Battle of the Coral Sea (1959) - full transcript

(NARRATOR READING)

Down scope.

See any more of those
Japanese fly-boys, Skipper?

No. But, we will.

They've got this Philippine
Coast pretty well covered.

How are our passengers, Len?

Closer than kissin' cousins.

The Army isn't used
to such tight quarters.

Beats Corregidor, eh?

Yeah.
They aren't complaining.

It's just that a couple of
the higher brass isn't used



to such close proximity
to the enlisted man.

Mmm-hmm. I'm sure they
don't mind the enlisted man.

Aye-aye, sir.

Up scope.

(CLICKING)

Len, take a look.
Okay.

Must be off an American ship.

I hope there's another one
around to pick them up.

There is.
Where?

Here.

Down scope.

Prepare to surface.
All right, sir.

Skipper. Those fly-boys
might be back any minute.

We wouldn't stand
a prayer against them.



Neither would
the men in that raft.

Well, this is just plain suicide.
We're gonna surface.

Relax, Len. You never know,
there might be some nurses on that raft.

Enemy aircraft bearing 165,
Position angle three, sir!

Clear the decks!
Get those men below!

(AIRPLANE WHIRRING)

Dive! Dive!

(ALARM BLARING)

(AIRPLANE WHIRRING)

That was a pretty close call.

Yeah, we've been having our
share of them here lately.

It's not the first for you
though, huh, Major?

Skipper, the General would like
to know our exact time of arrival.

Yeah? Well, would you
inform the General

that our timetable hasn't
been too exact here lately,

but, our estimated time of arrival
is about two-and-a-half days.

Lieutenant, it just seems to me

that if the Navy would've
wanted a periscope camera,

why, they would have
invented one long ago.

Well, Franklin, you didn't
enjoy the distinction

of serving in the peacetime
Navy, like I did.

In those days, the Navy had all the
time in the world, but no money.

Now, they've got all the
money, but no time.

(SCOFFS)
Say that again.

With this baby, you can scour
airstrips, shipping... Anything.

And prove that you saw it all.

Problem, Bates?

Well, no, sir.
Uh, I mean, yes, sir.

(STUTTERS)
I mean, it can wait, sir.

It must be something terribly important.
What is it?

Oh, well... No, I'd rather not now, sir.
You're busy...

Bates, what's your problem?

Well, sir, somebody hid
my bubble gum!

What again?

My whole supply.
And I got a sneakin' hunch who it is.

Halliday,
can you clear up this big mystery?

Yes, sir.
I hid it.

Why doesn't he
buy his own bubble gum?

Maybe you can explain this?

Begging your pardon, sir,
maybe Bates can explain this?

I tell you, this sub'll
never sink.

It's lined with
Bates' bubble gum.

MAN: Those charts are ready
on the bridge, Lieutenant.

Okay, thanks.

Halliday, you and Frank
come with me.

Bates, keep an eye
on that camera.

Aye, sir.
I'll watch it like a hawk.

Halliday will see you
get your bubble gum back.

If your mother knew the trouble this
caused, she'd never send it to you.

I think I'll send her a letter.

"Dear Mrs. Bates, will you kindly stop
sending your son that bubble gum?"

It's just a bunch of...
(VOICE TRAILS OFF)

Wow, I think I've died
and gone to heaven.

Is something wrong?
Come here.

Give me a buck.
A dollar? What for?

If you don't like what you
see, you get your money back.

Whoa!

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Come in.

Sit down, Conway.

I read your report.

You saved three men from
almost certain drowning.

My compliments.

Thank you, sir.

And in doing so,
you risked your entire crew,

a top Army General,
and a United States submarine!

I thought I had a fair chance
to save those men, sir.

Conway, under the circumstances,

any skipper in
the Submarine Service

would have done the same thing.

But when you're charged
with the responsibility

of carrying a Four-Star General
on a top priority mission,

you've got to
play it by the book.

This is a war we're having,
not fleet maneuvers off San Diego!

A fair chance isn't good enough.

I understand, sir.

I hope you do,
because I'm sending you on a mission

where there isn't any leeway for mistakes.
(SHIP HORN BLARING)

Does that worry you?

Yes, sir.
Good.

These flags show the known enemy
bases, and naval installations.

There are a great many
others we don't know about.

Look how they're patterned, like a bow,
with the arrow going straight through here.

Oh, the Coral Sea, huh?

Intelligence is positive.

Through the Coral Sea,
to New Guinea and Australia.

And we're badly outnumbered,
but we're going to put a task force

in front of them somehow.

Oh, if you're thinking
that you and the Dragonfish

are going to join this task
force right away, you're wrong.

