonna take
a colored at diving school.
- It's as simple as that.
- What ifyou were to give me
a personal recommendation, sir ?
[ Chuckles ] I just madeyou
a deck seaman three days ago.
What else do I oweyou ?
The way I see it,
I oweyou, sir.
I'll endorseyour request,
[ Chuckles ]
but it ain't gonna work.
Wait outside.
- Mr. Pappy, Boatswain's Mate
Brashearis reporting forduty.
- Don't let him in, sailor.
[ Phone Hangs Up ]
[VehicleApproaching]
[ Man On Radio ]
I'll be waiting on the hilltop
Where the wild
red roses grow
- Yeah. Well, look at Mr. Navy.
- [ Radio Stops ]
Bell-bottomsbleached.
Shoes all shined up.
Now alls we need
is an organ grinder.
Welcome to Bayonne, NewJersey.
Pimple on God's ass.
ChiefSunday, we never met,
but I served with you on the Hoist.
U.S.S. Hoist.
I 'spect I 'memberyou now.
So what's for chow, cookie ?
I wouldn't know, Chief.
I'm reporting for diving school.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
They sayyou wrote over letters
requesting admission to this school.
You gotyou
some grit in you, huh ?
- Yes, sir.
- Well, it's gonna be a hot one today.
Sure hopeyou're better
than the last cook.
That man's food could kill your dog.
Chief.
[ Indistinct Chattering ]
[ Chattering Continues ]
- Thankyou.
- All righteous.
Thereyou go.
[Trainees Shouting]
Had yourself
anything to drink today ?
No, sir, Chief.
What saywe go on into town
and get us a nice cold one ?
I can't do that, Chief.
I haven't reported for duty.
I tell you what.
I'll buyyou a tall one over there.
A bus ticket too, soyou can go back
to whatever burg you sprang from.
Whatdoyousay ?
Sir, I am a Navy man.
Where I come from,
there are no oceans.
Only dirt farms
and ornery mules.
And no self-respecting Navy man
makes a living driving mules.
Sir.
You know what the Chinese say,
cookie ?
Beware whatyou wish for.
- [Man Chanting]
Istole apie ! Istole apie !
- Let him in.
- [Chanting Continues]
Istole apie ! Istole apie !
- [MetalClanking]
I stole a pie !
I stole a pie !
I stole a pie !
I stole a pie !
- [Chanting Continues]
- [ Dog Whimpering ]
Get in there.
Go on. Hoist away.
[Whimpering Continues]
[Men Laughing]
[ Laughter Continues ]
[Stuttering]
Do-Do-Do-Don'tstare athim.
- Who is he ?
- The commanding officer,
b-b-but everyone calls him
M-M-Mr. Pappy.
- He's a warhero.
- Here.
They, they were gonnamakehim
anadmiralup in D. C....
'f-f-fore they,
they found out he's got more,
more screws loose than a Studebaker.
So theysenthim here.
Bettersalutehim oryou'llbe
spendingyour fiirstnightin thebrig.
[Chanting Continues]
Istole apie !
[ Stuttering Continues ]
Come on. I'll showyou the barracks.
[Men Chattering, Indistinct]
[ Chattering Stops ]
[ Man ]
Attention on deck !
Gentlemen, in
President Harry S. Truman
had the courage and forward-thinking
and enlightenment...
to desegregate
the United States military.
Now I wanty'all to welcome the Bayonne
Diving School's fi rst colored trainee,
Bosun's Mate
SecondClass Carl Brashear.
I don't hear anyone welcomin'
Bosun's Mate Brashear.
Master Chief,
no disrespect to the president,
but I don't bunkwith niggers.
- Aren'tyou gonna go too ?
- N-N-N-No.
I-I-I-I'm from Wisconsin.
Never been there.
[ Radio: Static, Tuning ]
[ Announcer] Haily gets a fast ball
low and inside for strike three,
andJackie Robinsonstrikes out.
[RadioAnnouncerContinues,
Indistinct]
Andthescore as we hadit
on the top oftheseventh:;
Brooklyn, one, Milwaukee, one.
[ Gasping ]
Rise and shine, cookie.
Time for trainin'.
[ Spits, Gasps ]
- [ Coughing ]
- Areyou familiarwith
the principle of Boyle's Law ?
The what ?
Ididn'thearyouranswer.
[Coughing Continues]
Come on, cookie.
Get up.
- [ Coughing Continues ]
- Boyle's Law states that,
at a constant temperature,
the volume ofa confi ned ideal gas
varies inverselywith its pressure !
- Now why is this law
important in divin' ?
- I don't know, Chief!
You ain't never gonna know,
'causeyou'rejust some dumb
dirt nigger from Podunk !
I knowyou.
Your sweet smell hung in every bunk
and goddamn shack I ever lived in.
Your nigger face stared at me
every time we had to leave...
'causeyour daddy
could farm it cheaper than mine.
Mine drank himselfinto a $ casket,
but that ain't gonna happen to me...
because I'm a Master Diver !
Maybeyou'll remember that next time
you implywe got anything in common !
- You read me, cookie ?
- [ Coughing, Gasping ]
- What ?
- Getyour goddamn Wisconsin ass...
back tobed, Snowhill!
Themenyouare watching
are going tobe Navy divers.
Youbottomsuckers are notfiit
to observe them.
Avertyour eyes !
My name is Master Chief
Billy Sunday.
There's apreacherby thesame
name cleanedup Chicago...
ofall the whorin' spics, drunken wops
and motherfuckin' niggers...
that was makin' that place unfit
for decent white folks to live.
The only differencebetweenme
andthatoldpreacher...
is that he worked for God
and I am God !
[Gulls Squawking]
Now, why don't the fi rst ten of
you Girl Scouts step forward ?
Come on !
Dropyour dicks ! Let's go !
Three quarters ofyou
standing here today...
will fail
to become Navy divers.
Three from the fi rst row,
step forward. Step forward !
Ofthose unfortunates
thatdopass,
only three ofyou will live
to reach retirement...
'cause divin'is themost
dangerousjobin the Navy.
So who wants to quit ?
Sayitnow,
who wants to quit ?
You got somethin' to offer,
huh ?
Who wants to save me the sweat
oftraining your sorry ass ?
You ? You ?
Cookie ?
You ?
You gonna look me
in the eye, son, huh ?
What areyou,
some kind ofbroke-dick Popeye ?
Huh ? Let me guess.
You were captain
ofthe swim team, weren'tyou ?
You and your girlfriend used
to practice the breast stroke !
[ Stuttering ]
Say it
likeyou got a pair !
