Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) - full transcript

Private Williams

report to Major Penderton's
house for a work detail.

Weldon!

Yeah?

I'm goin' for a ride, Weldon.

Okay.

What do you mean
just a little scratch?

Look at that.
He's been kicked.

It's just a nick, ma'am.
He ain't hurt.

Where's my boy? Where's the boy
that takes care of Firebird?

- Private Williams?
- I guess so.



Why, ma'am,
he's up at your house.

What do you mean my house?
What's he doin' up there?

He's doing some work
for the major.

Well...

I asked Weldon to have the
garden tilled out in the back.

I've invited so many people
to my party

they're just gonna spill
out of the house.

Come on, you sweet old thing.

Alright now, private.
This, uh

this section of woods
is to be cleared here.

Take away all the undergrowth
and the briar and the bushes.

Any of the limbs
of the large trees

growing at a level of less than
6 feet are to be cut away.

- You understand?
- Yes, sir.



That's a level
of less than 6 feet.

- Yes, sir.
- Fine.

Now your boundary will be
this large oak tree here.

You won't have to clear
beyond it.

Uh, just from the edge
of the grass here

to the oak tree there.

I'll expect you
to complete this work today.

All, all tools we've got
will be found in the garage.

I'll be back sometime
late this afternoon.

Listen, I think that

the thing we all overlook,
everybody forgets

is that who really knows

what happened to her
in her mind?

Nobody knows that.

- Also--
- Also? Also what?

Well, hell, Leonora,
it's been three months.

Now she hasn't tried to do
anything like that since

and, uh, she,
she seems to be okay.

Oh, what does that prove,
Morris?

That Alison really is alright?

Well, yes, I guess so.
She hasn't tried to do it again.

How could she?

What she did is something
a lady can only do once now, isn't it?

Hey, give me your cap.
I wanna pick some blackberries.

There.

Now let's take two things
Clausewitz says.

First, the theory of warfare
tries to discover

how we make any preponderance
of physical forces

and material advantages
at a decisive point.

And two,
one of the strongest, uh

weapons of offensive warfare
is the surprise attack.

Now I, uh, I would not like
to improve on Clausewitz

but I would say that
the, uh, that the night attack

is, uh, one of the strongest
weapons of offensive warfare.

Uh, we can look
to Major General Terry Allen

when he, uh, commanded
his forces in North Africa.

He employed the, uh,
the night attack to the maximum.

Economy of force, uh...

Uh, economy of force.

Concentration,
surprise, security

uh, offensive action,
movement, cooperation,

all these have their application
in the night operation.

Susie!

Susie, I'm home!

Hi there, soldier.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Oh, wait a minute.

Pull!

I think I'll have my drink
out here.

I might as well do those
invitations while I'm at it too.

Soldier, I heard
you were here this morning

down at the stables.

My Firebird has been kicked.

- How?
- That I would like to know.

Probably by some damn mule

or maybe they put him in
with the mares.

I was pretty mad about it.
I asked for you.

- Thanks, Susie.
- Yes, ma'am.

Soldier, do you want a drink?

Want a drink, soldier?

No, ma'am.

- Don't you ever drink?
- No, ma'am.

- Not ever?
- No, ma'am.

Ah.

Are...

c-cord--

Oh, damn.

- Good evening, Leonora.
- Huh.

Well, there they are,
all 64 of them.

I hope
I haven't left anybody out.

How do you spell cordially?

Cordially.
C-O-R-D-I-A-double-L-Y.

Oh, no!

Don't tell me I have to do 'em
all over again.

- Oh.
- Well, I expect you better.

Oh, God.

What's the matter with you?

Private, the whole idea
was in the big oak tree.

The instructions were to clear
the ground just to the oak tree.

I mean, the way the branches
swept down and made a background

shuttin' off the rest
of the wood was the whole point.

Now it's all ruined.

What would the major
like me to do?

Well, the major would like you
to pick up the branches

and nail them back on again.

No, no, just, uh,
get some leaves here

and cover the bare spots where
the bush has been removed.

Then you can go.

Here.

That's the boy from the stables

the one that takes care
of Firebird.

Yes, well...

he's also the soldier
that ruined

a brand-new silk suit for me.

