Baby Blue Marine (1976) - full transcript
A young man joins the Marines during WWII but fails to meet qualifications so is washed out and sent home in a light blue uniform which apparently indicates his status. He meets a real war vet in a bar who wants to go AWOL because he is afraid to be sent back. The Vet mugs the young man in the alley and takes his clothes ,leaving him the war vet uniform to wear. The young man hitchhikes towards home but on the way he stops in a small Colorado mountain town and [people think he is a war hero so he gets free food and so forth. A waitress at the Cafe invites him home stay with her family an he falls in love. Curiously there is a supposed WWII American-Japanese internment camp very nearby in the woods and some scenes are included that make you think it is important to the plot. In reality there never was any such camps in the woods near a town. The only Colorado camp was near Granada in the bleak wilderness areas of the dry flats of Colorado. Later three American-Japanese teen boys escape from that camp and the young man is recruited to find them. The whole town is ready to hunt them down and kill them as if they were actual Japanese soldiers.
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It was another time. There was innocence.
Honesty was the best policy. Crime would not pay.
Marriage was sacred. Promises were to be kept.
People believed there was a reason for war.
They believed that cowards
died a thousand deaths,
a hero only one.
They died on land, at sea, and in the air
They're older now, or dead.
They are faded pictures; sometimes amusing.
So proper, so out of fashion
But that was the way they were
when there was innocence
[ running cadence ]
Watch your left
Looking good, looking good
Right, Face!
Left, Face!
Came in same day as you, wavy hair and pimples
but starting to look like Marines!
You people, your thumbs up your buns
and your minds in neutral!
Right...
Think about it now...
Face!
Left... Face!
At ease!
You still peeing in the sack, Mosley?
You betcha, sir.
10 laps around the fort!
- Aye, aye, sir!
Move out when I say, move out!
Better get going to Tijuana!
You sayin your prayers and biting your toenails?
Yes sir
Will he write ya?
Well he's been kinda sick sir
Marion Hedgepeth the recruitment poster
I land on the beach and you'll step in dog shit!
One damn dog in the Pacific
and you find it!
I said At Ease dammit, you're just vibrating!
I wanna be a Marine, sir!
You'll never make it, you act like a grenade's up your ass
Relax!
I'm trying sir
Hit the deck!
I didn't say commit suicide
Boy...
loosen up!
Play with yourself, get in a fight, do something!
How many fights so far?
None sir!
Well pick one!
I'm not pissed off at anybody sir!
Well you have the language but that won't do it
The idea is, Hedgepeth
a Marine is pissed off at everybody!
Detail, atten-hut!
Now what I wanna hear
is one big click!
Just one
not two
Not even one-and-a-half
Port...
Arms!
Inspection...
Arms!
Port...
One click now.
Just one big one!
Arms!
That's how the Army does it
but we ain't Army, are we detail?
No, sir!
Part of the Navy
ain't we detail?
The best part, sir!
Hell, there may be hope yet
So we do it again!
One click now
Inspection...
Arms!
Port...
Arms!
My thumb is in the gun!
Sir...
Your gun?
This is your rifle, this is your gun!
This is for fighting, this is for fun!
Ten-hut!
Order... Arms!
Right... Face!
Mark time, March!
Forward march
To the left flank, march, to the left flank, march
to the right flank march, to the right flank, march
God damn you bums
Ten-hut!
Afternoon, Colonel
As you were!
Can't hear you
Just gotta be a Marine, huh?
- it's the best branch
Know what I'd like to do?
Invisible man in wax.
Taking showers with him right in the barracks
Kid I'd get more action than the toilet seat
We're all nuts
They're making us crazy, they're getting us ready
Well, who was last man?
Pop Mosley. It was you Pop.
Who turned it on?
Well I ain't getting out of bed and freezing my ass
Dobbs,
Please don't use those bad words
All ready on the firing line! Fight!
Hey, who's gonna clean up the glass?
We'll do it tomorrow!
Beat it!
Banzai!
No one's got it already
I hit it, it was me!
Then you sweep it up
Hey Pop why don't you go piss up a rope
Stop it!
The language here is just terrible
Then say your prayers while a yank my doodle dandy
Leave him alone, Dobbs.
Oh yea?
[ singing ]
Is that the only song you know?
Wanna make something of it?