- Myw-w-w-wife.
- Oh, that's right.
It's in your record.
You knocked her up sophomoreyear.
Well, maybeyou can bring
the little w-w-w-woman down one night...
and all the boys can practice
the b-b-b-breast stroke.
I heard you were a hell ofa swimmer,
Snowhill. State champ ?
Y-Yes, y-yes,
M-Master Chief.
Snowhill,
please step forward.
Come on.
About face.
- [ Grunts ]
- You let go before I relieveyou,
you fail my course right now,
got it, swim champ ?
[ Grunts ]
Swimmin'don'tgotdick shit
to do with deep-sea divin'.
IfJohnny fuckin' Weismuller
were in the soup...
wearin' a -pound
Mark Five divin' rig,
he couldn't swim
to fuck EstherWilliams...
ifshe was three feet
in front ofhim buck naked.
The only way tosurvive
is to trusteach other,
'cause underwater all you got
is the man next toyou.
And that is why the only men
that get through my course...
are the very, very best.
Now get out ofmy sight.
- [ Trainee ] Boy, I don't know.
- [ Chattering Continues ]
Permission to relieve
the man below, Master Chief.
What areyou, cookie,
some kind ofgoddamn hero ?
I got no room in my class for heroes
or stutterin' swim champs...
with a wife and kids
to worry about, doyou read me ?
Ifyou wanna flunk me, flunk me, but
don't punish him for being decent to me.
I don't have to flunkyou.
You're gonna do that all on your own.
He had halfa chance.
He still does.
Permission to relieve him.
Claims he can hold his breath over four
minutes. Hell, it ain't even been two.
- [ Gasping ]
- I believe Gunner's Mate
Snowhill's a liar !
Now we're men ofhonor, ain't we,
cookie ? We don't abide liars.
You're out ofmy program,
Snowhill.
Bosun's Mate Brashear,
you have the barracks toyourself.
[Snowhill Gasping]
Damn !
[ Panting ]
The Navy diver
is not a fighting man.
He is a salvage expert.
Ifit's lost underwater, he fi nds it.
Ifit's sunk, hebrings itup.
Ifit's in the way, hemoves it.
Ifhe's lucky, he'll dieyoung
feet beneath the waves...
for that is the closest he will
ever get to being a hero.
Hell, I don't know why anybody'd
want to be a Navy diver.
Good flange work, Rourke.
Almost there.
Thankyou, Master Chief.
[Man]
Machinist's Mate Rourke, .
[Man]
Machinist's Mate Rourke, .
Bosun's Mate Brashear, .
- Ifyou fail the next test,
you're out ofthe program.
- Yes, sir.
There are seats oflearning beyond
the walls and control ofthis camp.
Ladies,
this is weekend liberty.
Anyone's ass
thatain'tback here on time
willhave toanswertomepersonally.
And remember, ladies, one-night stands
may be over by mornin',
but syphilis lasts
a lifetime.
- Dismissed!
- [ Cheering, Hooting ]
[ Tires Screech, Horn Honks ]
[Man In Car]
Watch out.
[ Chattering, Indistinct ]
- Have fun, baby.
- [Man]Flowers !
Flowers ! Hey, how about some flowers
foryouryoung lady, huh ?
What's the hitch ?
- You're the one who called.
- Yes, ma'am.
[ Sighs ]
I told you. We're a public library,
not a tutoring service.
Now, ifyou don't mind,
there is a Mr. Biddle at home.
In fact, he's probably
brought flowers.
[Wheels Squeak]
Have a wonderful weekend.
Andlock up, wouldyou ?
- Uh-huh.
- And be sure to kick him out.
- Hello.
- We're closed.
Not for three minutes.
You studying on nursin' ?
A person doesn't "study on"
anything, Bosun's Mate.
You knowyour rates and ranks. Did you
get that from one ofthese books?
Look, I'm not here
to flirt with you.
I'm in divingschool
across theriver.
I'm notjust good at it.
I was born for it.
But thejoke is, I'm gonna wash out
ifI don't pass my next exam.
What was the last grade
you completed in school ?
- Seventh.
- I can't helpyou.
- Whynot ?
- Because it took me fouryears
ofworking at places like this...
to get through med school.
Now I have six weeks to study for
my exam. I pass, I become an intern,
and maybe someday
become a doctor.
You're too farbehind,
andIdon'thave the time.
Okay. Go on.
Walk around reading toyourself.
- Don't give me another thought.
Just go on.
- Don'tyou get it ?
WhetherIhelpyouornotdoesn't
matter. You're gonna failanyway.
I won't. I can't.
Why doyou want this
so badly ?
Because they said
I couldn't have it.
I may know
a professor at City--
[Book Pages Turning]
Boyle's Law describes
the behavior ofgases undervarying
amounts ofatmospheric pressure.
It states that ifa diver
holds his breath at feet,
continues holding while rising
to ten feet,
then thegases in his lungs
increase four times.
Now why is this important
to a diver ?
Forget to exhale on the way up,
and your lungs explode.
I can workwith you,
but my time is precious.
So the fi rst timeyou go out
drinking and fighting...
and leave me waiting here,
our arrangement ends.
- [DoorCloses]
- [ Chuckles ]
- [Bell Dings]
- [Woman]Goodmorning.
I, um... have to open up.
Now areyou gonna tell meyour
name, or is it still a secret ?
My name isJo.
[ Chuckles ]
My father always wanted
a boy.
He was in the Navy too.
- Is he still active ?
- I haven't seen him since I was nine.
[Bell Dinging]
Mm-mm, mm-mm.
Like this.
[ Chattering, Indistinct ]
- Good night.
- Good night.
- [ Chattering Continues ]
- [Man]
Fire Controlman Mellegrano, .
Mate DuBoyce, .
Engineman Crofoot, .
Bosun's Mate
Carl Brashear,
.
[LowChattering]
- [ Instructor Chattering ]
- [ Sighs ]
[Man]Boots, cookie,
tearyourselves away, ladies.
You're nextin the water. You're gonna
go down to the training vessel,
patch ahole so we canpump herfull
ofairandraiseherto thesurface.
Then we're gonnasinkher
anddo itagain.
[Man]Because underwater,
allyou've gotis themannext toyou!
Chief, what the hell's
goin' on down there ?
Thatboystays down there anylonger,
he's gonnastartgettin'mail.
Isert, come on.
Finish torching that hole.
I'm tryin',
but this thing's real awkward.
- How's itlook ?
- [ Sighs ] Looks like hell.
Green Diver, this is
MasterChiefSunday.
