Colditz (1972–1974): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Gambler - full transcript
RAF officer Jack Collins arrives at Colditz and does not endear himself to his fellow inmates. He is a con artist and a card sharp,who fleeces the gullible Brent. However he is more ...
Uh, twist.
Oh! Bust.
Buy for five.
Oh, blast!
Another one?
- No. I may as well stick.
Put on 70.
Do you mind?
- Jack?
Buy for five.
- Oh, here we go again.
And again.
- Ha!
What's he got this time?
All right. Busted.
Twisting?
- Oh, don't be stupid. Buy for five.
Anyway, you can afford to lose.
I don't believe it.
Collins, you have the luck
of the devil.
Just a minute. He might have a pontoon.
Tim?
- Stick.
Stick.
- No, they're all sticking.
Right.
Have you got an ace?
Does he have an ace?
No, I haven't. I've got 10.
All right. Pay Pontoons 21,
five cards. That's me.
Oh, that's me out.
It's early yet.
- You've cleaned us out, chap.
What can you buy with Lagergeld
in this place anyway?
Soap, needle and thread.
That sort of thing.
Any point in trying to flog it to Jerry?
It's no good to them.
Why don't we play for money?
- What money?
This rubbish is all we ever get.
- German marks.
You fellows must have fiddled some
for when you make the big escape.
I know we did in my last camp.
Colonel Preston keeps
all of our German currency.
Oh, it's like that, is it?
Why don't you withdraw some?
Put a bit of spice in the game, huh?
No? Well, anybody got
any other suggestions?
Do you have any marks?
- Me? No.
Then what will you go on playing with?
I was going to buy some from you lot.
I had my cheque book on me
when we were shot down.
We were stationed not far from London.
I was due to make a quick dash
up to the Ritz
to have breakfast with a young lady.
Breakfast.
My idiotic navigator
gave the wrong return course
to my equally dim-witted pilot,
and he flew us into a flat belt.
And so,
instead of breakfast at the Ritz,
we had breakfast in
a German police station.
I've got my cheque book with me.
There you are, then.
We play for English money.
Maximum stake five pounds a card,
one pound's easy with me.
Well, not for me.
But I wouldn't mind
a good hand of bridge sometime.
My God, I knew he was one of those,
you know.
What do you play for?
Penny a hundred? Big stuff?
Now look here, Collins.
At least bridge takes a little bit
of intelligence.
Listen, sonny.
I can take the pants off you at bridge
or any card game you care to mention.
Just like to give you a chance,
that's all.
With Pontoon, all you need is
enough guts to back your luck.
I don't think I like your tone, Collins.
Tim.
Oh, what the hell.
Well, now we're down to the hardcore.
I thought you promised
to help me this evening.
Oh, the glider.
Oh, look, I'm sorry.
I got involved in this game.
I'm really very sorry. I'll be
with you again tomorrow, I promise.
Did you say glider?
- Yeah.
What are you playing at,
model aeroplanes or something?
No, it's a real one. A two-seater.
- What, you mean, actually...
Tony's sure it'll work.
- After how long?
A year's hard labour
with his little fretwork set?
No, when it comes to escaping,
old son, simplicity.
That's the key, I've decided.
Right. well, let's get down to
the serious business of the evening.
No. We have to pack it in now anyway.
We're just getting warmed up!
- Jerry'll turn the lights out soon.
Well, it's no problem.
You've got candles.
You must have candles or something.
Why don't you pack it in?
Some of us want to get a bit of sleep.
Oh, dear.
These squadron leader bus drivers
are all the same.
Still, once a squabbling bleeder
always a squabbling bleeder, I suppose.
No, he's right.
We don't want to keep everyone awake.
Well, it's no problem. Come on.
Right. Here we are, then.
Dyer, grab that seat there, will you?
That's it. Bring it over here.
And we're away.
Lovely.
All right. First Jack takes the bank.
All right.
Here we are. Thank you.
You must be a lousy lover.
Well, there are no popsies
in here, old son.
Not that I've had
any complaints in the past.
Right. Same rules as before.
Maximum stake one pound sterling.
All right?
Major Mohn.
Oh, shut up.
All right. All right.
Why don't we settle up
as we go along, shall we?
All right.
- That's what I make it.
Okay?
Yeah.
We'll carry the odd few quid forward.
You just make out a cheque for £500.
Right.
You are good for 500 quid,
aren't you, old son?
There'll be enough,
there'll be my back pay.
No commitments?
Like I say, there'll be enough.
Because I don't play this game
for fun, you know.
Nor do I.
Any cheques I accumulate in here
I intend to present
as soon as I get out of here
and back to England, you know.
Honour of the regiment and all that.
'Cause I expect to pay my debts
and vice versa, okay?
I've never lost like this before.
Well, it's just a run
of bad luck, that's all.
It happens to all of us
from time to time.
Leave the date blank, will you?
I'll fill that out
when I get back to England.
Thanks very much.
Do I.. Do I get my revenge?
I've got two rules, old son.
Play for keeps
and always give the other fellow
a chance to win it back. Thanks.
'Cause that's what I'd expect myself.
Fair enough.
- Good.
Hey, you been playing all night?
Yes. It got very interesting.
- Who won?
Well, Fairclough broke even,
Dyer came out ahead,
Brent lost a bit.
One of those sessions where
nothing seemed to go right.
Stick.
Buy for the same.
Stick.
I'm happy.
- You're happy?
12. Well, I'm not.
17.
Well, in for a penny, in for a pound.
21, play Pontoons.
Thank you, gentlemen. Five cards only.
Where did you learn to speak German?
I used to be a travelling salesman
here before the war.
Used to flog French perfume
to German Fräuleins.
Who's he?
- Canteen sergeant.
What's his name?
- Uh, Ernst Krueger.
He's all right, as Germans go. Why?
Well, no reason in particular.
Well, come on, gentlemen.
Let's play Blackjack.
Lay your bets, gentlemen.
Let's start
cutting one another's throats.
Hello?
Anybody here?
The canteen closes at 12:30.
I've come to spend
some of my ill-gotten gains.
It's Mr...
- Collins. Jack Collins.
Oh. Krueger. Unterfeldwebel Krueger.
You are a recent arrival,
I think, Mr Collins.
Yes, a few days ago.
Well, I open again at 2:30.
Did you go on winning?
No. No, I lost this morning.
What? Do you play Pontoon?
Oh, I have played
most card games, Mr Collins.
Brag?
- Yes.
Well, do you fancy a game sometime?
I don't play for pieces of paper,
Mr Collins.
Well, how about cigarettes?
I don't know. That's against the rules.
You could sell them in the town.
As good as playing for Reichsmarks.
But I like to see the money
on the table, Mr Collins.
I also have a pack of cards.
Well, how do you feel, sir?
- Oh, not too bad. Thank you, Simon.
How's the food in sick bay these days?
Oh, it's about as awful
as our normal rations.
Oh, dump those down over there
for me, will you?
Yes, sir.
Have there been any new arrivals
since I've been sick?
Just one, sir. A tail-end Charlie.
Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Oh. well, I'd better
try and see him this afternoon then.
Are you sure you feel up to it?
- Yes. I'm all right. Thank you.
Right, sir.
All right. Time for one more hand.
See if I can win back
some of those cigarettes.
You play this game too recklessly,
Mr Collins.
Ah, well, sometimes it pays off.
Your shout.
One.
Two.
Five.
- Six.
Ten.
I think I'd better see you.
Oh, dear. Too good for me, I'm afraid.
Not my day.
What did you have?
- Hey, come on.
Nobody asks that question
in this game.
Shall I tell you? Queen high.
How'd you know that?
- The way you were betting.
