Taps (1981) - full transcript

(ORGAN INTRO)

♪ Onward, Christian soldiers, ♪

♪ marching as to war, ♪

♪ With the cross of Jesus ♪

♪ going on before! ♪

♪ Christ, the royal Master, ♪

♪ leads against the foe ♪

♪ Forward into battle, ♪

♪ see his banner go! ♪

♪ Onward, Christian soldiers, ♪

♪ marching as to war, ♪



♪ With the cross of Jesus ♪

♪ going on before! ♪

(ALL SIT DOWN)

MAN: ...believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth.

But whether
there be prophecies,

they shall fail,

whether there be tongues,
they shall cease,

whether there be knowledge,
it shall vanish away.

For we know in part
and we prophesy in part,

but when that which
is perfect is come,

then that which is in
part shall be done away.

When I was a child,
I spake as a child,

I understood as a child,
I thought as a child.



But when I became a man,
I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass
darkly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, but then shall
I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith,
hope, charity, these three,

but the greatest
of these is charity.

♪ Glory be to the Father, ♪

♪ and to the Son, ♪
♪ and to the Holy Ghost. ♪

♪ As it was in the beginning, ♪

♪ is now, and ever shall be, ♪

♪ world without end.
Amen. Amen. ♪

♪ world without end.
Amen. Amen. ♪

(ORGAN PLAYS MARCHING MUSIC)

No call to arms
has ever gone unheeded

by a graduate of
Bunker Hill Academy.

In defense of our country and her
principles, many of our brothers

have nobly and selflessly
made the ultimate sacrifice.

To honor them,

we will close this
baccalaureate service

as we close
all services here,

by reading from
the book of remembrance.

This will be the last reading
of the book for this year.

(PLAYS TAPS)

Williams, Robert S.
Class of '60.

Pleiku.
Taps, November 19, 1967.

Yancey, Scott A.
Class of '45.

Pork Chop Hill.
Taps, April 26, 1953.

Young, Henry R.
Class of '38.

Omaha Beach.
Taps, June 6, 1944.

Youngman, Clarence M.
Class of '64.

Plei Me.
Taps, November 22, 1967.

Zimmerman, James J.
Class of '12.

The Argonne.
Taps, September 27, 1918.

Hey, yo, Jackie!
Wait up! Wait up, man!

(SHOUTING AND WHOOPING)

McGonigle, Harry the Horse, class of '22.
Sing Sing Prison.

Give it a rest.

Ferrilli, Rocky,
class of '42.

Give it a rest.

Lefty's Bar and Grill...

Hey, Brian, Dungeons
and Dragons game tonight?

Not tonight, Shawn.
Nice of you to ask.

Have a good day.

CADET: Hey, Billy, who are you
rooming with next summer?

Attention!

- Carry on.
- Thank you, sir.

Hey, Larry, what troop are
you in next year, D or F?

Keep it down!

I'm in F.

All right!
I got into Company A!

YOUNG CADET: Attention!

BOY IN CORRIDOR: Boy, I'm not gonna
miss your socks...

How's the T-shirt, Pigpen?

Turn it out, Pigpen.

Outstanding.

As you were, gentlemen.

Oh, God, thank you!

Hey, Brian,
you seen Shovel?

Not since morning.

He got this summer care
package from his mother.

One-way douche bag hid it.

Goddamn thing's
the size of a Volkswagen.

Homemade fudge,
carrot cake, date nut bread.

I'm hot on the trail
of that sucker.

Hey, when I see him,
I'll pick up...

Hey, Shovel!

Come here with that food!

Sorry, Hulk.

Want me to touch up
your shoes, sir?

I mean,

you won't want to go to the General's
with your shoes all grungy.

You know what I'm gonna hate
next year, Charlie?

- Breaking in a new plebe.
- Yeah.

Yes, sir.

Zen is no laughing matter.

Yes, sir.

Carry on.

Thank you, sir.

Four, five, six.

I can never hear that
sequence of numbers

without feeling
a rush in my blood.

You know, the siege itself was
almost as bad as the assaults,

and the assaults
were out of this world.

They kept coming at us,
wave after wave.

Totally indifferent to casualties.

Of course, the Chinese always
had plenty of bodies to spare.

They seemed to be fascinated
with our Springfield 1903.

The rifle our snipers used.

They called it
"the weapon of the silent death."

I wish I could remember
that phrase in Chinese.

Actually,
it was rather beautiful.

In battle, sir,
how do you keep from being scared?

You don't.
My God, was I scared!

I must have lost about
20 pounds, all of it brown!

But fear has a way of providing
you with a little bonus.

It gives you

"the wolf."

"The wolf?"

It's a quotation from Theodore Roosevelt.
Let me see.

"All men who have felt the power
of the joy of battle

"know what it's like when
the wolf rises in the heart."

He knew and I know that man
was meant to be a warrior.

We're all sons of
our Viking fathers.

Try to eat a little something,
Mr. Moreland,

just to keep up
the appearances.

Otherwise I'll get an
earache from Mrs. Malloy.

It's delicious, sir.

I don't imagine
I had much appetite

when I was
appointed cadet major.

My God.
Can't be 45 years ago.

Nobody's that old.

Wasn't General Black
the commander then, sir?

- General Black?
- Yes. Yes, General Black.

We cadets used to say that
his name described his heart.

But we respected the hell out
of him, I can tell you that.

He went the whole
nine yards.

It didn't matter
whether it was war

or growing roses
or making men.

You know that picture of him
that hangs in the admin building?

When I was a plebe,
that used to scare me,

just walking
under that picture.

That's why
they hung it there.

(ALL LAUGH)

The truth is, I think,
you would have loved him like a father.

I know I did.

And speaking of fathers,
Mr. Moreland,

is your dad still at
Fort Benning?

No, sir,
he's at Fort Polk now.

Well, a good top sergeant
is worth his weight in gold.

I know many a colonel who's had
his ass saved by a clever sergeant.

Excuse me, Mrs. Malloy.

I'm sure
he's very proud of you, son.

I hope he is, sir.

Oh, thank you.

My doctor allows me one of these a day.
This is my third.

I wish I could tell you

that there are more old generals than old
doctors, but I'm afraid it's not true.

Mrs. Malloy, my officers and I will
have coffee and brandy in the study.

Gentlemen?

I'm afraid I can't
vouch for the vintage,

but ultimately it is the
company that counts, isn't it?

So, what shall we drink to?

I tell you what. Let's drink to
the one thing that never changes.

To the one permanent
part of a man's life.

What's that, sir?

Honor.

Honor, indeed..

Burglarproof, foolproof, weatherproof.
100 proof. Honor

Everything else is subject
to the powers that be,

dependent upon the caprices
of often inferior men.

But your honor
is your own, inviolate.

So, then.
To honor.

- To honor.
- To honor.

Drink up.
We have things to do.

Bunker Hill is
rich in ceremony,

but this is an occasion I always
like to keep rather private,

when I say goodbye to one major
and appoint another in his place.

The cadet major is outranked
militarily only by me,

so that makes it a position
of some responsibility.

You'll attest to that,
won't you, Cooper?

