The Rat Patrol (1966–1968): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Wildest Raid of All - full transcript
The Rat Patrol's U.S. Sgt. Sam Troy lets himself be captured as a ploy to take an Africa Korps General hostage. A Rat Patrol jeep frees Sgt. Troy, and grabs the General, but is blocked into a desert canyon behind German lines by Capt. Dietrich's mobile squad. How will the vastly outnumbered Rat Patrol escape, to complete its mission to blow up a Nazi munitions dump ?
[ Engine Idling ] General,
mission finally completed...
At least in part.
The Desert Rat Patrol. So.
Hmm. My compliment, Captain.
Where are the rest of them? I
think Sergeant Troy will tell me.
Sergeant,
where are your other two men?
I prefer to talk to the general.
The Desert Rat Patrol, 80
kilometers behind our lines.
I congratulate you. You
are excellent soldiers.
Thank you, sir.
You have been on the move
quite a bit lately, Sergeant.
Captain Dietrich sees to
that, General Helmreich.
- So, you know me.
- Of course I do, sir...
The most famous general in the
Africa Corps, twice decorated by Hitler...
- personally.
- [ Bomb Whistling ]
[ Troy ] All right! Shake it!
Achtung! Achtung! [
Speaking German ]
[ Gunfire ]
[ Engine Idling ] [ Shouting
] Moffitt, how far are they?
[ Moffitt ] Ten, maybe 11 miles.
Snap it up, or you're gonna have
the African Corps here to help ya.
In a minute, Sarge. Some
lead nicked my fuel line.
That was very clever, Sergeant Troy. My
compliments. Save the compliments, General.
You are 50 miles
behind our lines,
and every German soldier in
Tunisia will be searching for me.
You have no chance of escaping.
We make our own chances.
Ready.
- All right. Let's go.
- Not with me, Sergeant Troy.
General, that's an order.
Which I will not obey.
By the formation of
the dunes I can see...
we have been heading
deeper into German territory.
You plan to use me on some kind
of mission. I do not intend to move.
General, as long as you're
my prisoner, I make the rules.
Hmm. If you are captured,
Sergeant Troy, I will make the rules.
Hitchcock, take off the
General's boots and belt.
When we are captured, he can
appear before his men in his bare feet...
holding up his pants
like a circus clown.
Right, Sarge.
[ Engines Rev ]
All right. Shake it!
Reflection of the sun.
- [ Machine Gun Fire ]
- [ Grunts ]
[ Spitting ]
What's the matter, General?
First day on the front?
When you are captured, Sergeant,
I will personally
look after you.
We didn't lose 'em. They
saw that reflection, all right.
Yeah, looks like Dietrich has us
figured. We're heading for the same pass.
If they block that pass,
we're stopped cold.
Sergeant Moffitt, we are both
intelligent and perceptive men.
You realize that
whatever your mission is,
the Allies can only momentarily
succeed in North Africa.
- You'd like to think so.
- What can you hope to
accomplish with me, four men?
I think we should have
some secrets from each other.
You know, we Germans expect to
lose some battles, but not the final one.
You're talking like
one of your propaganda
leaflets. I'd hoped for
something better from you.
- With good reason.
- [ Grunts ]
[ Machine Gun Fire In Distance ]
[ Machine Gun Fire Continues ] Radio all
units to close in. Go back. Block the pass.
You've had your fun, General.
They could've heard that
racket for miles. Let's shake it!
Big trouble. They just blocked the
pass. Do you have another way around?
We could turn back and circle
around. It'll mean losing at least a day.
The German offensive
starts in 24 hours.
If we don't move fast, we'll
never get a crack at stopping it.
We grabbed Helmreich for nothing. We've
got to get to that ammunition dump today.
His whole offensive depends
on it, so we can't circle back.
- We'll have to.
- Too late for going back,
Sergeant Troy.
[ Chuckles ] So, gentlemen,
I think you have had it.
Where are they?
- Staying right in the pass.
- How close did you get?
I rolled 'em down the other
side... right underneath their noses.
- They didn't see a thing.
- You sure?
- Sarge, who was there... you or me?
- [ Chuckles ]
- All right. Let's go.
- [ Slaps Jeep ]
[ Metal Clattering On P.A. ]
[ Clattering Continues ]
[ Clattering In Distance ]
[ Engines Starting ]
Sherman tanks. There must be
nine or 10 of them. Sherman tanks.
Move out. Radio for tank support.
Move out. Radio for tank support.
[ Explosion ]
[ Explosion ]
[ Quietly ] Hold your
positions. Do not panic.
- You fools!
- [ Explosion In Distance ]
Take it easy, General.
Gonna be a long war.
[ Clattering On P.A. Stops ]
It's just around the next bend.
All right, General.
You know what to do.
Never. I will not do that.
General, you don't have a thing to
say about it. All right, Moffitt. Let's go.
[ Vehicles Approaching ]
[ Engines Idling ]
Your general's
dying of sunstroke.