I've got a more important
job for you to do first.

More important than, uh...

Yes. A scouting mission to
locate the Japanese fleet.

We've got to have more data on
their strength and their positions.

Especially the carriers.

We'll be operating the radio
silence, Admiral. Right?

Yes. Any radio transmission between
the task force and the Dragonfish

will alert the Japanese.

When you accumulate your data,

you will rendezvous
with our ships,

give them the information
by blinker.

You leave here at 0400 tomorrow.

Your recognition signal and the rendezvous
point are in these sealed orders.

Open them on the eighth day,
proceed accordingly.

Now remember this.

If you have trouble,
any trouble,

your responsibility is
to those orders.

The Japanese must not know
our rendezvous point.

If you have to scuttle yourself and
sacrifice every man on board to prevent it,

you'll do it.

That's all.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Oh, Admiral, um,
my Executive Officer's been

working on a periscope camera.

He has confidence in it,
and he'd like your permission to use it.

Certainly. If it works,
it could be very valuable on this mission.

Keep the line moving!
Two bucks to see the thrill of your life.

Shorty said it only cost
him a dollar.

What's the matter? Didn't you ever
hear of the law of supply and demand?

Ah! Oh!

Okay, Mac, that's all.
Next!

MAN 1: Come on, let's hurry up.
We got to go. Come on.

(MEN CLAMORING)

Come on, we've got a whole
crew behind us. Let's go.

MAN 2: Come on, let's go!
MAN 1: Come on.

Bates!
Yes, sir.

Mind if I have a look
through my camera?

Oh, no, no, sir.

No charge, sir.
I mean, uh...

Here's my contribution to the
Recreation and Welfare Fund.

Len, take a look.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

Do you stand behind
that camera of yours?

It'll work, Captain.
Go ahead.

That should do it, Captain.
Good.

Put this through the scope
and see what happens.

LEN: Come on.

(LAUGHING)

Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.

What about that, Franklin?

I think Uncle Petrie
would be proud of you, sir.

(CHUCKLING)

Come on.

JEFF: Carl who made this
coffee anyhow?

CARL: I don't know,
but it tastes like battery acid to me.

Here you go!

Oh, beautiful, Len!
Beautiful, beautiful!

You know how important
this is, don't you, Len?

Sure. Now we can give
the Admiral a picture

of every Japanese coastal installation
from here to the rendezvous point.

JEFF: Fancy Free.

Fancy Free.

JEFF: Len?
LEN: Yeah?

Give me the carrier
identification book.

Okay.

It's nice.
What type?

Shoho, I think.

Here, take a look.

Yeah, here we are.
Shoho Class, 30,000 tons.

Holy, sweet suffering sukiyaki.

You can say that again.

Holy, sweet suffering sukiyaki.

Put down the scope.

You know what you were
looking at, don't you?

The whole carrier division of
the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Probably the Pearl Harbor boys.
Hmm.

Shall we call battle stations?

No. The only thing we're going to shoot
this trip is that camera of yours.

Well, I'll go get it.

No, we're not going in yet.

How come we don't
have to, Skipper?

I can get that whole rogues'
gallery right from here.

No. The only thing I want you
to do now is plot the positions

of those channel buoys.

Afterwards, we'll go out,
surface, charge our batteries,

come back for a closer
look in the morning.

But, Skipper, there might be
controlled mine fields in there.

Right. Yeah. And if we go
down below periscope depth,

well, those currents might send
us into one of those mine fields.

That's a chance we have to take.

What's the matter, Len,
didn't you ever hear of a close-up?

Captain? Captain?
Hmm?

It's 0400, sir.

Thanks, Chief. Tell the Conning
Officer I'll be right up.

Aye-aye, sir.

This is the Captain.
It is now 0415.

We're about to enter
a minefield.

I want every man
as quiet as possible

so we can get our information
and get out of here.

Rig ship for silent running.

All compartments rigged
for silent running.

Bring it up to five, eight feet.

Five, eight, nine.

Left ten degrees rudder.
All ahead, one third.

Left ten degrees rudder.
All ahead, one third.

All answer, I had one third.
Rudder is left ten. Very well.

That line of channel buoys
is dead ahead, sir.

Rudder amidships.
Steady as she goes.

Rudder amidships.
Steady and cars 250.

Sir, time to turn.
We cleared the first leg.

Make your course 270.

Right down the slot.
270.

Steady. 270.
Very well.

According to my plot,
we're almost out of the minefield.

We're through it.
Bring it up 60 feet.

Six-oh, aye.

If I knew a prayer...

Never mind, boy,
I'll say an extra one for you.

Out scope.

Go to work now.

JEFF: Got 'em all.