Yes, sir.
I'm afraid I can.

Captain Moreland,
like your predecessor

you've distinguished yourself
for a number of years here

as an underclassman.

And in recognition of your
scholarship and leadership,

your exemplary character,

I take pleasure in conferring
upon you the rank of cadet major

with all the responsibilities
and privileges of that rank.

Now, they'll
respect the rank.

But God knows,
they won't respect the man

unless he earns it.

And the loyalty of men

is always hard-earned.

I'll do my best, sir.

I have every
confidence in you.

Thank you, sir.

Congratulations, Brian.

Don't make me look
too bad in comparison.

Don't worry.

John, if you do half as well at
West Point as you've done here,

you're going to
make a splendid officer.

Thank you, sir.
The credit would go to you.

If you gentlemen wouldn't
mind accompanying me

as far as the
administration building,

I have my annual battle of
the paperclips with the board of trustees.

Entirely adequate.

Listen, don't even ask me what we
had for dinner. Can't remember.

- We had this stuff...
- We had brandy.

- ...that poured in some green liquid.
- Drank brandy with the general.

- Incredible.
- Do you even like brandy?

That's beside the point.
Can't stand it.

They're beautiful, roomie.
You earned them.

Yeah. You deserve
them as much as I do.

No way, José.
I'm half-civilian on my mother's side.

Even if I did get you
through math, science,

- military science...
- True. True. Very true.

Did you get 'em?

Whatever happened to
good manners?

The simple custom
of knocking...

The gold. I'd give my right
nut for those oak leaves.

Does a major live at this address?
Can I touch 'em? Please?

Man, I can't believe it!

Don't cream on 'em.
They'll tarnish.

Listen, West,
you should've been there.

We talked about battles
that he'd been in.

- No shit!
- Drank brandy.

- No shit!
- Toasted honor.

Brandy and everything,
you can tell your grandchildren about it.

Listen. We are gonna
have such a great year.

It's gonna be
the best year yet.

We are gonna command the best
regiment this school has ever seen.

Damn well said!

In honor of this auspicious
occasion, Major Moreland,

your presence is
requested in the hallway.

Dismissed!

ALL: Major Moreland,
he's our man

Major Moreland,
he's our man

He's the baddest in the land

He's the baddest in the land

Thank you, Dave.

Thank you. Thanks.

That was a nice thing
to do, Shawn. I mean it.

Thanks.

(MARCHING MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: The corps of cadets is
commanded by Major John Cooper.

(APPLAUSE)

The incoming corps commander
is Major Brian Moreland.

(APPLAUSE)

B Company is led by
Cadet Captain David Shawn.

Eyes right!

Eyes right!

A Company is led by
Cadet Captain JC Pierce.

Company, turn!

C Company is led by
Cadet Captain Robert Harris.

Eyes right!

D Troop is led by
Cadet Captain...

- ...Alex Dwyer.
- Eyes right!

Present arms!

Staff, present arms.

(GUNSHOT)

Stand at ease!

Staff, stand at ease.

Ladies and gentlemen,

for 141 years, old soldiers like
myself have stood here on this day

and told the finest
of America's young men

the meaning of the word
"commencement."

It is a beginning,
we told them.

But today,

this day,

it has another meaning,
an end.

An end to nearly a century
and a half of tradition

and an end
to the heart of us.

I have been informed that Bunker
Hill Academy is to be closed,

all of its buildings torn
down, nothing to be left,

but memories.

It is the decision of the board
of trustees in all their wisdom

that this institution be sold

and the land developed
for its real estate potential.

In order to allow the
incoming seniors to graduate

and the underclassmen
to seek enrollment elsewhere,

the board has
graciously extended

the date of
termination for one year.

One year.

I stand here today with you

and look out
over these young men

and, of course, I am reminded of other
commencement days and other young men,

men of courage and conviction,

men who have given everything.

In Mexico.

In the great catastrophe
of the Civil War.

In Flanders and the Argonne.

In the jungles of the
Philippines and on Omaha Beach.

In the snows of Bastogne,
in the Mekong Delta

and at the siege of Khe Sanh.

How, then, can others say
this land is for sale?

It has been
purchased and paid for

with the blood
of our graduates.

I am a veteran of
many terrible battles.

But no battle is more
important than this one,

and this final battle,
I intend to win.

We have a year.

Entire wars have
been won in less time.

Men of the corps,
so long as breath and spirit remain,

we must fight to
preserve this academy

so that the traditions that
were born here may endure here.

We must pledge ourselves
to that mission.

BACHE: Yes, come in.

Sir. Major Moreland, sir,
requesting permission to speak.

Go ahead, Major.

Sir, those of us staying summer
session were wondering...

We wondered if...

Stand at ease, Major.

Sir, how can they do this?

With the stroke of a pen, sir.

Their field of honor
was a desk top.

They didn't consult me.

Never even hinted at
what their plans were.

They just papered it and penciled
it and they went ahead and did it

because that's
what the numbers said.

Sir, all they want is money.

Let them raise the tuition.
We'll pay it.

I'm afraid it's not
quite that simple, son.

There's a feeling
on the outside that

schools like this
are anachronistic

and leaders of men like
you and me are dinosaurs.

Sir?

Well, you go to the movies,
you read books.

A military leader is always
portrayed as slightly insane.

Very often
more than slightly.

That's because
it is insane to

cling to honor

in a world where honor
is held in contempt.

Sir, I don't know if I really
deserve the rank of major.

My first thought was
for myself.

I didn't think about
the others or the school...

- Sit down, Mr. Moreland.
- Sir.

Never be ashamed of
being human.

Without humanity,
a leader becomes a tyrant.

I was relieved, sir.
I figured I had another year.

I could graduate
and go on to West Point.

So you will.
And the others too.

I haven't spent
a lifetime fighting

just to turn over
and play dead now.

I came to Bunker Hill
when I was 12 years old.

Just like you.

With the exception of
those 12 years,

I've been in uniform
all my life.

I know men younger than
myself who take their pensions

and put on stupid little white
shirts with cut-off sleeves,

alligator on the tit,

and spend the rest of
their days

beating the hell out of a little
white ball with an iron club.

My God!

The thought of it
makes me want to puke.

They like it like that, civilians.

Well, the one thing civilians
know is their rights.

And they're within their rights
to push us out to make way

for their
goddamned condominiums.

But we have one little
advantage on them.

- What's that, sir?
- We're here.

And the condos aren't.

We have a foothold.

You boys are my purpose.
You're my family.

And I'm not going to let
them take you away from me.

We won't either, sir.

We won't let them.

I knew something like
this would happen.

- Sure.
- I did.

I figured after one whole
year of being shit on,

I'd get hit by
a bus or something

and never get a chance
to shit on the next bunch.

So you didn't get hit by a bus.
So what?

Thank you, sir.

They'll find me another
school for next year.

It'll be another year
of getting shit on.

Will your folks let you come
back here for just one year?

Maybe. I don't know.

Snow White and
the two dwarves.

I'm not in any mood for
your shit, Dwyer. So stop it.

Just trying
to be friendly.

Yeah.

So, uh,

what's Moreland
say about all this?