You have three minutes
to getyour patch hot and hung
before the next team comes down.
[Sunday]Nowcome on, Isert!
Moveyourraggedyass !
- RedDiver?
- Yes, Master Chief.
Goddamnit, Rourke, I've hadgirlfriends
thatcould weldfasterthan that.
- Nowmove him along.
- [ Laughs ]
- Come on, Isert. Nowhangyourpatch.
- Yeah, okay, Rourke. I'm trying.
[ Grunting ]
- Hey, Isert, you feel that ?
- Do I feel what ?
- What the hell ?
- [ Grunting ]
[Rourke]
Topside, this wreck is moving !
She's limping, Chief!
We're sliding down !
Somebody tell me
whatjust happened ?
- [Rourke] Topside !
- Get it ! Grab that hose !
- Red Diver, what's your situation ?
- The shipjust dropped feet.
- We landed on something.
- Better bring those boys home
till we figure this out.
- Squareyourselves away.
You're coming home.
- Negative on the come home.
- Isert's got his air hose tangled.
- [ Grunts ]
- My air hose is stuck !
- Fouled. Now get it unfouled.
[Grunting Continues]
Rourke, what's wrong ?
Why are we movin' ?
- We slipped partway
down the channel bank.
- Rourke !
- This wreck is live !
- You get this off !
- I'm gonna have to change out
his lifeline and air hose.
- [Sunday] Listen, Rourke.
He's your buddy.
You follow his line back,
unfoul it and get him out ofthere.
I'm trying, but it'sjust too tight.
Send down a line !
- [ Isert Yells ]
- [ Rourke ] Help !
- I need help down here.
- Help's on the way.
- I'm ready, MasterChief.
- Dennis, undress him.
- You can't go down there.
- Better not be talking to me.
I won't haveyour familiar tone.
You can't dive that deep.
I'm ready. Let me go.
Master Chief, it looks
like the ship slid down...
on some discharge pipes
coming from that factory.
They give out, and this whole ship's
going right to the bottom.
[Sunday] Youdon't worryabout
thatboat.Justget thathose to Rourke.
- [Crash]
- [ Rourke ] For God's sake !
- [Sunday]
What thehell was that, cookie ?
- Look !
The ship's weight is crushing
those pipes, Chief.
Gotta get him on a fresh hose
and out ofhere fast !
Topside, Blue Diver's here.
He's gota freshline.
All right, Isert.
Rourke's gonna changeyou out, and
you're gonna be walking out ofthere.
- Okay.
- That boy's got five minutes
ofair ifhe don't panic.
Youscrewup the change out,
andthatboy's dead, readme ?
- Yes, Master Chief.
- Isert, we're not gonna be able
to talk for a few minutes.
I wantyou to think ofyour favorite
song, andI wantyou tosing it.
- I don't know any songs.
- You got to slowyour respiration.
Breathe easy.
-Justbreathe easy.
- Please. I wasn't made for this.
I want to go home now !
I want to go home now !
Would you let me
come home now ?
I want to quit!I want to quit!
Ireally want to quit!
- I want to quit !
- Change him out now !
- She's movin', Chief!
- Come on, Rourke ! I got him !
[Isert Grunting]
- [ Air Hissing ]
- Topside, Isert's off air.
- What's going on down there ?
- She's gonna roll over !
I 'spect so. You stay down there,
and you change that boy out, hear me ?
- [ Isert ] Rourke !
- [ Rourke ] I'm out ofhere !
I gotta get out ofhere !
She's going down !
- Rourke, comeback here !
- Rourke !
- Rourke, get back here !
- I ain't dying !
- [Carl] Rourke!
- [Rourke] I'm outofhere.
Don'tleave !
Carl, don'tleave me!
I need my air hose !
I can't breathe, Carl !
I'm getting dizzy!
[ Both Yelling ]
[ Both Grunting ]
I can't breathe.
[ Gasping ]
- Topside, he's blacking out !
- Goddamn it, hook him up !
- I got it !
- [ Gasping Continues ]
[IsertBreathing]
- [Carl] We're coming home, Chief.
- Never doubted it.
[ Labored Breathing ]
Machinist Mate First Class Rourke,
front and center !
"The president ofthe
United States ofAmerica...
takes greatpleasure inpresenting
the NavyandMarine Corps
MedalofHeroism...
to MachinistMate First Class
Dylan Rourke,
whereby Petty Officer Rourke
on the nd ofSeptember...
oftheyear
with apparentdisregard
forhis own life,
did, atBayonne, NewJersey,
save thelife of
Petty Offiicer Timothy Douglas Isert. "
Post.
Class dismissed.
[Phone Ringing]
[Ringing Continues]
- [Woman] Carl ?
- Hey, I gotyour telegram.
No, no, no. I got the wire.
How's Daddy doing ?
Is he up and around again ?
- [ Hooting, Chattering ]
- Yeah ! Yeah !
[ Crying ]
[ Sailors Chattering ]
[Jo ]
Hello ? Carl ?Is thatyou ?
Hey,Jo.
Hey, it's me.
Where areyou ?
Areyou okay ?
[ Crying ]
No, I'm okay. I'm okay.
Uh, listen, uh,
c-could you meet me ?
[ Tires Screech ]
- Goddamn it !
- Okay. I'll stay here.
Damn it ! The miserable son ofa bitch
in there drinkin' on my anniversary !
You're the one, aren'tyou ?
Well, I'm Gwen... Sunday.
Sorry to hear that.
You know he's gonna
kickyou out ofthe Navy.
He's gonna kickyou out
ofdiving.
So what
you gonna do about it ?
Youjustgonnalethim runyouover,
justlikeyoudo everyone else ?
You know, he's in there
right now.
- [ Chattering ]
- [Gwen]He wantedaparty,
let's give him one.
- [Country]
- [ Stuttering ] She told me...
it was okay
to dance with a girl.
[ Chattering Continues ]
[Gwen]
Oh, Ilove this song !
[ Vocalizing ]
- [Gwen Humming]
- [Continues, Indistinct]
Donny, be a dear lad
and get us two scotches.
- We're out.
- Lucky for us, you got
a whole bar full ofbourbon.
What thehellareyoudoing,
bringin'him in here ?
- Get out.
- Well, I'll be goddamned.
It'sprom night
here at the MoorBar.
You boys, you have
a drink on me. Go ahead.
Hell, I don't know
who classes up thejoint more--
the fetching young lady
in the fur stole or cookie here.
So what'dyou two kids comehere
to do anyway ?Dance ?
Why not take a turn ?
It's a free country, mostly.
You made a big mistake,
walking in here, cookie.
