Death Before Dishonor (1987) - full transcript

Gunnery Sergeant Burns reports for duty to an American Embassy in the Middle East. However due to the 'enlightened' views of the Ambassador, the marine security detachment he is in charge of is severely restricted in their functions and presence to avoid upsetting the host government. As a result, when terrorists attack the compound, they are able to kidnap hostages and escape with little opposition. Burns ignores the Ambassador's restrictions, and throws the rule books out the window, as he becomes a one man army in an attempt to rescue the hostages, and wipe out the terrorists.

You're dead, marine.

Thank you, corporal James.

You're welcome, captain.

Bring it up.

All right, what did he do wrong?

You're a dead man, James.

He got distracted and lost
sight of his objective,

which was to guard the perimeter.

Concentration and discipline
will save your life

as well as the life of your fellow marines.

You're a dead man, James.



Knock it off.

James you're a...

You shitbirds up there
think this is a game?

Combat is death!

Yours or the enemy.

Let's just pray to god you people

don't have to find that out.

Let's drink an elixir of life

to this two initiates, shall we?

Okay, dip shits.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

One, two, three, go!

All right, okay okay.

Now, what is a brother of the goldwing?



It's a brother with a big thing

to make the girls sing.

More elixir!

A brother of the gold wing

he's a marine who can jump high,

he can jump low.

He can jump through jungle
water, sand, and snow.

He's a devil dog, he's a para-frog,

he's a recon marine.

Manny, pound it home!

You got it.

You're laughing, huh?

Okay.

You got it.

Welcome, gavril.

Ms. winter.

Your presence, alone, is an
inspiration to our movement.

How may we help you, jihad?

Weapons, ammunition,

money to finance a full scale assault.

Your demands are great.

All that is possible.

Providing, of course, you and your men

are worthy of such a commitment and willing

to pay the price for it.

We are dedicated to the end.

That is what we are here to find out.

Who is that
woman with the camera?

Elli bauman.

The massacre at the refugee camp,

her photographs of the victims

brought us much public support.

Both sides of those rocks.

Why do we got to paint both sides?

I don't know.

You boys ever hear of Korea?

Yes, sir gunny.

Well then you're probably very familiar

with the conflict at
hill 442, is that right?

Yes, sir gunny.

Everybody's heard of that battle.

And did you know that your colonel

was personally responsible
for pulling 52 marines

off of that hill?

Alive.

So, don't you think the colonel deserves

to have his rocks painted tops and bottoms?

Good.

Paint the rocks.

Fuse.

Fuse.

Plastic.

Plastic.

Battery.

Battery.

It will take more than a
group of scared young boys

to stop the zionists.

They will prove themselves
when the time comes.

We shall see.

Come in, at ease, and sit down.

Well, those two boots earn
their wings, did they?

Sure did, colonel.

Damn proud of them.

Well, I remember when I earned mine.

It happened so long ago I don't
want to count the years.

I was a brand new boot

and we had a platoon sergeant,

great big polack son of a bitch,

damn near caved my chest in.

You know my father's got
some good stories, sir.

Oh yes, sergeant major John joesph burn.

He ever tell you the time

we pitched Liberty in the philippine?

Yeah, he kept you out of the brig.

Did he tell you that?

Yeah.

Bullshit!

It was the other way around, god damn.

Well I didn't bring you in here...

I got my orders.

They're shipping me off to jemal.

I'm gonna be assistant defense attache.

Why jemal, sir?

20 years ago we were arming the Israelis

so they could demolish jemal

and now we're arming up the jemalis.

It doesn't make too
much sense, does it sir?

Military and politicians, arms and oil.

Big business, gunny.

Big business.

It's always the boys that pay

with their blood, too, colonel.

Nothing new about that, is there, gunny?

Well, looks like the colonel

will have his work cut out for him.

I'm gonna miss you, sir.

Uh.

Give that a read.

I cleared it with the
state department already.

I'm taking you with me because I want

to put you in charge of
marine security over there.

So if the shit hits the fan
you're gonna cover my ass.

You haven't got any problems
with that, have you?