Moreland says
it'll never happen.

That Bache will come in
and save the day.

Yeah, I think he's right.

That makes two of you.

So what do you think, Dwyer?

I think your mother never gave
you any toys when you were a baby.

Neither did Dwyer's, so he
had to play with his sister's.

CADET: Let's go!

(ROCK MUSIC ON RADIO)

Can I use your comb?

Jesus Christ!
I feel like some big fat hairy hand

reached out inside of me
and yanked something out.

Don't sweat it, West.
It ain't over.

Great.
We still get our year.

Forget about that one year
business, all right?

Just forget about it.

This place is gonna be here long after
the pencil pushers are in the boneyard.

(RADIO PLAYING
LIGHT MY FIRE BY THE DOORS)

Don't forget that we're
here and the condos aren't.

We've got a foothold.

Jesus Christ,
it's the Bug again.

Every boy needs a hero.

With the Bug,
it's Jim Morrison.

(BAND PLAYS LOVE IS
MANY SPLENDOURED THING)

Sir, may I present
Miss Lori Cable?

Lori, this is General Bache,
our commander.

How do you do?

I'm very pleased
to meet you, sir.

And I you. Dean Ferris,
this is Miss Lori Cable.

A guest of
Major Cooper tonight.

- Well done, John.
- Thank you, sir.

Hello. Forgive me, I know that
lovely face but I've forgotten your name.

- Cindy Morris.
- Cindy, yes.

Dean Ferris,
Cindy Morris.

Well done. It was touch and go
there for a while, wasn't it?

I'm proud of you.

All right, all right!

(ALL SHOUT AND JEER)

(SHOUTING AND WHOOPING)

All right, all right!

Hey, Mama. How would you
like to see a real stud?

My man Mikey's in love!

Have fun, JC.

Let me show you how a stud works.
Come on, come on!

You gonna move or you
want us to call the cops?

Call 'em, asshole!

(JEERING CONTINUES)

You gonna ask me out now
or what?

Hey, what are you looking
at, huh?

Hey, come here.

What do you guys
do with each other?

All right, keep this area clear.
Stay away from the gate.

Yes, sir!

YOUTH: Keep this area clear
and stay away from the gate!

- Sieg heil!
- We'll keep this area clear, sir!

Why don't you
make us leave, fag?

Yeah!
Chicken!

What did I tell you, huh?

- Don't do that.
- Hit him!

BACHE: Knock it off!
Break it up!

Break it up!

Call an ambulance!
Move it!

It was an accident, sir.

There was a round in
the chamber. I forgot.

You killed him.

I'm sorry.

(POLICE RADIO)

MORELAND: Ten-hut!

General, don't worry.
Everything's gonna be all right.

(SIREN)

(STATIC ON RADIO)

Look, pipe down.

Come on, Bug.
Get the shit out of it!

If you can do any better,
go ahead.

Come on, keep it down!

What is this problem here?

Roger. Sure looks like
one to me.

Chest pain,
shortness of breath. Over.

All right. Take the general
to Valley Community.

Stay with him and call back
once he's checked over.

Roger. Out.

(BUGLE PLAYS TAPS)

Hello?

Where are you?

So when will you get here?

I'm all right.
I wasn't part of anything.

No, that's okay.
I can stay here.

There'll be guys here.

I said it's okay.

I don't know what
you expect me to say.

I'm sorry I raised my voice.

It's just that
I thought you'd be here.

I'd rather stay here.

Really.

I love you too. Bye.

All cadets leaving for summer recess must
vacate their barracks by 1200 hours.

(HORN)

You let me know
what happens, okay?

All right.

- You take care.
- Okay.

- Good summer.
- You too.

Hand grenades, fragmentation
M-26, 24 to a case, one case.

Machine guns, M-2,
one per crate, 36 crates.

36 M-2s.

4.2" mortar rounds, four per
case, we have 20 cases.

Got it.

M-16s, ten full racks.

All right,
that's 20 to a rack.

200 M-16s.

45mm automatics, model 1911,
four racks, 24 to a rack.

Six crates of
M-16 bayonets.

Six 81 mm mortars.

Jesus Christ! Bache has enough
armament here to start World War III.

So glad they're going.

I didn't want them
here in the first place.

That was the general's notion
of national defence, stock...

How did you
get in here?

The door was open.

Wonderful.

What do you say we lock it?

What's going on?
What's going on?

We're taking inventory.

Apparently, we're no longer
to be trusted with weapons.

What are we gonna
drill with this summer?

- After last night?
- That was an accident, sir.

That's not for you to decide
and I don't care to discuss it.

Look, I came to
ask about the general.

- He's in intensive care.
- How is he?

They say the next 24 hours
will be the critical stage.

General's a strong man.
He'll be all right.

I'm only telling you what they told me.
You can ask for yourself.

I did. I called the hospital.
They wouldn't let me talk to him.

All right, then you
know as much as I do.

Well, who...

Who's gonna be in charge
of the summer session?

I'm not sure
there'll be a summer session.

What?

Goodbye, Mr. Moreland.

TV: They're worthwhile only if there
is a reasonable chance for success.

Let me, ask you.
How much time has elapsed since...

18 hours
and 12 minutes.

Dr McCoy
must have told you...

Why doesn't
the man use his phaser?

He can't.

How come?

The brain's protected
by an electromagnetic shield

which is phaser-proof

You seen this one before?

I've seen all of them before.

Turn on the news, quick!

You're not
supposed to be here!

We're watching this!

(SHOUTS OF PROTEST)

Shut up!

...shattered overnight by
the still-unexplained shooting

of a local boy.

Donald Andrews, 17, of
Foxhaven, died late last night

as a result of
a gunshot wound...

God, the kid
bought it, huh?

...between local
boys and cadets.

The shot was allegedly fired
by General Harlan Bache,

superintendent of the Bunker
Hill Military Academy.

In response
to the tragedy,

police have
ordered all weapons

on academy grounds
to be confiscated.

What are we supposed
to train with?

...maintained an armory
on the school grounds,

which cadets have used
for training purposes.

Meanwhile, General Bache lies
in very critical condition

at Valley Community Hospital,

suffering from a heart attack
which occurred immediately

following the tragic
events at the school.

The school itself, which had planned
to cease operations next June,

has been ordered closed
immediately by its proprietors.

ALL: What?

Son of a bitch!

Anderson's father's a big lawyer.
Maybe he can write something up.

Shovel, stop your goddamn
feeding your face, will you?

I'd like to grab a grenade and
ram it right up their asses!

That's not fair.

- Stop feeding!
- They don't even give a shit!

Leave me alone!

Hey!

Here's today's
closing figure.

The lady said the proprietors
ordered the school closed.

Now, as I see it,
we are the proprietors.

What does that mean to us?

Get the door.

All right, now listen up.

- Mr. Stewart?
- Yes.

Captain Dwyer, sir,
Bunker Hill Academy.

- What can I do for you?
- Provision list, sir.

Why? I heard they
were closing the place.

That's affirmative, sir.
Mopping-up battalion has to eat though.

It took 150 years
to build the place.

It's gonna take time to
put it to bed, as they say.

