The Rat Patrol (1966–1968): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Kill or Be Killed Raid - full transcript

[ Wind Whistling ]

It's all yours. Not
a scratch on it.

- Admirable. Frankly, I prefer the '39s.
- [ Engine Starts ]

We'll pick you up tonight. 2400.

- On the nose.
- Just see your watch
isn't fast.

Sarge, suppose the
Germans get wise?

Suppose they grab him before
he finds out about the water?

They send a convoy to
Bizerte every morning.

They'll ship him in to
gestapo for interrogation.

We've got orders from
Intelligence on that.

- Go in and bring him out, huh?
- Go in and see that
he's dead...



before he can spill
what he's found out.

Does Moffitt know that?

Yeah.

He knows.

[ Crowd Chattering ]

[ Speaking German ]

[ German ]

Ja. Ja.

I understand you
speak English. Ja.

Then it might be wise for us to
conduct our business in English.

There are too many Arab
ears that understand German.

[ German ]

She comes in to clean.

Bizerte advised me to
expect you tomorrow.



For the benefit of
enemy Intelligence.

They think I'm coming
tomorrow by plane.

Ah. Then you understand
how important this is.

Enough to bring me from Berlin.

Enough to win the
war in the desert.

Four days ago, I came
upon this parchment in the...

You are very young to be
an archaeologist, a professor.

It's in the blood. My father
is emeritus at Leipzig.

Ah. A Bedouin
brought this to me.

He found it in a
cave. It is very old.

Old does not necessarily
mean important.

Hmm. He could make
out only two words...

"water" and "well."

Water. Do you know what
that would mean to us?

Let me show you.

This is our position, ja?
And the enemy is here.

If we could move a large
force deep into the desert so,

- and come around him and flank him...
- Come up behind.

We would grind him to nothing.

All we need is water... a source of
water halfway. And they need it too.

And you think it is here?

It's got to be!

There's an old story among these
tribes about a lost water source.

Yes, I know. I've heard it.

They offended the Prophet
and he made the wind blow...

and the sands covered
the water forever.

Hmm. Coptic. Old form.

You can read it?

I'm better with
Aramaic or Sanskrit.

Difficult. But I'll
have a try at it.

A soldier does not "have
a try at it." A soldier does it.

You will work here. Your
dinner will be sent in to you.

I would have expected Bizerte to advise
me that you were coming a day early.

Hmm. Well, half the time they
don't know what they're doing.

Headquarters is over there.

But we're early. He doesn't
have to meet us till 2400.

Unless he's early too.

[ Footsteps Approaching ]

Not yet? Mm-mmm.

I am hoping.

This old-form Coptic is difficult
for me. But I'm getting close.

Close? With a few key words.

Good.

I can't say how long.

There is no way to tell.

If Herr Oberst would be more
comfortable in his quarters...

No, no, no. I have to be here
anyway. Bizerte calls me every night.

So late?

- 11:00 sharp,
when the lines are clear.
- [ Phone Rings ]

[ Laughs ] A few minutes
early. German efficiency, ja?

[ Clears Throat ] Schweiger.

What? Ja, ja, ja.

[ German ]

Ja.

Ja, ja. [ German ]

I have just received some
very interesting news.

A few minutes ago, a
light plane crashed...

as it was taking
off from Bizerte.

Both pilot and
passenger were killed.

The passenger... a
Professor Ulrich from Berlin...

coming to me on
special assignment.

I won't say it hasn't
been interesting.

This is a very wonderful find.

I couldn't bring myself
to destroy it. Here.

I give it back to you.

[ Knocking ] [ Man
Speaking German ]

[ Knocking Continues ]

- [ German Continues ]
- [ Banging ]

I told him 2400. I told him
on the nose. You heard me.

He heard you too, Sarge.

It's 1:30. So it's 1:30.

I remember you guys put it on
the line for me in that Arab village.

That was just us. This could throw
the whole desert in their lap. Or ours.

Well, maybe he got
lost. Are you kidding?

Sarge.

Yeah, I know. You're gonna take
a little walk to get a little fresh air.

[ Conversing In German ]

♪♪ [ Whistling ]

In here, Sarge.

He tripped.

- I was lonesome
over there, Sarge.
- Yeah. I bet it was.

- Did you find anything out?
- Convoy's forming up.

- But you didn't see him then.
- Will you forget it?

Intelligence says the convoy
doesn't leave until dawn.

- And he'll be on it.
- But dawn doesn't come
for another couple of hours.

You know my job.

Go in and see that he's dead...

before he can spill
what he's found out.

[ Sighs ]

There's a building
across from headquarters.

I'll have to do
it from the roof.

And don't pull any more
of your harebrained stunts.

You stay put this time.

If I get in a sling, you
pull out. Is that clear?

It's clear.

Sarge. Don't miss.

You understand I regret
that my men went too far.

But they know I have
committed myself.

I have given assurances
to the high command.

I have led them to
believe that, uh... uh...

Really, as one
soldier to another,

you've already done all
that could be asked of you.

Why must you do more? Simply
tell me what was in that parchment.

Ach, you English!

You have such primitive
notions about duty.

Out.

I know what a good
cup of tea can mean.

For five years, I was
military attaché in London.

I was recalled
just before the war.

Our loss, I'm sure.

Why are you so suspicious?

Why would I want to drug you?

I would much rather have
you awake and talking.

Take it. Take it.

It is my tribute to
a very brave man.

Ah. Ah.

We captured some
English supplies.

Good, yeah?

Frankly, it could
stand a spot more milk.

[ Laughing ]

You can joke. That's good.
And it proves what I say.

Your situation could
be so much worse.

I could be hanging by my thumbs.

You could be in
Bizerte with the gestapo.

Believe me. Trust
me. I want to help.

- It would hurt me very much
to send you to them.
- Then let me go.

Oh, again the jokes.

If you tell me what I ask
you, it would be between us.

I would say that you
wrote down the translation

and I managed to
take it away from you.

Your people would not know.

I'd know.

Of course! You are
a man of conscience.

But so am I. I have a
wife and children at home.

I would not want them to think
that I was a man without a heart...

who closed my eyes and
sent you to the gestapo.

Please. You're
spoiling good tea.

I ask you once more.

Do not make me send you to them.

They have very special
ways to make a man talk.

[ Grunts ] Oh, you fool!

You will destroy us both!

[ German ]

[ Footstep Scraping ]

[ Vehicle Approaching ]

You almost got yourself
killed. Sorry, Sarge.

- I told you to stay
where you were.
- I couldn't.

The street was
lousy with Germans.

Who are you kidding? The only
thing moving down there is that convoy.

Sarge, who was there, you or me?

[ Woman Laughing ]

[ Screaming ]

[ Machine Gun Firing ]

Moffitt, the half-track!

[ Screaming ]

[ Screaming ]

If there's water there, it'll be worth
its weight in gold to headquarters.

Sarge! There's water here!

Well, you were right,

and that's the end of it.

Not quite.

I was going to
ask you something.

You would have killed
me, wouldn't you?

Well, you had your
chance... and missed it.

[ Roars ]