Oh?

Spilled the better part of
a coffee pot all over my knees.

That was two years ago,
wasn't it?

It'd be hell of a lot longer
than that before you forget it.

I dislike clumsiness,
willful or otherwise.

Well, there's nothing clumsy
about the way

he handles Firebird.

Morris says he's never seen
an enlisted man

to handle a horse to equal him.

Morris would find something
to like in any enlisted man.

Alright then.
Firebird likes him.

Firebird's a horse.

Firebird is a stallion.

So these two little queers
went into this bar

and this great big bald barman

was looking at them
for a long time.

Finally he said,
"Are you two sisters?"

And they said, "Hell, no.
We're not even Catholic."

Oh, you're so funny.

For God's sakes, Leonora,
why don't you go upstairs

and put your shoes on?

Oh, my.

Oh, my mm...

You look like a slattern
goin' around the house this way.

The Langdons are coming to dinner,
I suppose you're gonna sit down

at the table like that.

Sure. Why not, prissy?

You disgust me.

Oh, I'll kill you.
I swear I'll kill you.

I'll do it! I will kill you!

Son, have you ever been collared

and dragged out into the street

and thrashed by a naked woman?

Huh?

Would anyone, uh,
like a drink?

- I would, thanks.
- Uh-huh.

- Alison?
- Very, very light, please.

- ♪ Well whiskey ♪
- Soda?

Do you want another card?

Mm-hmm.

- Big one?
- Not too big, not too small.

Make mine straight on the rocks.
Not too big, not too small.

I'll have the same, Weldon

with a little of that
branch water.

Weldon, your wife's cheating.

She just tried to look
at this card to see if she--

I did not.

You caught me
before I had a chance to.

- What have you got there?
- I'm surprised at you, Morris.

Sittin' down playing cards
with a woman

expecting her
not to cheat you.

What's this?
A new sweater for your husband?

It's for Captain Weincheck.

Captain Weincheck.

I forgot to invite him.

Well, that's kind of
the story of his life, isn't it?

Everybody forgets
about Weincheck

includin' the promotion board.

And he's about
the oldest captain in the army.

Will somebody, please, tell me

why Captain Weincheck
is unpopular?

Is it because he plays
the violin, reads Proust?

Oh, do you remember that tea he gave?

Classical records and cat hairs.

And before God, tea.

Only tea.

Captain Weincheck
is a gentleman.

And he's not a thief.

Well, who said he was?

Oh, that afternoon you were
speaking of, at his apartment?

Somebody stole a little silver
Georgian teaspoon.

One of a set of eight belonging
to his great-grandmother.

It was gone
when we went to tidy up.

He asked me
never to tell about it.

But somebody stole that spoon.

Well, I didn't. Wasn't me.

Well, I'm gonna put everything
I have on this one hand.

And if I win, I'll have
every chip on the table.

Hit me.

- Are aces ones?
- Mm-hm.

Blackjack!

I must be getting along.

But you stay, Morris.
Don't break up the party.

Goodnight, everybody.

Alison, I'll see you
to your doorstep.

Goodnight, Alison.

She is crazy.

No, she's not.

You know,
I had the best doctors for her.

They all say she's fine.

Well, now, look here,
you know we're scared for her

just to go from our front door
to yours alone.

Well...

Cutting off her nipples
with a pair of garden shears.

You call that normal?

My God! Garden shears!

No, but she's not, you know...

Doctor says she's neurotic.

It'll take time, that's all.

Time?

It's been three years
since she had that baby.

So it died.

But that was three years ago.

She's not getting any better.
She's just getting worse.

Do you think
she has any idea about us?

No, no.

Well, I hope not.

I like Alison.

Look, uh, now that
Alison's gone home, uh,

you two don't mind if I do
a little work, do you?

Play a couple of hands
with us.

Well, I got my lecture
to prepare and...

You work too hard, Weldon.

Why don't you come
ridin' with us tomorrow?

Well, we'll see.

Do you good.
Shake up your liver.

Well, I might. I might.

Blackjack!

Goodnight, Weldon.

But I don't need a suit,
Anacleto.

But you do.