Too cold to turn off the light, too cold to fight
Hey, you know if they're putting something in the coffee
It sure the hell ain't Spanish fly
What's gonna happen Pop?
I'm gonna fart twice and go to sleep
No, I mean you's think we'll make it?
Surprised they let us get this far
My good buddy's in the war.
All that's left at his home is old men and little kids.
Knock it off, huh?
Just that my father was a Marine
Uniform still fits him too
Suppose you won't mind going in the Army, huh Pop?
The Army takes me and I still fart the old sack every night
You do that on purpose?
That's what's back home, kid
This is your wife?
Don't ask me how I got so lucky
Just that she gets lonesome so easy
Better get back home fast
Try to sleep!
You know, half the town turned out when I left
'course there's not many people, but still
What kinda discharge they give you, Pop
if you don't make it?
You'll make it
Well, in case I don't
Baby Blue Marine
official idiot
I'm no idiot!
- Will you guys shut the Christ up!
If you want to fight get the hell out of there!
Take it easy, take it easy
C'mon, calm down
All I know I'm living in the idiots barracks with the idiots
and that's alright with me
Mama.
Mama.
Hey, it's all right.
Things will work out.
No pressure, don't pull it, don't pull it, squeeze it off
Did you ever fire before?
Many a gun, sir
Hit anything?
Look at that.
Make him a sniper and good luck.
Look at the guy
196, he'd need it
Score tied, 10 seconds to go
Pop Mosley fades back
C'mon! Playing a guy so loosen up, move it!
9 seconds, 8 seconds...
he breaks a tackle
4 seconds
he sets, he's in the building
Ah! What the heck?
Ten-hut!
Okay, smile, c'mon. Excellent!
Okay, take a picture of us
Junior, who are those people?
Oh, Baby Blues?
Just the shit heads going home.
Colonel sure gots some sense of humor
- Bet the General don't know
Why'd they send our civvies home for if
there's a chance of kicking us out?
Just wait 'til momma sees
She'll write President Roosevelt
Mine fits fine. Quit bitching.
They got them their uniforms
Six months, a year...
and windows full of gold stars
their loving sons to the war effort
Boy I sure hate going home looking this way
Better than flying in a box with a flag
Hey uh, we,
we got each other's addresses?
You don't have mine
We're never gonna see each other again
Whoo boy, the things you see
when you ain't got a gun
Just like old mamma boy
'bout to lie down and kiss my ass
Mark off the spot
You're all asses
- Whoo!
Listen to the old salt!
Three days the old salt
is going to be home making
love to his wife
While you two deck apes hang around
heads looking for fruits
Better than the case of claps' your
old lady is gonna give you
Hey, hey, c'mon Pops!
You guys just got nothin better to do?
Well, lookie here
This one's got the baby blue
eyes to match
Now why don't you guys just
get off our backs
Up yours piss-ant!
I better get in line if I'm
gonna see my brother
Good luck, Hedgepeth
Say hi to your mom, huh Rupe?
See you at the PX
Take it easy now
Yea, Semper Fi buddy!
So long, huh Pops
When it's all over
Nobody's gonna give a damn
if you're a hero or 4F
So just stay alive
The Corps is a crock
You'll see
Best to your pretty wife, huh Pops!
To?
Kansas City...
Two... three hours
I'm next, ma'am
Uh... 2:18, three hours
Give me a number
Texas?
Give me a number
English?
Do you speak English?
St. Louis?
St. Louis...
St. Louis...
At gate 2, three hours
Hey, you look good Betty Grable!
Beer, please
.25
Howdy, sir
Beer
- .25
I'd like to treat
You're a Raider, aren't you?
I, I learned all about
you's in boot camp
I just there five weeks
Sending me home
Guess I just didn't have what it takes
Probably join the Army
Just came from D'ego?
Yes, sir
Make us wear this
Trying to shame us
Look like a Marine to me
Sir?
What's it like out there
in the Pacific?
Weather's nice
Warm
A little rain every day
Sun sets, gets dark, just like that
Big mosquitos, huh?
'bout as big as your thumb
You probably killed some Japs
- Yea, everybody did
I hope you don't mind my asking but...
Where'd you get wounded?
Somewhere it doesn't show
No, I meant, what island?