All the way to the state
department, huh colonel?

Didn't have to be this way, you know?

Oh, you mean I had a
choice in this matter?

Oh, not any more.

No you made that when you
turned down going to ocs.

Well not to be disrespectful
to the colonel, sir,

but you know how us burnses
feel about becoming officers.

Yeah, you're just as hard
headed as your old man.

The ocs was good enough for me, butt hole.

Well, will that be all, sir?

That will be all.

Gunny.

Have a nice day.

Thank you, colonel.

Look at those bastards burning our flag.

I'd like to kick their ass.

We're supposed to be diplomatic.

Isn't that right, sargent?

Yeah regular ambassadors of good will,

that's what we are.

You know this reminds me of the time

that gunny and I were in
El Salvador together.

Just the two of us.

There was a demonstration going on outside

worse than this.

Remember I told you about it, James?

A thousand fanatics.

Yeah, yeah.

A thousand fanatics.

No kidding?

What happened?

Well these rebels were hot, man.

These suckers were
anti-American all the way

and they wanted blood,
they wanted our blood.

No shit?

No shit.

Now gunny and I, we got
caught in this alleyway

and they attacked us from all sides,

man hordes of them, they
came out from everywhere

but we fought them like hell.

I bet you kicked some ass.

Yeah we kicked some ass

but there were too many of them.

How'd you get away?

Howdy, boys, what's happening?

Sergeant Ramirez was just explaining

to ruggieri about your
exploits in El Salvador.

Yeah, about how you kicked
ass on a thousand rebels.

It was more like 750 though, I believe.

So how'd you get away?

Well, we didn't.

What happened?

We were killed.

Get in here, ruggieri, I
want to talk to you guys

for a minute.

We're gonna be giving a
weapons demonstration

to the jemali militia.

When's this gonna take place?

Well sometime tomorrow,
just as soon as the jemalis

remove the weapons from the docks.

How come we're not in
charge of that, gunny?

Well the reason we're
not in charge of that

is because we're observers here.

So let's maintain that integrity.

Understand me?

Dino?

Yeah.

'Atta boy.

You are sergeant burns?

Yes, I am.

I'm captain yeb zahid.

On behalf of the jemani
army, I offer thanks.

We appreciate these weapons.

Well, you're welcome, captain.

If you and your men listen

to how we tell you how to operate

and maintain these weapons,

I think you'll do just fine.

You have the voice and
manner of one who thinks

he's speaking to backward people.

We are third world, you are,
I suppose, first world.

I'm a marine not a politician, captain.

What I know of your army

is you've had a lot of wars
over the past 20 years,

you never seem to win any.

All that's going to change, sergeant.

Good, sir.

Thank you.

Would you like to ride with me

and tell me where we're going?

Please.

I don't like this, captain.

Son of a bitch!

Sergeant burns, you were
there as an observer.

Not to engage in any action.

Mr. ambassador, those
people killed civilians.

They also commandeered the weapons

that we had given the jemalis.

Now what was I supposed to do?

Sit and observe that?

Exactly.

At no time were you ever given
orders to pursue hijackers

through the streets and
countryside of jemal

endangering its citizens.

Virgil, in all fairness
to sergeant burns,

he was never given orders
not to pursue, either.

Well, I'm giving them now.

Am I making myself clear here, sergeant?

Yes, sir.

Burns was in Vietnam in the beginning

and he was back again for an extended tour

just before we pulled out.

A man develops certain instincts in combat.

Well, he'll just have
to curb those instincts.

Something like this could turn

into an international incident

and then it's my ass on the line.

I think that will be all, gentlemen.

Sir.

Unless sergeant burns has
any further questions?

You made your point, Virgil.

Very clearly.

Since when does a marine
act like a rent a cop?

I don't want to hear it, gunny.

Listen, you know how I feel

about that turn the other cheek crap.

Now what you don't want
to do is get your ass

in the sling with the ambassador, got it?

I understand but one
thing I want to know is

what was that photographer doing there?

You're in charge of
security around here, gunny.

Find out for yourself.

Tactfully.