You haven't bought a garment
in more than a year.

And the green frock
is bien use at the elbow

and ready
for the Salvation Army.

Oh!

My God, you're a rare bird,
you are.

How much is it?

What I wouldn't give
to get you in my battalion

for just a day.

It is tres cher.

Oh.

But one could not expect to get
such quality for anything else.

And think of the years
of service.

We'll see about it.

Oh, go on and buy the dress,
for God's sake.

And while we are about it

we might order
an extra yard or so.

- Then I can have a jacket.
- Alright.

If I decide to get it.

What do you mean, Leonora?

What is that

you and Captain Weincheck
were playing it

last Thursday afternoon?

Oh, the opening bar

of the Franck A Major Sonata.

Look.

Just this minute
made me compose a ballet.

Black velvet curtains...

and a glow
like winter twilight.

Very slowly
with the whole cast.

Then a spotlight follows solo
like a flame.

Very dashing.

And with the waltz...

Mr. Sergei Rachmaninoff play.

Bravo, bravo, Anacleto.

- Did he hurt himself?
- I'm alright, Madam Alison.

I wish you'd broken
your damn neck.

Williams, bring out Firebird.

The lady's here. Mason?

Now I believe if a horse
really wants to throw you

well, he will,
but I think most of the time

they're just feeling good
and they're just having fun.

Well, now, you take Firebird.

The minute he starts
to feel me slip

he stops messing around.

Of course, he's a gentleman.

There's my sweet old baby.

Come on now. Oh, come on now.

Come on, quit that.

If the major could see himself
from behind

he would never get on a horse.

You see, this uncle of mine

had this, uh, cabin
up in the mountains

and my brothers and I
used to go up there

all the time to hunt.

About six of us would go out
in the afternoon with our dogs.

Oh, really more the evening.
My God, it would be cold.

A little colored boy, you know,
would be coming running behind

with a big jug of liquor
on his back.

Sometimes we'd be out
in the mountains

all night long
huntin' raccoon.

Oh, I just can't tell you
what it was like.

- What do you want, Williams?
- May I take out the black mare?

- Did you do all your stalls?
- Yeah.

Okay.

- You alright, Weldon?
- Incompetent brute.

It's not the horse's fault.
It's yours.

I mean, you, you can't expect
a horse to take a jump

if you don't ride him at it.

Weldon, that's Private Williams,
isn't it?

It certainly is.

Bareback to bare-ass.

It's outrageous.

You go on ahead,
I'll attend to him.

Oh, what, spoil his fun?

I thought all that
old mare could do

is stumble and shamble.

But look at her move now.
Would you look at that?

That boy can horseback.
He's got a great pair of hands.

A disgrace.

Oh, come off it, Weldon.

Leonora.

Leonora, come on. Get up.

Get up.

- Come on. Get up.
- Mm.

Go on to bed.

Come on.

Go on up to bed now.

Sure you're not sleepy?

Oh, no, Madam Alison.

I had a nap this afternoon.

And I dreamt about Catherine.

What was it you dreamed?

Rather like...

holding a butterfly
in my hands.

And I was nursing her
in my lap.

Then the dream changed.

Instead of Catherine

I had on my knees one of
the colonel's riding boots.

The boot...

was full of squirming
newly born mice.

And I was trying
to keep them in.

Keep them from crawling up
all over me.

Shh, Anacleto, please.

Dreams.

They are strange things
to think about.

In the afternoons
in the Philippines

when the pillow is damp

and the sun shines in the room

the dream is of another sort.

Uh, then in the north at night

when it is snowing

then it is...

Look.

A peacock.

A sort of ghastly green...

with one immense
golden eye.

And in it...

these reflections
of something tiny and...

tiny and...

Grotesque.

Exactly.

- Oh, it's charming.
- Oh.

Fantastique.

Oh, aren't they pretty?

I haven't seen any
since I was a girl.

I remember these
and a crystal paperweight

that made a snowstorm
when you shook it.

Anacleto, are you happy?

Why, certainly, when you are well.

Madam Alison,
do you yourself really believe

that Mr. Sergei Rachmaninoff knows

that a chair is something
to be sat on

and that a clock
shows one the time?