Well, it's time to stop now.
I must open the canteen again
and I've had no lunch.
You should worry.
You won all my cigarettes.
Same time tomorrow?
- You have nothing left to play with.
Suppose I could lay my hands
on some German marks?
Marks? Do you have some?
- Yeah.
Well, I could put up 300.
If you think that's worth playing for.
300 marks?
- Cash on the table, both sides?
You can get that much?
- I can, yes. What about you?
Where do you keep
this German money of yours, Mr Collins?
Safely hidden, old son,
where no one but me can find it.
Just in case someone decides
to do their duty and reports me.
But if you care to
try and win some of it,
well, it's up to you.
Hi.
Ah.
I've been looking for you.
Yes. Well, I had other things to do.
I'm afraid we shan't be able
to play this afternoon.
The old man wants to see you.
So how about if we settle up now?
- Well, fair enough.
Remember I won 300 quid this morning.
Oh, sure.
Well, I suggest
you just alter the cheque.
Make it out for 200 quid.
Oh, look at that, eh?
Focke-Wulf 190.
Beautiful job, isn't it?
You don't want to tangle with those
if you can help it.
The Yanks found that out the hard way.
Well, come on. Wakey, wakey. The cheque.
These cards are marked.
Yeah, well, they're for playing
with Jerry, aren't they?
Why?
- Oh, don't ask daft questions.
Come on, cheque. Come on.
Well, my luck's changed.
How about playing again tonight?
Fair enough.
Come in.
Flight Lieutenant Collins, sir.
Well.
Hello, Collins. How do you do?
- How do you do, sir?
All right, Simon. Thank you.
- Sir.
Sit down, won't you?
Make yourself comfortable.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry, I should've seen you earlier,
but I've been sick for a week.
Oh, what was the matter, sir?
Well, apart from
this filthy bloody cold,
I had a touch of enteritis.
Nothing very serious,
but the food's so poor in this place...
Well, you'll have found that out
for yourself already.
The slightest infection is liable
to drag one down somewhat.
Anyway, enough of that.
When were you shot down?
Three months ago,
on the way back from Berlin.
Oh. As recently as that?
Good. You'll be able to tell us
what's going on back in England.
I see you've collected a DFC.
- Yeah, well...
Any rear gunner that survives
two tours of ops
gets one dished out with the rations.
Well, I'm sure there must have been
some more specific occasion.
Well, we were shot at over Hamburg,
and so there was a fire near my turret
and I didn't fancy getting burnt,
so I put it out.
Would you like a cigarette?
- Not for me, thanks.
And the Croix de Guerre,
what about that?
The Great War, Verdun, I was
driving an ambulance for the French.
Oh. You must've been very young then.
- Yeah.
Well, you certainly seem to have seen
plenty of action.
Well, I'm a survivor, sir.
And I do tend to have
the odd bit of luck now and then.
Well, the Germans have
sent you to Colditz,
that means you've already made
an escape attempt.
Three.
- Three?
Yes. First on the way to
Stalag Luft Three. At Sagan.
I was wearing my uniform
and the Gestapo picked me up,
and twice from my last camp,
both went sour.
Hmm.
Well, I gather that
Flight Lieutenant Carter hasn't
been able to fill you in
on escape procedures yet...
Oh, damn. Another Appel.
We'll finish this conversation
some other time.
But Collins, if there's anything
I can do at any time to be of help,
I'm always available.
I don't think I'll be
needing anything, sir.
Thanks all the same.
How did you manage to get
into air crews anyway?
Volunteered, like everybody else.
Yeah, but you must be
way over the age for flying.
That's what they said.
So I pulled a few strings.
Do you mind?
How old are you, anyway? 40? 45?7
I didn't drive the damn plane.
I just sat in my turret.
I've been crash landed,
I've been ditched,
told to bail out three times
by idiot young bus drivers
who were young and fit.
No Jerry night fighters
ever got near enough to me
to poke a cannon into the back of us.
I've seen off
four young bus drivers like you.
I'm still alive and kicking,
so don't talk to me about age.
All right. Let's talk about escaping.
You want to go on the list?
- List?
What list?
- Well, everyone here takes their turn.
I'm not forming any queues, old son.
When it's time to go,
I shall be on my way.
That's not the way we operate.
Every escape has to go
before the Escape Committee.
One thing I can't stand is red tape,
so I won't waste any more of your time.
Will you just shut up and listen?
Successful escapes demand
cooperation and organisation.
It's a team effort.
- That's where you're wrong, old son.
I've been let down twice in the past
by so-called teams.
This time I'll be solo.
Well, even a solo effort
needs a back-up team.
You'll need rations, an escape route.
- Listen...
Forged identification papers.
Excuse me. I know you mean well.
But I'm sorry, I won't need anything.
Not a thing.
So you can take your Escape Committee
and your back-up team
and stuff 'em.
Come on! Hey! Wakey, wakey!
Wakey, wakey! Come on, now.
What is it?
What's the matter?
What is it, Simon?
If you've finished sleeping off
your all night session,
Tony Shaw would like a word with you.
Oh, good grief! I only meant
to lie down for five minutes.
Start playing somewhere else.
Anything I can do?
A bit late now.
Yes. Well, I meant to be here
this morning,
but something cropped up
and I dozed off.
Hard to believe it's going to
look like this when it's finished.
Right. You can get on with that.
- Right.
I want to keep the same team
together if I can.
Someone who'll know the plans backwards.
Know exactly what they're doing.
That makes sense.
It'll get on faster that way.
It's going to take some time.
Another six months, at least.
Maybe more.
Hard to say exactly.
So, if anybody's going to get
fed up with it,
best to go now.
Now, look.
I was in on this from the beginning.
I helped you
with the weight calculations.
I'd like to see it through to the end.
Very well. Suits me.
I think we should simplify
this rudder cable business.
Take a look at that tonight, shall we?
Oh, I can't tonight, Tony.
All right. Forget it.
Just give me a day or two, that's all.
Then I can spend
as much time up here as you like.
I don't know what's got into you.
- Nothing!
A game of cards,
all right, George. Fine.
But it's becoming a bloody obsession.
I just want to win back
what I've lost, that's all.
You've told Collins the score, have you?
Yes, sir. We can't have him
running loose all over the place.
He could foul up any number of escapes
we've got going...
Come in.
Ah! Carter.
I want Brent replaced, sir.
Can you give me Marriott instead?
Marriott's working on
another scheme, sir.
I thought Brent was
one of your original?
I thought he was dead keen
on the project.
No use to me any more.
Well, Simon?
I'll have them switch,
if Marriott's agreeable.
All right, thank you.
- Sir.
Thank you, sir.
Why do you want to get rid of him, Tony?
Well, not really any of my business,
but he's got himself involved in
a pretty heavy card school.
Concentration's gone to pot.
He appears to be losing
a great deal of money.
Collins?
The charming Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Brent?
- Yeah.
There's not much in it.
You're 25 quid ahead.
Shall we carry that forward?
- Why can't we go on playing?
You'll have to play without me, old son.
I've got a more important game to play.
All right. Thank you, gentlemen.
Collins, I'd like to have a word
with you, please, in my quarters.
Yes, is 2:45 all right, sir?
Now would be more convenient to me.
I would appreciate if
you'd make it a bit later, sir.
I've got something important to do
and it is getting on to lunch, sir,
isn't it?
All right. 2:45.
Thanks very much.
All right.
Your shout.
10.
20.
30.
40.
50.
See you.
Time to open your shop.
Thanks for the game.
Tomorrow, the same time?
- What? You want to go on playing?
You are winning
a great deal of money, Mr Collins.
All right. Same rules as before.
Cash on the table.
