The Tank Battalion (1991) - full transcript

Love is just like money.

Some have too much,
others don't have enough.

Love is just like money.

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY
JOSEF ŠKVORECKÝ

Some have too much,
others don't have enough.

A kinda love that's worse than curse

more painful than an empty purse.

And no matter how much you pine.

Only time will make you fine.

No matter how much you pine.

Only time will make you fine.



Cause time will ease all pain and blues

make people pay their overdues.

Goddammit, men,
you screwed up alright again.

Seems you don't appreciate
you can only play the soldiers.

Wait till we have a real war on.

You'll be sorry you thought it was too
tough to dig a proper tank trench.

If there was a war on,
we'd be pissing with fright.

And who could blame us

if you plan a tank crew would survive
only four minutes.

But maybe they won't have any war.
Or maybe they will.

Anyway, who cares.
I'll be demobbed soon.

Růžička! Proceed with check
of red alert readiness!

As ordered!

- Malina!
- Here!



And you make out a report, Pinkas.

Objective fulfilled as ordered,
the usual bit.

Hospodin!

Don't be too soft on them.

I'll get a shuteye.

Been on night duty twice this week
and now this.

- Wake me up at five.
- As ordered, comrade captain.

Holený!
Go and give a hand to Sergeant Smiřický.

He's got only four men, the fifth's down
with clap. On the double!

And don't forget to wake me up
at a quarter to five. Now get a move on!

Comrade sergeant!

Hospodin sends me to help you
with the digging, but...

The cunt thinks we're gonna bust our gut
just to make him look pretty.

What do you say, Danny?

- Isn't it a regulation tank trench?
- Right on!

I always knew
the sonovabitch was here.

I've charged this goddamn hill
at least five hundred times.

Who the hell he thinks
he's gonna fuck around with?

Maybe I should've my picture
taken soon.

The village photographer has got
a tank helmet in the studio.

Lisette might kinda like me in a helmet.
She would make fun of me. As usual.

- Lisette.
- You'd better leave, Danny.

Don't send me away, Lisette.

Go. You'd only start pawing me
and I don't want you to.

No, I won't. I swear I won't.

I don't care for such things.

Lisette, you goddamn unrelenting bitch.

What's so great about it, anyway?

It's always the same no matter
who you do it to.

You can have that with any girl,
can't you?

And didn't you say yourself
what was important was the soul?

- And what if I kill myself?
- Who, you? Come on!

As soon as she sees you,
she sends you away.

- Hey, Danny?
- She'll go to someone else.

I'm sorry, Lisette. I can't help it.

The minute I get close to you
it's like I was acting on an order.

Halt!

On your feet!

- Your activity, comrade captain?
- Checking on my battalion's red alert.

What about the boots?

That's right, boots.
Ordinary issue boots.

What the hell you think you're doing?
Is this your idea of military training?

Do you know training is your

peacetime combat objective
for the country's defense?

- You'll report to the division CO!
- Comrade major...

- Shut up! You should be ashamed!
- As ordered!

Dismissed!

If it happened in combat situation,
I'd have you court-martialed!

Yes, comrade major.

What the hell is this?

Is this your idea of a red alert?

On your feet!

Where are company COs?
Where's the artillery barrage?

Holed up in here like a pair of faggots!

Git up!

Fuck!

Git up!

Git up!
The Little Devil is fucking around!

- What is it?
- Josef, got the link established?

- What?
- Got your radio connection established?

Established fuck all.
The damn thing's all fucked up.

If you get no connection,
watch what the CO is doing.

Oh Shit! Fuck them all!

Little Devil is around!

Bet all the brass hats
are pissing in their pants.

Tank commander, report here!

Comrade major, Sergeant Soudek
reporting at your order.

What's this, Sergeant? As you were!

Is this how you dismount a tank?
What's this?

Get a move on! Quick! On your feet!
What the hell are you doing? Come on!

I've never seen
anything this awful in my life.