Yes, sir.

Yes?

Yes, I know who you are, sergeant.

I'll be more than glad
to show you what I have

but I doubt if they will
be of any use to you.

Certainly.

I'll meet you there in 30 minutes.

Fine.

Bye.

How are you? - Hi.

Exactly half an hour, sergeant.

Right on time.

Well, I've had 17 years
of practice, Ms. bauman.

It's elli.

Yeah.

And should I call you sergeant?

Call me Jack.

Jack. - Yeah.

Oh, I expect you wanted to see these.

Yes, thank you.

Kinda windy, huh?

I'm sorry there isn't
anything there you can use.

You know I don't understand one thing.

How you can get a real good headshot of me

and not one shot of those hijackers.

Fortunes of war.

Fortunes of war

and how did you just happen to be there?

I didn't just happen to be there.

I was invited.

By who?

If you don't mind,
I'll protect my sources.

Look, Ms. bauman,
people lost their lives.

People are dying everyday
in the middle east.

Some from poverty, some from war.

Yeah, and you're exploiting it.

Reporting it.

There is a difference.

Are you the kind of person who
knows exactly what's right

and what's wrong?

Yes.

Well, perhaps you ought
to write my report.

Explain all the complexities
of the middle east

for my readers.

Yeah, might be a big improvement.

People you call savage terrorists

feel they're on a mission from god,

a mission to save their
homeland from foreigners

who neither respect nor understand.

They call themselves good people.

Bullshit.

Let me tell you about your good people.

The use men, women, and
children, of all ages,

to fight their wars and right now

they're using you, Ms. bauman.

Somehow, I think you like it.

Do me a favor and tell your
terrorist friends this,

don't get us mad.

Excuse me.

Colonel?

Yes, hamed?

Will the colonel be
home for dinner tonight?

Should they prepare something for you?

Won't be necessary, thank you.

Morning, colonel.

Morning, Ramirez.

Let's go, son.

We're gonna be late.

Begging the colonel's pardon, sir.

Huh, what is it, Ramirez?

Well, sir, something about
that kid that I don't like.

What's that?

His eyes, sir.

What about 'em?

Well my grandfather used to say

that the eyes are the mirror to the soul.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, sir, you can laugh if you like

but my grandfather would tell you

that death stalks behind those eyes.

Didn't know you were superstitious.

Oh yes sir, colonel.

I keep a little flag that my mother made me

right here in my pocket.

Slow down, Ramirez.

Yes, sir.

Sorry, sir.

I thought the colonel was in a hurry.

The colonel's in a hurry not
to get to his own funeral.

God damn it, Ramirez.

Okay, hamed, give it to me one more time.

Look at the wall!

I tell what I told police.

The colonel said he
wouldn't be home for dinner

then he drive off.

That's all he said.

Which direction did they go?

I told you that the
same way they always go.

Did you notice any vehicles in the street

that didn't belong there?

Did you notice anybody following them?

No, I noticed nothing.

You know abu jihad?

I know of him.

You know of him.

Yes, I read about him like everyone else.

Did you know him at the university?

The university?

Yeah, the god damn university!

You were in his classes.

You took part in his street demonstrations.

No, I never...

We have photographs of
you walking up and down

the street with abu jihad.

Look at the wall!

I'm looking, I'm looking.

You can't make me say lies.

You can't.

I tell you a hundred time.

I've noticed nothing, I know nothing.

You know, if I did, I wouldn't tell you.

I swear I wouldn't tell you.

If it were up to me you'd tell me.

Hamed, you better help
me get my people back

or I promise you you're
gonna spend the rest

of your natural life in a world of pain.

You can put him in a cell.

I want you to watch him for me.

Gotcha, gunny.

Captain, what brings you here?

How you feeling?

I'm okay.

I heard your men were taken.

For a one camel country,
news travels awful fast, sir.

Look, sergeant.

I care just as much about my men

as you do about yours.

Despite what you imagine,

arab terrorists don't just
kill Americans or Israelis,

they kill many many more arabs.

Nobody wants this people more than I do.