I still have 150 marks.
Yes, but tomorrow it's another game.
I got 450.
I can't get another 300.
Yes. Well, I don't know.
Still, it's a shame
to spoil a good game, isn't it?
Tell you what. If you can
put your hands on another 100 marks,
if you can put up 250,
that's good enough for me.
Do you intend to escape or not?
Yes.
- How?
I'd rather keep that to myself, sir.
Your preferences
carry no weight here, Collins.
You're obliged to submit your plan
to the Escape Committee.
Where's that laid down
in King's Regulation, sir?
It's not.
It's laid down here in Colditz by me.
Well?
There are civilian workmen
in the castle now.
Carpenters, bricklayers and so on.
- Yes?
They use a special form
of identification
to get in and out of the castle.
A metal disc.
I'm going to walk out
as a civilian workman.
And the special disc you'll need?
I'm playing cards with Krueger.
When I'm finished with him, he'll be
ready to shop his own grandmother.
What are you going to play for?
You told me you don't have
any German marks.
First I put up my watch
and I won enough to keep playing.
How do you know
you're going to go on winning?
What? Against Krueger?
Even if you can persuade him
to hand over that special disc,
it'll be missed the same day, you know.
I only want to borrow it for an hour.
I'll make a copy and return it.
No one will know.
What about Krueger?
He'll be in too deep.
He won't say anything.
Well, it's simple. And that's a virtue.
But you're the latest arrival here.
There are other escapes underway.
You'll have to take your turn
for escape necessities.
I don't need any.
Well, you won't get very far
without false papers, clothing, money.
I'll be back in England
within six weeks.
I knocked off
a pair of kitchen overalls.
I'll walk out in those.
I got money.
I speak fluent German, French.
I know Germany like the back of my hand.
I used to work here for years
before the war.
I've got friends
who live not far from here
who'll put me up until the heat's off.
They'll provide me with...
- Friends?
In war time?
Let's say Germans who'll help me.
- Why should they help you?
Because once I've made contact,
they'll know damn well that
one word from me and they're dead.
Former business associates. Jews.
They're passing as good Aryans
and I know it.
Where will you head for?
- Paris.
Once in Paris,
I'll look up some old chums
and I'm as good as in England.
There's a highly organised RAF
escape route there now, you know.
Well, providing your escape doesn't
interfere with anybody else's effort,
I can't see any obvious objections,
can you?
On the face of it, it's workable.
- It is.
I don't need as much as a bent pin
from your Escape Committee.
I'll put the idea to them tonight, sir.
- For approval?
Oh, three cheers.
Well, let's get on with it, shall we?
Collins, hold on a moment.
I'd like to have a word with you
on your own, please.
Thank you, Simon.
- Sir.
You should have outlined this plan
to Carter in the first place.
You know, I don't like having
to intervene in this way
and Carter's quite busy enough
without having to argue
with officers who should know better.
Do you understand?
- Perfectly, sir.
Is that all?
- No, it's not.
I'm also told that you are gambling
with brother officers
for large sums of money.
I'd like that to stop at once.
Sir, I entirely respect your authority
as far as it extends,
but I do feel that my recreational
activities are a private matter.
Don't you, sir?
"The enemy made furious attempts
"to stem our advance
in Normandy yesterday.
"But our line is holding firm
and we're keeping up
"our pressure on the Germans.
"In the Cherbourg Peninsula
we still command the ground
"on either side of Montebourg,
but we've lost the town itself.
"An enemy counter-attack on Carentan
has been repulsed."
And then Berlin radio says
we've been flung back in the sea.
Well, they're evidently pinned down
for the time being.
There's little doubt about that.
- There must be appalling...
Don't you chaps ever pack it in?
Yes, should we pack it in
after this hand?
Yeah, may as well, I suppose.
Yeah, I'm tired.
- No, let's keep playing.
You're outvoted, it's the last hand.
Bets?
How much am I down?
- What, tonight?
All together.
Uh, just over £600.
You've had a really bad losing streak,
old son.
Well, as it's the last hand,
how about upping the bets?
What'd you have in mind?
- You're the banker, yes or no?
Ten quid maximum?
- A hundred.
A hundred pounds a card?
- Yeah.
You must have an ace.
- Never mind what I've got.
Do you agree or not? Have a look
at your first card before you decide.
Oh, no. If you want
a real old gamble, my son,
I'll take you on with pleasure,
sight unseen.
Hundred pounds maximum.
Smaller bets are accepted, of course.
- Thank you.
I think you've just made
a serious mistake. Well, never mind.
Pound.
- Pound.
Hundred.
Stick.
- I'm sticking.
Buy for a hundred.
- Now, don't lost your head, old son.
Sure you don't want to change your mind?
First and last opportunity.
- I know what I'm doing.
Well, on your own head be it.
Buy for a hundred.
All right.
Do your worst. Buy for a hundred.
I've never seen 400 pounds
on a five-carder before.
Well, you have now.
You're only, what, 200 quid down now,
aren't you?
That's right. I'm going to cut my losses
and call it a day,
thank you very much.
- Just a minute.
The game isn't over yet.
The bank hasn't played.
Ah! Typical.
I did try to warn you, old son,
but you wouldn't take the hint.
That one's a bit of a mess, I think.
You'd better tear it up
and write me a fresh one.
Now you owe me what, one thousand and...
Well, let's forget the odd few quid,
shall we?
Just make it out for 1,000 pounds
and we'll call it a day.
Cards, please. Thank you.
How about giving me another chance?
- How do you mean?
Double or quits.
- Steady on, George, think.
Don't be a fool.
- Shut up.
Well, with your luck...
- Well, it must change sometime.
I don't think you can afford
to lose 2,000 pounds.
I can't afford to lose 1,000.
Because if I win, don't kid yourself,
I expect to be paid, you know.
You will be.
- Can you afford that much money?
No.
Well, there's no point, is it?
- I own a house.
Where?
- Now, George...
Well, it's in Sussex.
- Who holds the deeds?
My bank. I'll give you a letter.
There's another day tomorrow.
- Shut up!
It's a detached house.
It's practically on the seafront.
It's got a quarter of an acre of garden.
I'll give you the address if you like.
- No, no.
I'll take your word for it,
but are you sure you want to go on?
Yeah.
- How?
Straight cut.
- Sudden death?
Yes.
- Double or quits.
This pack's straight, old son.
But you have a look if you like
and then you can shuffle.
Okay?
Well, go ahead.
You first.
All right.
Well, the odds are with you now.
Go on, make it quick.
Bad luck.
That's double.
£2,000.
Thanks.
Uh, you'd better write that note
to your bank manager.
And I'll want vacant possession,
of course, since I'll be selling it.
Come in.
You wanted to see me, sir?
Yes.
If you want to tell me what a fool I am,
I know that, sir.
I imagine that you do.
Why did you do it?
I don't know.
I suppose I'd lost heavily.
I was desperate.
I can hardly believe
that I actually staked everything.
But it's too late, I did.
This house of yours?
It belongs to Collins now, sir.
- Yeah, we'll talk about that later.
Is it your home?
It would have been after the war.
My father's living there at present.
Your mother?
- My mother's dead.
Your wife, where's she?
- She's serving with the wrens.
My father's crippled with arthritis.
He can't get about much now.
He's getting on.
I've been trying to write to him,
to tell him,
to explain that he can't
stay there any more.
I don't know what to say.
See, he depends on me, sir.
I've been supporting him.
Did you tell Collins all this?
Collins didn't ask me
to gamble my father's home.
That was my suggestion.
I knew we were playing for real.
You're not obliged
to go through with this, you know.
You lost your head. That can happen
to anybody in this place.
I owe that money, sir.