Is this how a tank commander is
supposed to dismount?

Comrade major, Sergeant Soudek
reporting at your order!

That's terrible, Sergeant. As you were.
Dismount!

Who the hell taught you this?

Comrade major, Sergeant Soudek
reporting at your order!

Come on, Soudek, get a move on!

Like a weasel!

Sergeant? Whose masking job is this?
Get a move on, Sergeant!

Dismount!

They were helpless and defenseless.

Leather-coated Communist henchmen
with guns in their pockets

were raiding villages,
terrorizing the population.

Those pigs! Where have we got to?
Tell me, Daniel!

Was this why we worked our ass off?
Prostitutes, that's what we are!

But just wait when it blows up!

I'll personally string up any commie
who comes my way!

And I know who is who, Daniel. I do.

Because I collect the dues
in our party cell

an no one will be able to
deny his membership.

Tank commander, report here!

Now are you coming or not?

Comrade major, Sergeant Smiřický
reporting at your order!

Well, comrades, this is what I call
a well-trenched tank.

The very first in your battalion,
comrade captain.

Comrade sergeant,
you get an honorable citation.

Let your tank trench be an example
to other trenches. I mean comrades.

- I serve the people!
- Dismissed!

What a fucking scream!

Such a cheap trick!
To use an old tank trench!

If it was in frontline situation,
I'd have you shot on the spot!

You'd piss in your pants first!

Did you get your link established?

- The radio's out.
- Out, out!

Why don't you admit
you don't know how to operate it!

- I swear, it's dead.
- Stop this bullshit!

Think you can be cocky
when you're about to be demobbed?

I can make you stay longer, you know.

You will spend an extra year here
establishing connection!

Driver, forward!

Look where you are! You gotta keep
abreast! Ever heard of a combat line?

I'll get you off your lazy asses!

Other crews had shallow trenches
and rode right out.

Cut the crap and navigate the driver!

Up yours, asshole!

Hold on, you guys! I'll knock him off!

Which bastard is driving?
I'll haul his goddamn ass!

- Is he still on?
- Yup.

He'll spend the Sunday in the tank,
negotiating obstacles.

And you're gonna train
how to navigate him.

- But I am navigating.
- Bullshit!

Immediately issue order to destroy
enemy's firepower

by OP 2-0-3!

THREE SCHERMAN TANKS

- Driver, stop!
- Will you stop, goddammit?

- For Christ's sake, stop!
- Screw him!

What about the canon?
What kind of dodo you got for a gunner?

Karel, fiddle a bit with the canon
to make him happy.

We conquered this hill a hundred times,
so what does he want?

PLATOON OF KROMVEL TANKS

Respond by fire!
Don't you see the enemy's shelling you?

Goddamit, I'll have your ass!

- Shit!
- Andělín, you dumb asshole!

What was this?
You call this fire from a stop?

You'd hit fuck all this way!
Who ordered this?

- I didn't.
- You didn't?

- Why the hell did you fire?
- I didn't fire, I fucked up.

I grabbed the controls
and it went off by itself.

What kinda democracy is this, everybody
shooting off when they feel like it?

Keep cool, he's just pissed
his wife will put out to any private.

Why's this stupid driver
playing a sitting duck?

In a real war you'd be all dead
ten times over!

You stupid asshole!

- Where did you learn to drive?
- What can I do with this piece of junk?

Watch your language, comrade!

This piece of fine craftmanship has seen
several major Soviet offensives!

You said it.

For God's sake, keep rolling!

You haven't started yet?

Now don't forget the breach.

What kinda mess is this?
Don't you have anything to do?

- Tank Commander!
- Here!

Your canon bore is a mess! Your crew is
just lying around, goofing and smoking.

You're gonna spend the night
cleaning this canon bore.

Platoon leader, report to me!

Break it up!
Company, direction church, form rank!

Time to get screwed, gents.

- Attention! Comrade major.
- Comrades!

What you performed here today
was no tank battalion charge but a farce!