Usually they want me
to deliver the stuff myself.

SOP undergoing
change nowadays, sir,

because of all
the unpleasantness.

SOP?

Standard Operating Procedure, sir.

Call the academy if you'd
like some verification.

- Oh, no, no. That's okay.
- Thank you, sir. Let's go.

Come on, let's go.
Move it!

(HORN)

Forward post to Lee One.
They're coming through the gate. Over.

Command post to Lee One.
Vehicle on the way. Over.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

What is this?

They were all right
here just hours ago.

I don't understand.

See those racks?
They were filled.

What's going on here, Dean?

Moreland?

Who is this boy?

He's the ranking cadet.
Moreland.

Do you have any
explanation for this?

My God, son.
Where are all the weapons?

The weapons are secured, sir.

What do you mean secured?

You mean you stole them?

No, sir.
We confiscated them.

- I don't believe this.
- Dean, where's the phone?

There's one in the office
near the entrance.

- I'll call the state police.
- Afraid not, sir. We've cut the lines.

Oh, my God.

Listen, kid, if you don't turn
those weapons over immediately,

you're going to jail.
Now don't be an idiot.

The right to bear arms is
guaranteed in the Constitution, sir.

You tell us where
you put those weapons

or this'll be the
sorriest day of your life.

All right! We have three demands.
They're very reasonable.

When they're met,
we'll be happy to return every weapon,

every shell.
You say "we," who else...

Number one. I want a meeting
with General Bache...

Put your hands
behind your back!

Now you stay
wherever you are, sir.

(GUNS BEING COCKED)

Number two.

I want a commission to look
into the selling of this academy

to real estate interests.

Number three.

I want a meeting between my officers,
myself, and the board of trustees

to discuss alternatives to
the closing of this academy.

That's it.

That's all we want.

(ENGINE CUTS OUT)

(ENGINE SPLUTTERS)

What's the problem?

Green light, Pierce.
Come on. Let's go.

Oh, shit.

Want me to
check under the hood?

For what?

I'll know when I
get there, won't I?

Hey, what's it look like?

Try it now.

Why's Dwyer
checking the hood?

Are you seeing
what I'm seeing?

JC?

JC!

(SHOUTING)

Wake up, Pierce.
Are you reading me?

Dwyer, this is starting to be a
real emergency situation here.

Hey, JC, are you
catching that action?

Hey, you guys
having some problems?

Yeah, I see 'em
I see 'em!

Yeah, I'm talking to you!

Dwyer, for Christ's sake
hurry up!

Come on, let's go.
You guys having a problem?

Dwyer!

Yeah, yeah.

Dammit, Pierce, come on!

Dwyer, you better
get back in the truck.

(RAISED VOICES)
Shit.

You cretins
lose something?

No, just
a little mechanical...

You're the bastard
who killed Don.

(SHOUTING)

(GUNFIRE)

Move over here, quick!

Move, move, move, move!

Come on! Move out!

Come on! Let's go!

(SIREN)

Watch it!

Watch those rifles
and stay to the right!

Keep it moving!
Keep it moving!

Come on! Keep it moving!

Heads up! Look alive!

Put that ammunition down
right there.

Let's go! Let's go!

Move it!
Move it!

Hustle up!

Soldier, bring that
around over there!

Come on, soldier!
Let's go, hurry!

You hear from
them yet in town?

They're coming home.

Here they come!

(HORN)

We got it!
(ALL CHEER)

Goddamn it, what the hell were
you doing back there?

Pulling your lame
ass outta the grinder.

It's okay, you don't have to
thank me, shithead.

I could kick your ass
from here to Albany.

Why don't you try?

- What's going on?
- This guy's a maniac, Brian.

- He rammed a sheriff's car.
- All right, what's the problem?

The problem is this asshole
just shot up the town.

No, I didn't buy into this to blow
people away, for Christ's sake!

We're here, ain't we?

We're not messing around with townies
or sitting in jail, we're here!

All right, come on,
did you get the food?

Sure did.
Half of it, anyway.

All right, half is
better than nothing.

The guy's a maniac, Brian.
He rammed a sheriff.

Damn right.
Saw my duty and I did it!

(SHOUTING)

Everybody, quiet down!

Hulk! Get a few men,
escort the bus beyond the gate.

You're gonna
let them go?

Yeah, Hulk. We're soldiers.
At least, we're supposed to be.

We're not gonna take hostages.

I want the officers in administration
building in 15 minutes.

Okay, squadron, let's
move out and move the food!

(ALL SHOUT)

Attention!

I don't ever want to see
what I just saw out there.

We didn't train to go spastic
at the first sign of trouble.

Goddamn! I'm glad the
general didn't see that.

These cadets will follow you
only if they respect you.

All right.
Sit down. At ease.

- Okay, how'd we lose the truck?
- It stalled down.

The townies had Dwyer
and me in a hard place.

Shawn grabbed the chance
to use his shiny new weapon.

We were in
an explosive situation

which jeopardized
the entire mission.

I simply
defused the situation.

That's just beautiful. I mean,
you really have a way with words.

He did get us out of it, Alex.

Dwyer, you'd still be getting
thrown around by those townies

if he hadn't cut
loose a few live rounds.

Look, Alex, I don't like
the idea of gunplay either,

but the mission was successful
and nobody got hurt.

No, that's my whole point!

Now, I don't call what happened
today a successful mission.

Naturally.

Look, we have to let
people know we're serious.

We just also have to let them
know we don't want to hurt anyone.

All right, look,
what are we asking?

We're asking that the school be kept open.
That's all.

Other kids are vandalizing their school.
We want ours to stay open.

Now if we behave like soldiers
and not a bunch of kids in a riot,

we can win this.

It's just gotta
be done by the book.

Yeah, that's all I'm asking.

It'll be done by the book.

We stick together,
we go the whole nine yards.

- Agreed?
-ALL: Agreed.

(SIREN)

Sound the general alarm.

Boys, this is Lieutenant
Hanson of the state police.

Now before things get
out of hand,

put down your weapons
and open the gates. You hear me?

We have conditions first.
Let's have an answer on those.

You have illegally
seized private property.

Under the revisions
of the state penal code

you have
committed grand larceny.

You have also threatened
the life of a federal officer.

Nobody's life was threatened.
Now what about those demands?

You have fired upon citizens
and a deputy sheriff.

You boys are all in
very serious trouble.

Put down your weapons or
we'll take you in by force.

What about the demands?

You have one minute
to comply.

Get down!

35 seconds.

Can we speak to General Bache?

15 seconds.

Prepare to assault!
Prepare to repel!

Don't shoot me!

Hold your fire!

- Hold your fire!
- Hold your fire!

Don't shoot me!

Pull it back!

Would you describe the situation
here at Bunker Hill as stalemate?

No, I would not
call it a stalemate.

We're trying to ascertain

how many of the cadets are actually
rebellious and how many are hostages.

We hadn't heard there
were any hostages.

We have reason to
believe there are, sir.

Are the state police prepared to use
force to bring the situation to an end?

We will protect the lives and the
property of the people of the state.

If it means resorting...

Even if that means...

They won't interview us.

The police won't let 'em.