- Oh, it's my fault.
- It's all your fault.
Spoiled little rich girl gets her kicks
draggin' stray men in here.
Thinks we'rejust
a bunch ofsweaty rednecks
she can shake up for the fun ofit.
Hey, Donny, bea dearlad
andbring theladya freshsoldier.
Thinkyoudeserve abeer,
don'tyou ?
Fraternizing among Navy men.
Thinkyou're
as good as they are ?
How 'boutme, cookie ?
Youbetterthanme ?
- You're damn right, I am.
- Mm-hmm.
You see this pipe ?
General MacArthur himself
smoked this pipe.
Iservedwith him
in Leyte Gulf.
Biggest naval battle
in history.
Kamikaze rippedinto this escort
carrier, name ofSaint Lo.
She went down on a shallow reef,
trapping me and six boys
in the fi re room.
- Only one way out.
- Flood the compartment and swim up.
Five decks, cookie.
Five fuckin' decks.
Locked bulkheads,
dead bodies everywhere.
Yougot tohaveyourballs
screwedon tightforthatswim.
We still had intercom. Old MacArthur
himselfcame over that squawk box,
"Sunday,
you cocky son ofa bitch,
I betyou can't hold your breath for
four minutes and swim out ofthere."
Know what I said back ?
" No, Mac, I can't, but
I'll betyou your cob pipe...
I can hold it for five, 'cause that's
what it's gonna take, motherfucker."
- C-C-C-Carl, this ain't worth--
- Getyour hands off me.
There's six men still breathin' today,
'cause I led 'em out ofthat fi re room.
And nowjust 'causeyou pulled little
Isert's white little fuckin' ass...
out ofsome rowboat
sunk in a mud puddle,
you thinkyou're better than me ?
Well, let'sjust see.
What's your bet, cookie ?
- Put Snowhill back in diving.
- Whatdoyouowe him ?
- Nothing. You owe him.
- Oh, yeah ?
Fine. IfI win, you ship out,
tonight. Deal ?
Deal.
- [Man]Showhim, MasterChief!
- [Hooting, Chattering]
Will you be my tender ?
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
[Cheering, Shouting]
Come on, baby!
[ Cheering Continues ]
Let's go, baby !
Come on, now.
Come on, Sunday !
- Go !
- Come on, Master ChiefSunday !
[Cheering Continues]
Oneminute,
fiifteenseconds.
[ Whistling ]
[ Cheering Continues ]
[Sailor]
Two minutes, twenty-fiive seconds.
Hey, it's another
ten bucks right here !
Sunday, do it !
Threeminutes, tenseconds !
Come on.
- Four minutes !
- Four minutes ! Four !
- Stop it !
- No.
- Chief.
- Stop it ! Stop !
[ Sighs ]
- Rourke, stop it !
- [ Indistinct Shouting ]
Carl, you-you okay ?
Carl ?
- Carl ?
- ChiefSunday, you all right ?
- Hold it !
- You all right, ChiefSunday ?
- [ Gasping ] I'm okay.
- Hold him up.
- I got it.
- Hold it !
- He's all right.
- Come on !
Come on, hold him up !
- [Horn Honks, CarCrashes]
- Let's go !
She triedto drive offthepier
likea crazy woman!
- Get her outta the car !
- Whoa, whoa, whoa !
- Hey, hey.
- You know,
today's mywedding anniversary.
- [ Crowd Chattering ]
- You're gonna be all right.
Come on, move, move.
Come on, babe.
- [ Crying ] No, notyou, Billy !
- Come on, baby, come on.
Bastard!
- [ Continues Crying ]
- Come on, baby. Come on.
[Sunday Coughs, Mutters]
- Come on, baby, let's go home.
- Yeah ?
- Come on.
- Yeah ?
[Sailor]
Go onhomenow. Nothin'toseehere.
Jo.
Jo!
Ican'tdo this, Carl.
Ican'tlive this life again.
I pulled my father out of
more Navy bars than I care to count.
-Jo, you don't know
what happened tonight.
- Oh, but I do.
I passed my fi nals.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry,Jo.
The point is, I'm gonna be
starting my internship at Bellevue.
- It's gonna be crazy hours.
I won't have time to seeyou.
- I made a mistake.
- It won't happen again.
- Oh, yes, it will.
You wanted to fight that man.
You werejust waiting for the moment.
Don'tyou see...
I'm not likeyou ?
[ Sobbing ]
The things I want--
The things I want
are smaller.
IfI just work hard
and keep my head down--
Yourwhole life
will pass you by.
Carl, most ofwhat's
in those diving books...
you know better than,
than me.
You don't need me anymore.
You don't need anyone.
I loveyou.
[EngineStarts]
Jo !
Jo ! Jo !
-Jo ! Hey,Jo !
- What ?
Jo! Marryme!
He wants toknow
ifyou'llmarryhim.
- [Knocking]
- [Pappy]Comein.
- [Knocking]
- [Pappy]Comein.
Watch the door, Chief.
Trynot to touch anything.
[Glass Clattering]
Did you know
that ordinary house dust...
is composed primarily
ofhuman skin ?
No, sir,
I didn't know that.
[ Chuckles ] Makes you think twice
about whoyou invite intoyour home.
[ Sniffs ]
Two tablespoons
ofmachine oil...
can contaminate...
an entire ship's
fresh water supply.
Some thingsjust don't mix.
Do they, Chief?
He's gonna pass.
Yesterday, hescored
a onhis fiinal.
Sir, he don'thave tobe
thatfast tomorrow.
All he's got to do
is complete the exercise.
Billy...
there may come a daywhen a colored
diver graduates from this school,
but it won't be tomorrow
or as long as I'm here.
You agree with me,
ofcourse.
- Don'tyou, Chief?
- Yes, sir.
[DoorOpens, Closes]
[Radio:; Country]
Baseball season's
over, cookie.
I figured Rourke.
I never even let myselfthink--
- Why not ?
- 'Cause I sawyour last dive.
You want to know what I am ?
I'm the sorry son a bitch put here...
to get through your thick fucking skull
that some things do not change.
- I deserve to pass.
- Since when does deserving
mean anything ?
They ain't gonna have
a colored diver.
'Causenomatter whatyoudo, in their
eyes, you'llneverbeas goodas them.
- So, deserving or otherwise,
you're failing.
- No, you are.
You think
I oweyou somethin' ?
I don't oweyou
a goddamn fucking thing.
You or anybody else. You got fucked,
cookie. Happens to the best ofus.
You were right, Chief.
YouandIhave nothing in common.