It was a mess.
It was an utter confusion!

Comrades!

It seems you've learned nothing
during your tour of duty.

Seems two years of conscription
are not enough.

There are comrades in your midst

who've been here for two
and a half years

and one would think a longer training
would show better results.

But what do we see, comrades?

Only that some comrades
are playing Schweiks.

By goofing,
they fail the trust the working

people have in our armed forces.

But we'll make a short process
of such comrades, comrades!

Let them not deceive themselves

they can pull wool over the working
people's eyes.

Let them not deceive themselves
our working people will permit them

undermine everything we have achieved.

By no means, comrades!

He managed to piss
in his own mouth again.

The sun is sinking

down my Lord.

The day is

almost done.

But though we're alive

- and kicking.
- Now eat it!

The army isn't no fun.

But soon our trouble will be over.

Got no leaves and got no weekends.

Janie Pinkas.

Beats me how her old man
can keep her satisfied

when he even sleeps on the base.

The ugly heart - ugly mug.
Now that's what I'd like to know.

And when we finish cleaning tanks

they make us start with urinals.

Only how do you find out
when he can show up home anytime

with his big fat gun on his ass.

Soldier boy, soldier boy, my Lordy,
you can forget fornication now.

Let me stay here, Lisette dear.

- No.
- I swear I'll behave.

No, darling. I want to sleep
and you'd only try sneak up and paw me.

- I wouldn't. Honest.
- No, you would. I know you.

Come on.

There isn't a bit of logic in her.

But since when is there logic in women,
you damn fool?

What's up?

What can I do for you, Mrs. Pinkas?

Would you please ask Lieutenant Pinkas
if he's coming home tonight?

Anything for you, mam.

Well...

- Danny!
- What?

Report immediately to Růžička!

- What does he want?
- I don't know. But you have to hurry.

- Motherfucker.
- You said it, man.

Sergeant Smiřický reporting as ordered.

All right, Sergeant.

Company youth league groups
and their propagandists

will see that men who pledged
to sit for the Fučík Reader's Badge

will sit for
the Fučík Reader's Badge test.

By tomorrow, Smiřický!

Comrade lieutenant, he's new here, will
act as the chairman of the commission.

How's the Fučík Reader's Badge
situation? On schedule, I presume.

We haven't got the books,
comrade lieutenant.

The comrades are eager, very eager.

But the company library has got only
a few of the prescribed books.

That's no excuse.

One must overcome objective obstacles
as they say,

just like the Soviet Komsomol did.

Not only had they no books to read,
but often even nothing to eat!

- My word.
- Yet they carried the day as they say.

How many comrades are prepared
to sit for the test?

- Well...
- Well?

One or two.

What?

Attention!

Those undressed to their briefs
may proceed with their after-lunch rest.

All others

will file outside within ten minutes
as candidates for the FR Badge.

I'll show you to rest dressed after lunch.

- Sergeant Smiřický!
- Yes!

I make you responsible that all the
loafers unfamiliar with regulations

- will fall in to sit for the test.
- Roger!

WE SERVE THE PEOPLE

Where have you been?

I had to take the message myself, prick!

All right, comrades. Let's start with
this book called "Far from Moscow".

No need to be afraid, comrades.

I'm sure you read a lot of books
in your spare time.

Now who will tell us about the book,
comrades? Sergeant?

Soudek, come here!

Far from Moscow it's called.

- Come on, Soudek!
- Well it tells about...

- These folks...
- Soudek! Here! Come!

Like they work in this place.
But not that hard.

In those far regions...

I mean far

from the Soviet capital,
that's where it was.

And they...

They have no imperialists there
no more.

That's it! You don't have to
be afraid of literature, comrades.

None of us here is after making it tough
on you as they say.

I can tell you this evening we'll have the
officers and their wives sit for the test.

And now who's going to tell us

what kind of lesson you drew from
the book? To improve your performance.

All right. Sergeant?

