Original subtitles

A spot check should mean just that, Tony.

I expect it. Catch him on the hop. Yes, sir.

Many units have been stationed in England for so long.

No real active service.

They get sloppy, unsoldier -like.

Yes, sir.

Discipline goes to the wall.

And I aim to catch him at it.

You see that, Garrett? No guard.

Things are worse than I thought. Colonel Miller has the reputation of still of

her discipline, sir.

I see.

I aim to have Colonel Miller's head on a plate.

Perhaps Colonel Miller may have mounted a special parade.

Absolutely deserted.

Oh, come on.

Right then.

Thank you.

What I need is a woman's eye.

That's not what I heard.

This is business, Purdy.

Travis called me and said he was on to something hot.

Something he'd show me as soon as he arrived.

Show you?

That's what I thought.

He'd taken the trouble to chain these films to his wrist.

So it has to be them.

What do you think?

Well...

Nothing actually leaps off the screen at me.

Travis died for these films, Purdy.

Least we can do is look at them.

Good of you to come, Steve.

I might say it's very good of you to ask me. I'm not quite sure why you ask me.

It's quite simple, really.

Straightforward.

One of our generals.

You seem to have mislaid him.

This... I don't know what's going on here, but I surely do know that that man

needs medical attention.

It's against all the rules of humanity.

You what?

Humanity?

You'll be all right, Freddie.

You're on now.

Medics will put you right, won't you?

That's all I could do, Colonel. They seem too much.

You acted correctly.

Correctly. As soon as I saw the old boy, I... Attention!

You're referring to a superior officer. Put this man on the charge, Sergeant.

Yes, sir.

It will be necessary to confine you, General, but you will be accorded all

courtesies your rank demands, and your aid will be transferred to the thick bay

immediately.

Carry on, Sergeant.

Yes, sir.

When did you last see the general?

Some days ago.

He took off with his aide, Tony.

Tony? Captain Tony Noble.

Took off where?

Oh!

You know, I never thought to ask.

It'll be just like the old boy.

Drop in on some unsuspecting unit, I suppose, and...

Did

he offer?

Drop in on unsuspecting units? Way of life with General Stevens.

Spot checks, catch him on the hop. Has this been his bonnet about too many

suffering from lack of real war experience?

That's the fifth time.

Six.

Well, I still haven't seen anything.

Have you?

A lot of soldiers playing soldiers.

Except they're not playing.

Why a woman's eye?

Oh, that was a downright lie.

I called you over because, uh... Well, I get lonely sometimes.

That solves it. What? Your Christmas present's been bothering me.

I'll buy you a dog.

Two heads are better than one.

I'm definitely not buying you another head.

Watch the film.

Freddie.

Freddie.

How are you feeling?

Freddie.

He looks worse to me.

mind him.

He's the enemy.

It's Freddy you should be tending to.

He's looking worse.

Well, he certainly isn't getting any better.

Well, do something, can't you?

He was wounded.

I understand wounds.

Is he some kind of a bug?

Fever? He's not got the equipment.

Just have to see how it goes.

A proper hospital would know.

Narrows it down a bit. How do you mean?

Head up, man, head up.

Well, if the general sets out from here to make one of his spot checks... Go for

the belly or the throat, man, how many more times?

When he sets out from here, the number of units within range must be limited.

Yes, yes, see what you mean. He has no more than three, four at the most.

There'd be a Miller's mob.

The old 33rd, that Delroy Foster's band.

Delroy Foster, I think I can make a nice casual contact there.

Nothing. Nothing.

Definitely.

Positively. Indisputably.

Unquestionably. I bet you run out of definitive before I do.

Phone.

Gambit's movie house.

I thought I'd find you there.

I resent that assumption.

What? Never mind. What do you want me to do? And I warn you, it's not my day for

risky answers.

Don't you have an uncle who is... Well, I'd like to, if you will, to

go to... You just find out that General Stevens has got...

Yes, I think so. You want me to go down to the... and find out if there's a...

And if so, did he... Don't worry,

I've got it. I'm on my way.

Well, he'll have to finish the movie without me.

Anyway, this is where I came in.

He should go to the proper hospital.

Now, come on.

You know that's impossible.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No lot of word. Not one word.

Ready? Come on.

Come on, Alistair.

Proper hospital, mate.

That's what you need.

They'll fix you up.

Come on.

A live example.

Why didn't you get him to a doctor before?

It wasn't possible.

What I mean is it didn't seem that serious.

Just a fever.

Well, he's going to be all right.

He's my friend, you see.

We've been through a lot together.

That's why I brought him here.

I expect it's just a case of you giving him some pills and that.

I think it'll take more than a few pills.

I think you'd better explain.

Explain? Yes.

You see, your friend is showing all the symptoms...