I may be some dirt dumb nigger
from Podunk, but at least
I'm making something ofmyself.
You, you're the same hateful,
little man you started out as.
Without diving,
you're nothing...
but a lost, broke-down son ofa bitch
who used to be something.
Hey !
What did he say toyou
to makeyou try so hard ?
" Be the best."
Well, you are.
Just don't show up tomorrow.
Pappy ain't gonna letyou pass.
What aboutyou, Chief?
[ Sunday] Todaywill decide
which ofyou will become Navy Divers.
The objectofthis testis to correctly
assemble this flange underwater.
The pieces required for assembly
awaityou on the river bottom.
Onceyou have located your project
flange, you will call foryour tools.
Theywill be lowered toyou.
You willbe timedonyour effort
andwillaccruepoints
foraspeedy completion.
However, we'llkeeppumping
air down toyouforas long
asyoucanstandthe cold.
So takeyour time
and get it right.
[Sunday]
Ifyoudo notcomplete the flange,
you havejust wasted
six months ofyour lives.
Divers, squareyourselves away
andapproach therail.
Topside, I have located
mywork light.
Topside, Blue Diver.
Ihave locatedmyproject
andam requesting my toolbag.
Topside, this is RedDiver.
Ihave locatedmyprojectflange.
- Requesting my toolbag.
- Tenders, loweryour tool bags.
Topside, Blue Diver.
I'm still waiting on my tool bag.
Blue Diver, your tool bag
is on the river bottom.
Chief, start the project time
on all divers.
MachinistMate Rourke,
onehour, thirty-sevenminutes.
Perfectassembly.
SurveyorSecondClass Yarmouth,
two hours, nineteenminutes.
Perfectassembly.
[ Panting ]
Ineverthought
I'dlive toseeit.
Four hours and nine minutes. Better
late than never, Engineman Crofoot.
Perfect assembly.
How's the water down there ?
It's colder than
a well digger's ass, Master Chief.
Take it inside.
[Phone Ringing]
[ Man On Phone, Indistinct ]
What doyou mean,
he's still not up ?
[ Shuddering ]
Excuse me.
[Phone Ringing]
Dive station,
Master Diver speaking.
ChiefSunday, we have every cook
and shine boy in this camp...
thinking they'll be next
to try a stunt like this.
Soyou listen up.
Don't bring him up
till he stops moving.
He's near dead now, sir.
Not till he stops moving,
Chief.
Give it up, cookie.
Yougointoshock down there,
youmightnot wake up.
Come on, now.
This ain't worth dyin'for.
[ Shuddering ]
M-My name is...
Bosun's Mate Second Class...
C-C-Carl Brashear.
Iam a Navy Diver.
Bring him up.
Bring him up !
- I got him.
- We're bringing him home.
Sailor,
disregard that order !
Sailor! Sailor!
ChiefSunday,
effective immediately,
I am relieving you
ofyour duties !
Doyouhearme, Chief?
Hold the line.
Hold that line.
[MetalClanging]
Come on, Brashear.
You're almost there.
Just a few more steps.
Come on, we'll helpyou.
A little more.
[ Grunting ]
That's it.
[ Air Escaping ]
Open it up.
Bosun's Mate Second Class
Carl Brashear,
ninehours,
thirty-oneminutes.
Perfect assembly.
Get him inside.
[MenShouting Encouragement]
Help him out!
[Shouting Continues]
Carl, d-d-did y-y-you h-hear--
-Slow down, Snowhill.
-They put me back in the diving program.
- I start training next week.
- Congratulations.
Thanks, Carl.
Hey, I almost forgot.
Y-Y-You hear about Sunday ?
- No.
- M-Mr. Pappy blew a gasket
when the son ofa bitch passed you.
He b-bustedhim down ashred
andshippedhim out.
I guess that fucker
got his in the end, huh ?
I guess he did.
[ Panting ]
Guess he did.
[ Man Singing Country]
Will you still say
I loveyou, dear--
[ Swing ]
From the gentleman.
- I
- I
- I want
- I want
- I wantyou
- I wantyou
- I wantyou to
- I wantyou to
- I wantyou tobe
- What
- I wantyou tobemybaby
- You hate champagne.
- [Continues, Indistinct]
- You got a diving assignment.
Brooklyn NavyYard.
Standby diver.
Brooklyn ? Brooklyn !
Oh, baby, we can have dinner
like an old married couple.
Oh, well, baby,
I didn't take thejob.
We've been waiting threeyears
for that slot to open up.
Jo, I don't move up
in rank unless I dive.
And I'll never make Master as a standby
diver. I'll fi nd something else.
- I'm three months late.
- Late forwhat ?
You're gonna have--
A real... baby ?
We're gonna have a baby !
We're gonna have a real baby !
- [ Chuckles ]
- We're gonna have a baby.
Ladies, gentlemen,
and the rest ofyou lowdown cats,
it's time to ring in the New Year.
Ladies, gentlemen,
and the rest ofyou lowdown cats,
it's time to ring in the New Year.
- Happy New Year.
- [Crowd]Five, four, three, two, one.
- Happy New Year.
- Happy New Year!
[ Cheering, Applause ]
You'll never know
Just how much I loveyou
Absolutely. You have to
stand them up, being we have
years ofexperience.
You have to get in their face
and let them know who's boss.
Ifyoudon't, they'llnever
saluteyou therestofyourlife.
So I'm sitting there--
Excuse me.
- [Singing Continues]
- What'd I tell you, huh ?
He don't remember me.
[ Chuckling ]
Senior ChiefSunday,
U.S.S. Hoist.
You ended my diving
career, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Commander Hanks.
Pleased to meetyou.
- [ Scoffs ]
- That was along timeago, Chief.
AncientHistory.
Well, wejust came by
to say, " Hey."
- Hey.
- Auld lang syne and all.
Auld lang syne. I didn't
knowyou had a daughter.
[ Chuckles ]
Right.
She's quite lovely.
Okay, we gotta gonow... because
Billy's gonna dance with me.
Happy New Year.
- Come on, Billy.
- Have fun.
- You're gonna dance
with your lovelywife, right ?
- Yeah.
You'llneverknow
ifyoudon'tknownow
[ Chuckles ] Mmm, you see ?
Now, wasn't that easy ?
[ Laughs ]
Has-been.
- Yes.
- No. Billy.
- He's thebiggestdrunk
in the Navyis allheis.
- Billy!
[ Grunting ]
[Shouting, Murmuring]
[ Sailor]
Areyou all right, sir ?