And if I should
take off my shoe

and hold it up to his face and say,

"What is this,
Mr. Sergei Rachmaninoff?"

then he would answer
like anyone else,

"Why, Anacleto,
that is a shoe."

I myself find it
hard to realize.

Hmm.

I could have knocked
on that door downstairs

until doomsday
before either one of you

would have heard me
over all that music.

Oh, thank you.

Alison, how are you?

Oh, I didn't sleep at all
last night.

Oh, I am sorry.

Well, now you just take
a good nap this afternoon

'cause you just gotta make it
for tonight.

Make what?

For God's sakes, Alison,
my party.

I've been working
like a fool

for three days
gettin' everything ready.

Why, I don't give a party
like this but twice a year.

Of course. I-it just slipped
my mind for the moment.

Listen, here's the way
it's gonna go.

I'm gonna put all the leaves
in the dining room table

so everybody can just kind of
mill around and help themselves.

I have two baked Virginia hams

one huge turkey,

fried chicken, cold sliced pork,

and plenty
of barbecued spareribs,

and all kinds
of little knick-knacks, like...

oh, pickled onions

and olives and radishes.

Oh, and we're gonna start off
by serving hot rolls

and hot little cheese biscuits
and stuff like that.

Oh, and I'm gonna have the
punchbowl over in the corner.

And for those
that like their liquor straight

I'm gonna have
on the sideboard

eight bottles
of Kentucky bourbon,

five of rye,

five of Scotch...

Oh, and listen, I'm bringing in
an entertainer from out of town

who's gonna play the accordion,
and later on--

But who on earth
is going to eat all that food?

Well, the whole shebang.
I've invited everybody

from old Sugar
and his wife on down.

Leonora, how can you call the
commanding general old Sugar?

Oh, Alison, I've known Julius
practically all my life.

Why, he was my daddy's
chief of staff.

Oh, Alison,
I wanna ask you a favor.

Do you think Anacleto could,
please, serve the punch for me?

Well, I'm sure
Anacleto would be delighted.

Oh, thank you, honey.

Oh, and Susie's two brothers,

they're helpin' out
in the kitchen.

I've never seen anything to equal it.

By the way, is Susie married?

Susie? Oh, good heavens, no.

She won't have anything
to do with men.

She was caught
when she was about 14 years old

and she's never forgotten.
But why?

Ah, I was almost sure
I saw someone

come out of your house
by the backdoor.

Just before dawn.

You just imagined it, honey.

Oh. Perhaps so.

- Alison?
- Yes.

I hope you'll forgive
my saying this,

but I really don't see
how you're gonna get any better

staying in this dark room
all day long.

Now whenever I'm sick
or tired or nervous,

I get on the back of a horse
and I ride myself better.

Now, I know you could do the
same thing. I know you can ride.

Why, you told me you used
to foxhunt, didn't you?

Yes.

Oh, did I ever tell you about
the time I was out foxhuntin'

with a 13-year-old girl,
the whipper-in,

and she broke her neck?

Yes, you have told me

every terrible detail
five times.

Oh.

Your lunch, Madam Alison.

Oh, oh, lunchtime? I've gotta go.

Listen, I'll see you
later on tonight

and you be there
at 4:30, okay?

Now don't you see me
out to the door.

I'll see you later, honey,
okay? Bye-bye.

Oh.

Anacleto, I am going
to divorce the colonel.

Madam Alison,
where shall we go after that?

That I have not yet decided.

Do you think
we might live in a hotel?

It's a possibility.

Or we could run a prawn boat
somewhere.

We could live on the boat.

How much money
do you have in the bank?

Four hundred and twenty five
dollars and six cents.

- Do you want me to draw it out?
- No, not now.

But we might need it later.

Whoa.

I'll kill you,
you bastard. You...

Son of a bitch!

I'll kill you,
you dirty bastard!

Please.

Please.

Oh, oh, God!

My daddy
was an eight-goal man.

I got up to four goals
once myself.

Leonora, they let a lady play polo?

Why, sure, sometimes.
And I was pretty good.

Of course, my daddy
was Old Leather Breeches.

We were stationed at Fort Myer
at the time.

And all the men thought
they'd have to accommodate me.