Private George Harris, you've been tried by a fair and proper drumhead court

-martial. I have heard all the evidence, and as president of this court

-martial, I now pronounce you guilty.

Prisoner's court, attention!

Private George Harris, although you acted out of loyalty to a friend,

a friend who's since died a natural death, you put your comrades -at -arms

risk.

It is therefore the sentence of this court that you be taken from here.

Sorry, miss.

The red flag's up.

Will it be long?

Shouldn't think so.

There is another road if you wish to use it, miss.

I'll wait.

Manoeuvres?

Yes, miss.

You're the 19th Special Commander, aren't you?

The glorious 19th, miss. The mad 19th. Fire!

Mad?

That's your nickname.

And your colonel, don't they call him... Hanford.

You can go through now, miss.

Mad Jack.

That's it.

Mad Jack Miller.

Anything. Anything at all.

Ah, Steve.

Doctor was attacked, patient snatched away, and the man who brought him. I

see why I'm involved. I wouldn't have thought of it except for the manner of

attack. Doctor?

Well, they were very expert.

Flick. Like a military operation.

And they were dressed like commandos.

And the patient they snatched? I didn't get a chance to learn his name, only his

condition. And that was odd enough.

He was suffering from a fever. A very rare one.

Sophical.

Unknown in this country.

In fact, I wouldn't expect to find it outside of an African jungle.

All empire's into the dogs.

Empire? What am I saying?

The only empire left is a place of entertainment for moving pictures.

Damn it.

You've iced it.

If I've told you once...

I've told you a hundred times.

Light is only fit for peasants and polar bears.

Purdy. Bless my soul.

Bless my soul.

Parlor!

Yes, sir? How dare you?

How dare you admit a female into this office... I'm sorry, sir. ...without

offering her a drink?

A gin?

Michelle of Orange?

A dash of bitters and a ginger ale.

My memory all right?

And some ice.

Sorry about that.

Well, see to it, man. See to it.

Yes, sir.

Uncle Ellie, you're just an old bully.

Nice to have you around.

You'll be good for my image.

Nice of you to spare me the time.

Precious little gallantry about these days that if a man can't lavish some of

on a pretty woman, and you are a pretty woman, Bertie, do sit pretty.

Thank you.

Your health.

Cheers.

I'm here on business.

Oh.

How can I help? General Stevens.

No, no, you wouldn't like him.

Not your type, Purdy. Good soldier, good soldier, but he lacks my soft and

wooing manner.

He's lacking altogether at the moment.

Disappeared. Well, thank goodness.

Well, I mean, how awful.

Well, I haven't got him, Purdy. You can search me.

Haven't seen him at all.

Not in the last couple of years, I said.

What about the 19th Special Commando?

Mad Jack Miller and all that.

What about them?

Well, when I came through, they were on manoeuvres, firing.

Were they?

I didn't know they were listed for target practice.

Mind you, it doesn't amaze me.

Miller runs that mob as though it was his own private army.

I... I'm sorry, sir.

It was after the business with Harris, sir.

I left the place unattended. Only for a few minutes, sir.

He can't have gone far, not with that leg wound. Alert the men, Sergeant.

Right, sir.

More tub.

Rain.

240.

Four degrees.

Fire at will.

Increase range to 250

Too

short

Two degrees left.

Hey! Strange tube.

Hey!

Damn.

Smoke. Lay smoke.

Three. Zero degrees right.

You shouldn't be here, miss.

Restricted area. Very dangerous. Luckily, we spotted you in time.

Anyway, what are you doing here? I was curious. I heard some explosions.

Of course you would. We're on manoeuvres.

But there was a man. He was wounded.

Playing at being wounded, miss.

We like to make our little activities as authentic as possible.

This one?

Yes. As you can see, Purdy, I haven't been wasting my time.

That face appears on every piece of film.

I cut them all out and blew that one up.

It was the clearest print.

That is what Travis was trying to tell us.

Travis covered every single flare -up over the past few years in a dozen

countries all around the world.

And in every single flare -up, that face.

Now, how could that be, Percy?

How could one man be fighting in all those wars?

Especially when he's a serving British officer.

Dug out every official document I could on the 19th Special Commando.

I prefer to hear a blow -by -blow description.

Starting with?

Colonel Miller.

Mad Jack Miller.

I say, that's a 95th rifleman, isn't it?

Only one in existence.

And that's a French lancer.

Complete.

Right down to the little leather pouch in which he keeps his brandy.

Those were the days, eh?

They still are.

Right to examine it more closely? Look, I'm sorry to disturb your playtime.

Now, Mad Jack Miller.

What about him? Exactly.

Eh? Oh, yes.

Sorry, I see what you mean, yes. He's a good soldier.

Might even have made full general if he hadn't fallen out with the top brass.

How?