Down scope. Nine-oh feet.

Nine-of feet, aye.

Right full rudder.
All ahead full!

Right full rudder.
All ahead full!

(LOUD CLANGING)

(BEEPING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(BEEPING CONTINUES)

It didn't go off.

It must be a controlled mine.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(ALARM BLARING)

I think we've cleared
the mine field.

We're out of the channel.

Rudder to midships.

All stop!

MAN:
Rudder to midships.

Engines all stop, sir.

Very well.

Ease her down and
set her on the bottom.

Set her on the bottom.
Aye, aye, Captain.

Rig for depth charge.
Torpedo Room, stand by.

We may have to use 'em yet.

(ALARM BLARING)

(EXPLODING)

(EXPLOSION RESONATING)

(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

Torpedo Room.

Having trouble
with that leak again.

Captain, Torpedo Room is having
trouble with that leak again, sir.

(EXPLOSION)

JEFF: Report damage.

All departments report damage.

(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE)

Main power's still out, sir.

Forward Torpedo Room flooding.

Rudder's jammed.

Leak in the Aft Torpedo
Room, but under control, sir.

One more pattern
will bust her hull.

They've stopped.

They're right on top of us.
Just sitting there.

Waiting for us to
make a break and run.

So, we wait.

Twelve hours, sir.

The air's gonna start
to get foul.

HALLIDAY: (OVER INTERCOM) Sir,
that Aft Torpedo Room is having trouble

with that leak again.

Very well.

What are they doing up there?

All right. All right.
Don't lose your bubble, kid.

(LOUD CLANGING)

FROGMAN: Attention! There are two
depth charges fastened to your hull!

You have five minutes
to surrender!

But the Submarine Commander shall
remain onboard for inspection.

(BOTH SPEAK SIMULTANEOUSLY)

Knock it off!

Schechter, tap out an answer.

Tell 'em we got their message
and stand by for reply.

Len...
Aye-aye, sir.

Go down and get the burn basket
take it to the Ward Room.

(TAPPING MESSAGE)

Burn all that stuff too, Len.

You can't burn this.

This film will just poison the air.
It's foul enough already.

All right, we'll just have to take a
chance and blow it through the after tubes.

Put it in here.
Use that camera to weight it down.

This is the Captain speaking.

Have Bates and Connors report
to the Ward Room right away.

Remember, Len, don't do anything
till I give you the signal.

Jeff...

You mean, you're going
to surrender?

We're going to surrender,
not the ship.

Bates, can you build up enough impulse
pressure to fire those after tubes?

Yes, sir. But the tubes are in
bad shape after that last ash can.

I can't put a fish through it.

All right. Pull one out,
build up enough impulse pressure

to fire a water slug.

Aye, sir.

Connors.

Rig up a demolition charge

with the wire leading to a
manual detonator on the bridge.

CONNORS: Aye aye, sir.

Jeff...

We've only got their word that depth
charges are fastened to the hull.

I know.

(SIGHS) We haven't got
anything left to fight with.

Hurry up, we haven't
got much time.

Schechter, tap out a message.

Tell 'em we're ready to
surface and surrender.

Aye-aye, sir.

Stand by to surface.

MAN: Stand by to surface,
aye, sir.

Depth 142 feet.
Very well.

(TAPPING)

Demolition charges all rigged, sir.
Okay, chief.

Aft Torpedo Room.
Tell Lieutenant Ross to stand by.

Standing by, sir.

I hope we've got enough
pressure to clear the tube, sir.

So do I.

The air man a full rig?
LEN: The air man a full rig, sir.

Very well.

Commence blowing main ballast.

JEFF: Fire!
Fire!

(WEAPON FIRES)

If you'll ever see that
bag again, sir.

All hands, this is
the Captain speaking.

Our batteries are flat,

the main motors are flooded,

we are unable
to fire our torpedoes.

Therefore, the crew of this
ship, we're going to surrender.

Now keep calm.

You've been a good crew.

We've surfaced, sir.

May I introduce myself? I am Commander
Nagano, Imperial Japanese Navy.

Lieutenant-Commander Jefferson
Conway, United States Navy.

We followed your orders,
Commander.

Very sensible.

I asked you to remain here as
an insurance against accidents.

There won't be any accidents.
Good.

Then we'll begin our inspection.

You've got about 30 seconds to
get off this boat, Commander.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

So long, old girl.

(EXPLODING)

I'm Commander Mori of the
Japanese Intelligence Department.

I'm happy to tell you that
your Skipper is okay.

In fact, he should
be here in a moment.

Skipper! How are ya?
Skipper!

I'm glad to see you, sir.