[Man]SeniorChiefSunday,
Ifiindyouguilty...
ofviolating Article of
the Uniform Code of MilitaryJustice:
assaulting a superior
commissioned officer.
Your conduct
is completely unacceptable.
You'llbe fiinedonehalf
month'spay forsix months,
restrictedto the confiines
ofthebase fortwo months...
andare herebyreducedin rank
to ChiefPetty Officer.
[Newscaster]Forthosejustjoining
us, our top story continues to unfold...
[Newscaster]Forthosejustjoining
us, our top story continues to unfold...
thousands ofmiles away
in the MediterraneanSea.
Justhours ago,
anAmerican B- bomber...
flying aroutinemission
overthe coastofSpain...
slammedinto thesnowy
Spanish countryside.
Moments before disappearing offradar,
the crewjettisoned
theirnuclearpayload.
Three -megaton warheads
parachutedto Earth.
Two were immediately recovered.
- However, a third hydrogen bomb
remains lost at sea.
- You made it.
- UnitedStates Navyships have
sonarsystems toaid them...
- Becky, come getyour toys.
in their tedious, often frustrating
search ofthesea floor.
Investigating a deepwater fi nd
will be the work ofAlvin,
a two-man submersible on loan from
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
And yet, even as U.S. Navy ships
comb the Mediterranean
in search ofthe warhead,
so do Russian submarines.
According to maritime law,
the bomb which disappeared
in international waters...
belongs to the fi rst
to fi nd it.
Charged with locating and recovering
the lost bomb before the Soviets do...
are the elite Navy deep-sea
divers pictured here.
Stationed in Norfolk, Virginia,
the divers were flown byjet
to the scenejust hours ago,
manystill dressedin thesame uniforms
they were wearing only this morning.
[Radio EquipmentBeeping]
Blue Diver,
this is Captain.
Blue Diver, comein.
I'm here, Hart.
What doyou need ?
Carl, I'd appreciate it ifyou
could fi nd my lost nuke for me.
I'dlike tomakeadmiral
sometimebefore Idie.
I'm doing my best, Hart.
- [Intercom Beeps]
- Captain.
Topside, I have an unidentified metal
object protruding from the sea bottom.
He's got something.
Proceed with extreme caution.
Roger that.
Topside, we have a Coke can.
- Goddamn Coke can.
- [ Men Laughing ]
Bring iton up anyway, Chief.
Ilikemy ocean clean.
[Men Laughing]
- [Machine Beeping]
- Turn that equipment off.
We got a diver down there.
- That's not our sonar.
- What areyou talking about ?
- [ Beeping Continues ]
- Shit.
Alpha Whiskey,
this is Charlie Victor.
I've gotan unknown object
in myperimeter--
classifiied, probable submarine.
Blue Diver, Blue Diver,
we got an unknown contact.
Probable Russian submarine...
bearing at two-zero-niner
atsixteenknots andheaded
directly foryourposition.
Takeimmediate evasive action.
Repeat, immediate evasive action.
Prepare foremergencysurface.
Blue Diver, doyouhearme ?
Blue Diver, doyouhearme ?
Blue Diver ?
Talk to me, Carl.
[ Men Shouting ]
- Talk to me, Carl.
- [ Indistinct Shouting ]
Come in, Blue Diver.
Quartermaster, tell the dive station
to supply us a standby.
Comein, Carl.
Come on, Carl.
[ Grunting ]
[ Carl Panting On Receiver]
- Carl, youreadme ?
- I'm here, Captain.
- He's there.
- [ Sighs ]
- Prepare tosurface, Carl.
We're bringingyouhome.
- Roger that.
You wanna do me a favor ?
The next timeyou scare me,
give me a courtesywarning fi rst.
Captain, that sub kicked up
halfthe ocean bottom.
- It found it for us !
- You're kidding me.
[ Laughing ]
Oh, yeah !
He thinks he found it.
Yeah, you got it.
- That's it. You got it.
- [Men Cheering]
[Captain]Steady! Steady!
I'm pulling itin !
- Bring itup !
- Pull it up here, boys.
Steady!
It's coming up toport.
- Let's go, boys ! We gotanA-bomb!
- [Man On P.A., Indistinct]
It's coming up, boys !
Let's go now ! Let's go, boys !
We gotaheavy onehere.
Move !
[ Grunts ]
[ Grunts ]
[ Mouthing Words ]
Jo ?
Baby. Baby.
[ Moaning ]
I was so scared.
I'm sorry.
[ Panting ]
[ Panting ]
Oh, shit.
Your leg...
was nearly severed.
It's gonna take time to heal.
Eventually, you're gonna be able
to walk again w-w-with a cane.
Can I still dive ?
I'm so sorry.
[CarlSighs, Shudders]
[ Sobbing ]
Come home, Carl.
- [SundayShouting, Indistinct]
- Mrs. Sunday, yourhusbandwas
founddrunk onapublic beach.
He's an alcoholic and must
remain in detox for days.
- [ Sobbing ]
- Ifheshouldstagger,
he willnotfall!
Ifheshouldfall, he will
fallin such amanner...
as to coverup his rateso that
passersby will thinkhe's an officer.
[ Sobbing Continues ]
A chiefpetty officer
shallnotdrink!
Andifheshoulddrink,
heshallnotgetdrunk!
Ifheshouldgetdrunk,
heshallnotstagger!
And ifhe should stagger,
he shall not fall !
And ifhe should fall, he will fall in
such a manner as to cover up his rate...
so that passersby
will think he's an officer !
We're all extremely
proud ofyou, Chief Brashear.
Now, get better, soyou can go home
and enjoyyour retirement.
[Reporter# ]Howdoyouplan tospend
yourretirement, ChiefBrashear?
[Reporter# ]
Howdoes itfeeltobeahero ?
How areyou ?
Sweetheart...
you're never gonna dive again.
Andwhatyougotta do now...
I can't helpyou with.
But when you're
ready to leave...
andifyoucanpromiseme...
thatyou'll never
take another drink again,
I'llbe waiting foryou
in thatcaroverthere.
But ifyou can't...
then youjust walk on by.
Package foryou, sir.
[SoftJazz]
I want to comeback.
- To where, Chief?
- Full diving duty.
- To where, Chief?
- Full diving duty.
I want to dive again.
[ Chuckles ]
Carl, I understand, but, uh--
But it'sjust not possible.
- Good afternoon, Admiral.
- Carl, this is Cap--
- Captain Hanks.
- Chief Brashear.
Captain Hanks has been assigned
as a senior officer...
at the Personnel Policy
Control Board at the Pentagon.