They're all the same
Guess you have 30 days off now, huh
- 10
You're going to have to teach bayonet?
- Sending me back
That don't seem right
You even got two battle stars,
a purple heart, and uh...
a Navy Cross
Only higher than that's a
Congressional Medal of Honor
You earn these too, huh?
You know, it hardly don't seem fair
I mean...
They're sending me home
You gotta go back
In a month...
I'm going to be 21
You like Scotch, kid?
Is Scotch Whiskey?
Yea, it's Whiskey!
I only tried it once,
got sicker than a dog
I like you, kid
Hey, don't feel so good, deep breath
I'm dizzy
Well, not used to Scotch
Well, I'll never drink Scotch again
Scotch is nothing
I knew a guy once drink shoe polish
- Whoa
He'd, um, melt it, strain it through bread
Kiwi, Cordovan I think
Hey...
Hey, c'mon, get rid of it
Go on
Andy?
Hey - Hey
- Hey - Hey
Lookie what we have here
It's a real live Raider Marine
I hear that...
Raider's just can't get enough fight
Well, when we have to
Yea, well you gonna have to, boy
I just love to see Gyrenes
get cold cocked
You think you'd have enough fighting
Just beginning to get a taste for it
You know what we're gonna do,
don't you?
It's not Army against Marines
It's Paratroops against Raiders
See, we don't have to wear one of them
shitty little "Ain't I Tough" patches
I don't want to fight, Sergeant
Well I don't blame you
Cuz I gotta warn you about my nickname
Cement Head
I take off bottlecaps with
my teeth, too
But see I got sort of a
little advantage
And nobody
can say that old Cement Head
ain't fair
So way we're going to work it
is this son
You're gonna get one free shot
And then I gonna get one free shot
And then when you get up,
if you do, the fight starts
I don't wanna fight
Well, Goddamn it Corporal,
you're going to
Sorry about your hand, pal
Well, Goddamn I gotta keep warmed up!
Gimme that
You don't, I will
Guess the trick is just not hitting
him on top of the head
Where to?
As far as you're going, sir
You're lucky day.
Going to hell and gone
Forget the "sir",
I wasn't even in the first one
Yes, sir
Guadalcanal?
Raiders
Beg pardon?
Raiders!
Oh my God, I read about you in Look
Some island infested with Japs
middle of the night, uh...
Sub puts you ashore in river boats
You had faces black,
knife in your teeth
Piano wire for strangling?
Said you were in and out like ghosts
and a hundred little yellow bastards
gone to their ancestors.
My God, congratulations!
Yes, sir
You know sir, this buddy of mine
has got a problem
Buddy of yours?
Yes, sir
See, I'm the lucky one,
they're sending me home
Me and him we've been
through hell together
But they're sending him back
He's talking about desertin'
Well, I sure hope he doesn't do that
Sir, that's what I told him.
Said he could get prison
In wartime, shit, get hung!
After all he's been through?
- Aw yea, hunt him down like a dog
So I think you better
tell your buddy
not to do it
Good luck to him
Yes, sir
Thank you, sir
Hop in!
Where to, sir?
Uh, next stop, Bidwell
Bidwell?
Well, it's not much but you
can get something to eat
Jim Wenzel, Sheriff
Marion Hedgepeth
Corporal
Denver?
Yes, sir
Then on to St. Louis
I'm gonna see a bit of the country
It seems to me like you've
already seen quite a lot
Enough to last, yes sir
Listen, you just tell me if I'm
outta line, I mean and, uh...
I understand about military secrets,
but uh...
We doin' alright over there?
Oh, yes sir. We'll beat 'em.
Seems to me like you're a fella like
you'd like a plane ride home
So you get to be with
his folks and all
No family to speak of, sir
I mean, I hardly knew my father
and my mother's dead
Bidwell is just a mile now
Uh, you try the Oasis Cafe
Get a nice juicy steak there
Home-fired potatoes
Apple pie's the best in the county
- What's that?
That's uh, it's government land
Used to be an old logging camp
Barb wire?
It's like an Army camp
It's, uh... Japs
Japs?
Listen, maybe when you're over there
actually fighting the war
it's pretty hard to know what's
going on back home, but
after Pearl Harbor
it got a little scary around here
Those are Los Angeles Japs in there
The Army guards them so don't
have much to do with them
Are they any trouble?