Why do I get the feeling that
that guy would get pleasure

blowing our brains
all over his truck?

Do you see any
way out of this?

Depends on Bache.

I'm wondering
about that heart attack.

What if General Bache never
even had a heart attack?

What if they're
just keeping him from us?

Why would they do that?

I don't know. To rattle us.

Make more of the whole
thing than we ever wanted.

We never wanted
any goddamn war.

(PLAYS REVEILLE)

- Order!
- Order!

Arms!

Company commanders,
take your posts.

Prepare for inspection.

Major! Hey! Hey!

Something's going on!

The head cop's on the box and
he wants to talk to you, sir.

All right! We got it!

(ALL CHEER)

Shawn, take over!

Battalion dismissed!

Yaw!
(ALL CHEER)

This is Major Moreland.
Over.

- This is Sergeant Briggs.
- Yes, sir.

I have a delegation here
that wants to meet with you.

You tell the board we'll be
honored to meet with them.

It's a delegation of parents.

- Parents?
- Six of them.

The man in charge is
Master Sergeant Kevin Moreland.

Will you talk to them?

Yes, sir.
Send them in at 0930 hours.

Affirmative.

So it's your father.
So what?

Damn near everybody here in this
place has got a mother or father

hanging around
outside that gate.

You don't.

Yeah, well,
I'm a hard case.

- Sorry.
- Forget it.

Look, at least your old man
has got a nodding acquaintance

with the real world.

Hell, I like him.

Everybody likes my old man.

You do too, Brian.
Admit it.

That's why you're so scared.

No, I ain't scared.

I don't know if I like him.
I'm still thinking about it.

Yeah, well,
don't rush into anything.

When my mother died,

I was sitting in the hallway
in the army hospital.

I was worried as hell.
'Cause I knew she was real sick.

She had this
bad kidney thing.

So I'm sitting there

and my father comes
out of the room

and tells me
that she's dead.

He led me to this little chapel
they had there in the hospital

and he sat me down and he told
me I could cry for 15 minutes.

He gave me 15 minutes to cry and after
that I wasn't supposed to cry again.

So he left me
alone in the chapel

and came back...
he came back 15 minutes later.

Jesus. What did you do?

Well, I did
what I was told.

I cried for 15 minutes.

She was a beautiful woman,

my mother.

She was crazy
about the old man.

I don't know,
I guess he loved her too.

You never
told me that story.

Yeah, I was 12.
That's when I came here.

(DOOR OPENS)
Brian.

Hey, Brian, they're down
at the gate. Better get going.

All right.

When this is over,

you and me are gonna
go round and round.

Yeah? But first you're
gonna move your goddamn arm.

Hello, Brian.

Hello, sir.

You look like you might
have grown an inch or two.

You've put on
a couple of pounds too.

A couple. Sorry you had to
come all the way up here, sir.

Nah.

- How you doing, Alex?
- Hello, Sergeant Moreland.

The old place looks
a little different...

Come on Moreland,
get to the bottom line.

Hold your water.

Bottom line.

The truth is, Brian,
these folks are worried about their kids.

The poop back there said
some of them are being held

in here
against their will.

No, that's not true. Everyone in here
is here because they want to be here.

I don't believe it. Our son would not
be involved in something like this.

Lady, if my son can
be involved in it,

your son
can be involved in it.

Let's not get
holier-than-thou.

Let us see our children
and hear it from them.

Yes.

Ma'am, I can't call my
soldiers away from their posts

just to calm down their parents.
I'm sorry.

My God!
You're only children!

They're gonna try to add
kidnapping to the rest of it, kid,

you oughta know that.

We want to see our kid.
I'll try to arrange something.

Good. Now, we're
getting somewhere.

It'll be done
under my terms.

I hope you're very proud of
your son, Sergeant Moreland.

You have fathered
a perfect son of a bitch.

You people shut up!

I can't think through
all your static.

We aren't in the army, Sergeant.

No apologies necessary.

Just keep the hell quiet and
let me take care of this.

Frigging feather merchants.

I don't blame them, sir.
It's a little hard to understand.

Ever get in the habit?

No, sir. No, thanks.

Smart.
Damn things will kill you.

What am I gonna tell
those people outside?

Sorry, sir. I never thought
this would involve you.

Let me tell 'em
it was growing pains.

The wrong execution
of the right idea.

The wrong execution
of the right idea?

Yeah.
They'll understand that.

Look, Brian, all the men in
our family have been soldiers.

I know.
Just plain old dogfaces

with a knack
for surviving.

I was hoping somebody along
the line would break into brass.

I have my command, Dad.

I don't think
you're thinking straight.

What you have here is a bad way to
lose a pretty bright future, kid.

Stop calling me kid.

You expect me
to call you Major?

You can forget it.

Look at this operation.

You got all your strength
nose to nose with the cops.

I mean, eventually even those bullhorn
yo-yos are gonna figure out

you've got a vulnerable rear flank
and they're gonna sneak in there.

Maybe over there. Over there, by the
field, behind the cover of the trees,

and they're just gonna throw a
net over your little pink asses.

You can say all that...

The first canister
of tear gas,

half your troops will wet their
pants and run like rabbits.

Or for that matter, how bright was
it to let this delegation in here, huh?

Look at me. Within 5 seconds,
I could break your neck

and you wouldn't be able
to do a thing about it.

You'd be shot. My next
in command would take over.

I read that book too.

On the other hand, we could take
you all as hostages or prisoners,

but we won't.
We have a code of honor here.

Sweet Jesus! A code of honor.
Is that what this is all about?

Somebody's lofty load of
shit about honor? Yours?

Yes, mine, and I learned it here.
General Bache lives it...

Bache?
Are you kidding me?

Bache is here because
there's no place...

He is the example
we all try to follow!

Bache has been passed over
so many times,

he's got a permanent
stiff neck from the draft.

I'll tell you about Bache!

Bache is living proof that
horses' asses outnumber horses!

Captain Shawn, escort my...
the sergeant off the base!

Muster the men
in the quad.

Yes, sir.

We've pulled together
pretty well, haven't we?

ALL: Yes, sir!

General Bache
would be proud of us.

And if he were here,
I know he'd tell us to hold out.

To finish what we've started and
not to be halfway about anything.

But outside they're saying that some of
you are being held against your will,

that you really
don't want to be here.

Now either they're
right or we're right.

Nobody's gonna cut you down

if you honestly don't believe
in what we're doing here,

or if you're afraid
of parents or the cops.

So anybody who
isn't 100 percent sure

of why we're here
and what we're doing,

take one step forward.

Battalion!

CAPTAINS: Company!

Attention!

- Left!
- Left!

Face!

- Forward!
- Forward!

March!

Major Moreland,
he's our man

Major Moreland, he's our man

Bunker Hill
we make our stand

Bunker Hill
we make our stand

Sound off
One, two

Sound off
Three, four

One, two, three, four

One, two, three, four

(RADIO PLAYING SLOW HAND
BY THE POINTER SISTERS)

Sir?
You got any grenades?

Thank you, sir.

- You got any grenades?
- Sure.

- Can I have one?
- Here you go.

- Thanks.
- Oh, and, Shovel?