Hi, you're all right?
I'm fine. How are you?

Good. Oh, we're good.

(ALL CLAMORING)

Now!

All your names, ranks and
serial numbers are on this list.

The rest of the crew is below
decks and well cared for.

It's going to be
a long war, gentlemen.

You should be glad
you're out of it.

This is sake, rice wine.

To your continued
good health, gentlemen.

Ah!

Well, we have a lot
to talk over.

We've got nothing to
talk over, Commander.

You've got all the
information you're entitled to

under the terms of the Geneva Convention.
You know that.

We are not concerned with
that foolishness, Commander.

And we have a little more
information than you think.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Our divers have been busy,
as you can see.

And you have the thanks of
the Japanese Navy,

for shooting our ships with the
cameras instead of torpedoes.

All we'd like to know is, why?

That's just a hobby.

We're gonna enter 'em in the
"best photo of the year" contest.

I'm sorry, but we have to find
out all about your mission.

I don't have to tell you there
are many methods of doing this,

and we know them all.

Like I said,
it's going to be a long war.

Help yourself,
it's on the house.

I don't get it, Skipper.
Why all the hospitality?

Len, tell us about
your Uncle Petrie.

My uncle?
Yeah, your Uncle Petrie.

Oh, well...

Uncle Petrie had
one bad habit, liquor.

BATES: An uncle of yours, sir?
Hard to believe.

You know how some people
save string?

Well, Uncle Petrie saved corks!

Amazing, sir!

Yeah. I mean...

He drank so much that at the end
of 26 years, he had enough corks

saved up to build
a fishing boat.

A boat made out of corks!
Genius, Lieutenant, sheer genius!

Yeah.
Well, that's nothing.

Wait till I tell ya
how he used to catch fish.

How did he do that?

Well, the ocean was so soaked up with
all that liquor from those corks,

that the fish didn't wait
to be caught,

they just jumped in that
boat, dead drunk!

And that, my friends, is how Uncle
Petrie invented pickled herring.

(BLOWING RASPBERRY)
(ALL LAUGHING)

Good morning.
Everyone in good shape?

Commander, when am I
gonna get to see my men?

Oh, they're on their way to a
regular prison camp, Commander.

But we have something
special for you five.

Your new home.

Welcome to the Interrogation
Camp Number Seven.

The torpedo boat
will be picking us up.

The Island's about three miles wide
and five long, if you're curious.

And if you're wondering,

it would even be
possible to escape,

for anybody who can
swim two hundred miles.

Follow me.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Well, welcome to
the Question and Answer Camp.

I'm Jammy Harris,
late of the Australian Air Force.

Jeff Conway, United States Navy.

This is Lieutenant Peg Whitcomb,
Australian Nursing Corps.

She's our medical staff.

Lieutenant, nice meeting you.

How's the war coming, Yank?

Oh, no better.
No worse.

Ah, it'll get worse, though.

They've pulled over half
their troops out of here.

That's very true.
They are shorthanded.

Yeah. There's a big
build-up going on.

We heard that
before we left Australia.

Listen, you don't think
they're going to...

Oh, wait a minute!

Who's the girl?

An interpreter,
among other things.

She's a great and good
friend of the Japanese.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

And the officer?

Captain Yamazaki,
head of the camp guard.

Is he as tough as he looks?

He doesn't have to be.

There's no escape
from this place.

(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

I'm speaking for
Captain Yamazaki.

Prisoners will obey
all orders instantly.

Any disobedience or infraction
will be severely punished.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

You are prisoners of war,
and will be shot if you attempt to escape.

Well, he's a man of few words.

Who's the Camp Commander?

We haven't had one
for several weeks.

We used to have
a Colonel named Takahishi.

Yeah. And you Yanks had better
pray he doesn't come back.

I've got a bit of a sample of his work.
(GATE CREAKING)

(INAUDIBLE)

Which one of you
is Commander Conway?

I am.

My name is Karen Philips.

I'm the interpreter for
the Captain of the guard.

(SCOFFS) I'll bet you got the
best job on this whole island.

(SMIRKS)

Oh. Len Ross, Lieutenant, U.S.
Navy, ma'am. Your enemy. Unfortunately.

All right.

What do you want?

You're to report
to Commander Mori.

Please follow me.

What's a nice girl like you
doing in a place like this?

This Island, Commander Conway, has
been in my family for almost 200 years.

Before the war
it was a plantation.

How nice of 'em
to lend it to the Japanese.

While they're here,
I intend to cooperate with them.

But I'm neutral.

In my book, anybody who cooperates
with my enemies isn't neutral.

But you're neutralized
yourself now, Commander.

You're out of the war,
and you should be glad.