You know, a girl playing.

Well, I taught them
a thing or two.

Before the first chukka
was over, they had to carry

two of them off the field.

I just had to go
and ride them off...

- Good evening, colonel.
- How are you, captain?

Fine. Fine, thank you.

Uh, Anacleto tells me that, uh,

Mrs. Langdon will not be here
this evening.

No, she's not feeling well.

Uh, I wonder,
would it be alright

if I ran over
for a few minutes?

Sure. You go on over there.

Listen, there's nothing wrong
with her, you know...

- Where's Weldon?
- Yeah, where is Weldon?

Now go on over and talk to her.
She'll be real glad to see you.

- Run along.
- Thank you.

Can't you see him,
trudging down the highway

the stick over his shoulder
and his precious Clausewitz

wrapped in a red bandana?

Who? Who?

- My husband.
- Oh.

My horse, uh, threw me
and then ran away.

Yes, sir, I know.

Private Williams found him
and brought him in.

- He here?
- Yes, sir.

He's in the stall
with Firebird.

Oh, sounds like a good party.

It's probably the last party
I'll attend on this post.

- Or any other.
- Why, Murray.

Penderton called me in
this afternoon.

He said, "I want you to know
what I'm doing, Weincheck.

"I can't,
in all conscience, give you

better than satisfactory
on your efficiency report."

It was quite a blow.

He went on. He said, uh

"It's not that you're remiss
in your duties.

It's just that you lack certain,
uh, qualities of leadership."

Oh, dear.

So I said, "In that case

I'm leaving the service."

And Penderton said,
"I hoped that that would be

"your reaction, Weincheck,
because frankly

I don't see much of a future
for you in the Army."

He said he was really
doing me a favor.

Well, maybe he was.

Hey, what's the joke?

The little Filipino there
put perfume

in a specimen
of Alison Langdon's urine

before taking it to the hospital
for analysis.

- Who says?
- You know something else?

The same boy got through
one day to the general

and he asked the general
to please stop that soldier

from blowing his bugle
at 6 o'clock in the morning

because it disturbed
Mrs. Langdon's rest.

And when the general said, "Do
you know who you're talking to?"

He said, "Of course, le garçon
de maison to Mrs. Langdon."

He was trying to say
houseboy in Fren--

Weldon?

Weldon?

What in the world
happened to you?

Well, the horse, uh...

the horse stumbled and I fell
into a blackberry bush.

He ran off and...

Oh, my.

You are a mess.

What horse were you riding?

What horse were you ridin'?

Ooh, Firebird.

Firebird?

What in the world
were you doing on him?

You know you can't horseback
well enough to ride him.

You say he ran away?

Is he loose?

Well...

well, he found his...

he found his way back
to the stable.

How is he?

He's alright.

Are you sure he's alright?

Yeah.

Any cuts on him?

No, he's alright.

Who beat him?

Nobody here, ma'am.

That son of a bitch.

Well, certainly, a horse cavalry
is a thing of the past

but that's not the point.

The point is that polo playin'

is great trainership, training

for the leadership
of an officer.

That's what I say.

And, and the polo grounds
have produced

more great leaders than,
than the playing fields

of Eton anytime.

Uh, Pershing played polo,
didn't he, general?

- Patton played polo.
- Summerall.

- MacArthur.
- Right.

- Devers.
- Terry Allen.

Right. It's just a damn shame

that a country
as rich and powerful as ours

can't spend a few dollars

to buy some oats
for some horses.

So Firebird's alright, is he?

You lousy bastard!

Beating my horse!
My Firebird!

What did Major Penderton do?

He stood like a statue.

He did not defend himself.

She struck him time and again

as hard as she could
right across the face.

His face was already torn
from the riding accident

which made it
all the more horrible.

Was she drunk?

Everybody thought so,
but she wasn't.

I should know.
I was the barman.

I dispensed the drinks.

- Are you sleepy, Madam Alison?
- Not at all.

Shall I get our watercolors
so we paint for a while?

- If you like.
- I shall be back suddenly.

- Soon.
- Oh, yes. Soon.

Excuse me, colonel.

Are, are you asleep, my dear?