- Don't eat it.
- Cute.

- Carry on.
- Thank you, sir.

- Any news from the outside?
- Ten-hut.

- Carry on.
- No news, sir.

His batteries are down, sir.
We can't even pick up the shitkickers.

We can see them
from here, sir.

They're all sitting with
their thumbs up their asses.

They don't scare us,
do they, Charlie?

No, sir.

Me either, sir.
They don't scare me.

Good night, guys.

BOTH: Good night, sir.

Charlie.

That's what I call
grace under pressure.

Why not?
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

That wasn't grace,
that was crazy.

It all depends on your
point of view, doesn't it?

That's Peru. Meaning?

Meaning maybe
this is just as crazy.

Alex, you've been picking at
this thing from the beginning.

What's wrong with you?

Things are going beautifully.
We're in better shape now than we began.

Now we're a corps.

General Bache used to talk
about men under pressure.

How they act as one.
Come together. We're seeing it.

Thus spake Saint Bache.

Okay.
He's only a man, Brian.

Like your father, like my father.
Just a man.

Not every word out of his
mouth is some holy nugget.

Right. Whatever you say.

Look, don't let that display
of loyalty go to your head.

It won't mean beans
to anybody out there.

They'll say it was
frustrated brainwashing.

Hell, maybe they're right.

I half expected you to be
the one to break ranks.

Head for the comforts of home.

The thought
crossed my mind.

What stopped you?

My sense of honor may be a
little ragged around the edges,

but I don't
walk out on a friend.

If you want to argue about this,
we'll argue in the morning.

I've got to get some sleep.

All right.
It can wait till morning.

What do you think they put in those
flak jackets? Is it lead or what?

No. Lead's too heavy.
They wouldn't be able to move.

They probably use
some sort of super-plastic.

I read that it's got something
to do with the configuration...

Hey, wanna try and
spell that, bonehead?

He couldn't even
spell his own name.

- What are you laughing at?
- Hey, keep it down.

(VEHICLES APPROACHING)

Shit.
Down. Berets off.

Forward observation
to command post.

Convoy approaching.
Looks like heavy stuff.

Have C Squad
cover the rooftops.

C Squad, rear of the building!
A Squad, behind the trees!

How's it going, Brian?
They had to call in the heavyweights.

Can I get more
power on the rooftops.

I already have, sir.

Then reinforce the
rear and left flanks.

Yes, sir.

No one fires unless I give the
order, understood?

CADETS: Yes, sir.

Man, this is too much!
There must be 100 trucks coming in here.

Don't sweat it.

WOMAN OVER LOUDSPEAKER:
Stephen Miller?

Stephen Miller?

It's Mom, honey.

Will you listen to me, please?

It's still not too late to come out
of there and forget it ever happened.

We have such a wonderful
summer planned for you.

Don't go and get involved
in something like this.

Please.

Don't spoil everything now!

Please.

Come out and
at least talk to us.

Five minutes.
Just let us know you're all right.

MAN: Charlie Auden!
This is Dad, Charlie.

Your mother and I are
pretty scared out here.

She's crying all the time.
I can't stop her.

You were never all that crazy
about this school.

You've been complaining all year.

We can't figure out why you're
in there somewhere with a gun.

I mean,
we just can't believe it.

Come on home, Charlie.

Look, you can go to any
kind of school you want to.

Just come out of there.

Please come out.

Don't hurt yourself.

Come on out.

WOMAN: Billy. Billy,
I hope you can hear me.

Billy, look you've always
gone along with the crowd,

and I know kids are like that.

But this is one thing you've
got to do for yourself.

Sometimes being accepted by your
friends isn't worth the price.

Your real friends...

- Who goes there?
- Lieutenant West.

Advance and be recognized.

Stand easy.

- Everything okay?
- Yes, sir.

What are your orders?

Shoot anything that comes
over, under or around the wall.

On whose orders?

Captain Shawn's, sir.

Carry on.

Yes, sir.

Just a minute.

Would you?

Yes, sir. No problem, sir.

- Carry on.
- Yes, sir.

Any contact?

No. Nothing.

Maybe they just plan on,
you know, just coming in.

They would have done that
if that's what they came for.

I was hoping to get some word on
the general, see how he's doing.

Bug, go to the mess hall and
get us a pot of hot coffee.

Yes, sir.

Sit down.

Do you really expect them
to negotiate with us?

Yeah. They're not gonna stay out
there forever. We'll hear from them.

I don't know, Brian.

Things might escalate.

Escalate? How?

For one thing,

Shawn's Red Berets
are really pumped up.

There's a sentry out there
ready to shoot to kill.

That's a sentry's job.

What good is he if he's
not prepared to shoot?

Maybe he's a little
more than ready.

And it's coming from Shawn, Brian.

I think he's running private little pep
rallies out there for them or something.

A natural-born leader.

He's got me
a little worried, is all.

He's too much into this.
He's at a pitch, man.

He's always been
like that, Eddie.

After the Hulk,
who would you want on your side

if you were in
a fight or something?

Well... Shawn.

Right.

But, first I'd want to talk
my way out of the fight.

Who wouldn't?

Now, listen.

Nobody here wants to get killed.

They know we're right

and they're not gonna
come in here shooting.

Trust me, Eddie.

(BUGLER PLAYS REVEILLE)

MORELAND: Order!

CAPTAINS: Order arms!

- Parade!
- Parade rest!

Company commanders,
front and center.

- Status?
- D Troop, two men missing, sir.

Alpha Company,
four men missing, sir.

Charlie Company,
five men missing, sir.

Bravo Company, all present
to accounted for, sir.

Very well.

- Eleven goddamn scumbags!
- Hold it down!

- The next yellow puke that goes...
- Shawn!

I want a full report from the roommates
of the 11 that are missing. And I want...

MAN: Major Moreland.
Major Moreland.

Contact Colonel Kerby.

You're the fellow
who started all this.

Major Moreland, sir,
the ranking cadet.

Yes.

I understand you're quite
a leader, Major Moreland.

Sir, we were all well
trained here at Bunker Hill.

That's part of why
we won't give it up.

I can understand that.

What's another 100
condominiums, more or less?

Condominiums are more
easily built than leaders.

Yeah. Exactly.

Only, uh, you and I don't have
the last word on that subject.

No, sir, but I do have something
to say about it.

Mr. Moreland, you know and I know
that it's never gonna go your way.

You do know that, don't you?

You got something
to tell me, Colonel?

I'm telling you.

Brian, I'm no fancy negotiator
with a PhD in psychology.

That's not what
I do for a living.

I'm the governor's muscle.
I get called when he gets nervous.

Don't try to scare us.
The police already tried that.

I know, I know and your parents
didn't fare any better.

But I've got to let you know
what's going on out there.

They don't see you guys
as rebels with a good cause.

They think you're
homegrown terrorists

and quite frankly
it's got 'em scared shitless.

Nice American boys
don't act like this.

We have a home here.

Something we think
is worth defending.

I mean, why is that so
tough to understand?

Sure, and you have the right to defend
it, in all the accepted ways.

Hell, I'll help you.

But you can't start by
stealing government property.