I understand that completely, captain,

however, this time it's
my men that they have.

He wants, more than anything,

to prove his devotion to the
cause of the revolution.

You must understand these people, sergeant.

To make them talk, you must use other ways.

Well, I'll think about that, captain.

What he tell you?

Nothing.

Wait, what are you doing?

Stop it, I don't know
where your people are.

Stop it, I don't know nothing.

I told you that.

Stop it!

I really don't know anything.

Stop shooting, I don't know.

Stop it, I don't know where your people.

Stop it!

Where's my men, hamed?

I really don't know.

I believe him.

We need your support, elli.

Gavril, my sympathies have always been

with the homeless of the arab world.

Yeah it's true and we appreciate that.

You're a journalist.

You must help us use that.

I always have.

I know, I know.

That's why we want you
to tell the Americans

to release our poor
brothers who are in prison

in exchange for the colonel.

Why would they negotiate with me?

It doesn't matter.

If they respond, they are weak.

If they fail to respond, they lose face.

In any event does it matter still for you?

I welcome any chance to
expose these Americans

for what they really are.

Why is it you look so familiar to me?

We have met before.

Where?

Amsterdam.

You were with a group of students

who came to visit hans.

That is right.

You were with hans kroger,
you were friends.

We were more than friends.

His death must have been
very painful for you.

I still miss hans and I
hate the zionists bastards

who killed him, if that's
what you want to know.

I did not mean to upset you.

You haven't upset me.

It's just a sensitive subject.

I guess I'm not over it yet.

Death is a selfish lover.

Are you that comfortable with it?

When you're as close
to death as I have been

you learn to embrace it.

Somehow I can't used to that idea.

The closer you get to
it, the easier it is.

Amin, it's a great honor
that the minister of fiance

should come see me.

Why have you insisted that I come here?

You know the sort of risk that I take.

And what about the risk I am taking?

I'm a hunted man, amin.

I'm here because of you,

your cause, your country.

It is our cause.

In this cause we are brothers, are we not?

Then I must be the poor brother.

For you are the one with
the chalet in lake Geneva

and the number bank accounts.

On occasions before this one,

that money has been used
to help you, brother.

It is now the same.

If it took only money, you
wouldn't need me, would you?

Jihad and his followers will die

to free this country.

And when will that happen?

Just give me what I want

and soon enough jemal
will be in your hands.

These Americans will be gone.

They will soon abandon
nadir, you have my word.

I believe you.

There's one other little matter.

Name it.

Hamed, the colonel's houseboy.

He's in prison.

I want him out.

Beautiful oranges.

Reality is, Ms. bauman,
the United States does not

nor will not negotiate with terrorists.

I understand that, Mr. ambassador.

I was only asked to present their demands.

I don't appreciate being used
as a messenger by such people.

Then what are you doing it for?

If I can help you in any
way to get your people back

I'm willing to do that.

If you have any influence
with these people

who are holding out men...

I have no influence.

I'm just a media source
for them, that's all.

And you're always around
when something happens,

aren't you?

That's my job.

Is it your job watching innocent
people being slaughtered?

All right, sergeant, that's enough.

This tact isn't getting us anywhere.

Sergeant.

Ms. bauman, I will
convey the rebel's demands

to the state department and
when we get an official reply

you'll hear from us.

I'll be at my hotel, Mr.
Ambassador.

Thank you.

I care about colonel halloran
and sergeant Ramirez,

I care a great deal but
I've got to do this one

by the book, the colonel knows that.

It goes with the job.

I'm well aware of that, Mr. ambassador

however, Ms. bauman knows much
more than she's telling us.

Yes, she told us she was blindfolded

and taken to their camp

and held without definite information.

She is just a journalist.

They're only using her.

Yes and why aren't we?

You leave her alone.

We will wait for our instructions

from the state department
and we will do this one

by the books, sergeant.

With all due respect, Mr. ambassador,

I hope you never to tell that to Mrs.
Halloran.

How many freedom fighters
you killing now, marine?

It is good to see you
again, my little brother.

I am grateful for my release.

You withstood the beating well?

I told them nothing.