Oh, there's three in there
that raise a lot of hell
I mean, they tired to break
out awhile back
Most of the others stay in line.
They're, uh...
They're hard working little people
You can say that about Japs
Look, I wouldn't want you to
get me wrong or anything
I mean, I'm no Jap lover
Most of the people in there
were born in this country
Still...
...remember Pearl Harbor
Thanks for the ride, Sheriff
Afternoon
Hi!
The special is roast beef
with mashed potatoes,
...soup...
- Coffee's fine, thanks
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt
It's okay
Oh, we serve breakfast all hours
Eggs, ham, homefries
Coffee will be enough, thanks
Oh, you don't need money
Thank you very much, sir
I do believe that ham and eggs
might be good
"Ham and" Charlie!
Got one on the griddle now
It's a real nice little town
here, ain't it
You just passin' through?
Going to Denver
Ooo, I've been there twice!
You sure have great hair
I'll freshen that up
Much obliged again, sir
Come back and see us, now!
"Ham and"!
That's enough for an Army!
Or one Marine!
It's awful nice of that man
Mr. Elmore
He's a brakeman on the railroad
Southern Pacific
He lost his boy at Pearl Harbor
Well I'm sorry to hear that
Oh, Johnny was the best football
player Riverton ever had
Riverton was my high school
where I graduated from
Was, graduated from
My dad teaches Latin
Eat it! It's getting cold!
Are you from Denver?
Naw, I'm just seein'
a bit of the country
From a little town outside St. Louis
Probably never heard of it
My name is Marion Hedgepeth
I'm Rose Hudkins
Please to meet you, Rose
Rose is an awful pretty name
Marion is kind of a girl's name
Well I betcha nobody's
dumb enough to say so
What do they call you?
Hedge
Hedge?
I like that!
Okay Hedge
You know you're different
than what I expected
Oh?
Well I mean...
a Marine like you comin' in here is
like General MacArther walking in
All the battles you've been in
Oh Hedge, I'm sorry I don't mean
you have to talk about it
Oh it's, it's okay Rose
I mean I'm here now
Everything bad seems like
it's a million miles away
You know people in Denver?
Just passin' through like here
Oh, well you know I mean...
- Rose?
Apple a la Mode and a chocolate Coke
Oh Danny, meet Corporal Hedgepeth
Hedge, Danny Phelps
What say?
- Hi
Danny's just back from basic
Yea. Going into tanks.
Your mom said typing school?
Well she don't know nothing about it
80 percent casualties in tanks
Well...
see you later, Rose
Nice meeting you
Good luck, Army!
When you said it was so nice here
Sure is
Oh, but you're in a hurry
to get on to Denver
Ah well, I was in a hurry
Until I had this kinda cookin'
Seems to me I remember a
hotel sign up the street
The Astoria?
Oh no...
we call it "bed bug heaven"
We've got a room
Huh, my mom's cookin' makes him
seem like tow man Pete
And the Astoria charges
Oh Hedge, my dad's so nice
And my little brother Barney
He's 13
Are you sure, Rose?
I mean...
I just be kinda walkin' in
They'd be mad if I didn't ask
I'd sure like to stay, Rose
Well, Thelma comes in
at 6 and does dinner
I could go bowling
Bowling's in Riverton
Well, I saw a movie up the street
They're open tomorrow and Sundays
Hey, Charlie always keeps
a pole in the back
and the river's just down the road
Nice trout
Maybe I'll just walk out here
catch the sights
'kay. I'll be waiting
Come back and see us, now!
How much, Rose?
Oh, Mr. Elmore, you don't pay
til the end of the month
I see he's gone on
Oh no, he's just seein' the sights
He's stayin'?
He's having dinner with us tonight
I guess he'll be gone tomorrow
I guess
Long way from home is he?
Long way
He's from near St. Louis
His name's Marion Hedgepeth
He likes to be called "Hedge"
Family?
I s'pose so
Your dad says that you'll be taking
up nursing in the Spring
Mmm
Still work part-time here though
Nursing is a fine calling
Now, we're not a sick people
Oh, I didn't mean it that way
I remember when you
were first baptised
Hmm, I sure don't
In your first long dress
Yea, I remember that
Johnny said to me,
"Dad, after the game today, I, uh..."
