Voila! Finally, the The Thin Red Line
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Terrence Malick
movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of The Thin Red Line. 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.
What's this war in the heart of nature ?
Why does nature vie with itself?.
The land contend with the sea?
ls there an avenging power in nature?
Not one power, but two?
l remember my mother when she was dying.
Looked all shrunk up and gray.
l asked her if she was afraid.
She just shook her head.
l was afraid to touch the death l seen in her.
I heard people talk about immortality,
but I ain't seen it.
l wondered how it'd be when l died.
What it'd be like to know that this breath now
was the last one you was ever gonna draw.
l just hope l can meet it the same way she did.
With the same... calm.
Cos that's where it's hidden -
the immortality l 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?
- Yes.
WeII, that don't matter.
It doesn't matter.
- Baby's tired.
- Yes.
If she swims, she wants, she wiII 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 aII alone?
You haven't changed at aII, 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 aII 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.
NormaIIy, you'd be court-martiaIIed.
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.
WeII,
then you've seen things I never wiII.
We're Iiving in a world that's blowing itself
to heII as fast as everybody can arrange it.
In a situation Iike that aII 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 caII 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 controIIing 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 wiII be.
- There's always someone watching.
- Yeah.
Like a hawk.
Always 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 years from now, do we?
- No, sir, we sure don't.
- Then you crush 'em without mercy.
You dig them out of the hiIIs
and protect that airfield.
Yes, sir.
You wonder why... Why did the Japs
put an airfield there of aII places?
I guess we don't know the bigger picture,
if there is such a thing.
- What do you think?
- WeII, 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.
poured out like water on the ground.
All l might have given for love's sake.
Too late.
Died...
slow as a tree.
D'you feel it?
Yes, 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, aII right?
I can't help it. I got...
My step daddy took a block
and beat me when I was real IittIe
and I was scared
and I used to run, I used to hide.
HeII, I slept in the chicken coop
a whole Iot of nights.
And 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.
HeII, 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?
- Edward, Edward B Train.
Train?
The only things that are permanent
is, is dying and the Lord. That's it.
That's aII 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 heII 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 teII you?
You're a big help, TiIIs.
Nothing. TeII me nothing.
TeII you something.
We're sitting out here on this ocean
Iike a coupIe of fuckin' ducks in these boats.
I already know that.
WeII, brood on it, TiIIs.
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.
WeII, I'm on my way to get me that pistol.
Yeah? WeII, 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 aII 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. Always.
And I can teII 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.
HeIIo, Captain.
I read in your 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.
They sent me back to the States.
They told me
I'd never get another commission.
They said they'd 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.
WeII, where is she now?
She's home.
Why should l be afraid to die?
l belong to you.
Move! Move! Move!
Move! Move!
Move! Move!
Moving out!
lf l 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, weII,
we're in this thing together. AII right?
Keep pressing inland tiII you reach the Iine.
I'II catch up with you there.
- Yes, sir.
- It's aII 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 hiII there.
- We can't do that, Colonel.
- WeII, there's no way to outflank it.
On the Ieft is a cliff
that faIIs down into the river.
The Japanese hold the jungle.
It has to be taken frontaIIy.
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 aII gonna attack abreast.
Third Platoon in reserve.
We've gotta cross
those three folds of ground. You see?
Once we get beyond that,
we gotta attack that hiII.
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 hiII?
- Yeah.
When you get to the end of that field,
eliminate aII 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 s.
- They won’t make a dent. Over.
No, but it bucks the men up.
It'II Iook Iike the Japs are catching heII.
OK, you guys.
This is it.
We're going down in groups often.
There's no point in going by rushes.
Only make a better target stopped, so...
run aII 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 DaIe with me. DaIe?
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 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.
Plug that hole on your right!
Move!
Maybe they puIIed out.
Hit dirt!
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, aII 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 aII I meant.
- I gave you an order, private!
- Yes, sir!
HeIIo, First Sergeant.
Who we going after over here?
We think it's Jacques.
OI' Jockey.
WeII, 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 stiII alive!
Keep moving! Keep moving!
Magnificent, Staros, magnificent. The finest
thing these old eyes have seen in a Iong time!
BeautifuIIy conceived and executed!
You'II be mentioned in battalion orders.
Young Whyte led beautifully.
Yes, sir. Over.
But sending in your second too was briIIiant.
They may have carried the ridge. I don't think
they were hurt too bad. BIane Ied weII, 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.
l 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 sweII, sir.