Well, I mean the lesson we got was
we're to use

the novel methods and ways

and to learn from the experience
of the Soviet comrades.

Exactly! Now I can see
you've got it right there, comrades.

The thing is to tackle the thing
the army way.

- Have you read anything by Wolker?
- Yeah, I did.

Like this "Ballad of an Aborted Child".

- And how did you like it?
- I liked it fine, why shouldn't I.

Now who's gonna tell us more about it?

Bamza!

- It's about...
- These two who fall in love.

- These two who fall in love.
- And the guy knocks the chick up.

And he gets her in the family way.

They're poor.

- They're both dirt poor.
- She's gotta have an abortion.

And she's gotta get rid
of the little bugger.

Right. Has anyone read anything else
by this poet Wolker?

Wait a minute, comrade lieutenant.

Now can such a thing happen today
in our people's democracy?

Are comrades today forced to
do such things

because they wouldn't be able to
feed another hungry mouth?

- Sometimes.
- They don't.

What would you men cherish the most
about your girl

if you had to go through the hoop?

Yes?

Bamza!

Well?

Well?

You'd want her to have good...
Here!

Tits!

Now wait a minute, comrades!
What comrade lieutenant had in mind

was what a today's female should be like
as regards her socialist morale.

He didn't mean what's called
the physic attributions.

Right.

These tribulations may differ
with each woman,

because it's every comrade to his taste.

So what should be your girl like?

I mean as far as her psychic abilities
are concerned.

Soudek!

She must be intact.

That's also important,
but what's the main creed

of socialist morale
which every girl must observe?

Come on, you guys, we had it in this
brochure. "For Higher Socialist Morale."

Mengele!

- Gotta be faithful to the people.
- Of course.

Comrades, today a woman's chief
concern is labor, isn't it?

Now today we take the woman

for what comrade Wolker did
during the first republic.

Namely and first of all
a comrade, comrades.

Poet Jiří Wolker was a poor boy
hailing from a proletarian family.

Ever since his childhood days
he was forced to work hard.

His poetry was suppressed during the
first bourgeois capitalist republic

and no publisher was willing to print it.

Only circles of young
revolutionary enthusiasts,

who loved Wolker,

circulated his verses by
clandestine mimeographs.

Today, Jiří Wolker is a favorite poet
of all young people.

Very good.

Would you be able to recite
anything from Wolker's work?

The mailbox.

The mailbox down my street.

Every passer-by does greet.

With its color blue

and lovers true.

Through letters in its safehouse meet.

Some are sad and some are merry.

Some crueler than necessary

swollen ripe with words like pollen.

Which afar with wind do carry.

Yet it is life's great enigma

why these pistils scorch a stigma.

And a meek soul's budding flower.

Bears a grape that tastes

but sour.

- You're going to be demobbed soon.
- Yes.

You can't wait to get out of here,
can you?

You tell me.
I've been stuck here for two years.

It's been even two years longer for me.

Can't comrade Lieutenant apply for
a posting somewhere else?

- To a better place?
- Well, he can't.

Don't you know he joined the wrong side
to fight the Germans in the war?

You mean he was in England, right?

- What did you study?
- Me? Philosophy.

I wanted to go to university, too.

But I didn't know what a big crime it was
to have a husband who was a proletarian

and an ex-British army noncom.

- It's not that hot anyway.
- Come on!

It must be nice to know a lot.

You'd snub her,
now wouldn't you, Lisette?

A dumb officer housewife with funny
aspirations on her mind,

lost on godforsaken military base.

But she's gonna put out for me,
while you won't,

you big city bitch.

What are you waiting for,
comrade sergeant?

I don't really know.
It's like waiting for the charge to begin.

You always mentally try to
put it off as long as possible.

Strange way of putting it.

- Why?
- It's a funny compliment

to be likened to what tank corpsmen
go through before they go in battle.

You don't know what death means to me.

It's the biggest compliment
I can ever pay you.

If it was real death,
you'd talk different.