That's where you're wrong, lady.

I'm not out of it till I'm dead or
it's over, whichever one comes first.

Be sensible, Mr. Conway.

The Japanese are not unpleasant
if you cooperate with them.

You cooperate with them
all you want.

Just don't waste your breath
trying to convert me.

Don't you understand
that nothing can stop them?

How many more ships and
men do you have to lose

to convince you
that you're beaten?

I understand one thing
and one thing...

Please,
Commander Mori's in there.

Come in.

What do you think of
our tropical resort?

Delightful.
I'll take Miami Beach.

I'm glad to see you still have your
irrepressible American sense of humor.

Get to the point, Commander.
You're wasting time.

I hope not.
I sincerely hope not.

Cigarette?

No thanks, I'll smoke this.

I don't blame you.

There is really no smoke like
an American cigarette, is there?

We have a storage of fine
Virginia tobacco at the moment.

I hope it doesn't last too long.

Conway, I don't like this
war any more than you do.

Probably less,
as a matter of fact.

I spent a good many years in your country
and I have a great respect for your people.

Nobody will be happier than I
when these hostilities are over.

You must believe that.

All right.
I believe it.

I wonder how long that will be?

As long as it takes us
to win it.

Are all your countrymen
that confident?

Of course.

Why is that?

You say you lived in America.
You should know why.

There's only one way
this war can end, Commander.

I also know Japan
quite well, Mr. Conway.

We, too, are most ambitious
and industrious people.

There are important
differences, however.

For instance, you Americans
have a lot of physical courage,

but up here you're vulnerable.

So much so that it amazes me
how you won all the other wars.

Maybe we're lucky, Commander.

Always with the jokes, eh?

This war
you are not going to win

for many reasons.

One of them is
the one ability I spoke of.

You make mistakes.

For example,

why didn't you blow up
your sub with all your men?

We Japanese would have
done that.

I figure we can do you more
harm alive than dead, Commander.

You think so?

I'm going to prove you wrong.

You have
the information we need,

and I'm going to
get it from you.

By the way,
please don't be alarmed

at the sight of any punishment
devices around the camp.

My predecessor here, Colonel Takahishi
employed these medieval methods.

Personally,
I don't believe in them.

There are other means.

Is that all, Commander?

Yes. We'll talk again.

And think carefully
about what I have said.

I'm thinking all the time,
Commander.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Mr. Conway, I must have
that information.

It's entirely up to you
whether I get it now, or later.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

A rather old-fashioned method
of irrigation, I'll admit,

but my countrymen have used
it for several thousand years

and it still works fine.

You are in charge of the work
detail, Commander.

In charge, you understand?

You merely supervise,
you do not work.

I prefer not to take any
chances with your health.

You are important to us.

Commander, my men
change shifts every hour.

I suggest your men do the same.

Uh, by the way,

fresh water is scarce
on this island,

so I'll have to insist
that you don't drink any,

except what is furnished
at the mealtimes.

Mr. Bates, Mr. Ross,
you take the first shift.

Come on, let's go.

(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)

You see?
We are not unreasonable.

We wouldn't ask you to do
anything we don't do ourselves.

Besides, the exercise will give
your men a healthy appetite.

For what? Chop Suey?
I never liked it.

Oh, that's Chinese, isn't it?
So sorry, old man.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Hour's up, Skipper.

(COUGHING)

I'll take it, Len.
I said, I'll take it. No...

(SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)

Why, you...

I'm all right, Jeff!

Lord! I joined the Navy
because I hated marching!

You Tennessee pea-picker, you didn't
wear shoes until you went into Annapolis!

(COUGHING)

(CONTINUES COUGHING)

I guess he got a cold
out there, huh?

He's got no cold.
He's got pneumonia.

Is there anything we can do?

There's something you can do.

What?

Tell them whatever it is
they want to know.

That is, if you care at all
about the lives of your men.

GIBNEY: The Japanese must not
know our rendezvous point.

If you'll have to scuttle yourself
and sacrifice every man on board

to prevent it, you'll do it.

(ECHOING) You'll do it.
You'll do it.

(LEN COUGHING)

(COUGHING)

You been smoking long?

Yeah.

Kind of rough on you
out there today, huh?

If that's the most they
can give out, I can take it.

Can you take it for three days?

Why three days?

Because that's the day
of rendezvous.

What will happen
if we're not there?

They'll leave.

After that I will tell them
anything they want to know.

Might even tell 'em the location

of your Uncle Petrie's
sour-mash still.

(COUGHING)

(CREAKING)

Fellow white-collar workers,

we are about to receive a visit

from that champion of the
down-trodden, your friend and mine,

the smiler...