Yes. Dead asleep.

Well, my God.

What a, what a debacle.

I've heard all
I want to hear from Anacleto.

Oh...

Well, my dear...

you should have been there.

Mercifully, I wasn't.

Mm.

Well...

just a little kiss.

Ah, kiss you night-night.

- Mwah.
- Goodnight, Morris.

Well.

...56, 63, 17.

I...couldn't get my breath.

I couldn't breathe.

It's alright. I am here.

Ah.

Thank you, sergeant.

Parade, hut!

Code ten-hut!

Parade, present, ho!

Order, ho!

Hut, ho!

Order, ho!

She keeps imagining
all these things, you know.

Yesterday she thought
the house was on fire.

Said she could smell smoke.

Then this morning
when I was home...

she swore up and down she
could hear some kid screaming.

There had been an accident
with a car and...

Oh, and she said
Anacleto and I have to go around

and ask all the neighbors and...

so we did.
I felt like a damn fool.

How's it going
with you and Weldon?

Mm, better.

A lot better.
A hell of a lot better.

Why, he's a changed boy.

He's even polite to me
when we're alone.

Hmm.

I guess
I shouldn't have done it

but what the hell.

He had it coming.

- Beating my horse.
- Hmm.

I guess everybody thinks
I was drunk, don't they?

I guess so.

You know, it's a damn
good thing for Weldon.

A damn lucky thing
the general used to

bounce you on his knee 'cause...

Oh.

Oh, if Alison pulled a stunt
like that

I'd get transferred so fast,
it'd make your hair grow.

Well, now,
Alison wouldn't do a thing

like that now, would she?

No.

Hey, the fights are tonight.
You wanna go to the fights?

Yeah, sure, I'd love to.

What's so damn funny?

Well, Weldon said he fell
in a blackberry patch.

Can you imagine, of all things?

A blackberry patch.

...between Corporal Jose Fernandez

in black trunks,

and Private First Class
Harry Higby

in the white trunks.

Oh, hit him back!

Come on!

Get him!

Come on!

Oh, no!

Get up!

Get up!

Get up!

Oh, no!

I don't believe it.

Well, I think
I'll be going along now.

- Oh!
- I'm going back to the office.

To the office?
This time of night? You crazy?

Well, I've got
a lot of work to do.

Finish up.
I'll see y'all later.

Have someone drive you
over there and wait for you.

No, uh, thank you, Morris.

Uh, I think
the walk will do me good.

- I'll see you all later. Bye.
- All right.

- He's still down.
- Oh, he's alright.

Morris.

I think you better go up
to your wife's room.

She's not alone.

My husband is with her.

Alison, you shouldn't be
wandering around like this.

Uh, I'll take you home.

You don't mean to sit there
and tell me you know this

and do nothing about it?

Alison.

Alison.

I went to see where you were,
and you weren't there.

Where have you been?

There's something
you should know.

Leonora isn't only
deceiving her husband

she is deceiving you, too

with an enlisted man.

Furthermore,
I'm going to get a divorce.

And as I have no money

I would appreciate
your lending me the sum of $500.

I will pay you back
at five percent interest

with Anacleto and
Captain Weincheck as guarantors.

You need not feel any further
responsibility toward me.

Anacleto and I will go
into some business together

or buy a prawn boat, maybe.

And now will you, please,
help him

bring my trunk up
from the cellar?

We have to pack and be out
of here early tomorrow morning.

I just remembered, Anacleto.

Moultrie Ville, South Carolina.

It's beautiful and small.

I went there once when I was
seven to visit a great-aunt.

My Great-Aunt Evelyn.

It's near Charleston.

It is on the sea.

And the people
are most civilized.

Oh, uh, uh,
bring the timetables.

Where are they?

Ah, good.

Ah, Columbia.

Columbia. 10:20.

We shall leave this house
forever at 8:00 in the morning.

That will give us plenty of time

to buy the tickets
and get the Pullman seats.

Oh, Anacleto.

We will want
a picnic basket.

I do not care for Pullman fare.
Oh, what shall we do?

Oh, but, Madam Alison,
today I bought a poussin.

- I shall go and prepare it now.
- And hard-boiled eggs.