I'd be thinking of you.

A tough tank corpsman's talk.
Just like my husband.

When death traps you inside the tank,
you'll be frantic to

flip the hatch open to get out,
only you'll get under submachine fire.

With you on my mind,
even death would be sweet.

You'd better return in the barracks.

- No hurry.
- Or you'll be in trouble.

If it's because of you,
it would be a pleasure.

Even if you end in jail for being late?

For you I'd even take the stockade.

Suddenly the army's not so bad.

Everything that ends
is always suddenly good.

Life is always but the past
through and through.

Pissing time!

- Pissing time, gents!
- Thanks.

Go and piss!

- Give me a ciggie!
- Here.

Open up!

Let me out, guys! You hear me?

I said let me out!

- Wait, this is gonna be a scream.
- Idiots!

I don't care what happens.

If you don't open,
you can mop it up yourselves!

So wet your pants.

I'll count to twenty
and if you don't open up

you better get a bucket and a mop.

Let her out!

One! Two!

Three!

Four!

Five! Six!

All right.

Attention!

Present arms!

Lower arms!

You prick.

Break it up, guys!

Danny, hey Danny my man!

Would you stand in for me tonight?

I haven't had a shuteye
for two nights running.

- Have you locked up everything?
- Yeah.

It should be a quiet night. Kámen is
on duty and he's not gonna bother.

You bet.

No sweat.

- Danny, I'm gonna crash now, alright?
- Yeah.

Well, I guess I should take care of
a thing or two.

- Just one sin after another.
- But none of them cardinal.

- Get a divorce and marry me.
- You can't think I'd be that dumb.

Comrade major, Duty Provost Smiřický
reporting. Garrison stockade in order,

number of present prisoners: ten.

Is the duty provost allowed to
go about unarmed?

- He's not.
- Have you observed the regulations?

- I have not.
- How come?

How's that possible, comrade sergeant?

It was delinquency
and lack of discipline on my part.

Where's the provost marshal of the day?

He's inspecting the provost guards,
comrade major.

Oh well. You show me around, then.

What's this?
This place is a complete mess.

How's that possible?

Who... Who's this?

Sergeant Babinčáková.
Fifteen days of hard bunk prison.

On your feet!

Comrade major,
Provost Marshal Malina reporting.

No unduly events during my tour of duty.

Get in your uniform and follow me.

- And you turn in!
- As ordered!

Are you moonstruck or what?
Do you realize what you've done?

How come you're delinquent
in your duties?

- I don't know.
- Then you must be moonstruck.

No.

How come you've failed to do
your duty?

I don't know.

- What do you mean you don't know?
- I just don't.

Are you a commissioned officer or not?
Are you too dumb to speak?

Aren't you able to face the consequence
of your irresponsibility? Answer me!

- Yes.
- Yes what? Are you, or aren't you?

No.

I'm not gonna be the butt of your
silly jokes, is that clear?

Do you realize what you did?
Don't you know what you're in for?

- Yes.
- What? - No.

What made you leave your post
and flunk your duty?

- Calm down a try to explain.
- Yes.

- It was comrade Sergeant Babinčáková.
- Yes?

A woman, then. Do you know who's
soldier's worst enemy, comrade?

- No.
- Women.

But not our wives at home
whose safety we're guarding here.

A different kind of women.

Such females will make a soldier
lower his defenses,

cause him to flunk his duties

and violate the official secrets act.

- Oh no!
- What do you mean "oh no"?

- Comrade Babinčáková didn't want me...
- Didn't want you to what?

To violate the official secrets act.

- She was after...
- Yes?

- A different...
- What? Are you gonna tell me?

Act. I mean sexual.

And you say it just like that?

You, a member of the working class

who put you in a position of top
responsibility?

That's treason, comrade lieutenant.

And what about you? Why do you
tolerate such things in the stockade?

I was acting on orders.

- Don't you know the book?
- I do.

Are you aware you can refuse an order

which is against
the interests of the people?