I'm right here behind the sweII.
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 HiII 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!
l 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?
- l killed a man. Nobody can touch me for it.
- I ain't seen nothing.
WeII, 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 puIIing out.
Maybe somebody
ought to go teII the captain.
You wanna be the one to do it?
You just stay put! I'm ordering you!
Down!
Stay Iow.
Go! Go!
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 reaIIy wanna go on with this?
- HeII, no. No, not no uphiII 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 aII right. It's aII right.
- I blew my butt off!
Lay down!
What a fucking recruit trick to puII!
- Take it easy. Take it easy.
- I grabbed it by the pin!
You write my old Iady. You teII her...
I want her to know I died Iike a man.
Nobody's gonna have to write her.
You'II make it.
- Don't buIIshit 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 stiII some water in there.
It's for the best.
I'm aII messed up down there.
I can't fuck no more.
Whoa... Where am I?
Where am I?
You're gonna be aII right.
Even if you die,
you didn't Iet your brother down.
If you hadn't thrown yourself against
that embankment, we'd aII have been kiIIed.
I'm cold.
I'm cold.
I'm... freezing.
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 say anything to 'em
when they're Iike that.
Somebody ought to do it.
WeII, 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 aII at once?
That's what you are.
That's aII there is for us.
That's us, that's us.
I Iost aII twelve. I Iost aII 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.
AII right. AII right.
Somebody help me!
Help me!
You gotta be quiet. I came to help you, TeIIa.
- OK. Calm down.
- Fuck you!
I'm dying! I'm dying, sarge!
OK. WeII, 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.
Please, Ieave me alone.
Give me more. Give me more.
Give me more. Give me more.
Give me more. Give me more.
Here, TeIIa.
Goodbye... goodbye.
Bye, kid.
Goodbye, sarge. Goodbye.
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... two squads to...
First Platoon l can send up, sir. Over.
What the heII do you mean, two squads?!
Goddamn you, Staros!
When l 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 Platoon over to the hiII!
Have 'em press the center.
Go straight up that goddamn hiII!
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 fuIIy understand
what is going on here.
My company alone
cannot take that position, sir.
The Japs are too weII 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 .
l 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 teII 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 hours, seconds.
I have two witnesses here. I request that
you do the same with witnesses there. Over.
Staros, don't puII this
guardhouse-Iawyer buIIshit with me!
Now, l know you're a goddamn lawyer!
This is not a court of law.
This is a war. lt'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 wiII not order them aII to their deaths. Over.
This is a very important decision, Staros.
But if you 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 my hand, Fife.
Hold my hand.
I got it.
I'm dying, Fife.
Oh, Captain...
Shut up in a tomb.
Can't lift the lid.
Played a role l 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 Platoon forward to the ridge.
- How many of 'em were hit this time?
- None, sir.
None? Not one?
Doesn't sound Iike the situation
you described to me over the sound power.
WeII, 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 nightfaII!
I think the ridge
is quite a way from being reduced, sir.
Show me how to see things the way you do.
Show me how to see things the way you do.
We're just dirt. We're just dirt.
We're gonna get kiIIed if we stay here.
BeII, 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 lam.
There was a... There was a...
There's a bunker... up there.
It's five guns.
It's five guns.
That strongpoint up there,
somewhere up there around those rocks,
is the key to this ridge.
BeII here is quite right.
From their knob up there, those IittIe brown
brothers can cover the whole of the ground
in front of this position for yards.
They've Ieft this Iedge unguarded.
Now, goddamn it, that's a mistake.
That's a heII of a mistake.
We need to take advantage of it
before they see their error.
AII right, aII right,
I know you're aII pretty exhausted,
and we've had a heII of a time
getting water up here.
For that I'm sorry. I apologize to you aII.
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 if you realize the importance
of this operation, Staros.
Once our position is secured,
we can move the bombers in.
That means air power
for miles in every direction.
GuadaIcanaI 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 wiII 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 aII, Captain.
One more thing, Staros.
It's not necessary for you
to ever teII me that you think I'm right.
Ever.
We'II assume it.
Dismissed.
I feel sorry for you, kid.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, a IittIe.
This army's gonna kiII 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 aII 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 buIIet.
Not one shot!
Why?
How come they aII 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 l can't tell you from me.
l drink you.
Now.
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 caII down the data from above.
Once the s 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 ... from Easy Roger .
Ieft, add .
Uncle Baker fire mission.
Azimuth from Easy Roger .
Left add .