He'll bejoining us
for a few weeks,
meeting some ofthe men
from the front lines,
getting a feel for their concerns.
Yes, and to return
to the chief's primary concern.
Working as a Navy diver
with onegoodleg andthe other--
I'm sorry.
It'sjust not possible.
Cut it off.
" Pilots injured in flying accidents have
requested amputation ofinjured limbs.
Fitted with the right prosthesis,
several ofthem have returned
to active duty."
So I'm asking this:;
Cut off my leg and assemble
a full medical review board
weeks from today.
Itis then thatI will demonstrate that
Iam fiit toreturn to full diving duty.
I want to make Master Chief.
We admireyour courage, Chief,
however misplaced it may be.
Please excuse us.
[ Clears Throat ]
[Phone Ringing]
I am a doctor, Carl.
My opinion might mean something here.
I guess not. How areyou
gonna come backwith one leg ?
I could barely read once.
I found a way.
Yeah.
I could put up with
the months at sea,
the dangerous assignments that
you never said no to, but this--
What doyou want from me ?
Doyou want me to come home,
mow the lawn, put a wheelchair ramp in ?
- How am I gonna look at my own son ?
- Leave him out ofthis.
You're not doing this for him or for me.
This is aboutyou.
It's always beenaboutyou.
[ Sobbing ]
Admit it, Carl.
At least give me that much.
[ Sobbing Continues ]
Why areyou doing this to me ?
Answer me, goddamn it !
Or I'm walking out ofhere,
and I am not coming back.
I loveyou,Jo.
[ Sighs ]
[Temptations On Radio]
Sunshine, blueskies
Pleasegoaway
Mygirlhas foundanother
andgoneaway
With her wentmy future
Mylife is fiilledwith gloom
- [ Sobbing ]
- So dayafterday
Istaylockedup in myroom
Iknowtoyou
itmightsoundstrange
ButI wishit wouldrain
- HowI wish thatit wouldrain
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
'Causesobadly
I wannago outside
- Such alovely day
- Buteveryoneknows that
amanain'tsupposedto cry
Listen, Igotta cry
'Cause cryin'
eases thepain
Oh, yeah
People, this hurt
Ifeelinside
Words couldneverexplain
Ijust wishit wouldrain
- Oh, howI wish thatit wouldrain
- Letitrain
Rain, rain, rain, rain
- Oh, howI wish thatit wouldrain
- Oh, yeah
Letitrain
Oh, yeah
Letitrain
- [Rope Cracks]
- [ Grunts ]
Dayin, day out
my tear-stainedface
Pressedagainst
the windowpane
Isearch theskies
desperately forrain
- [ Groaning ]
- 'Causeraindrops
willhide my teardrops
- Andno one will everknow
- Getaway from me!
- ThatI'm cryin'
- Piece ofshit !
- When Igo outside
- Cookie.
- To the worldoutside my tears
- Goddamn !
- Irefuse to explain
- Looks like I missed
one hell ofa party.
- Oh, I wishit wouldrain
- Oh, howI wish thatit wouldrain
- Ooh-hoo
- Letitrain
- Letitrain, letitrain
- I've been all over. Trouble, mostly.
- [Song Fades]
- Navy gave me this second-class
diving school in Little Creek.
Don't amount to shit.
I made some calls.
Come Friday,
that Captain Hanks--
he's gonna convene a medical review
board, and he's gonna retireyou.
- He said I had fourweeks.
- He lied, cookie.
He don'tgive ashithowmany
one-leggedpush-upsyoucan do.
He'd tradeyou and me and every
other old sea dog in the Navy...
for one glass-eyed
electronics technician.
Theman's gonnaretire
yourass.
I got my leg back.
I ain't doneyet.
You got a stump on a wooden stick and
no goddamn chance ofbeating Hanks, son.
All I everwanted to do
was to make Master Diver.
All I everwanted to do
was stay one.
You want to beat Hanks, you've got to
go around him, right to the top.
- Washington.
- Mm-hmm.
- Chiefof Naval Personnel.
- That's right.
And they don't like cocky pencil-pushers
like Hanks any more than we do.
I might be able
to pull a few strings.
Why areyou doing this,
Sunday ?
Piss people off.
ChiefDecker, youare the ChiefMaster
atArms ofthis hospital, areyounot ?
Yes, sir.
Then why is ityou don't know
where Chief Brashear is ?
He shouldn'tbe
toohard tospot.
He is the only Negro
diver in the Navy,
and he's got one leg.
It seems that the chief
has transferred, sir.
To where ?
- On whose orders ?
- He signed his own orders, sir.
- Call the Shore Patrol.
- Relax, Cap. Wejust wanna talk.
Wait, wait, wait, wait. You know
where Chief Brashear is. Where ?
I see. Fine.
Chief Brashear is AWOL.
I want him found
and arrested now.
- You ain't gonna fi nd him.
- What doyou want from me, Chief?
Fourweeks to train him, then
a full readiness evaluation...
and reinstatement hearing with
the Chiefof Naval Personnel.
[ Chuckles ]
The chiefof--
- Yes, sir.
- At the Navyyard in Washington ?
- That's right.
- Forget it.
[ Clears Throat ]
- [Reporters Shouting]
- Will the diverbeallowed
tobereinstated?
Seems Chief Brashear
losing his leg for his country
sort ofmakes him a hero, sir.
Fine.
I will grantyou your hearing
on one condition, hmm ?
When he fails, you retire.
- He ain't gonna fail.
- Hmm.
[DoorOpens]
- [ Panting ]
- [Truck Passing]
Minute, five faster.
[ Chattering ]
Seeyou in court.
[Boy Chattering]
[ Chattering ]
Captain Hanks has ordered you
to remain here, Chief.
[ Chattering ]
[DoorCloses]
Please be seated,
Senior Chief Brashear.
Um, only the Army
salutes indoors, Senior Chief.
Sir, in the Navy I grew up in,
a salute is warranted...
given the gravity
ofthis occasion, sir.
Well... we're in a new Navy now,
Senior Chief.
[CrowdMurmuring]
[Hanks]
Shall we begin ?
SeniorChiefBrashear,
one day thelife ofanother
divermay dependonyou.
Doyou honestly feel
that as a man--
You're almost .
You have one leg.
Can you really keep up with
healthy divers halfyour age ?
The question is, sir,
can they keep up with me ?
[Spectators Laughing]
- Bring the suit.
- Yes, sir.
No smoking
out here, Chief.
[Heavy ObjectMoving]
[MedicalOfficer]Studies of
the Navy's experimentaldiving unit...
indicate thatifthesubject
were tobecome unconscious...
ordeceased, the disparity
between thebuoyancy characteristics...
ofa prosthetic and a limb
would hinder him in a free dive mode.