I can't. An order must be carried out.
I can complain later.

You're the last one to complain
about anything.

You count on being clever.

But our people's democracy doesn't buy
smart guys like you.

We know our class enemy.
They'll get theirs yet.

And you will, too.

I'll file a complaint against you.

Against me?

You dare to abuse the benefits and rights
our people's armed forces

in order to undermine them?

I'll make a short process of you.
The Bolshevist way!

The mind just boggles. And that's not to
mention the political awareness.

Slánský as the Party's leader was getting
thirty thousand a month

and yet he committed high treason.

But you or I don't get even a fourth of
what he had.

- But we're not gonna become no...
- Betrayers.

Loud! Everybody!

Betrayers!

Tomorrow's tests of the combat
and political readiness of this formation

will be observed

by our Soviet military advisor,

Colonel Nikti...

Nikchi... Nikitichenko.

Hup two, hup sing!

Over scorched forest,
over bloody rivers

- regiments of soldiers...
- Left turn!

...keep just marching on.

- Hearts ablaze with fury...
- Left turn!

...none among them shivers

when he's called to duty
as his country's son.

LET BLOODY BOLSHEVISM PERISH

American tanks are charging.

Your tank proceeds along the river.

You are under heavy enemy fire.

Suddenly you see a U.S. Sherman tank
in the field of vision of your optics.

Your action?

Private Bamza!

The Sherman tank is coming closer.

You even see the white star
on its turret. What will you do?

Sergeant Žloudek!

- Open fire.
- But with what?

Consider the situation.
Imagine you are sitting in this tank.

An American panzer is charging head on
at full speed. What would you fire?

Let's hear it, comrade corporal.

I'd blast them from the canon.
A machine gun would do fuck all.

- What?
- Nothing.

But how do you fire? I'm asking how.

Comrade captain,
your permission to speak.

Permission granted. Well, sergeant?

Using the proportionate method
I'd estimate

- the distance of the enemy vehicle.
- Demonstrate.

Using its known height and its estimated
speed I'd calculate as per the formula

V= R x 0,75 / v,
which is the speed of an antitank shell

which means adjusting the optics

by setting the established distance on
the third scale from the left

which is your panzer piercing
shell setting, then fire.

Quick, open fire, dammit!

Excellent!

Your health!

Crew, right turn!
After me, quick march!

I wanna see this.

For two years he's been so busy doing
propaganda he's never had time

- to fire a single round.
- Shithead.

Watch out!

Duck, man!

Keep low, you prick!

PRIVATES / OFFICERS

Maňas!

You asshole!

You shit!

I'm gonna kill him!

That fuck!

You bastard!

Why didn't you tell your draft board
you were blind as a bat?

Do you know who you almost killed?

I swear you'll spend the rest of your
tour of duty in the jug!

When the tank jerked, I just lost balance
and grabbed the fire controls.

You fuck!

Janie!

What's wrong with you?

What is it?

Janie!

Hey.

- Danny boy.
- Well.

Jane, Janie!

Please wait.

Wait.

My God. Dammit!

Wow.

I'm sorry.

I don't mind, Danny boy.

Thanks.

- Halt!
- Come on, you prick.

What did you call your comrade?
Come here!

- Where have you been, sergeant?
- I went for a walk.

How is that possible?

To leave your battalion
during tests in progress?

This is sabotage!
What have you got to say to that?

You wanted to shame the entire division
before our Soviet comrades?

That's unpardonable.

Don't think if you're about
to be demobbed

you will be able to evade justice.

Or can you explain this to me?

- What do you do in civilian life?
- I'm to work in a publishing house.

In a publishing house!

An element like you? In a publishing
house? How is that possible?

You'll never work in
any publishing house!

I'll personally make sure of that!
You'll learn

what the rule of the people is like when
you are sent to work in the mines.

One day you'll thank me for it.

Fuck it, you got in the can
for going AWOL.

But I was simply asked

who was the president of this
great people's democracy of ours.