If you want him alive, you
better get him under cover fast.
- You were the ones who took him.
- You wanna talk? I'm here to trade.
- Trade him? For what?
- We need gas and water
to get back to our lines.
Your general's burning
up out here in the sun.
How can I be sure he
is not dead already?
You can take his temperature,
Colonel. He's burning up.
- You will have
to put down your guns.
- Nothin' doin'.
You keep talkin', you're gonna
have a dead general on your hands.
- All right.
- [ Engine Revs ]
Let them in! Surround them!
The other two, stay here!
[ Continues Shouting
Orders, Indistinct ]
[ German ]
[ German ] Doktor. Schnell!
I have to see my
sergeant. You will stay here.
I'm going to see him.
You comin' with me or not?
All right, but you
take no weapons.
Go.
[ Metal Bowl Clatters ]
[ Punch Lands ] [ Groans ]
[ Engine Starts, Revs ]
[ Ticking ]
There. Herr General is not
suffering from heat exhaustion.
Then what's happened to him? I
think he has been knocked unconscious.
[ Moaning ]
[ Sighs ]
- Where are the other two?
- Under heavy guard,
Herr General.
So you got in. You
are not getting out.
[ Clatter ]
- [ German ]
- [ Soldier ] Herr General,
I found this man down
below near the trucks.
- He was coming this way.
- This man has
planted explosives.
General, he could never get
near there in an American uniform.
Don't tell me what this man
can't do! Find where he has been.
Ja, Herr General.
Let us stop this charade, Sergeant.
Your man planted a bomb. Where is it?
All right, General. Now
you get us out of here.
- That's impossible, Sergeant.
- That bomb is set
to blow any minute.
- Then you better
tell us where it is.
- Nothin' doin'.
[ Ticking Continues ]
Then we will just stand
here and wait... all of us.
General, this place
is gonna disappear,
and I don't think your men want
to get scattered across the desert.
[ Ticking ]
Moffitt, explain to
the general's men.
[ German ]
That will do you
no good, Sergeant.
- Tell 'em again, Moffitt.
- [ Repeats German, Louder ]
[ German ]
[ German ]
[ Shouting In German ]
Schwein! [ Continues Shouting ]
- [ Men Shouting ]
- Move out!
[ Shouting Continues ]
[ Screams ]
[ Machine Gun Fire ]
[ Machine Gun Fire ]
[ Explosion ]
[ Explosion In Distance ]
[ Engines Idling ]
I could use some of that
water. Never mind the water.
- Find out what
we can trade for it.
- [ Speaking Foreign Language ]
This fella is what's known
as the supreme sacrifice.
I'll see you all
back at the ranch.
[ Roars ]
mission finally completed...
At least in part.
The Desert Rat Patrol. So.
Hmm. My compliment, Captain.
Where are the rest of them? I
think Sergeant Troy will tell me.
Sergeant,
where are your other two men?
I prefer to talk to the general.
The Desert Rat Patrol, 80
kilometers behind our lines.
I congratulate you. You
are excellent soldiers.
Thank you, sir.
You have been on the move
quite a bit lately, Sergeant.
Captain Dietrich sees to
that, General Helmreich.
- So, you know me.
- Of course I do, sir...
The most famous general in the
Africa Corps, twice decorated by Hitler...
- personally.
- [ Bomb Whistling ]
[ Troy ] All right! Shake it!
Achtung! Achtung! [
Speaking German ]
[ Gunfire ]
[ Engine Idling ] [ Shouting
] Moffitt, how far are they?
[ Moffitt ] Ten, maybe 11 miles.
Snap it up, or you're gonna have
the African Corps here to help ya.
In a minute, Sarge. Some
lead nicked my fuel line.
That was very clever, Sergeant Troy. My
compliments. Save the compliments, General.
You are 50 miles
behind our lines,
and every German soldier in
Tunisia will be searching for me.
You have no chance of escaping.
We make our own chances.
Ready.
- All right. Let's go.
- Not with me, Sergeant Troy.
General, that's an order.
Which I will not obey.
By the formation of
the dunes I can see...
we have been heading
deeper into German territory.
You plan to use me on some kind
of mission. I do not intend to move.
General, as long as you're
my prisoner, I make the rules.
Hmm. If you are captured,
Sergeant Troy, I will make the rules.
Hitchcock, take off the
General's boots and belt.
When we are captured, he can
appear before his men in his bare feet...
holding up his pants
like a circus clown.
Right, Sarge.
[ Engines Rev ]
All right. Shake it!
Reflection of the sun.
- [ Machine Gun Fire ]
- [ Grunts ]
[ Spitting ]
What's the matter, General?
First day on the front?
When you are captured, Sergeant,
I will personally
look after you.
We didn't lose 'em. They
saw that reflection, all right.
Yeah, looks like Dietrich has us
figured. We're heading for the same pass.