With interpreter.

(CRASHING)

You all right, Len?
Yeah.

Wait there, Bates.

Tell the Captain Lieutenant
Ross is too sick to work.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

The Captain said he's just
following orders.

And reminds the prisoners that
they must also follow orders,

or be punished.

But the man can't walk.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

He wants to know if you're ready to
answer Commander Mori's questions.

Tell him to go to hell.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Hey, Commander?
Commander!

What can I do for you, Conway?

Commander,
one of my men is sick.

I know. Mr. Ross, isn't it?
Sorry.

How are you feeling, though?

What difference does it make
how I'm feeling?

I say, how are you feeling?

What do you care how I'm feeling?
I'm telling you about one of my men.

I'm concerned about your health.

That is why you're not
allowed to walk the wheel.

I want you in good shape
when it comes time to vote.

To vote.
What are you talking about?

You know all about
democracy in America.

You vote on things,
majority rules.

Another few days on the water wheel
and your men will be ready to vote

on whether you talk,
or keep quiet.

If you talk,
no more water wheel,

if you don't,
Ross might get sicker.

He might even die.

So might the others.

What is it?

Is it the information you think I've got?
Is that it?

Well, put me on the wheel,
but take Ross off.

Mr. Conway,
you don't seem to understand.

Putting you on the wheel would
be defeating our own purpose.

What does that mean?

If anything happens to you,
we never get the information.

(LEN COUGHING)

Is he any better?
No. He's worse.

If you care at all about Len
and the rest of your men,

tell them whatever it is
they want to know.

All right. Take it easy.
That water wheel's tough enough,

but nobody's going to die
from it.

I suppose Mori's given you a guarantee
that none of your men will be harmed?

It could be worse.

He's kept his word so far.

Yes, and Mori hasn't
produced any results, either.

If his methods continue to fail,

you can rely on Japanese
Intelligence to replace him.

This is all rather academic,
isn't it?

Sooner or later, you and your
men will begin to really suffer.

Is the information you have
worth all their lives?

That's my decision to make,
Lady Nightingale,

meanwhile, you just keep
your mouth out of it!

I've seen enough death!

Peg, please. Peg, please.
You're a swine.

(LEN COUGHING)

I'm sorry.

I notice your men don't
have to work very much.

They treat them pretty good.
Why is that?

Did you give 'em all the
information they wanted to know?

I didn't have the information
they thought I had.

I finally convinced
Colonel Takahishi of that

after three of my men
had been put to death.

As for not working us too
hard, I don't know about that.

They were getting ready to transfer
us, when you blokes showed up.

Something changed their minds.
I've no idea what.

Maybe it's some more of
his advanced psychology.

Maybe he figures that your
group can soften us up.

You seemed to be doing
a pretty good job of it.

Well, it could be, Conway.
What do you propose to do about it?

Get out.
That's what.

What, escape?
Right!

From a Jap-held island,
five miles by three,

in the middle of
a Japanese ocean?

It's impossible.

It's still called the Pacific Ocean.
They don't own it yet.

If we could get that torpedo
boat we came in the cove with,

there aren't more than
a dozen guards here.

Yes, and they've all got guns.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(WHISTLING CONTINUES)

(CLANGING)

All right, gentlemen,
tea on the after-patio.

Oh, I'm so fed up with
all those eggs and bacon.

It's the silver plates
I can't stand.

Well, if you gentlemen
would like,

I'll take you out for breakfast.

(LEN COUGHING)

Give my compliments to
the Chef, would you?

Left-over old socks this time.

Boy, I love you.

(COUGHING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(LAUGHING)

Very funny! You wouldn't be laughing so
loud without all those guns around you.

(LAUGHING)

I'll guarantee you that!

Bates!

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Would you like me to translate the
Sergeant's last remarks for you?

That won't be necessary,
Commander.

We've all got a good idea
what he meant.

I doubt that.
It was a challenge, Mr. Bates.

In effect, he said
if you weren't a prisoner,

he would take you apart.

Yeah? Well you tell that son of a...
Knock it off, Bates!

Shall I tell him his
challenge is not accepted?

Skipper, I can handle
that big, fat slob.

Let me take a crack at
him, will you?

Frankly, I wouldn't
advise you to try.

The Sergeant's very good
at the art of wrestling,

as are all Japanese soldiers.

Skipper, I know something about
that Japanese-style wrestling.

I've been in the Navy for 15 years and
spent most of my time in the Far East.

I've flattened my share of
these characters.

Bates can take him, Skipper.
I've seen him in action.

Well, Commander?

Go ahead, Bates.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Give em' room, fellas.

Get that rice picker, Bates.
(SCOFFS)

Jump on him, boy.