- What did you tell them?
- I named his son-in-law

- who heads the Defense.
- You cunt.

Who's supposed to
remember all them pricks?

Fuck, what about me, then?

I got them on my back all the time,
telling me how I should be proud

to make tank corpsman first class.
What did it get me?

Instead of getting a leave
I end up in a fucking can.

Hey, fuck off!

How much did you get, buddy?

"Fare thee well, my faithful friend."
By Sergeant Maňas.

"It is time to part. What a pity!
I have grown quite fond of you

although at first I wanted to have
nothing to do with you."

Wait, you prick!
"I was even terrified of you.

And yet in those two years
I came to love you

as a dearest

of friends.

I often gladly gave up all my free time
to be with you.

Many are the nights we spent together

having fun."

Do you remember the night we saw
the roebuck mating his doe?

How desperately I suddenly felt,
with so much love pent up inside."

Go fuck yourself.

"I began stroking your long thick gun,
my dear friend,

my T-34 tank."

Hey, you cunt, it says you fucked a T-34.

Sergeant Smiřický,
report at the infirmary immediately.

What happened?

We have the tests back.
You got a dose of clap.

Oh, Sergeant Smiřický.

Come on in.

I hear I've got clap.

You got fuck all.
But a dose will get you out of the can.

And this must happen
just when I'm about to be discharged.

What stupid, cruel jokes life can play.

I could have had a great time here
balling pretty Janie

but pined instead for Lisette,
the hypnotic iceberg.

One begins to appreciate what he's had
only when he's about to lose it.

When it's almost all over.

Fucking law of the fucking life.

Borovička will destroy you

just as he did my husband.

What the hell can I do?

Danny,

I love you so much.

Comrades! We have congregated here
to celebrate

in a comradely, manly manner
the fulfillment of your honorable duty,

service in the people's democratic army.

A duty made even more honorable

for some of you who on top of their
regular two years' service

did an extra tour of six months' duty.

But even this does not seem to have
been long enough for some of you

to master the T-34 tank.

We'll have to enact
a three years' conscription.

You have mastered your objective
with enthusiasm.

Yet there are some among you
who haven't been as enthusiastic

as befits servicemen
in the people's democratic army.

These have and will have been punished
in a most uncompromising manner,

for the people and its vanguard
the communist party shall stand

for no undermining of the army's
discipline by subversive elements,

namely those who have been able to
get a higher education paid

with the money of the working class.

Those who refuse to carry out
the people's orders

have expelled themselves
from their ranks.

And I shall personally see that they -

and people of such ilk are still
to be found in our midst -

fully bear the consequence of their
dirty deeds even in civilian life.

The working people remain on guard

and will crush anybody trying to
stand in the way of progress.

They will feel the crush
of the hard fist of the people

which will force them to carry out
their duty with enthusiasm

and whoever fails to show enthusiasm
will be dealt with by the working people.

Long live the USSR!

Long live our great friend and protector,

our leader and teacher,
our beloved liberator,

wise and great,
benevolent and eternal,

the one and only Generalissimo
Iosip Vissarionovich Stalin!

Well, dig in, old girl.

Two and a half years.

Two and a half years.

How come we managed to survive it all?

Alas, it is now time to part,
ye bayonets, tanks and guns.

Tomorrow our work must start
for happy days of our beloved ones.

But although we are leaving here
upon our honor we do swear

to wage a fight we'll never fear,
to defend our country sweet and dear.

And should ever a treacherous foe
dare disturb peace in this land.

In battle we shall gladly go

and even die with you in hand.

Burn down the brewery.

You stupid mob.

Come on, comrades!

- Like drinking water.
- Quiet!

Water it ain't no drink.

Fit for a bum.

Water is for frogs.

Long live comrade major
and comrade captain!

- Hail the USSR!
- Of course!

Chase it down with rum!

Water is for frogs,
we swill beer like hogs.

And then chase it down with rum!

- Janie girl!
- Danny boy!