I won't sorry about that, sir.

But I've seen what happens
when you go the other way.

Now, by the time we'd get up to bat
and the game would be over.

At least you
would all be alive,

which at this point is all
I give a damn about.

Don't worry about us.

How many kids
do you have here?

Come on, for Christ's sake.
It's not classified information.

a hundred?

hundred and fifteen?

I've seen ten create one
hell of a fearful momentum

and you have over 100 here.
With weapons.

And then you have some of 'em
really don't want to be here...

You saw the muster yesterday.
They had a chance to leave, they stayed.

Eleven kids already did leave.

Sounds to me, sir, like 11 boys who
weren't much good to us anyway.

I don't care
what happened here.

I just don't wanna see scared kids crawling
over the wall in the middle of the night.

You won't.

Escort the colonel
back to the gate.

Yes, sir.

You don't have a whole
lot of time, Brian.

Colonel Kerby, sir.

As you were, soldier.

Jesus Christ!

They're either soggy or stale!

It's good training
for a young captain, Mr. Pierce.

Those guys are probably
sending out for pizza.

Weekend warriors!

One big difference
between those guys and us.

Those guys are used to
shooting at people.

Are you kidding?

On a Monday morning, these guys
don't know a muzzle from a rat's ass.

Bet we could find a witness
to say different.

Yeah, but they
couldn't shoot back.

- Captain Shawn.
- Yes, sir.

Call the corps to formation.

- Everyone?
- Yes, everyone.

Yes, sir.

(BUGLER PLAYS ASSEMBLY CALL)

Corps all present
and accounted for, sir.

Stand at ease!

Gentlemen,
when we started this,

we agreed it would
be done by the book.

A military operation.

Someday we'll be respected
for what we've done.

Last night
11 cadets jumped the wall.

And today they're saying,
outside,

that the rest of you
must be hostages.

Now, gentlemen, decision has to be
made and it has to stick!

We can't tolerate
any more desertions.

If you don't have the guts
for what we've taken on,

walk out now in
the light of day.

If you're as
committed as I am, stay.

We'll win this battle.

We'll win it with honor.

Otherwise step forward,

lay down your weapons, walk out.

Take off that beret.

Lieutenant West requesting
permission to be dismissed, sir.

Brian.

- Look, Brian...
- Dismissed.

Detail, right face!

Forward march!

(HELICOPTER OVERHEAD)

(LOUDSPEAKER)
I don't know what's going on.

I can't believe you love the school so
much to sit there and want to die for it.

Maybe I underestimated
those damn tapes.

Little kids I can understand,
Hulk was always marginal,

but West.

It was a big mistake, Brian,
if you don't mind me saying so.

Bache would have never
played it that way.

Yeah.
I wish I could talk to him.

He'd tell us to hold out.

Yeah, I know he would.

Why don't you go grab some sleep?
Go on.

Sleep. Can you sleep?

Me? Slept like
a baby this afternoon.

Two whole hours.

Go on, lie down, Brian.
You'll feel better.

Wake me
if something happens.

Will do.

Hey! Hey!
What the hell's going on here?

- Hey! Where's the water?
- Jesus, who turned off the goddamn water.

How does it look?

It's okay right now.

Probably we should place guard
on the other water heaters.

Sure, Sean. Let's make thirst
a capital offense.

He's right. We run out
of water, we've had it.

If we can't trust our own
guys, what's the point?

We couldn't trust
them to stay with us.

How the hell we gonna trust
them to save water?

Son of a bitch, West cut our
strength in half.

Wait a minute,
Wait a minute, dammit.

- West is our friend.
- With friends like that...

Hey! I don't wanna
hear anyone bad-mouth West.

He did
what he felt was right.

Put guards on
the water supplies.

Yes, sir.

Brian!

MASH!

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Any news?

You want the news?
I'll give you the news.

We take you now to reporter Alex
Dwyer on the scene of the uprising.

I'm here outside the gates
of Bunker Hill Academy

talking to
a National Guardsman,

a young man not much
older than the infants

who have taken over
this old and prestigious institution.

Let's see what the average grunt
on the street has to say about this.

Trooper, how do you feel about

the possibility of
we taking this school by force?

- Give me those!
- Great, I'd like to frag the freaks!

And you, sir, what's your
opinion of this crisis?

Oh, I feel sorry for
the little cherubs.

I mean, it's sure society's fault.
We failed to meet the needs...

Thank you,
Private Bleeding Heart.

We take you now to a press
meeting, live in progress,

with Colonel Adolf Kerby
of the National Guard.

Can you hear me?

You're an ass, Dwyer.
You know that?

It's the governor's
fervent hope that force

will not be necessary
in retaking the school.

However,
the governor will not stand by

indefinitely and allow
this criminals to continue.

Let's have an interview
with Major Moreland.

What's going on here?

What's going on here?

(ALL TALK AT ONCE)

I'm here inside
the walls of Bunker Hill...

On your feet! Let's go!

...with Major Brian Moreland,
commander of the rebellious youths.

Correction. Defending cadets.
On your feet, let's go. Come on.

There seems to be
some dissension...

No, there's no dissension,
this is a military operation.

A military operation.
I see.

No dissension,
no desertion and no...

Allright, knock it off! Those of you
not on station should sleep.

You can't escape
the press that easily.

Knock it off!
It's not funny anymore, allright!

It's getting to be a real
pain in the ass! Drop it!

Back to you, Walter.
The major's getting pissed off.

Come on. Move out.
Come on.

Certainly we don't want to
piss off the major, do we?

Piss off the major,
you find yourself escorted out

between two of
Shawn's Red Berets.

You don't want to quit, do you?
You just keep going and going,

don't know when to stop.

Think with your brain god gave you,
you'll piss off the major.

Piss off the major
and you find yourself

escorted out just
like the major's father.

Leave my father out of this.

Reason with the major,
out you go.

Let's go.

Pretty soon there'll be nobody
left but one pissed-off major.

Knock it off! Allright!
We've had enough!

You don't wanna save this
school for posterity.

You wanna wear it like
your own private cocoon!

Just you and Bache,

snug as two bugs
queer for each other.

Stay back.

- Come on, Brian!
- Get him!

(SHOUTING)

SHAWN: Hold it down!
Hold it down!

They turned off the power.

Turn 'em on!

Hold it down!

What's that noise?

(METALLIC RATTLING)

Everybody, listen up!

Get your weapons and man
your battle stations!

Check the 50s and 60s.
Make sure they're prepared and ready.

(SHOUTING)

Come on!
Move, move, move!

Don't let friendship
keep you here anymore.

Don't worry.

Get down.

(TANK ENGINE TURNED OFF)

Give me a wire brush,
Charlie.

Damn, it looks like it hasn't been
run since World War I.

Yeah, if then.

OK, that ought to do it.
Hold your breath.

All right,
hit the switch.

Got it.

(SCREAMS)

Go on, get somebody.

Major Moreland.

You know you're
responsible for that boy?

It was an accident.

I've gone to the mat
with the civil authorities.

I'm urging them to take into
consideration your youth and the strain...

Cut the bullshit.
Nobody in here's young anymore.