And the only way I can pay it
is to let Collins sell the house.
If only I could be there.
At least I could look
after the old chap somehow but...
Collins is going to make his break
in the next few days
and with his luck, he'll be back
in England by the end of the month.
Don't write to your father
for the moment.
Just leave it for a while.
Did Brent ask you to talk to me, sir?
No, he feels that
he is morally bound to pay.
That's right, he is.
Collins, I am appealing
to you personally.
Captain Brent's
at the end of his tether.
He doesn't know what to do.
He should have thought
of the consequences first.
All right. It's his fault. I admit that.
But he has learnt his lesson.
Can I tell him that you're willing
to cancel the debt?
No, sir. You can't.
Does money really mean that much to you?
Not really, sir. But when
I play cards with grown men
I don't expect them to act
like schoolboys when they lose.
Excuse me, sir. There's something
important I've got to do.
Your shout.
The lot?
- Yes.
You don't mess about, do you?
100 marks. All I have left.
- Well, I hope you're not bluffing
because I've got
some pretty good cards myself.
So have I, Mr Collins.
Three aces.
Not good enough, I'm afraid.
A prial of threes, which beats anything.
Bad luck. well, there's no point
in playing any more,
seeing you're broke.
Thanks for the game.
- Mr Collins?
You are a very lucky player.
- Yes.
So lucky that I wonder.
Well, why don't we go in
and see Major Mohn?
And you can tell him you were
playing cards with a prisoner
and you want to complain.
I've lost 400 marks.
- Not to worry, it'll soon be payday.
I've already borrowed against my pay.
My wife is staying in the village
with our little girl.
She needs money for food
and money to pay the rent.
You got a problem.
How much would you need?
It would be a loan, Mr Collins.
I would pay you back, I promise.
Why don't we just cancel the whole thing
and I give you back your 400?
You mean,
you don't want the money at all?
It's been a good game.
We'll say we're playing for fun.
Oh, that would be very kind. Very kind.
All I want is one of those discs
the civil workmen use
for getting in and out of the castle.
They would shoot me for sure.
- They wouldn't. No one's gonna know.
I don't want the disc for keeps.
I just want to borrow it for an hour.
Why?
- Don't worry about why.
The disc for one hour, 400 marks.
Pay your debts.
Get some groceries, buy a little girl
a present. No trouble to anyone, huh?
No?
It's all the same to me.
I'm not the one with the wife and kid.
Just a minute. Wait here.
Thanks.
- The money.
There's 200. You get the rest
when I bring it back.
How do I know you will bring it back?
- Well, if I don't, you report me.
You're in the clear and I'm up
the creek without a paddle, aren't I?
But if you want the rest of the money,
remember, one hour. All right?
You have just told a civilian workman
that his identification disc
was required for inspection.
Show me the disc, Krueger.
All right, all right.
I'm not going anywhere.
After losing heavily at cards,
Krueger secured this disc,
which was later found in the possession
of Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Has he made a statement?
- Yes, sir. In my presence.
This man needs to be taken
under close arrest
to the military prison at Leipzig.
- Yes, sir.
He will be court-martialled.
I have little doubt
what the verdict of the court will be.
That is all.
Prisoner and escort, about turn.
Forward march.
What a fool the man is.
What a stupid thing to do.
And now the poor devil...
- With respect, sir.
Krueger is not a fool.
He's a traitor to the Third Reich.
In addition to your period of
28 days solitary confinement,
the German money found
in your possession
will, of course, be confiscated.
Well, easy come, easy go, as they say.
That will not be so
in the case of Unterfeldwebel Krueger,
Mr Collins.
Colonel, I have delayed this interview.
I hoped it would not be necessary.
However, Flight Lieutenant Collins
will shortly complete his period
of solitary confinement.
Yes, Kommandant.
As a rule, I prefer not to discuss
individual officers with you,
but on this occasion...
Is Flight Lieutenant Collins amenable
to the discipline which I know
you expect from your men?
Collins does have his own opinions.
You will probably know
that Unterfeldwebel Krueger
was court-martialled.
Yes.
- He was sentenced to death.
I did not know that.
I had hoped the sentence would be
reviewed and commuted
in the light of
his previous clean record.
However, the sentence was confirmed.
He was executed at 6:00 this morning.
Krueger was well liked.
Some of his comrades may be inclined
to attribute blame.
Given time, the matter
will probably be forgotten,
provided no incidents occur.
Incidents are best avoided, Kommandant
if there are no provocations
from either side.
Well, you and I cannot be
everywhere at once.
But I will make my views
known to my men.
And I hope you will do the same,
Colonel.
What's that? we've had morning Appel.
Sounds like
one of Mohn's specials. Come on.
Oh, no, not another one.
I don't think these fellows understand
about aircraft production.
Sorry, are you talking to me?
I said, put out the cigarette.
Sorry, I can't understand your English.
Better get an interpreter.
Good idea. Interpreter?
Interpreter?
What have you done to him?
What have you done?
All right, get back. Give him some air.
Somebody get the MO.
Leave him where he is. Fall in at once.
This man is hurt. He needs the MO.
I said, fall in. At the double.
For the last time, fall in.
If you continue to disobey,
my guards will fire.
Guards.
Make ready to fire.
Take aim.
The first volley above their heads.
Fire!
Guards!
Take aim at the prisoners.
Major!
Tell the men to order arms.
Guards. Order arms!
Tell the prisoners
to return to their quarters.
British contingent, return to quarters!
Return to your quarters now!
Colonel, tell your men
to return to their quarters.
Quiet!
Be quiet!
British contingent. Attention!
Silence! I said, silence!
Silence!
Stand still.
Gentlemen,
you will kindly return to your quarters.
I would have expected you here, Colonel,
in charge of your men.
I was on my way, Kommandant,
from the British quarters
when the guards opened fire.
One of my men has been hit
by a stray bullet.
He needs urgent medical attention.
Get him into sick bay at once,
Hauptmann.
Certainly, sir.
Please go to your quarters, Colonel.
I will speak to you later.
Major.
You will kindly explain to me
how all this happened.
Please sit down, Colonel.
- Thank you, Kommandant.
The officer who was accidentally shot...
Captain Burton.
- Yes.
You will be glad to hear
that his wound is not serious
and he will be rejoining you shortly.
And Flight Lieutenant Collins,
how is he?
Again, not seriously injured.
But his jaw is badly fractured.
It will be necessary to pin
the fracture,
which was beyond our resources
here in Colditz.
He has been transferred
to a hospital in Dresden.
His clothes were searched
as a matter of routine.
And these documents were found
in one of his boots.
They appear to be of a personal nature.
A bank cheque signed by Captain Brent
and a letter written by Captain Brent
to his bank manager
referring to some transaction.
Are you aware of this, by any chance?
Yes, Kommandant, I am, but as you say,
they are personal papers.
Then there is no need for me
to confiscate them.
Perhaps it would be better
if you took possession of them, Colonel,
in case the matter needed
to be dealt with in some way.
Thank you, Kommandant.
I had intended returning these to Brent.
But then I thought he might
give them back to Collins
out of some sense of misplaced pride.
Yes, he might.
So I am going to destroy them.
Captain Brent has his cheque book, sir.
He'll just write another cheque.
Collins has caused a great deal
of trouble in this place.
Nobody owes him anything.
Captain Brent thinks of it as a...
Well, as a debt of honor.
Do you think Collins
is entitled to honor?
Brent's duty is to his family.
He's not himself at the moment.
That's not surprising
after years in this place.
It's not exactly a logical act, is it?
To gamble away your home and jeopardise
your family over a game of cards.
Well, we all do mad things here.
Like building a glider.