"I saw Rose Hudkins in a green dress"
Hedge, uh...
seems to be a nice, young man
Johnny would've liked him
Yea
♪ 'Retreat' ♪
Well I sure do like eating this way
Everything on the table all at once
Well we always eat like this
I imagine it's the nature of
rich people to hide desert
How do you eat in the Marines?
Well Barney, in, uh, D'ego, in boot camp
D'ego is what we call San Diego
You can have as much as you want
But you gotta finish ev'r last bite
Cuz when you take your tray up
there's an inspector there
and you gotta show him
One time I had this big glop of butter
and he says, "eat it"
I said, "I'm full"
He says, "Well eat it anyway"
I say, "Can I go back and get some bread"
He says, "Just eat it now!"
I had to eat that whole gob of butter
all by itself.
Now you just try that sometime
What if you said you wouldn't eat it?
Well I don't want to think about that
I bet the food overseas is some shock
Um, what, what do they eat overseas?
Uh, Spam buddy
Chicken-fried Spam
Lot's of Spam, Barney
Spam and raisens, Spam and eggs
par for the course
One of our teachers has a boy in England
B-17's
Do you like football?
Sure, but why?
Well, the game at Riverton tomorrow
we all usually go
As Mrs. Hudkins says
the pleasure is ours
Thanks
Guess I got no place particular to be
We're gonna get slaughtered
Oh yea, what about last year
We would have won
- If the other team didn't show up
You know something Barney
In boot camp, they catch you singing
they make you put a bucket on your
head then you have to sing
That's not nice!
But it does cut down on noise
Yes, sir
And if they catch you with your
hands in your pockets
They make you fill 'em full of sand
and sew 'em shut
Well that's better than being overseas
Barney, I'm sure he'd rather
not talk about it, dear
It is our determination to restore
these conduct peoples
to the dignity of human beings
Masters of their own fate
Entitled to freedom of speech,
freedom of religion,
freedom from want,
and freedom from fear
We have started to make good
on that promise
Mean while, the war in Sicily
and Italy goes on
It must go on, and will go on
'til the Italian people realize the futility, of fighting on
Hedge?
Yea?
Could I ask you a favor?
Name it, Barney
Hell, it's about "Barney"
Rather be called "Ace"
Ace Hudkins? Good Middleweight
How'd you know?
I read
Hedge?
Yea Ace?
You think it'll still be on
when I grow up?
I hope not
Well, what's, what's it like...
out there?
Well, the weather's nice and warm
It'll rain every day;
sun goes down fast
No, I mean the other stuff
Like, how it is
Not like the movies, huh?
No, not really
There's a lot of noise and smoke
Yea, there's that
Did, uh...
did you ever have to kill anybody?
Everybody did
You ever think about it?
I try not to
I'm sorry Hedge
It's okay to ask, Ace
I told you, he lost
Well they haven't scored yet, Ace
He doesn't want me to call him "Ace"
Oh, we'll have a lead at half-time!
Boy that 67 sure can catch
- Clay Carter
He's going into the Marines, too
Beautiful catch! Perfect Spiral!
Still don't believe it
Almost as good as Johnny Elmore!
Hi Rose!
Oh, hi fellas!
Hi Sue!
Hi Rose
Oh, girls this is Hedge
Corporal Hedgepeth
Pleased to meet ya!
- Hi!
Ah, this is Evelyn, Susan, and Jane
Hedge is staying with us
until he goes on to St. Louis
St. Louis!
Seein' a bit of the country
Do like this part!
Oh, it can't be our big,
modern skyscapers
so must be the company
Well, I'll see ya!
Nice meeting you ladies!
- Hedge!
Bye Hedge!
Hedge,
This is Mrs. Townsley,
a friend of ours for years
Please to meet you ma'am
- Welcome
My son, Billie, is in the Marines too
And, uh... well, I just thought, uh...
and here's his address
Can you make anything out of that FPO?
Just Fleet Post Office
Somewhere in the Pacific
I know
He's out there with the 3rd Division
I was...
just wondering...
you didn't happen to see him, did you?
Well, the 3rd's a good outfit, ma'am
I was just wondering...
Hedge, I told her the division
has thousands of men
I know, I suddenly thought maybe...
Wait a minute...
Townsley?
He's got kind of reddish hair and...
First name Bill?