Excuse me if I don't shed
tears over your lost youth.

You've had your chances to toss it in.
You've got this chance.

The governor is this close to
ordering us to take you in by force.

Now, when that order comes,
I'll do it

and you won't ever
be that unhappy again.

I'll have to do it.

Sure, that's they want us to do.

They want us to be
good little boys now

so we can fight some war
for them in the future.

Some war they'll decide on.

We'd rather fight our
own war right now.

For god sakes, Brian, we're talking
about boys so young

they haven't got hair
one between their legs.

That's never been any
qualification for a soldier.

Good Christ!

The final stage
of any mobilization

is the children,
the seed corn.

What in God's name did
they teach you in here?

What did they
turn you into?

A soldier. Which it's the only
thing I ever wanted to be.

A soldier? No,
goddammit, I'm a soldier,

with the career
goal of all soldiers.

I wanna stay alive in situations
where it ain't all that easy to do,

but you, my friend,
you're a death lover.

I know the species.

17 years old and
some son of a bitch

has put you in
love with death.

Somebody sold you on the idea that
dying for a cause is all so romantic.

Well, that is the worst kind of
all the kinds of bullshit there is!

Dying is only one thing.
Bad.

Don't find that out. Please.

We'll reduce our
demands to just one.

I'm listening.

A meeting with General Bache.

Let the order come directly from him.
We'll obey.

General Bache died
last night at six o'clock.

You son of a bitch.

You and I have
nothing more to talk about.

(DRUMMER PLAYS
SLOW, SOLEMN RHYTHM)

Company, halt!

Left face!

Firing detail, ready!

Take aim! Fire!

Take aim! Fire!

Take aim! Fire!

(BUGLER PLAYS TAPS)

General Bache...prized
this sword.

It was given to him
by General MacArthur

in appreciation of
his service.

And he used to say it was
forged in the furnace of honor

What I know of honor
I learned from him

and what I know of dignity
I learned from him.

He taught us there are
things worse than death.

Defeat, dishonor.

General Bache,
we commit your spirit to eternity,

to the company
of great soldiers...

and great souls.

Company, left face!

Forward march!

(DRUMMER PLAYS
SLOW, SOLEMN RHYTHM)

How come they knocked off
the tapes, Charlie?

I don't know.

Probably just to
keep us wondering.

It's working.

Yeah.

Charlie?

I'm scared.

I mean it.
I'm really scared.

We're all gonna get killed.
I know it.

No, we're not, Derek.

Try to think of something else.

I can't.

Please,
let's just give up, okay?

I mean, we'll leave, okay?
Please?

It'll be all right.

No, it won't.

Close your eyes.

I can't.

Get low, Derek. Come on.

(SOBS)

Derek! Derek, don't run!

I don't wanna die!

Derek! Don't run!

Derek!

KERBY: Hold your fire!

Stop!

You boys in here,
this is the end of it.

Right now, right here.

You're coming out.
Someone finally had to die.

Kerby,
hold it right there!

You will talk to
our men through us.

I want all of you boys to know that
at dawn we will take this campus.

My men, our tanks, our helicopters,
we will take this campus.

I don't want to see
any more of you boys die.

SHAWN: Men,
stand fast and listen up.

Remember, you are soldiers.

You will continue to follow
the orders of your superior officers.

You will continue...

Those who don't
want this to happen,

at dawn throw
down your weapons

and run to the nearest
National Guardsman.

No we will do our best to protect you
and to see that you get out safely.

Like they did Charlie!
The bastards killed him!

Mr. Moreland!

Dawn.

I got a tank up here, Billy.

Where's Moreland?

Bug, where's Moreland?

I don't know.

Not here.

Have you seen Shawn?

No.

They've all disappeared.

I don't know where anybody is.

BACHE'S VOICE:
...honor, country.

These are the virtues instilled
in a cadet at Bunker Hill.

They form the backbone
of a curriculum

which has produced along and illustrious
line of soldiers and statesmen

who have served
the United States of America

with distinction since
before the Civil War.

At Bunker Hill our goal is
not only to educate the boy,

it is to develop the man,
to plumb potential,

to nurture it in an atmosphere of strict
discipline and intensive training.

Those boys who are dedicated often
find acceptance to West Point,

Annapolis or the Air Force
Academy, where...

I was thinking about Charlie.

You know, he came in here scared
of his own shadow, homesick.

Used to cry himself to sleep.

I was betting he wouldn't last
the first week of orientation.

You'd call "Right face" and
he'd go in the other direction.

And by Thanksgiving
he was calling cadence.

Never got a hit in inspection.

He turned out to be
a tough little kid.

Always so eager to please.

It's getting close to dawn.

That plebe year,
it's a tough time.

Yeah, it is.

Some of them, like Charlie,
thrive on it.

I did. I... I thrived on it.

I can't remember why anymore.

I was thinking about

that basketball game we played,
one on one, last winter.

It was so cold, hurt to
breathe, and your fingers

could barely feel the ball,
you know.

There was no net on the hoop.

We were always arguing
the other's shot didn't go in.

Just laughing and acting crazy.

Yeah. I remember that.

It was so dark you couldn't see
the ball against the backboard.

I love that feeling.

We'll have a rematch,
one on one.

It's gonna hurt like hell
to leave it all behind.

No one leaves it all behind, Brian.
We're gonna take it with us.

Were they just words?

Honor, duty, country?

I loved that man.

Being in his presence
made me feel privileged.

But there had to be something
missing in all that he taught us,

or this wouldn't
have happened.

I... I've done
a terrible thing here.

You weren't alone.
We were all in it together.

It was my command
and I was in charge.

When I knelt next to Charlie,

I tried to find
some justification.

But honor,
honor doesn't count for shit

when you're looking
at a dead little boy.

You don't think of names
the book of remembrance

or bugles or flags
or 21-gun salutes.

All you think about...

is what a neat little kid he was...

and how you're gonna miss him.

Declare a victory, Brian.

Let's say we won the war.

Let's go home.

(SIGHS)

MORELAND: Fall in!
Fall in! It's over!

Fall in.

Fall in! It's over!

Fall in! Let's go!

Fall in! It's over!

Let's go! Fall in!

Fall in!

Let's go, Lyle.
Fall in.

Bring them up
from the parade field.

Fall in.

It's over.

Let's go, Frank.
Fall in.

Tell 'em to fall in.

Fall in, guys.

Bring it down.

Rusty!

- Fall in.
- Yes, sir!

Fall in! Fall in down
in the quad. It's over.

Fall in! It's over! It's over!

Fall in!

(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)

MORELAND: Hold your fire!

Hold your fire!

Shawn!

Calling on chopper two.
Lay down the smoke!

Shawn! Dammit!

(RAPID GUNFIRE)

Move out! Let's go!

MORELAND: Stay inside!
Keep clear!

Shit!

Shawn!

It's beautiful, man!
Beautiful!

(FIRING STOPS)

(DRUMMER PLAYS
SLOW, SOLEMN RHYTHM)

(MARCHING MUSIC)

Eyes right!

Eyes right!

Eyes right!

Company, turn!

Eyes right!

Eyes right!

Eyes right!