Machine gun. WiII adjust. Over.
Understand. from Easy Roger .
Left drop !
Left Uncle Baker .
Left drop .
Fire for effect. Over.
Roger, Uncle Baker .
Let's go!
OK, we're gonna continue on
up the hiII to the right.
Nobody fire or throw the grenades
tiII I give the signal.
OK, Iet's do it.
Is he OK? Is he aII 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 stiII alive.
- Is he dead?
- Not yet.
DaIe, stay with him!
Cover our flank! Move!
Behind you!
We're pinned down!
FaII back!
Go!
Watch out.
Clear!
Come on. Get out.
Go on.
Think you're soldiers?
You piece of shit!
Son of a bitch!
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!
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- wiII 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 aII of 'em
that we can, but Iater.
Meantime, I want you to know I'm personaIIy
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
wiII be the goddamn problem!
But, heII, 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... coupIe 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, heII, they'II just have to pass out.
AII right.
They could...
- They could die from it.
- They could die from enemy fire, too!
They're aII tough boys.
Come on, men, Iet's go! You'II see
plenty more of those where we're going!
Are we going up this hiII 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 hiII. We'II have this hiII by sundown.
You see the spirit in these men?
D'you see the new spirit?
WeII, 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 staII
before reaching the top, weII,
Jesus Christ, that's just
a heII of a Iot more than I could stand!
I've waited aII 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.
You're just out of the Academy.
You're, you know, you've got your war!
This years, 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 heII 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 aII the way! Nothing'II stop us.
It's high ground by nightfaII!
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 l 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?
ls 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 wiII 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 my decision to make.
I've already made it.
I don't Iike to see my men get kiIIed, 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, swaIIowing everything.
Nature's cruel, Staros.
I'm going to Iet you apply for reassignment
to the Judge Advocate General Corps
for reasons of iII health.
You're a Iawyer.
- You had malaria yet?
- No, I haven't.
Doesn't matter. I can fix that.
Anyway, you probably wiII 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 weII 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 aII.
This is from Colonel TaII.
''Our victory gives us
the highest reasons for pride.''
''It wiII prove a milestone
in the battle for GuadaIcanaI.''
''Tomorrow the division commander
wiII 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 aII.
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 aII sorry to see you go.
We feel Iike you got a rotten deal.
WeII, 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 stiII time. We could file a complaint.
- For what?
What good would that do?
Anyway, I wanna go.
Leave it alone. Let it Iay.
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 l go.
Can't nothing make you forget it.
Each time you start from scratch.
War don't ennoble men.
lt 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.
l wanna stay changeless for you.
l wanna come back to you
the man l 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.
l 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 kiIIed.
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 caIIed 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.
BeII?
BeII!
Another one for BeII. Another one for BeII.
Dear Jack,
I’ve met an Air Force captain.
I’ve fallen in love with him.
l want a divorce to marry him.
l know you can say no,
but I’m asking you anyway,
out of the memory of what we had together.
Forgive me.
l just got too lonely, Jack.
We'll meet again some day.
People who have been as close as we've been
always meet again.
l have no right to speak to you this way.
l 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, reaIIy.
The medic fixed me up pretty good.
I got plenty of ammo.
Somebody'II be along for me eventuality.
- They got you good.
- Right in the knee.
Yeah.
I'm out of this war for good, Witt.
- What you doin' down here?
- Just, you know,
I'm heading back to the company.
Yeah.
WeII, you give aII 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?
WeII, 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 IoneIy?
Only around people.
Only around people.
You stiII believing in the beautiful Iight,
are you?
How do you do that?
You're a magician to me.
I stiII 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.
lt'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.
WeII, 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, WeId...
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.
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 heII.
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 wiII.
Good Iuck, Witt.
You OK, Fife?
A reinforce battalion.
We need to go back.
TeII the Iieutenant.
Let's go.
I'm hit!
One of us needs to stay here and hold 'em off.
We'II be aII 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 tiII you hear firing,
then push on down the river.
No.
- Where's Coombs?
- Get back. Get back, they're coming.
FaII 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 reveiIIe
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 aII are here,
whether we Iike it or not.
We are a family.
I'm the father.
Guess that makes
Sergeant WeIsh here the mother.
They just keep coming, one after another.
That makes you aII 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 aII,
- A moving box.
you wiII 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.
lf l never meet you in this life,
let 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.
WeII, 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 l 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,
let me be in you now.
Look out through my eyes.
Look out at the things you made.
All things shining.