Yes!
That's him!
Oh I ran into him in a chow line
Sorry, I can't tell you the name of the island
Oh tell me
how did he look?
Well you might not know him, ma'am
He's thrown on about 10 pounds
All muscle
And the other fellas really like him, too
Thank you!
God bless you
I'd better... get back to the stands
I'll miss the kick-off
You know his last game,
Johnny Elmore made three touchdowns
A, hey, wasn't that something?
You go and meet Bill Townsley before
like that way out in the Pacific
Like a miracle
Funny things happen, Ace
And it, you know, when
something like THAT happens
you can't say wars' all bad
Go on, child philospher
Well, it, it brought Hedge here
But he has to go again
Well...
uh...
maybe, maybe he'll come back
Darling?
- Yes?
Tell me something
Have I been a good wife?
Mmm hmm... Judy...
That makes me very happy!
Happy as anything else!
I'd loved it so, every minute
Look out there
My heart's been like that
Shining and... white
Yes Judy
It has
Nothing can hurt us now
What we have can't be destroyed
That's our victory
Our victory over the dark
I choose this victory
because we're not afraid
C'mon
I'm sorry, I feel like going away
Judy, you're marvelous!
Remember while you're away
Tie your tie properly, and
and brush your hair, and...
Bye!
Hurry home!
Well I have to admit
it wasn't a very happy film
Oh, c'mon Rose, you got stop or your
folks'll think we've been fighting
It's gonna be alright, honest honey
It's only a movie
And George Brent's gonna be a great doctor
And ain't that Betty Davis some actress?
How about those big eyes, huh?
Aww, c'mon, honey!
You think the Oasis is still open?
It should be
Can I buy you a hamburger?
I'm not really hungry
I sure could use a cup of coffee,
how about a Coke?
Yea, that might help
Nice clean grill and in walk
two cheeseburgers
We're just gonna have
a coffee and a Coke
What's the matter, honey?
Betty Davis died
Oh... yea...
I heard about that
It's just a movie, Rose
It's just a movie
Oh, hi
What say, Army
- Hi Danny
Hi, coffee?
What's the matter, on the wagon?
No more chocolate Cokes?
You know many of our tanks
Rommel wiped out in North Africa?
I heared a lot
'course my size is really an advantage
They could train me for tanks then
use me as a belly gunner in B-17's
You can do that, you know
Go from the Army to the Air Corps
That belly turret on the '17
you gotta get in and out
from the outside
And if they crash land
you know how they get you out?
Uh uh
With a hose
Oh Danny, for heaven's sake
Hey Marine
Ever on a plane?
No
Met a Captain once who took me up
Loop the loop and everything
and not a bit sick
'course to get into planes
you gotta be able to stay
cool under pressure
A lot of guys get washed out
More guys wash out of the Marines
Helen...
There's something wrong about Hedge
That uniform
You know what it means?
Well I, I saw the skull on his...
Barney tells me he's killed men
You mean,
how can he still be so innocent?
Okay, he was before but
a man doesn't live through a nightmare
and come back the same
I don't even think he's kissed her yet
Heh, neither do I
You know what I thought
we she first brought him home?
Exactly the same thing I did
He stopped in Honolulu on his way back
I mean, prostitutes
I feel like a damned fool
He's treating our daughter like a lady
and I'm finding fault
Maybe he's had enough of...
those kind of girls
Tom...
all the old ways will die
You remember when we were courting?
All those stories that came out
of New York and Chicago?
Bathtub gin and wild parties
Fast women, smoking cigarettes
in the streets
Flappers in the Charleston
Ever wish you'd been there?
No
Hehe...
Yes!
With me?
Only with you
We probably had been out of place
Get a room at the Waldorf's
Take the phone off the hook
God bless you this morning
- Thank you
May God be with us
Good seeing you
Good to see you sir! Come back tonight!
Reverend
- Good to see you home
Thank you
Well, that's the most miserable time
I ever spent in Church
I think Pastor Cobb dedicated his
sermon to United States Marines
I'm surprised he didn't have them all
singing "from the Halls of Montezuma"
Well that mountain sure is something,
isn't it?
You want to climb it?
Some day
You go home tomorrow?
I guess
Would a Marine pick a girl some flowers?
This one would
Rose...
you know, I have this uncle, and
he's all the time...
sayin'...