- And sweet pickles.
- Yeah.

Colonel Kelly, please.

Hey,
where were you last night?

Got something goin' for you,
huh?

Him? You kiddin'?

His daddy told him

women carry a terrible disease...

and you mustn't
ever touch 'em.

L.G.'s a virgin.
Ain't you, L.G.?

Our doctor's from Walter Reed.
You know, Colonel Kelly.

But after he looked at her,
he said

he had to bring in
another doctor.

Some psychiatrist.

And it was...

plain awful.

I just felt so damn ashamed
for her.

They were lighting matches

and holding 'em up
in front of her face

and asking her
all kinds of questions

and, and Anacleto kept
interfering.

We had to lock him up
in his room.

Hm. She wouldn't cooperate
with them, anyway.

So...

finally they said...

said we have to send her away to a...

to a sanitarium.

And I said, "Now, listen, uh,
I--I don't want her in someplace

"where they're gonna have
straitjackets.

"None of that stuff.

"Just, uh...

"someplace where she can be
quiet and comfortable and, uh...

"listen to her records
if she wants to

and have a room
for Anacleto."

So they said they know, uh,

an institution
that's in Virginia

that's just like a luxury hotel.

How soon?

As soon as they, uh, make the
arrangements, whatever they do.

Good afternoon.
No, don't get up.

I'm Dr. Burgess.
Welcome to our small community.

Will you be staying with us
overnight, Colonel Langdon?

No.
No, I have to get right back.

Well, you may be sure we'll take
good care of Mrs. Langdon.

You won't be getting up
tomorrow.

You'll stay in bed,
and we'll start making you well again.

Well...

it's a nice place, isn't it?

Alcoholics.

Senility.

Paresis.

Oh, my God.

What a choice crew.

Soldier, pick up that cigarette butt.

Fieldstrip it.

A soldier is a soldier
24 hours a day.

- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.

Soldier, who checked you
out of barracks?

Why is that pocket unbuttoned?
Button it.

When did you blitz
that buckle?

Don't you have
any shoe polish?

Yes, sir.

Soldier, you'll report
to the orderly room right away.

Yes, sir.

Major! Major Penderton!

Major Penderton,
have you heard?

- Heard what?
- Alison.

Mrs. Langdon, she's dead.

No, no.
No, no. I haven't heard.

What? What?

Alison. Mrs. Langdon.
She's dead.

Well, but the c-c-colonel
isn't back yet.

No, he's on the noon train.
It was a coronary.

It happened just after he left,
it seems.

We received a telegram
at division headquarters.

We opened it. We didn't know
what was in it, naturally.

Alison?

I'm almost finished, Morris.

Why don't you give them to
Weincheck, all these records?

He'd be happy to have 'em.

Oh, I think I'll keep 'em
over in my room.

I might wanna play 'em
sometime.

Oh, now, Morris, you know
you hate classical records.

Don't talk like that. It's...

Well, it's morbid.

Well, she gave that little thing
to Anacleto

and he kept it up here.

Damn, I wish he'd come back.

Strange he didn't show up
at the funeral, isn't it?

Yeah, he just packed up
all her things

and got out of that hospital
the morning after she died.

Just, just disappeared.

Funny, isn't it?

You know,
I never told you this, but...

when Catherine was born...

Alison had
a hell of a time of it.

- Thirty three hours in labor.
- Mm.

Thirty three solid hours.

And when it got so,
I couldn't stand

to listen to her anymore,
screamin', you know.

You know who she hung on to?
Anacleto.

- Oh.
- Yep.

The little Filipino was there...

sweat pourin' down his face.

Doctor told her she wasn't
bearing down hard enough

so he'd, he'd bear down
right along with her.

Bendin' his knees,
screamin' when she'd scream.

Hell.

Leonora, I didn't know there
was anything wrong with her.

I mean,
I didn't know she was...

really sick.
I just thought she was...

I didn't realize, that's all.

Of course, you didn't realize.

Nobody did.

Oh.

Well...

I guess there's just
two things left for me now.

Keep myself fit and do my job.
Serve my country.

- Only two things?
- Hm?

Only two things?

Oh.

Not here now.