(GRUNTING)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(GRUNTING AND SCREAMING)

(CROWD HECKLING)

Get up, Bates. Get up, Bates.
Watch him. Come on, Bates.

(INDISTINCT CLAMOR)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(GRUNTING)

Get up, boy, come on!
Get up!

Get him. Get him!

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(LAUGHING) Get him!

(GROANING)

Come on! Get up on your feet!
Watch out, Bates!

(INDISTINCT CLAMOR)

(INDISTINCT CLAMOR)

Get him! Get on your feet!
Hold him, Bates, get him!

Come on! Break it up.
That's it!

(ALL YELLING)

(LAUGHING)

(YELLING INDISTINCTLY)

(PRISONERS LAUGHING)

(PRISONERS CLAMORING)

(FIRES GUN)

Stop it! Stop it!

(GROANING)

JAMMY:
Now, simmer down!

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

(KNOCKING CONTINUES)
All right.

Sit down, Commander.
I'll stand.

I don't suppose an apology
from me would mean anything?

Not a damn thing.

It was my intention to demonstrate the
superiority of the Japanese soldier.

The psychological
approach, again.

And it backfired.

You mean, that fight was
your idea?

Yes. Oshikawa was acting under my
orders when he challenged your man.

And when he picked up a rifle and
killed him, whose orders were those?

You know better than
to ask that, Commander.

I am truly sorry.

I never would have suggested the
contest if I had had any idea that...

It's quite obvious now that my psychological
methods are not going to work now.

None of your methods are going to work.
Not now or ever.

Possibly not.

In any case,
I have been given another assignment.

I am being relieved by my
predecessor, Colonel Takahishi.

As you know, his ways of obtaining
information are different from mine.

I heard.

I'm speaking now as one human being to
another, not as one enemy to another.

You may all be killed at
Colonel Takahishi's orders

if you continue your silence.

More psychology, Commander?

No, the facts.

Again. I'm very sorry
about this morning.

I'm sorrier about what I know
is going to happen to you.

I believe in this war, Conway.

And I believe in striking the enemy
and killing him if he resists.

But I don't believe in murder.

They're sending a boat for me,
and I'm leaving this evening.

Goodbye, Commander.

Mr. Conway.

Yeah?

I thought you might like
to have this Bible.

Thanks.

I'll give it back
in the morning.

Please keep it.

I thought it might help
comfort you and your friends.

Aid and comfort to
the enemy, Miss Philips?

I'm not your enemy.

Whose are you?

I told you, I'm neutral.

Still, huh?

No. Not anymore.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Will you help us?

We need weapons.

I can't possibly do that.

That's what I figured.

You can't escape.
You'll only get killed trying.

I couldn't bring any guns,
maybe some knife blades.

Get 'em.

(COUGHING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

There's your lady friend.

So early in the morning, too.

Huh?

Miss Japanese
Interrogation Camp of 1942.

Yeah.

I wonder what she's
doing around here.

Oh, come on, Jeff.

You don't really think she's
going to help us, do you?

Huh?

Come on, Peg, let's take a walk.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Now, what did you forget?
Be casual, Peg. Casual.

Miss Whitcomb, come over here.
Get angry at me.

And when you hit me, grab my hat.
Come on, hurry up.

Go ahead, Peg.

Miserable wench!
You no-good, treacherous female!

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Grab my hat!
Hurry up!

Go inside and rip it apart.
Go on, rip it apart. Go on!

LEN:
Where'd you get that?

JEFF: Hey!

Oh, they're like razors.
Knife blades.

Without a handle, Len.

It's a cinch.

(THUDDING)

It's hardwood.

Peg?
Yeah.

Have you got any thread?

Uh, well, only a little.

Well, will you unravel
a blanket or some clothes?

Sure. I'm gonna bind
the handles with thread.

I don't know if I ever told you, but
my Uncle Petrie's part Seminole Indian.

And boy, did he ever teach me...

Jeff! Jeff!

Yeah.
(COUGHING)

Like I said, look...

This is hardwood.
Yeah.

I could make a bow out of that.

A bow?
Sure.

And bowstrings you can
make out of twill thread.

You know, out of uniforms,
anything.

Oh, and arrows are simple
to carve out of anything.

Arrowheads are easy.
I used to make 'em out of tin cans.

We can make 'em out of these.
I used to be a pretty fair archer.

You know, if we can knock over
just one guard and get his gun,

we might have a chance.

Hmm. About one in 50.

With those floodlights on every
second, it's not going to be easy.

Yeah.

Hide the stuff!
Here comes the brass!

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

The Captain orders you to line up in
front of your bunks while he speaks.