"I love my wife and my kids and..."
"all my friends..."
"and I wouldn't trade my job
for anything in the world."
"If I had to do it all over again..."
"I'd do everything just exactly the same."
"But I'll never forget a brown-haired girl..."
"who served me coffee in
upper Sandusky, Ohio."
I love you, Rose
I love you too
I'll write no matter where they send me
I'll write back every day
Rose, this isn't me
I'm not a Marine
I, I tried to be but
it seems the harder I tried
the worse it got
Whatever it takes it just wasn't in me
But your stories
Well, they were true, I...
I was in boot camp
But you remember that
Andy, I told you about
with the white hair
This is his
He knocked me out
took my clothes and my papers
and left me a couple dollars
He deserted!
There were sending him back!
He was only 20 years old
and he's already an old man
Anyway, I had to have something to wear so...
I put this on
just started hitch-hiking
Are you from near St. Louis?
Yea
But it's not like I told your Sheriff
I've got family
They're real proud I was going
to be a Marine like my dad
Mom hung a star on the window
even before I left
Now I gotta go back and tell 'em I'm sorry
just didn't have what it takes to be a Marine
Your family and Mr. Elmore...
I don't wanna tell them
I like 'em so much
I'll just write and say that...
I got put into a special branch of
wherever I end up
Dark green wool
and pretty colored ribbons
They're not mine
I could be put in prison
No!
No, if they find out...
They'll just see what I do
What we all do
I'll always love you, Rose
Dear, it's alright
It's gonna be alright
Hedge, get dressed
What's wrong?
- Don't wake up Barney
What's wrong?
Escape
Who escaped?
- The three Japanese
who tried it six weeks ago
This time they made it
Where's Rose?
She's at the Oasis with the soldiers
getting the coffee up
Morning Hedge
- Mrs. Hudkins
Here, Tom
Oh, Rose's gun
Now Helen, nothing's gonna come of this
It'll all be over by the time Barney wakes up
Uh, doors and windows locked
And stay by the phone
Okay?
- 'kay
Be careful
They'll probably try to kill
everybody they can
Then they commit suicide
Harikari, they call it
They could be miles away by now
They could be hiding in the weeds
waiting for a farm truck
Or a school bus!
Goddamn yellow back-stabbing bastards!
Listen, I think we oughta simmer down here
'til we find out what's going on
Simmer down, hell!
Them slant-eyes probably murdering
somebody right this minute
And God knows what they do
just to get even with us
Morning
I guess we can start now
It's blacker than Hades
It'll be light in just a little while
Uh, just coffee honey
- Hi! Me too
I think we ought'a start now
anybody late can get the gist
Well anybody who doesn't know me,
I'm Captain Bittman
I don't care who knows it,
I got shafted out here
You know what I do in real life?
Children's ready-to-wear, ah-heh,
for chrissake
Well, now, here's the picture
We got three, tough Japs
from L.A.
Just the kind that wears Zoot Suits
and carries switchblades
They got weapons, Captain?
M1 and ammo
Are you positive?
Just like my men here
I'm wide open for suggestions
How'd you find out?
Bed check and an, a sentry
found a hole in the fence
Tracks?
Dogs, soldier
Captain?
You're not issued flashlights?
Well, we weren't gonna use
lights and get shot
Well then they could've headed anywhere
And I don't know rock one about this area
Well somebody's gotta be in charge
Well you're the Sheriff
Yea, with no authority in military matters
Well, uh... I think a...
Marine will know
something about tactics
Uh, he's not from here
He knows as little about the land as you do
Look, I, uh...
I will lend every help I can as a, uh...
a private citizen
Well, that's something
Well, uh, whatta we do?
I'd get my men 10 miles each side of town
Fan out, and work back
Sounds good!
And then, what about you people?
We'll work in pairs
Main force towards the river
Sheriff
There's women and children in town
I'd put a guard at all four corners
and one at each end of the street
Good, Corporal!
I'd say that's just about the ballgame
Uh, not quite
It's not a ballgame
And it's not a turkey shoot
We shouldn't have any rounds in the chambers
I'd go along with than
Tom...
They got guns!
Hey, listen you!
I'm a Captain in the United States Army
and no civilian tells me what to do!
All I'm saying is we shouldn't shoot
unless there's no other way
Virgil?