Well, Mad Jack's a fighting man. Tends to rush at a problem with bayonets

That's why they gave him the special commando.

Why special?

Because they're the dregs. All the rogues, malingerers, hard cases, they

up in the special 19th. Mind you, Miller does seem to have welded them into a

fighting force.

Welded being the operative word.

There hasn't been a single man who's gone absent without leave in the past

years. Nobody gone AWOL.

Nobody? Nobody.

Remarkable.

Remarkable. Esprit de corps with a vengeance.

I'd like to know how he does it, wouldn't we?

Well, I know all the nice girls love a sailor.

But all the soldiers love a nice girl.

Do it again.

Hello, sweetheart.

Please carry on.

What have you done with my aid?

Or does your madness extend to brutalizing wounded men?

Captain Noble has been returned to the sickbay. He's under constant guard, but

is being attended to.

You take me for a barbarian.

You're worse than that.

You're a disgrace to your uniform.

You'd be surprised how often I have honored it.

Honor? You talk of honor.

Unlock this door, damn it! I'm your superior officer!

Exactly.

You are a general.

And I have been looking for a general.

I'm an ambitious man, and you are the key to my ambition.

Sir.

Yes?

What? Special commander. It sounds terribly dangerous.

Oh, you like a touch of danger, do you, miss? The danger, not the touch.

Makes a girl feel awfully secure surrounded by so much army.

Yeah, little girls go for a uniform.

That's dogs.

Eh? Dogs. They go for postmen.

Oh, dear, I seem to have come to take up all your... Fighting men?

You're not, are you?

What do you mean?

We're trained, our trained.

Oh, I don't doubt that.

Trained to shoot and bomb and mangle people, or whatever it is you do.

But no -one to practise on.

You might be surprised.

Oh, you know something I don't know?

I might just.

Come on, admit it. You're all dressed up to kill with nowhere to go.

Yeah? What about this, then?

Oh, no.

Hairy forearm.

Yes.

Bumped into a filing cabinet?

Yeah, a South American filing cabinet.

Came at me with a machete. No,

six feet under.

And what were you doing in South America?

What was I doing? What were we all doing? Fighting, fighting, yes.

It's barred now, out of bounds, off limits.

Sergeant, arrest this man. Sir.

This is not a place for a young woman. You must allow me to escort you

else.

Thanks, I'm very happy.

I insist.

I absolutely insist.

After you.

I'm afraid we have no facility for the imprisonment of young women.

You mean you haven't got a hairdryer?

I mean that there are no special considerations.

I regard you as a spy.

Why, or for whom, I've yet to ascertain.

But I will, I promise you.

I will.

Permission to enter, sir.

New adjutant, sir.

Major Gambart reporting for duty, sir.

Care for a drink?

Sir. The classicism of Waterloo has never been equaled.

Never.

Never equaled. Not in my view.

Apprentice, have you seen this?

What's that, old boy?

Purchased by Colonel Miller for essential equipment.

That's normal.

500 camel saddles.

Camel saddles?

You're puzzled.

The 19th commando in Arab uniform. Why?

I'll tell you why.

Because we're prepared for every eventuality, that's why. But, Colonel...

explanation we'll have to do, Major.

For the moment.

Your official army record.

It makes interesting reading.

The allegation about the regimental funds.

There's no truth in it, sir.

And I suppose no truth in the womanising, the appropriation of army

Nothing has ever been proved against me, sir. Which means you're innocent, or

exceptionally cunning.

The only allegation which hasn't been made against you is cowardice.

In terms of practical soldiering, you pass first class.

It's a disgusting record, Major.

Despicable.

As far as I'm concerned, the very best recommendation you could have.

You're in the 19th Special Commando now, Major.

We do things rather differently here.

As you will see.

Discipline is all, would you not agree, Major?

Probably so.

Wellington knew how to maintain it.

Traitors faced immediate death.

Minor transgressors faced the ordeal of a rough ride lashed to a gun carriage.

And poor we to disagree with Wellington.

Carry on, Sergeant.

Up!

Party for party!

Move up!

Justice is deemed to be done, and it is a talented lesson to others.

Yes, we do things very differently here.

Dismiss. Do I sense your disapproval,

Major?

Your stomach not as strong as I thought?

I have seen a number of sickening sights in my time, sir.

I run a tough bunch here, Major.

Calls for tough measures.

And ample rewards.

Reward. Greed for money.

That's the key to your personality, is it not? Well, the lowliest private here

makes 10 ,000 a year.

As a full major, I'd expect you to treble that.

Plus a bounty for each sortie.

Danger money.

The devil finds work for idle hands.

That's how it started, really.

Idle hands.

And what more idle hands than those of a soldier during a period of unremitting

peace?

I command a whole unit here, Major.

Trained, armed and self -sufficient to the point of having our own air

transport. A whole fighting unit with no one to fight.