(WHISTLING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

He says your leg was not
stiff yesterday.

Oh, well...

Tell him that I have a very rare American
disease. It's extremely contagious.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Commander Mori will be replaced
tomorrow by Colonel Takahishi.

Tomorrow?

That means we've got to
break out of here tonight.

Is there a shortcut
to the boat? A stream?

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

He says Colonel Takahishi will kill
you if you do not answer directly

every question he asks.

Do you know where
the generator is?

Wreck it at four o'clock.
We'll meet you at the boat.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Oh, uh, tell him
we appreciate his advice,

and we'll give it
careful consideration.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

He wants you to stand at
attention when he leaves.

Attention!

I hope this thing works!

You hit 'em with that, they're going to
make a noise like a bag of squashed cats.

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION
CONTINUES)

(GENERATOR WHIRRING)

(GUARD SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(EXPLODING)

(EXPLODING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(GROANS)

(THUDS)

Taki?

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(ARROW WHIZZES)
(GROANS)

(GRUNTING)

Taki? Taki?

(GROANING)

(FIRING)
(YELLING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(WHISTLING)

(EXPLODING)

Come on. Come on!
Let's get out of here!

(COUGHING)

(BULLETS FIRING)

(FIRING)

(GUNFIRE)
(GROANING)

(GUNFIRE)
(GROANING)

Jamie!

Jamie!

(SOBBING)

Sorry, Peg,
I don't think I can make it.

You'll have to go on without me.

What happened to Len?

I'm afraid...

I'm afraid he bolted.

But we got some
of the others, though.

(PEG SOBS)

Come on, Peg.
(SOBBING)

(GUNFIRE)

(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)

Is he dead?

Yeah.

What about Len?

Him too, sir.

Can you make it all right?

Yeah, it's all right.

Look, Jeff, we're going to have to
shoot our way down to that boat.

Guards downstream?

Yeah. I don't know
how many, though.

Can't be more than one or two.
We've killed everybody else.

Wait here.

(GUNFIRE)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(EXPLODING)

What happened?

Everything's okay.

Any sign of Karen?

No.

(PANTING)

Skipper, we're running
out of time!

It'll be light pretty soon.
You go back to the boat.

If I'm not there in a
half-an-hour, you go without me.

Oh, look, Jeff...
I said, take off!

Halliday.
Yeah.

(PANTING)

Think we ought to shove off?

We'll take five more minutes.

(GRUNTS)

(GUNFIRE)

Prepare to shove off.

I'll take over now, sir,
if you want some rest.

Steer 235.
That's as good a course as any.

Two-three-five, aye, sir.

(SEAGULLS CALLING)

Karen, Karen! Brake! Brake!
Hey, come on. Come on.

(FIRING)

Hey! Look at that!

Can you read them?
Something Conway, U.S.N.

And "Fancy Free"!

Fancy Free?

I'm gonna set down alongside of them.
Tell the crew to stand by!

Right.

Co-Pilot to crew. We're going to set
down by that torpedo boat. Stand by.

JEFF: We trailed them on a South
easterly course at about 5,000 yards.

When we last saw them,
they were here.

We moved in to get a closer look and
that's when we ran into their minefield.

Did you recognize
any of their ships?

Yes, there was three
carriers of the Shoho class.

I'm certain they were part of Admiral
Hara's Fifth Carrier Division.

That makes sense.

They're in the Coral Sea now if
they haven't changed direction.

There's no reason why
they should.

They're headed for Port Moresby.

If our Intelligence is correct,
they'll hit it in exactly three days.

Unless we locate them first.

We'll find them.

Every plane we can spare will be put in
that part of the Coral Sea immediately.

(ENGINE WHIRRING)

(VOICE SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO)

MAN ON RADIO: CIC two unidentified
planes, in bound at 20 miles...

If you're thinking of the ship you lost, that
some of your men died for nothing, don't.

Think of the lives you saved by
getting us the information we wanted,

when we wanted it.
Think of that, Jeff. Think of that.

(MAN CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY
OVER RADIO)

NARRATOR: On the
7th of May, 1942,

the Battle of the Coral Sea
took place.

(SIREN WAILING)

(EXPLODING)

(FIRING)

(SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING)

When it was over, the Fifth Carrier
Division of the Imperial Japanese Navy

had been stopped.

Australia was saved.

All three of the largest enemy
carriers were destroyed or disabled.

The United States' greatest loss in
the battle was the Carrier Lexington,

the Fighting Lady.

It was the greatest naval
engagement in history,

and the victory laid the groundwork
for the even greater sea victory

at Midway, where the back of the
Imperial Japanese Navy was broken.