Well, you get Brent back to the
lesser madness of building a glider.
And when he comes to himself,
he'll know I'm right.
Yes, sir.
Oh! Bust.
Buy for five.
Oh, blast!
Another one?
- No. I may as well stick.
Put on 70.
Do you mind?
- Jack?
Buy for five.
- Oh, here we go again.
And again.
- Ha!
What's he got this time?
All right. Busted.
Twisting?
- Oh, don't be stupid. Buy for five.
Anyway, you can afford to lose.
I don't believe it.
Collins, you have the luck
of the devil.
Just a minute. He might have a pontoon.
Tim?
- Stick.
Stick.
- No, they're all sticking.
Right.
Have you got an ace?
Does he have an ace?
No, I haven't. I've got 10.
All right. Pay Pontoons 21,
five cards. That's me.
Oh, that's me out.
It's early yet.
- You've cleaned us out, chap.
What can you buy with Lagergeld
in this place anyway?
Soap, needle and thread.
That sort of thing.
Any point in trying to flog it to Jerry?
It's no good to them.
Why don't we play for money?
- What money?
This rubbish is all we ever get.
- German marks.
You fellows must have fiddled some
for when you make the big escape.
I know we did in my last camp.
Colonel Preston keeps
all of our German currency.
Oh, it's like that, is it?
Why don't you withdraw some?
Put a bit of spice in the game, huh?
No? Well, anybody got
any other suggestions?
Do you have any marks?
- Me? No.
Then what will you go on playing with?
I was going to buy some from you lot.
I had my cheque book on me
when we were shot down.
We were stationed not far from London.
I was due to make a quick dash
up to the Ritz
to have breakfast with a young lady.
Breakfast.
My idiotic navigator
gave the wrong return course
to my equally dim-witted pilot,
and he flew us into a flat belt.
And so,
instead of breakfast at the Ritz,
we had breakfast in
a German police station.
I've got my cheque book with me.
There you are, then.
We play for English money.
Maximum stake five pounds a card,
one pound's easy with me.
Well, not for me.
But I wouldn't mind
a good hand of bridge sometime.
My God, I knew he was one of those,
you know.
What do you play for?
Penny a hundred? Big stuff?
Now look here, Collins.
At least bridge takes a little bit
of intelligence.
Listen, sonny.
I can take the pants off you at bridge
or any card game you care to mention.
Just like to give you a chance,
that's all.
With Pontoon, all you need is
enough guts to back your luck.
I don't think I like your tone, Collins.
Tim.
Oh, what the hell.
Well, now we're down to the hardcore.
I thought you promised
to help me this evening.
Oh, the glider.
Oh, look, I'm sorry.
I got involved in this game.
I'm really very sorry. I'll be
with you again tomorrow, I promise.
Did you say glider?
- Yeah.
What are you playing at,
model aeroplanes or something?
No, it's a real one. A two-seater.
- What, you mean, actually...
Tony's sure it'll work.
- After how long?
A year's hard labour
with his little fretwork set?
No, when it comes to escaping,
old son, simplicity.
That's the key, I've decided.
Right. well, let's get down to
the serious business of the evening.
No. We have to pack it in now anyway.
We're just getting warmed up!
- Jerry'll turn the lights out soon.
Well, it's no problem.
You've got candles.
You must have candles or something.
Why don't you pack it in?
Some of us want to get a bit of sleep.
Oh, dear.
These squadron leader bus drivers
are all the same.
Still, once a squabbling bleeder
always a squabbling bleeder, I suppose.
No, he's right.
We don't want to keep everyone awake.
Well, it's no problem. Come on.
Right. Here we are, then.
Dyer, grab that seat there, will you?
That's it. Bring it over here.
And we're away.
Lovely.
All right. First Jack takes the bank.
All right.
Here we are. Thank you.
You must be a lousy lover.
Well, there are no popsies
in here, old son.
Not that I've had
any complaints in the past.
Right. Same rules as before.
Maximum stake one pound sterling.
All right?
Major Mohn.
Oh, shut up.
All right. All right.
Why don't we settle up
as we go along, shall we?
All right.
- That's what I make it.
Okay?
Yeah.
We'll carry the odd few quid forward.
You just make out a cheque for £500.
Right.
You are good for 500 quid,
aren't you, old son?
There'll be enough,
there'll be my back pay.
No commitments?
Like I say, there'll be enough.
Because I don't play this game
for fun, you know.
Nor do I.
Any cheques I accumulate in here
I intend to present
as soon as I get out of here
and back to England, you know.
Honour of the regiment and all that.
'Cause I expect to pay my debts
and vice versa, okay?
I've never lost like this before.
Well, it's just a run
of bad luck, that's all.
It happens to all of us
from time to time.
Leave the date blank, will you?
I'll fill that out
when I get back to England.
Thanks very much.
Do I.. Do I get my revenge?
I've got two rules, old son.
Play for keeps
and always give the other fellow
a chance to win it back. Thanks.
'Cause that's what I'd expect myself.
Fair enough.
- Good.
Hey, you been playing all night?
Yes. It got very interesting.
- Who won?
Well, Fairclough broke even,
Dyer came out ahead,
Brent lost a bit.
One of those sessions where
nothing seemed to go right.
Stick.
Buy for the same.
Stick.
I'm happy.
- You're happy?
12. Well, I'm not.
17.
Well, in for a penny, in for a pound.
21, play Pontoons.
Thank you, gentlemen. Five cards only.
Where did you learn to speak German?
I used to be a travelling salesman
here before the war.
Used to flog French perfume
to German Fräuleins.
Who's he?
- Canteen sergeant.
What's his name?
- Uh, Ernst Krueger.
He's all right, as Germans go. Why?
Well, no reason in particular.
Well, come on, gentlemen.
Let's play Blackjack.
Lay your bets, gentlemen.
Let's start
cutting one another's throats.
Hello?
Anybody here?
The canteen closes at 12:30.
I've come to spend
some of my ill-gotten gains.
It's Mr...
- Collins. Jack Collins.
Oh. Krueger. Unterfeldwebel Krueger.
You are a recent arrival,
I think, Mr Collins.
Yes, a few days ago.
Well, I open again at 2:30.
Did you go on winning?
No. No, I lost this morning.
What? Do you play Pontoon?
Oh, I have played
most card games, Mr Collins.
Brag?
- Yes.
Well, do you fancy a game sometime?
I don't play for pieces of paper,
Mr Collins.
Well, how about cigarettes?
I don't know. That's against the rules.
You could sell them in the town.
As good as playing for Reichsmarks.
But I like to see the money
on the table, Mr Collins.
I also have a pack of cards.
Well, how do you feel, sir?
- Oh, not too bad. Thank you, Simon.
How's the food in sick bay these days?
Oh, it's about as awful
as our normal rations.
Oh, dump those down over there
for me, will you?
Yes, sir.
Have there been any new arrivals
since I've been sick?
Just one, sir. A tail-end Charlie.
Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Oh. well, I'd better
try and see him this afternoon then.
Are you sure you feel up to it?
- Yes. I'm all right. Thank you.
Right, sir.
All right. Time for one more hand.
See if I can win back
some of those cigarettes.
You play this game too recklessly,
Mr Collins.
Ah, well, sometimes it pays off.
Your shout.
One.
Two.
Five.
- Six.
Ten.
I think I'd better see you.
Oh, dear. Too good for me, I'm afraid.
Not my day.
What did you have?
- Hey, come on.
Nobody asks that question
in this game.
Shall I tell you? Queen high.
How'd you know that?
- The way you were betting.
Well, it's time to stop now.
I must open the canteen again
and I've had no lunch.
You should worry.
You won all my cigarettes.
Same time tomorrow?