Yet across the globe, small wars are always flaring up.

Wars between factions prepared to pay highly for trained men. Do you follow

I'm beginning to get the drift, Colonel.

Don't make the mistake of thinking of me as a political animal.

I'm not.

No.

I'm a professional.

I fight for reward.

And the pickings are very easy.

Put a professional amongst the amateurs, put him against ramshackle terrorists

and fools who only want to die for a cause, and the pickings are very easy

indeed.

Mercenary is a term banded around a lot these days.

But the 19th Special Commando are the real mercenaries.

We fight.

For high pay.

And along the route, we make that old army joke into a reality.

Anything that isn't nailed down belongs to me.

We have elevated the crime of looting into a fine art.

I haven't even started yet.

That's enough!

I'm not a barbarian. What did he do, Colonel?

He was indiscreet with the enemy. Enemy.

What enemy, sir?

Young woman.

Very attractive young woman, actually.

Don't worry, Major.

We have her safely under lock and key.

Desperate situations.

Desperate remedies.

What?

What?

How many fingers on my hand?

What hand?

Oh, Prentice.

Look, I, uh, I think I must have dozed off.

Yes, but you're awake now and making excellent sense.

Camel saddles.

Lightweight canoes.

Alpine tackle.

Ammunition.

More ammunition.

Conclusion?

Going into a desert area where there's water to cross, mountains and fighting.

Exactly.

Where would you find desert, mountain, waters to cross?

If some fool were to start trouble there, now... The Middle East could go

flames.

Could even escalate into World War III.

Now what shall we do? Start building a nest?

Are you in good shape?

Silly question.

Damn. What's wrong?

It's locked.

Gambit. Yes.

I could have told you it was locked. Can't you open it?

It's a hefty lock.

Would it help if you motivated?

Eh?

Pretend it's a chastity belt.

I'll get the key.

Don't go away.

The general is our fuse, Sergeant.

Sir?

A fuse is something you attach to a bomb, and a bomb is something that goes

bang. I know that, sir. Beckon call, soldiers. That's all we've been so far.

Small wars, trouble breaks, call goes out. And we more often than not fly in

settle it, sir. Yes, but we have to wait for that call.

We've not yet created our own opportunities.

Don't you see, Sergeant?

If we could create our own war, guide it, control it. Somewhere where the

pickings are rich, sir.

Exactly.

And where are the pickings so rich at the moment?

The Middle East.

Homes of oil -rich sheikhs, banks bulging with money, golden moths lush

treasure. They shall become our mecca.

Yes, sir.

But I don't see how the general fits in.

At all.

At which to lay the blame.

Soon after the fighting starts, his body, the body of a high -ranking

officer, will be found amongst the dead. Country will point the finger at

country. Diplomats will scuffle amongst themselves.

While we scurry away with the looter.

Yes.

Yes.

Excuse me, sir. I forgot my copy of the standard notice.

Carry on.

Uh, orders of the day, sir.

Morning form up in front of me. I'm afraid I've been taken care of, sir.

Ten hundred hours, inspection of the guardroom.

1 ,100 hours his adjutant's orders, sir.

Do you think he heard?

No, sir.

Anyway, what does it matter?

He's on our side, isn't he?

I hope so.

Pardon!

Gambit, it's you.

We're getting out.

You sound scared.

Scared? That's an understatement. I'm terrified.

Why? Because Miller isn't a political animal.

What? It doesn't matter. But he's planning a strike which might just end

everybody pressing the red button.

Yeah.

No doubt about it. It's you.

I always knew I was me.

We met before, remember?

The airfield. Travis.

I remember.

Time we interrogated the girl.

Sir?

Keep going, sir.

I need to do the exercise, Gambit.

What do we do now?

Run!

If we're right.

We can't be.

British unit being run for private gain.

And running us straight into a world war.

Purdy and Gambit are facing a whole army.

Get that damn Major.

We'll never make it.

Neither will this.

If I could rig up some kind of slingshot.

It's not wide enough.

Try this.

Oh, a double -barreled slingshot.

Why didn't you burn this along with the other girls? I didn't need to.

I knew I was liberated.

Well, here goes, Paddy.

Bravo.

Grab the commander.

Demoralize the whole army.

You wait here.

What you need, Mike Gambit, is a little diversion.

Drop it.

I said drop it, sir.

No, Sergeant.

You drop it.

Drop it.

Now walk this way.

Very, very slowly.

Come on.

Call them off You hear me I hear you, but I think you might be just

too late

Checkmate, I think.

Only I know the safe path through that minefield.

If you value the young lady's life.

General Miller!

We have you surrounded!

Your fighting days are over, Colonel Miller.

Order your men to lay down their arms.

No, no, I'll die first. I'll die like a soldier.

Cheers, Bertie!

It's a good year.