If they block that pass,
we're stopped cold.
Sergeant Moffitt, we are both
intelligent and perceptive men.
You realize that
whatever your mission is,
the Allies can only momentarily
succeed in North Africa.
- You'd like to think so.
- What can you hope to
accomplish with me, four men?
I think we should have
some secrets from each other.
You know, we Germans expect to
lose some battles, but not the final one.
You're talking like
one of your propaganda
leaflets. I'd hoped for
something better from you.
- With good reason.
- [ Grunts ]
[ Machine Gun Fire In Distance ]
[ Machine Gun Fire Continues ] Radio all
units to close in. Go back. Block the pass.
You've had your fun, General.
They could've heard that
racket for miles. Let's shake it!
Big trouble. They just blocked the
pass. Do you have another way around?
We could turn back and circle
around. It'll mean losing at least a day.
The German offensive
starts in 24 hours.
If we don't move fast, we'll
never get a crack at stopping it.
We grabbed Helmreich for nothing. We've
got to get to that ammunition dump today.
His whole offensive depends
on it, so we can't circle back.
- We'll have to.
- Too late for going back,
Sergeant Troy.
[ Chuckles ] So, gentlemen,
I think you have had it.
Where are they?
- Staying right in the pass.
- How close did you get?
I rolled 'em down the other
side... right underneath their noses.
- They didn't see a thing.
- You sure?
- Sarge, who was there... you or me?
- [ Chuckles ]
- All right. Let's go.
- [ Slaps Jeep ]
[ Metal Clattering On P.A. ]
[ Clattering Continues ]
[ Clattering In Distance ]
[ Engines Starting ]
Sherman tanks. There must be
nine or 10 of them. Sherman tanks.
Move out. Radio for tank support.
Move out. Radio for tank support.
[ Explosion ]
[ Explosion ]
[ Quietly ] Hold your
positions. Do not panic.
- You fools!
- [ Explosion In Distance ]
Take it easy, General.
Gonna be a long war.
[ Clattering On P.A. Stops ]
It's just around the next bend.
All right, General.
You know what to do.
Never. I will not do that.
General, you don't have a thing to
say about it. All right, Moffitt. Let's go.
[ Vehicles Approaching ]
[ Engines Idling ]
Your general's
dying of sunstroke.
If you want him alive, you
better get him under cover fast.
- You were the ones who took him.
- You wanna talk? I'm here to trade.
- Trade him? For what?
- We need gas and water
to get back to our lines.
Your general's burning
up out here in the sun.
How can I be sure he
is not dead already?
You can take his temperature,
Colonel. He's burning up.
- You will have
to put down your guns.
- Nothin' doin'.
You keep talkin', you're gonna
have a dead general on your hands.
- All right.
- [ Engine Revs ]
Let them in! Surround them!
The other two, stay here!
[ Continues Shouting
Orders, Indistinct ]
[ German ]
[ German ] Doktor. Schnell!
I have to see my
sergeant. You will stay here.
I'm going to see him.
You comin' with me or not?
All right, but you
take no weapons.
Go.
[ Metal Bowl Clatters ]
[ Punch Lands ] [ Groans ]
[ Engine Starts, Revs ]
[ Ticking ]
There. Herr General is not
suffering from heat exhaustion.
Then what's happened to him? I
think he has been knocked unconscious.
[ Moaning ]
[ Sighs ]
- Where are the other two?
- Under heavy guard,
Herr General.
So you got in. You
are not getting out.
[ Clatter ]
- [ German ]
- [ Soldier ] Herr General,
I found this man down
below near the trucks.
- He was coming this way.
- This man has
planted explosives.
General, he could never get
near there in an American uniform.
Don't tell me what this man
can't do! Find where he has been.
Ja, Herr General.
Let us stop this charade, Sergeant.
Your man planted a bomb. Where is it?
All right, General. Now
you get us out of here.
- That's impossible, Sergeant.
- That bomb is set
to blow any minute.
- Then you better
tell us where it is.
- Nothin' doin'.
[ Ticking Continues ]
Then we will just stand
here and wait... all of us.
General, this place
is gonna disappear,
and I don't think your men want
to get scattered across the desert.
[ Ticking ]
Moffitt, explain to
the general's men.
[ German ]
That will do you
no good, Sergeant.
- Tell 'em again, Moffitt.
- [ Repeats German, Louder ]
[ German ]
[ German ]
[ Shouting In German ]
Schwein! [ Continues Shouting ]
- [ Men Shouting ]
- Move out!
[ Shouting Continues ]
[ Screams ]
[ Machine Gun Fire ]
[ Machine Gun Fire ]
[ Explosion ]
[ Explosion In Distance ]
[ Engines Idling ]
I could use some of that
water. Never mind the water.
- Find out what
we can trade for it.
- [ Speaking Foreign Language ]
This fella is what's known
as the supreme sacrifice.
I'll see you all
back at the ranch.
[ Roars ]