I'd tell you what let's do?

Let's go riding.

May be some blackberries left.

Now a man does not flee
because, um...

he's fighting
in an unjust cause.

He does not attack
because his cause is just.

He flees
'cause he's the weaker.

And he conquers
'cause he's the stronger.

Uh, more to the point 'cause, uh,

his leaders made him
feel stronger.

Uh, Rommel...

Patton, Marshall, MacArthur,

they, they had it.

How did they, uh...

how did they make their troops
believe that they were stronger?

Leadership is, uh, intangible...

and it's hard to measure,

difficult to describe.

Leadership must include
a measure

of inherent ability to control

uh, and direct self-confidence

based on initiative,

loyalty to superiors,

and a sense of pride.

Pride.

It's far easier
to recognize a leader...

than to define leadership
in clear

and in universally
understood terms.

Uh...

Now...

is leadership, uh, learned?

Is it taught?

Is man born with it?

How'd it come to Patton?

Uh, class dismissed.

Sergeant.

Ser--

Afternoon, Major Penderton.

I'll have the black mare.

Sorry, sir.
Williams has her out.

Well, saddle any horse then.
It doesn't matter.

Yes, sir.

- Blackjack.
- Oh, damn.

You know, I used to tease
Anacleto all the time

about what I'd do to him

if I ever got him
in a battalion.

Of course,
I was kiddin' him mostly

but I really do think
if he'd joined the Army

that'd been the best thing
in the world for him.

Well, he certainly would be
flattered if he could hear

the way you carry on
about him now.

Well, he wouldn't have been
happy in the Army

but it might have made a man
out of him.

Knocked some of that nonsense
out of him, anyway.

I mean, it is a pretty awful
thing to see a grownup man

dancin' around on his toes
to some kind of silly music

and paintin' all kind of
funny-lookin' pictures

with watercolors and...

Oh, we'd have run him ragged
in the Army, alright.

And he sure would have
been miserable, but...

I think anything would be
better than all that...

all that other mess.

Any fulfillment obtained

at the expense of normality
is wrong...

and should not be allowed
to bring happiness.

In short, it's, uh...

it's better because
it's, uh, morally honorable

for the square peg to keep
scrapin' about in a round hole...

rather than to discover

and use the unorthodox one
that would fit it.

Well, yeah,
that's, that's right, Weldon.

Don't you agree with me?

No.

No, I don't.

Excuse me.

Oh.

Oh, Weldon.

Poor Rufus.

I've had him ever since
I was in boarding school.

Now you've broken him...

after all these years.

I am sorry, Leonora.
It's just all this clutter's--

What's the matter with clutter?
I like it.

Well...

I'd rather live without it.

Bare floors.
Plain white walls.

No window curtains.
Nothin' but essentials.

Well, if that's the way
you feel about it

why don't you resign
your commission

and start all over again
as an enlisted man?

Of course, you're laughin'
at it, but there's much

to be said for the life
of men among men...

with no luxuries,

no ornamentation,
utter simplicity.

It's rough and it's coarse,
perhaps

but it's also clean.

It's clean as a rifle.

There's no speck of dust inside or out.

And it's immaculate
in its hard, young fitness...

its, uh, chivalry.

They're seldom
out of one another's sight.

They eat, and they train,

and they shower,
and they play jokes,

and go to the brothel together.

They sleep side by side.

The barracks room offers
many a lesson in courtesy

and how not to give offense.

And they guard
the next man's privacy

as though it was their own.

And the friendships, my Lord.

There are friendships formed
that are stronger than...

stronger
than the fear of death.

A-and they're never lonely.

They're never lonely.

And sometimes I envy them.

Well, goodnight.

Well, I guess Alison's death
has kind of...

kind of hit him hard too.

Would you want a card?

No.

I wish
Anacleto would come back.

Well, I wish
Alison would come back.

I wish everything would be
the way it was before.

- What was that?
- What's that?

Come on, you guys.

- Get out of here.
- Ow!

Oh, oh, please.

Hey, what is this? Hey.

Hey, come on.
What's wrong, huh?

Oh!

You son of a...

Come, come on.

What's the matter?

You started it. Come on.

Come on.

Bastard.