- You have nothing left to play with.
Suppose I could lay my hands
on some German marks?
Marks? Do you have some?
- Yeah.
Well, I could put up 300.
If you think that's worth playing for.
300 marks?
- Cash on the table, both sides?
You can get that much?
- I can, yes. What about you?
Where do you keep
this German money of yours, Mr Collins?
Safely hidden, old son,
where no one but me can find it.
Just in case someone decides
to do their duty and reports me.
But if you care to
try and win some of it,
well, it's up to you.
Hi.
Ah.
I've been looking for you.
Yes. Well, I had other things to do.
I'm afraid we shan't be able
to play this afternoon.
The old man wants to see you.
So how about if we settle up now?
- Well, fair enough.
Remember I won 300 quid this morning.
Oh, sure.
Well, I suggest
you just alter the cheque.
Make it out for 200 quid.
Oh, look at that, eh?
Focke-Wulf 190.
Beautiful job, isn't it?
You don't want to tangle with those
if you can help it.
The Yanks found that out the hard way.
Well, come on. Wakey, wakey. The cheque.
These cards are marked.
Yeah, well, they're for playing
with Jerry, aren't they?
Why?
- Oh, don't ask daft questions.
Come on, cheque. Come on.
Well, my luck's changed.
How about playing again tonight?
Fair enough.
Come in.
Flight Lieutenant Collins, sir.
Well.
Hello, Collins. How do you do?
- How do you do, sir?
All right, Simon. Thank you.
- Sir.
Sit down, won't you?
Make yourself comfortable.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry, I should've seen you earlier,
but I've been sick for a week.
Oh, what was the matter, sir?
Well, apart from
this filthy bloody cold,
I had a touch of enteritis.
Nothing very serious,
but the food's so poor in this place...
Well, you'll have found that out
for yourself already.
The slightest infection is liable
to drag one down somewhat.
Anyway, enough of that.
When were you shot down?
Three months ago,
on the way back from Berlin.
Oh. As recently as that?
Good. You'll be able to tell us
what's going on back in England.
I see you've collected a DFC.
- Yeah, well...
Any rear gunner that survives
two tours of ops
gets one dished out with the rations.
Well, I'm sure there must have been
some more specific occasion.
Well, we were shot at over Hamburg,
and so there was a fire near my turret
and I didn't fancy getting burnt,
so I put it out.
Would you like a cigarette?
- Not for me, thanks.
And the Croix de Guerre,
what about that?
The Great War, Verdun, I was
driving an ambulance for the French.
Oh. You must've been very young then.
- Yeah.
Well, you certainly seem to have seen
plenty of action.
Well, I'm a survivor, sir.
And I do tend to have
the odd bit of luck now and then.
Well, the Germans have
sent you to Colditz,
that means you've already made
an escape attempt.
Three.
- Three?
Yes. First on the way to
Stalag Luft Three. At Sagan.
I was wearing my uniform
and the Gestapo picked me up,
and twice from my last camp,
both went sour.
Hmm.
Well, I gather that
Flight Lieutenant Carter hasn't
been able to fill you in
on escape procedures yet...
Oh, damn. Another Appel.
We'll finish this conversation
some other time.
But Collins, if there's anything
I can do at any time to be of help,
I'm always available.
I don't think I'll be
needing anything, sir.
Thanks all the same.
How did you manage to get
into air crews anyway?
Volunteered, like everybody else.
Yeah, but you must be
way over the age for flying.
That's what they said.
So I pulled a few strings.
Do you mind?
How old are you, anyway? 40? 45?7
I didn't drive the damn plane.
I just sat in my turret.
I've been crash landed,
I've been ditched,
told to bail out three times
by idiot young bus drivers
who were young and fit.
No Jerry night fighters
ever got near enough to me
to poke a cannon into the back of us.
I've seen off
four young bus drivers like you.
I'm still alive and kicking,
so don't talk to me about age.
All right. Let's talk about escaping.
You want to go on the list?
- List?
What list?
- Well, everyone here takes their turn.
I'm not forming any queues, old son.
When it's time to go,
I shall be on my way.
That's not the way we operate.
Every escape has to go
before the Escape Committee.
One thing I can't stand is red tape,
so I won't waste any more of your time.
Will you just shut up and listen?
Successful escapes demand
cooperation and organisation.
It's a team effort.
- That's where you're wrong, old son.
I've been let down twice in the past
by so-called teams.
This time I'll be solo.
Well, even a solo effort
needs a back-up team.
You'll need rations, an escape route.
- Listen...
Forged identification papers.
Excuse me. I know you mean well.
But I'm sorry, I won't need anything.
Not a thing.
So you can take your Escape Committee
and your back-up team
and stuff 'em.
Come on! Hey! Wakey, wakey!
Wakey, wakey! Come on, now.
What is it?
What's the matter?
What is it, Simon?
If you've finished sleeping off
your all night session,
Tony Shaw would like a word with you.
Oh, good grief! I only meant
to lie down for five minutes.
Start playing somewhere else.
Anything I can do?
A bit late now.
Yes. Well, I meant to be here
this morning,
but something cropped up
and I dozed off.
Hard to believe it's going to
look like this when it's finished.
Right. You can get on with that.
- Right.
I want to keep the same team
together if I can.
Someone who'll know the plans backwards.
Know exactly what they're doing.
That makes sense.
It'll get on faster that way.
It's going to take some time.
Another six months, at least.
Maybe more.
Hard to say exactly.
So, if anybody's going to get
fed up with it,
best to go now.
Now, look.
I was in on this from the beginning.
I helped you
with the weight calculations.
I'd like to see it through to the end.
Very well. Suits me.
I think we should simplify
this rudder cable business.
Take a look at that tonight, shall we?
Oh, I can't tonight, Tony.
All right. Forget it.
Just give me a day or two, that's all.
Then I can spend
as much time up here as you like.
I don't know what's got into you.
- Nothing!
A game of cards,
all right, George. Fine.
But it's becoming a bloody obsession.
I just want to win back
what I've lost, that's all.
You've told Collins the score, have you?
Yes, sir. We can't have him
running loose all over the place.
He could foul up any number of escapes
we've got going...
Come in.
Ah! Carter.
I want Brent replaced, sir.
Can you give me Marriott instead?
Marriott's working on
another scheme, sir.
I thought Brent was
one of your original?
I thought he was dead keen
on the project.
No use to me any more.
Well, Simon?
I'll have them switch,
if Marriott's agreeable.
All right, thank you.
- Sir.
Thank you, sir.
Why do you want to get rid of him, Tony?
Well, not really any of my business,
but he's got himself involved in
a pretty heavy card school.
Concentration's gone to pot.
He appears to be losing
a great deal of money.
Collins?
The charming Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Brent?
- Yeah.
There's not much in it.
You're 25 quid ahead.
Shall we carry that forward?
- Why can't we go on playing?
You'll have to play without me, old son.
I've got a more important game to play.
All right. Thank you, gentlemen.
Collins, I'd like to have a word
with you, please, in my quarters.
Yes, is 2:45 all right, sir?
Now would be more convenient to me.
I would appreciate if
you'd make it a bit later, sir.
I've got something important to do
and it is getting on to lunch, sir,
isn't it?
All right. 2:45.
Thanks very much.
All right.
Your shout.
10.
20.
30.
40.
50.
See you.
Time to open your shop.
Thanks for the game.
Tomorrow, the same time?
- What? You want to go on playing?
You are winning
a great deal of money, Mr Collins.
All right. Same rules as before.
Cash on the table.
I still have 150 marks.
Yes, but tomorrow it's another game.
I got 450.
I can't get another 300.
Yes. Well, I don't know.