I guess you'd have something
special to say about this?
I believe these young men are all American citizens
They're Japs!
I wasn't born in this country
How about you Raider?
Well, they're not soldiers
They SHOT you!
They're killing your buddies!
How can you say that?
That was there
This is here
We are moving out now
and we are going to do it our way!
You people wanna take chances
tough shit!
C'mon, let's go!
On the double!
Move out!
I thought Marines were tough?
Up yours
Sir
More coffee?
Alright, pick a partner
Bob...
if you shoot and you don't have to
I'll cut your throat with your own razor
Hey, hey, Harry, Harry, c'mon
Alright, everyone know where he's
supposed to be so let's get going
Save one for me
What did he say?
Nothing
Better get going
Be careful, now
We used to come out here all the time
You go over there, and I'll go up this way
I really couldn't
And how you'll discover
when you take off the back?
It can be adjusted to the climate
you find yourself in
Thank you, sir
The Phelps boy...
What did he say to you back there?
He said, "to save him one"
I better check on him
Phelps! Danny Phelps!
Charlie, I wanna smoke
Gee, don't get started on coffin heels
One smoke
Alright
Light 'em yourself
You gonna write to each other?
Yea, we promised
Hey, don't worry. He's a Marine!
Phelps!
Phelps!
Danny Phelps!
Phelps!
Danny Phelps!
Answer me!
Hold it right there!
Oh go ahead and shoot you Marine son-of-a-bitch!
Yea, get yourself another Nip!
Just throw your guns down
and walk on over here
Guns?
Who the hell's got guns?
Captain said you had guns
Aw, Captain Bittman, the Brooklyn moron!
Shoot, you hero!
I'm no hero!
You cross on over here!
Why?
So they could relocate us to Cincinnati?
What did we do, huh?
Who do we talk to?
- All we know is the Cincinnati Reds!
Yea, it's all or nothing man
It's either get over here or
get your butts shot off by
some trigger happy soldier
I'm not the only one out here
The woods are full of guys
who just might shoot ya
[ speaking Japanese ]
That uniform
Battle ribbons
Forget it!
Just get over here!
Whaddya gonna do, walk to Los Angeles?
[ Japanese ]
But no hands up, G.I.!
We're coming over like men!
That's okay by me!
Come on over!
Who's idea was this?
Yours, idiot!
We were going to invade Frisco
Christ!
Middle of nowhere and we run into a Marine!
Take it easy, huh!
That's good right there!
It's good right there
- I can't swim!
You got it now, Tommy!
My ass, I got it
It's just like taking a bath!
Well why don't you jump in and show me
Hold it and I'll come out and help ya!
Hold it there, I'll take it easy
That's right Tommy!
Marine coming to save you!
Hey, you guys shut up!
You're not helping a bit!
Hey, watch Marine go swim and
you'll right over the trees
Hey Marine, I hope you can't tell what he's saying!
Such language!
Here, grab that!
Is the safety on?
I don't know, I don't know where it is
You're no Marine alright
It's not my rifle
Where the hell is that thing?
Shit! We're going to be here 'til the war is over!
Mac, I don't believe you
Look, it's empty anyway
You sure?
That could be a misfire
White man speak with forked tongue
Here, grab hold of the butt
I'll give ya a big yank on 3, ready?
1..
2..
Oh!
Hey, look out for the rocks!
Help! Hold on, Corporal!
Hold on!
Jesus, save him!
Oh my God!
Go get Rose!
Grab him anywhere!
Hold on Marine!
Hey! Hey go get him!
Hurry!
Hold on Marine!
- Hold on!
Go get him!
It hurts
- Go get him!
Reach
Get him!
I aimed at the gap!
I thought they were fighting!
Listen I, the rifle, shit I...
Hold on! Just hold on!
Come and help!
I didn't mean it!
Oh God!
Hang on!
Up the hill!
Got him?
- Hedge!
Hedge!
Tell them! About me...
No, no. No, it doesn't matter!
- You got to tell them
Tell them about me
It doesn't matter!
- It matters!
Promise?
I promise
- Promise!
Alright, c'mon!
I promise!
Easy!
Put him in the car
- Easy, watch around his head
Easy
Watch it!
The camps closed
The boys came home
And...
For a time...
There was no war...