Youmeanifhe drowned,
he wouldn'tfloatright, yes ?
- Yes, sir.
- Sir, I promise,
ifI am killed at sea, I will make
every effort to die like a Navy man.
[Spectators Laughing]
[ Chattering ]
Ijust thoughtyoushouldsee
the future ofNavy deep sea diving.
This is thelatestHEO-
mixedgas rig.
It weighs pounds,
and the men who want to use it,
before they can evenbegin
the diving qualifiications,
will be required to walk
steps, unassisted.
Couldyoudo that,
SeniorChiefBrashear?
Yes, sir, I could.
Well... I see.
As much as I hate
to prolong this another day,
I will, in the interests
ofthoroughness,
make arrangements foryou
to demonstrateyour contention.
Here, sir. Now.
Son, step aside, or I'll have to
crackyou right in thejaw.
[Hanks]SeniorChiefBrashear,
Ihardly think this is theappropriate--
- I want them all to see, sir.
- Captain Hanks, sir,
I concurwith your assessment.
[Spectators Murmuring]
These slippery floors alone prohibit
such a demonstration, sir.
ChiefSunday, haven'tyou had
enough trouble in your career ?
Your advice is unwelcome.
- Who is this man ?
- Chief Leslie W. Sunday, sir.
You swam out ofthe Saint Lo
at Leyte Gulf.
Youheldyourbreath
forfourminutes.
Five, sir.
[ Chuckles ]
He can stay.
[Hanks]
Fine. Irrelevant.
Gentlemen, sirs,
returning to the issue at hand.
This is not the time orplace
forSeniorChiefBrashear--
Excuse me, Senior Chief,
is there a problem ?
Captain Hanks, Ihave spentmostofmy
life in the Navy trying only tosucceed.
However, my questhas comeatagreat
personalloss to those wholove me.
They, too,
have made sacrifiices.
They, too, have endured
great pains to support me.
IfI walk these steps today,
reinstate me to active duty.
Give memy careerback.
Letme fiinishit
andgohomeinpeace.
Senior Chief Brashear,
the business ofthe modern Navy--
Forgive me, sir. But to me,
the Navy is not a business.
We have many traditions. In my career,
Ihave experiencedmostofthem.
Somegood, somebad.
However, I wouldn't be here today
ifit weren't for
our greatest tradition ofall.
And which one is that ?
Honor, sir.
[ Chuckles ]
[Spectators Murmuring]
Get on with it,
Senior Chief.
Leslie ?
What leg you got on ?
Mywalkin' leg, Leslie.
It was my dad's name.
You got a problem with that ?
Oh, no.
No problem at all.
That thing's light duty.
Gonna snap like a match stick.
Not ifI keep myweight
on my good leg.
Two hundred and ninety pounds
on one leg ? You'll be
passed out by the sixth step.
Tenders, hat the diver.
Navy Diver, stand up.
Leave him.
Captain, ifI recall the Navy
regulation manual correctly,
the diver
may be helped to his feet.
This is a lot ofbrass to sling up
from a seated position, sir.
It's spun copper, Chief.
We haven't used brass in a decade.
And the new manual states
the diver must rise unassisted.
That's what it says
in the new book, sir ?
IfI may ask, Captain,
how would you know ?
I wrote it.
[Spectators Chuckling,
Murmuring]
Yes, sir.
Navy Diver, stand up.
Square that rig
and approach the rail.
[ Indistinct Whispering ]
[ Grunts, Gasps ]
[ Panting ]
One.
Two.
Three.
[ Panting Continues ]
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
- [ Grunting ]
- Eight.
[Spectators Gasping,
Murmuring]
Gentlemen, his leg.
Please. Gentlemen.
[ Panting Continues ]
- Navy Diver, stand down.
- Diver, you will disregard.
- This is my detail.
- Admiral.
Goddamnit, cookie, moveyourass !
I wantmy !
[ Whimpering ]
Nine. The Navy diver
is not a fighting man.
He is asalvage expert.
Ten.
Ifit's lost underwater, he fi nds it.
Ifit's sunk, he brings it up.
Ifit's in the way,
hemoves it!
Eleven. Ifhe's lucky, he will
dieyoung feet beneath the waves,
for that is the closest he will
ever get to being a hero !
Hell, Idon'tknow whyanybody
would want tobea Navy diver.
Now, you report
to this line, cookie !
At ease.
[Spectators Murmuring]
Tenders, unhat thatdiver.
[ Panting ]
The United States Navy
proudly reinstates...
SeniorChiefandDiver
Carl Brashear...
to full, active duty.
[ Cheering ]
Thankyou.
Congratulations, Captain.
Thankyou.
I can quit.
The man I married never quit
anything a day in his life.
I loveyou.
I loveyou too, baby.
I loveyou too.
Well done, Chief.
[Applause,
Chattering Continue]
[Brian McKnight]
Mmmmm
Dark is thenight
Ican weatherthestorm
Neversay die
I've been down this road
before
I'llneverquit
I'llneverlay down, mmmm
See, Ipromisedmyself
thatI'dneverlayme down
So I'llnevergive up
Nevergive in
Neverletaray ofdoubt
slip in
AndifIfall
I'llneverfail
I'lljustgetup
andtryagain
Neverlosehope
Neverlose faith
There's much toomuch
atstake
UponmyselfImustdepend
I'm notlooking
forplace orshow
I'm gonna win
Nostoppin'now
There's stilla ways togo
Ohh, some way, somehow
Whateverit takes, Iknow
I'llneverquit, no, no
I'llnevergo down
Mmmm, mmmm
I'llmakesure
theyremembermyname
A hundredyears from now
I'llnevergive up
Nevergive in
Neverletaray ofdoubt
slip in
AndifIfall
I'llneverfail
Justgetup andtryagain
I'llneverlosehope
Neverlose faith
There's much toomuch
atstake
UponmyselfImustdepend
I'm notlooking
forplace orshow
I'm gonna win
Whenit's allsaidanddone
My oncein alifetime
Won'tbeback again
Nowis the time
To takeastand
Here is my chance
That's why I'll
Nevergive up
Nevergive in
Neverletaray ofdoubt
slip in
AndifIfall
I'llneverfail
I'lljustgetup
andtryagain
Neverlosehope
Neverlose faith
There's much toomuch
atstake
UponmyselfImustdepend
I'm notlooking
forplace orshow
I'm gonna win
Mmmmm
I'm gonna win
Mmmmm