Still, it's a shame
to spoil a good game, isn't it?
Tell you what. If you can
put your hands on another 100 marks,
if you can put up 250,
that's good enough for me.
Do you intend to escape or not?
Yes.
- How?
I'd rather keep that to myself, sir.
Your preferences
carry no weight here, Collins.
You're obliged to submit your plan
to the Escape Committee.
Where's that laid down
in King's Regulation, sir?
It's not.
It's laid down here in Colditz by me.
Well?
There are civilian workmen
in the castle now.
Carpenters, bricklayers and so on.
- Yes?
They use a special form
of identification
to get in and out of the castle.
A metal disc.
I'm going to walk out
as a civilian workman.
And the special disc you'll need?
I'm playing cards with Krueger.
When I'm finished with him, he'll be
ready to shop his own grandmother.
What are you going to play for?
You told me you don't have
any German marks.
First I put up my watch
and I won enough to keep playing.
How do you know
you're going to go on winning?
What? Against Krueger?
Even if you can persuade him
to hand over that special disc,
it'll be missed the same day, you know.
I only want to borrow it for an hour.
I'll make a copy and return it.
No one will know.
What about Krueger?
He'll be in too deep.
He won't say anything.
Well, it's simple. And that's a virtue.
But you're the latest arrival here.
There are other escapes underway.
You'll have to take your turn
for escape necessities.
I don't need any.
Well, you won't get very far
without false papers, clothing, money.
I'll be back in England
within six weeks.
I knocked off
a pair of kitchen overalls.
I'll walk out in those.
I got money.
I speak fluent German, French.
I know Germany like the back of my hand.
I used to work here for years
before the war.
I've got friends
who live not far from here
who'll put me up until the heat's off.
They'll provide me with...
- Friends?
In war time?
Let's say Germans who'll help me.
- Why should they help you?
Because once I've made contact,
they'll know damn well that
one word from me and they're dead.
Former business associates. Jews.
They're passing as good Aryans
and I know it.
Where will you head for?
- Paris.
Once in Paris,
I'll look up some old chums
and I'm as good as in England.
There's a highly organised RAF
escape route there now, you know.
Well, providing your escape doesn't
interfere with anybody else's effort,
I can't see any obvious objections,
can you?
On the face of it, it's workable.
- It is.
I don't need as much as a bent pin
from your Escape Committee.
I'll put the idea to them tonight, sir.
- For approval?
Oh, three cheers.
Well, let's get on with it, shall we?
Collins, hold on a moment.
I'd like to have a word with you
on your own, please.
Thank you, Simon.
- Sir.
You should have outlined this plan
to Carter in the first place.
You know, I don't like having
to intervene in this way
and Carter's quite busy enough
without having to argue
with officers who should know better.
Do you understand?
- Perfectly, sir.
Is that all?
- No, it's not.
I'm also told that you are gambling
with brother officers
for large sums of money.
I'd like that to stop at once.
Sir, I entirely respect your authority
as far as it extends,
but I do feel that my recreational
activities are a private matter.
Don't you, sir?
"The enemy made furious attempts
"to stem our advance
in Normandy yesterday.
"But our line is holding firm
and we're keeping up
"our pressure on the Germans.
"In the Cherbourg Peninsula
we still command the ground
"on either side of Montebourg,
but we've lost the town itself.
"An enemy counter-attack on Carentan
has been repulsed."
And then Berlin radio says
we've been flung back in the sea.
Well, they're evidently pinned down
for the time being.
There's little doubt about that.
- There must be appalling...
Don't you chaps ever pack it in?
Yes, should we pack it in
after this hand?
Yeah, may as well, I suppose.
Yeah, I'm tired.
- No, let's keep playing.
You're outvoted, it's the last hand.
Bets?
How much am I down?
- What, tonight?
All together.
Uh, just over £600.
You've had a really bad losing streak,
old son.
Well, as it's the last hand,
how about upping the bets?
What'd you have in mind?
- You're the banker, yes or no?
Ten quid maximum?
- A hundred.
A hundred pounds a card?
- Yeah.
You must have an ace.
- Never mind what I've got.
Do you agree or not? Have a look
at your first card before you decide.
Oh, no. If you want
a real old gamble, my son,
I'll take you on with pleasure,
sight unseen.
Hundred pounds maximum.
Smaller bets are accepted, of course.
- Thank you.
I think you've just made
a serious mistake. Well, never mind.
Pound.
- Pound.
Hundred.
Stick.
- I'm sticking.
Buy for a hundred.
- Now, don't lost your head, old son.
Sure you don't want to change your mind?
First and last opportunity.
- I know what I'm doing.
Well, on your own head be it.
Buy for a hundred.
All right.
Do your worst. Buy for a hundred.
I've never seen 400 pounds
on a five-carder before.
Well, you have now.
You're only, what, 200 quid down now,
aren't you?
That's right. I'm going to cut my losses
and call it a day,
thank you very much.
- Just a minute.
The game isn't over yet.
The bank hasn't played.
Ah! Typical.
I did try to warn you, old son,
but you wouldn't take the hint.
That one's a bit of a mess, I think.
You'd better tear it up
and write me a fresh one.
Now you owe me what, one thousand and...
Well, let's forget the odd few quid,
shall we?
Just make it out for 1,000 pounds
and we'll call it a day.
Cards, please. Thank you.
How about giving me another chance?
- How do you mean?
Double or quits.
- Steady on, George, think.
Don't be a fool.
- Shut up.
Well, with your luck...
- Well, it must change sometime.
I don't think you can afford
to lose 2,000 pounds.
I can't afford to lose 1,000.
Because if I win, don't kid yourself,
I expect to be paid, you know.
You will be.
- Can you afford that much money?
No.
Well, there's no point, is it?
- I own a house.
Where?
- Now, George...
Well, it's in Sussex.
- Who holds the deeds?
My bank. I'll give you a letter.
There's another day tomorrow.
- Shut up!
It's a detached house.
It's practically on the seafront.
It's got a quarter of an acre of garden.
I'll give you the address if you like.
- No, no.
I'll take your word for it,
but are you sure you want to go on?
Yeah.
- How?
Straight cut.
- Sudden death?
Yes.
- Double or quits.
This pack's straight, old son.
But you have a look if you like
and then you can shuffle.
Okay?
Well, go ahead.
You first.
All right.
Well, the odds are with you now.
Go on, make it quick.
Bad luck.
That's double.
£2,000.
Thanks.
Uh, you'd better write that note
to your bank manager.
And I'll want vacant possession,
of course, since I'll be selling it.
Come in.
You wanted to see me, sir?
Yes.
If you want to tell me what a fool I am,
I know that, sir.
I imagine that you do.
Why did you do it?
I don't know.
I suppose I'd lost heavily.
I was desperate.
I can hardly believe
that I actually staked everything.
But it's too late, I did.
This house of yours?
It belongs to Collins now, sir.
- Yeah, we'll talk about that later.
Is it your home?
It would have been after the war.
My father's living there at present.
Your mother?
- My mother's dead.
Your wife, where's she?
- She's serving with the wrens.
My father's crippled with arthritis.
He can't get about much now.
He's getting on.
I've been trying to write to him,
to tell him,
to explain that he can't
stay there any more.
I don't know what to say.
See, he depends on me, sir.
I've been supporting him.
Did you tell Collins all this?
Collins didn't ask me
to gamble my father's home.
That was my suggestion.
I knew we were playing for real.
You're not obliged
to go through with this, you know.
You lost your head. That can happen
to anybody in this place.
I owe that money, sir.
And the only way I can pay it
is to let Collins sell the house.
If only I could be there.
At least I could look
after the old chap somehow but...