Will I ever see you again, Danny?

Of course you will.

Little Devil permitting,
we'll see each other in Prague.

- You will be able to come, won't you?
- I'm not sure.

Why shouldn't you?
Your old man is constantly on duty.

He won't even know you were gone.

- Why did you have to come here?
- What do you mean?

There were officers and the casino,
movies three times a week.

- Janie!
- And everything was so terribly stupid,

but at the same time very much in order.
And then you appear here.

That's the way it was
and that's all right.

What's all right? That I don't give a damn
about my husband anymore?

That I'm gonna miss something
much more than I used to before?

- Janie, please.
- Is that all right?

- Well.
- I know.

I'm only a hysterical bitch, anyway.

- You're not.
- I am.

Elope with me.

To some subleased room in Prague?
For you to keep running away from

so you wouldn't have to look at this
lieutenant's dumb wife

- who loved you so much?
- Come on, Janie!

So much, so goddamn much.
Understand, Danny?

I love you so much.

I don't know why I'm so stupid
to love you so much.

But I do.

- Get a divorce, then.
- To do what, will you please tell me?

I know nothing. Even books bore me.

- Come on.
- But I do love you.

Don't leave me, Danny boy.

Stay here with me.

I know.

It's all so stupid.

I guess that's the way it has to be.

Hawaii, your song I holler.

Hawaii, you're ruled by the dollar.

Hawaii, you brown-skinned beauty.

Your body is just U.S. booty.

Under a shady grass shanty.

Take off your dress so scanty.

And in G.I. Joe's close embrace
forget the problems of race.

Hawaii, you sweet-scented flower.

As Yanks hold the string of your purse.

Love's just a four-teller curse.

But Kanaka, the strength of his arms.

Spent daily on pineapple farms.

Has still enough lust and ardor.

As night falls on Pearl Harbor.

And so in his white lady's bed.

He gives her good loving instead.

Shut up!

When I got drafted in the army
hoped I'd get a pleasant place.

Now I pray at taps and reveille
for God to strike this fucking base.

When I travelled on the train here
thought of women, wine and song.

Now I'm locked up in the stockade
and I can only beat my dong.

All right, men, now let's hear
our old Bolshie one.

Those who call us Bolshie terror,
Commie Party's iron guard.

Soon from gallows they shall swing.

The Party's vengeance will be hard.

When this country's liberated
by the G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe.

All we men will be on hand.

To watch the show, watch the show,
as the brass are swinging high.

And "Fuck the army, fuck the army"

we shall cry.

Quiet! This is treason!
It's a provocation!

I'm not going to have
our people's democratic army slandered!

This is treason! Dismiss!

So not only Smiřický but all you men
are most treacherous reactionaries.

My word!

Who are you calling reactionary,
you runt!

I won't tolerate this! This is...

I'll have you all court-martialed!
You'll see yet!

Comrade.

He'll have you in stockade till
you're blue in the face!

- Comrade...
- Dismiss! Dismiss!

The shithead's bound to call in
the spy catchers.

Fucking cooks,
leaving the cover off all the time.

One day somebody's gonna
drown in shit.

Do you know why I asked you to see me,
Mr. Smiřický?

Major Borovička didn't leave much
in this world.

But one thing did survive him.

This security report he wrote on you.

It would be your end.

Does he know or doesn't he?

You're lucky that I found it.

Rather me
than one of the political officers.

Reserve Sergeant Smiřický,

dismiss.

So after 30 months of forced service
at the military base Kobylec

Danny set out on a journey
to his desired freedom.

To freedom?
The year was 1953.

No matter how much you pine

more painful than an empty purse.

Only time will make you fine.

Because time will ease all pain and
blues make people pay their overdues.

But then she's old and thick and ugly.

No red-hot mama anymore.

Oh, God, when she' old and thick
and ugly.

No red-hot mama anymore.

Who'd care for her loving roll

down there in that cold dank hole.

Down there in that cold dank hole.