What did they ask you?

Only where their men were.

But you did not know that, did you?

No, it is so

but they don't believe me.

You know this sergeant is big as you jihad.

He humiliated me.

Will you like to get
back at those marines?

Yes, I would do anything for this chance.

Allah will praise you.

You will soon prove you are
more of a man than anyone.

What must I do?

Jihad will prepare you.

You will be a hero to the revolution.

I'm ready, jihad.

You can trust me to the death.

Till the death, then.

What about it, colonel?

Sign this confession
saying you brought arms

to suppress the people here

and save your sergeant a beating.

Go fuck yourself.

The colonel is a difficult man.

Perhaps I can convince him?

His hand.

Made in America, colonel.

Now it's your turn, sergeant.

No, no!

Don't!

Let me make a statement or something.

I'll sign the fucking papers!

Okay, come on.

Will you have the same sentiments

in the morning, sergeant?

Don't forgot who you are.

I'll sign anything.

Just don't put that thing in my leg.

Would you like a cigarette, sergeant?

I'm dying for a cigarette.

You will have it.

Is our cigarette too strong
for American marines, huh?

Bend down, motherfucker!

Piece of shit.

Let's get him inside.

Detail ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Detail present arms!

I'm sorry, sergeant.

But you realize this does
not change anything.

It does for me.

Your friends killed sergeant Ramirez

and now you're gonna
tell me where they are!

Go ahead, you can beat me

but that won't get your colonel back.

I'll take that chance.

Where are they?

Think about it, sergeant,
because if you are right

about me, you will be putting
his life in greater danger.

What the hell do you
know about human life?

Ramirez's body was practically shot in half

for Christ's sake.

His mother wouldn't recognize him.

I'm sorry about your
friend, I didn't know.

You Americans have learned
nothing from Vietnam.

Go home, sergeant.

Bury your dead and go home.

This isn't your war.

It is now.

Gunny, there's an old
guy up in your office

says he wants to talk to you,

says he's got something for you.

Who's with him?

Corporal James.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

How do you do?

I understand you have something for me.

Yes, yes.

Where did you get these?

On the street.

Where on the street?

Where I work.

I'm a fruit vendor.

Fruit vendor.

Can you show me where you got these?

Oh yeah, yeah.

It's no problem.

Yeah?

This is cidni alley, you know the road,

and this is Mohammad jer.

That's near the water, yes?

Near the water, this is the water

and this is the tenement building.

Gunny, down here!

Down here, gunny!

Gunny!

Allah akbar!

Grenade!

Let's get out of here.

Now the Americans will
have their hands full.

Yeah, full of blood.

It is a shame elli
bauman will not be there

to cover the story.

Since she is our friend,

I am sure she will not mind coming with us.

I dislike her.

She was close to hans kroger.

I do not believe that.

She has used the press to help further

the cause of our revolution.

I wonder why?

Maybe if she gets to know
us better she will tell us?

Get the hell out of here!

Stay back!

Let them through.

Over here, give me a hand.

Let's move it.

Get this ambulance out of here.

Where's my vi com,
I need some oxygen, too!

Coming.

Please, he bust open passed out.

Hurry up.

I need some help here.

Stop right there.

There's a tourniquet right up here.

Fire, fire.

Sergeant, we've got to get
all our people out of here.

I voted immediate evacuation
of all American personnel

from jemal and I've got to call my wife.

We can't leave yet, we
don't have our people back.

James, hit the front gate,
keep these people out of here.

All these innocent people.

What kind of savages would do this?

What kind of sav...

Have you seen the colonel?

He's under this, isn't he?

Tell me the truth, he's
buried under all of this?

No, Virgil.

He's not here.

Well we can't wait!

We've got to get our people out of here.

We gotta see about that head wound.

Ruggieri.

So much blood everywhere.

Why?

Why?

Maybe it's because it's so cheap here.

Get him over to the truck.

Where's the triage officer?

Where's the triage officer?

No, no.

Okay.

Sergeant burns.

An old vendor told me to tell you

if you want to know who did this

to come to the fruit warehouse
in the market place.