Collins is going to make his break
in the next few days
and with his luck, he'll be back
in England by the end of the month.
Don't write to your father
for the moment.
Just leave it for a while.
Did Brent ask you to talk to me, sir?
No, he feels that
he is morally bound to pay.
That's right, he is.
Collins, I am appealing
to you personally.
Captain Brent's
at the end of his tether.
He doesn't know what to do.
He should have thought
of the consequences first.
All right. It's his fault. I admit that.
But he has learnt his lesson.
Can I tell him that you're willing
to cancel the debt?
No, sir. You can't.
Does money really mean that much to you?
Not really, sir. But when
I play cards with grown men
I don't expect them to act
like schoolboys when they lose.
Excuse me, sir. There's something
important I've got to do.
Your shout.
The lot?
- Yes.
You don't mess about, do you?
100 marks. All I have left.
- Well, I hope you're not bluffing
because I've got
some pretty good cards myself.
So have I, Mr Collins.
Three aces.
Not good enough, I'm afraid.
A prial of threes, which beats anything.
Bad luck. well, there's no point
in playing any more,
seeing you're broke.
Thanks for the game.
- Mr Collins?
You are a very lucky player.
- Yes.
So lucky that I wonder.
Well, why don't we go in
and see Major Mohn?
And you can tell him you were
playing cards with a prisoner
and you want to complain.
I've lost 400 marks.
- Not to worry, it'll soon be payday.
I've already borrowed against my pay.
My wife is staying in the village
with our little girl.
She needs money for food
and money to pay the rent.
You got a problem.
How much would you need?
It would be a loan, Mr Collins.
I would pay you back, I promise.
Why don't we just cancel the whole thing
and I give you back your 400?
You mean,
you don't want the money at all?
It's been a good game.
We'll say we're playing for fun.
Oh, that would be very kind. Very kind.
All I want is one of those discs
the civil workmen use
for getting in and out of the castle.
They would shoot me for sure.
- They wouldn't. No one's gonna know.
I don't want the disc for keeps.
I just want to borrow it for an hour.
Why?
- Don't worry about why.
The disc for one hour, 400 marks.
Pay your debts.
Get some groceries, buy a little girl
a present. No trouble to anyone, huh?
No?
It's all the same to me.
I'm not the one with the wife and kid.
Just a minute. Wait here.
Thanks.
- The money.
There's 200. You get the rest
when I bring it back.
How do I know you will bring it back?
- Well, if I don't, you report me.
You're in the clear and I'm up
the creek without a paddle, aren't I?
But if you want the rest of the money,
remember, one hour. All right?
You have just told a civilian workman
that his identification disc
was required for inspection.
Show me the disc, Krueger.
All right, all right.
I'm not going anywhere.
After losing heavily at cards,
Krueger secured this disc,
which was later found in the possession
of Flight Lieutenant Collins.
Has he made a statement?
- Yes, sir. In my presence.
This man needs to be taken
under close arrest
to the military prison at Leipzig.
- Yes, sir.
He will be court-martialled.
I have little doubt
what the verdict of the court will be.
That is all.
Prisoner and escort, about turn.
Forward march.
What a fool the man is.
What a stupid thing to do.
And now the poor devil...
- With respect, sir.
Krueger is not a fool.
He's a traitor to the Third Reich.
In addition to your period of
28 days solitary confinement,
the German money found
in your possession
will, of course, be confiscated.
Well, easy come, easy go, as they say.
That will not be so
in the case of Unterfeldwebel Krueger,
Mr Collins.
Colonel, I have delayed this interview.
I hoped it would not be necessary.
However, Flight Lieutenant Collins
will shortly complete his period
of solitary confinement.
Yes, Kommandant.
As a rule, I prefer not to discuss
individual officers with you,
but on this occasion...
Is Flight Lieutenant Collins amenable
to the discipline which I know
you expect from your men?
Collins does have his own opinions.
You will probably know
that Unterfeldwebel Krueger
was court-martialled.
Yes.
- He was sentenced to death.
I did not know that.
I had hoped the sentence would be
reviewed and commuted
in the light of
his previous clean record.
However, the sentence was confirmed.
He was executed at 6:00 this morning.
Krueger was well liked.
Some of his comrades may be inclined
to attribute blame.
Given time, the matter
will probably be forgotten,
provided no incidents occur.
Incidents are best avoided, Kommandant
if there are no provocations
from either side.
Well, you and I cannot be
everywhere at once.
But I will make my views
known to my men.
And I hope you will do the same,
Colonel.
What's that? we've had morning Appel.
Sounds like
one of Mohn's specials. Come on.
Oh, no, not another one.
I don't think these fellows understand
about aircraft production.
Sorry, are you talking to me?
I said, put out the cigarette.
Sorry, I can't understand your English.
Better get an interpreter.
Good idea. Interpreter?
Interpreter?
What have you done to him?
What have you done?
All right, get back. Give him some air.
Somebody get the MO.
Leave him where he is. Fall in at once.
This man is hurt. He needs the MO.
I said, fall in. At the double.
For the last time, fall in.
If you continue to disobey,
my guards will fire.
Guards.
Make ready to fire.
Take aim.
The first volley above their heads.
Fire!
Guards!
Take aim at the prisoners.
Major!
Tell the men to order arms.
Guards. Order arms!
Tell the prisoners
to return to their quarters.
British contingent, return to quarters!
Return to your quarters now!
Colonel, tell your men
to return to their quarters.
Quiet!
Be quiet!
British contingent. Attention!
Silence! I said, silence!
Silence!
Stand still.
Gentlemen,
you will kindly return to your quarters.
I would have expected you here, Colonel,
in charge of your men.
I was on my way, Kommandant,
from the British quarters
when the guards opened fire.
One of my men has been hit
by a stray bullet.
He needs urgent medical attention.
Get him into sick bay at once,
Hauptmann.
Certainly, sir.
Please go to your quarters, Colonel.
I will speak to you later.
Major.
You will kindly explain to me
how all this happened.
Please sit down, Colonel.
- Thank you, Kommandant.
The officer who was accidentally shot...
Captain Burton.
- Yes.
You will be glad to hear
that his wound is not serious
and he will be rejoining you shortly.
And Flight Lieutenant Collins,
how is he?
Again, not seriously injured.
But his jaw is badly fractured.
It will be necessary to pin
the fracture,
which was beyond our resources
here in Colditz.
He has been transferred
to a hospital in Dresden.
His clothes were searched
as a matter of routine.
And these documents were found
in one of his boots.
They appear to be of a personal nature.
A bank cheque signed by Captain Brent
and a letter written by Captain Brent
to his bank manager
referring to some transaction.
Are you aware of this, by any chance?
Yes, Kommandant, I am, but as you say,
they are personal papers.
Then there is no need for me
to confiscate them.
Perhaps it would be better
if you took possession of them, Colonel,
in case the matter needed
to be dealt with in some way.
Thank you, Kommandant.
I had intended returning these to Brent.
But then I thought he might
give them back to Collins
out of some sense of misplaced pride.
Yes, he might.
So I am going to destroy them.
Captain Brent has his cheque book, sir.
He'll just write another cheque.
Collins has caused a great deal
of trouble in this place.
Nobody owes him anything.
Captain Brent thinks of it as a...
Well, as a debt of honor.
Do you think Collins
is entitled to honor?
Brent's duty is to his family.
He's not himself at the moment.
That's not surprising
after years in this place.
It's not exactly a logical act, is it?
To gamble away your home and jeopardise
your family over a game of cards.
Well, we all do mad things here.
Like building a glider.
Well, you get Brent back to the
lesser madness of building a glider.
And when he comes to himself,
he'll know I'm right.
Yes, sir.