Hey, wait a minute!

Gunny, over here.

It's captain sayed.

He died for his country, James.

Ruggieri, move it.

Now, look.

We've been ordered to evacuate.

I want both of you to take my Jeep,

get down to the airport,

I want you to help out and
evacuate all us personnel.

Help with the locals if you can.

With the medical you know what to do.

Are you gonna meet us
at the airport, gunny?

I'll be at the airport

and when I do, I better
find your asses loaded

on that aircraft, you understand me?

Yes, sir, gunny.

Let's go.

You want to buy
some fruit, soldier?

Who the hell are you?

A harmless fruit peddler, remember?

You can put down your weapon.

If we wanted to kill
you, you'd be dead now.

We are the Mossad.

Israeli intelligence.

That's right.

Well, I'm impressed with your makeup.

What do you want?

We've been tracking Pablo
gavril and maude winter.

Two international terrorists responsible

for many crimes against
our people and yours.

These are the people who have your colonel.

I assume you know where they are.

We do.

We thought you and your men
would like to join us.

My men have been evacuated.

What about the jemalis?

You can't trust them.

There is a conspiracy in the government.

That's why gavril and maude are here.

Are you with us?

Yeah.

Is this an interrogation, jihad?

After all I've gone on
behalf of your organization.

How can you assume...

We assume nothing!

Everyone in this room is under suspicion.

I've never betrayed you.

My dear, elli.

That you are alive and with us demonstrates

our willingness to believe you.

Perhaps, you have forgotten something.

I have forgotten nothing.

You twice met this sergeant burns.

And I only told him
what I was instructed.

I gave him useless photographs.

He was seen leaving your room!

He was furious about the
death of his sergeant.

And yet, it was right after that

that the tenement was attacked.

How can you explain that?

I don't know.

I told him nothing.

Elli, a disturbing recollection

has recently begun to haunt me.

You recall our colleague herr kroger?

How he died?

Yes.

The Mossad.

They are ruthless fanatics.

You interviewed him
just before his death.

I do not believe in coincidence.

What are you saying?

I was in love with hans kroger.

Hans kroger preferred boys.

Young boys.

You lying bitch!

Jew whore.

Get her out.

What did you do, give
them some bad press?

We're in this together, colonel.

I'm with the Mossad.

We searched elli bauman's room

and found pictures and maps of their camp.

It's an abandoned monastery
high in the mountains.

What about elli bauman?

She's with them.

What kind of resistance
can we expect here?

There is at least 40 well
trained, well armed fanatics.

Count about eight of us.

For an Israeli, that makes it about even.

James, god damn it!

Did I or did I not tell you

to get your asses on that airplane?

What are you doing here?

We got all the embassy
personnel on board, gunny.

Plane lifted off at 17:30.

Do you realize we're
facing a court martial here?

We're not leaving without
you and the colonel, gunny.

Really?

That's right.

How'd you find me?

Kids will tell you anything
for some pogi, gunny.

Some pogi?

Semper fi, gunny.

You assholes.

Let's talk weapons.

Ak-47.

Saw.

What is that a box of m203s?

A law.

We've got enough, don't we?

The terrorists weren't the only one

who picked the jemali stocks.

These rebels are not a rag tag army.

What the Russians didn't give them,

you probably sold them.

But don't worry, we stole a lot of it back.

I like the odds.

You have done well, gauvril.

The Americans are evacuating.

Without their beloved colonel?

They will not negotiate for his release.

Just as well, he must die for hamed.

Not so fast, jihad.

The longer we have the colonel

the more we remind the world
how weak these Americans are.

Gavril is right, jihad.

It is an embarrassment an idea

that his allies can do nothing.

It shows to our faithful
that he has no power.

Take heart, jihad.

When nadir falls, you
can give these marines

back their colonel.

In little pieces.

James.

Move it.

Colonel, come on!

Gunny!

Gunny.

Gunny.

Gunny.

Take me home, gunny.

Take me home.

I'll take you home.

Let's move it, James.

Yes, sir, gunny.

Let's take him home, gunny.