Original subtitles

Bye bye.

Deidre.

Goodbye, Axel.

The war won't last long.

I'll be back in time for our marriage.

I'll be waiting.

There's so much I can do here to help the fatherland.

It won't seem long.

I'll pray God to bring you back to me.

I stand.

Remember this.

In the Middle Ages, it was a Reischendorf who brought home the Holy

Grail.

Always, we Reischendorfs have made Prussia the might of the North.

In 1870, I went to Paris.

Now, you will carry through.

Germany first.

Forever.

Conrad.

Friedrich.

Adelbert.

Dietrich.

My son.

When will they return, uncle?

When they have taken Paris.

When they have forced the French.

And the English to their knees.

To Paris.

To Paris.

Adalbert.

Friedrich.

Conrad.

And now only Dietrich is left.

I've kidnapped everything.

You hear that, Captain Elby?

Everything.

Three sons I've lost in this war.

My forests are cut down, the castles sinking into the sand, and they do

If it were not for Dietrich's pay, we should all be starving.

Do they forget who I was, a general?

Do they remember 1870, these red -tape bureaucrats cooling their heels

in Berlin?

And they're not fighting this war right either.

No movement, no action.

I take it up with the emperor, but he has too many cares already.

If you'll forgive me, General, the picture isn't quite so bad as you've

it. The peasants and the villagers who used to plow your lands and bend your

walls have all been conscripted, true.

It is war, and we need men.

On the other hand, we've given you recruits.

You know as well as I do, General, the prison camp was laid here at

largely as a concession to your needs.

A new batch of prisoners arrives tonight.

These French weaklings.

A lot of work they do.

They hate us. They hurt more than they help.

Are you reflecting on my discipline, General? They hate us, I tell you. They

planning to destroy all of us.

Think how she has suffered.

The loss of her father, her mother, her fortune, everything.

She too has only Dietrich left.

And you, uncle.

Yes, my dear.

And I have you.

Else I could never have borne my loss.

Three years, Captain Helbing, she has stayed here.

Given up all her friends in order to... I concur, General, regretting any

hardships that have come to Foil and Axel.

But the destruction of your forest and your castle... Wait!

You don't agree!

But I'll show you!

And I'll show those office worms in Berlin!

Come, Axel! I want air!

Great air!

Any news?

He's still waiting.

But how futile.

You mean he isn't coming back? You've heard something? No, I've heard nothing.

He'll be back here soon on his leave, most likely.

But whether he comes back or doesn't isn't waiting futile.

Life is so brief.

Why wait for anything?

I'm only half a man now.

Please, Ferdinand. It isn't that.

Thank you. It's nice of you to deny it.

However, when I knew you before the war, when I was old, then I should have

wooed you in the conventional romantic manner.

Flowers, pretty speeches, moonlight.

That sort of thing would be ridiculous for me now.

I'd have too much humor to indulge in it.

But...

Do you remember the first time I met you?

Do you?

The military ball.

I was the dashing young officer.

You were a naive young girl.

Your first visit to Berlin.

I remember that night.

You were interested.

You were even dazzled. I could tell it. I could see it in your eye.

And I thought, what a charming girl.

But why hurry? I'll wait.

A week later, the war broke out and I was called.

Doesn't that prove that any waiting is foolish?

But you forget Dietrich.

I'm engaged to Dietrich. Dietrich.

Can't you understand my love for you is more intense than his can ever be?

And more enduring.

Attention!

You have arrived.

You'll be taken to three barracks. One in each one. It is one o 'clock.

I'm giving you special permission to have light until two o 'clock.

One candle in each barrack.

Sergeant Muller, take charge.

Well, this is a nice place to spend a vacation.

It smells like a birdcage.

Camp Reichendorf by the Baltic Sea.

Where's the water?

Well, we can sit down here anyway.

Sit down, Gulo.

You can complain much better sitting down.

How about a little snack?

Open up the packs, Richard.

What's the matter? Have you seen a devil? No.

A Russian?

He's in pretty bad shape, you poor fellow.

Tell you what.

Give him a piece of cheese.

Are you mad or what?

You're new here and it's easy to be seen or you wouldn't be throwing your grub

away on a Russian.

Where do you think that'll get you, huh?

And you think you're smart, you filth.

Warming your way in here and whining for food. Get up.

Go on, get up. Why don't you leave him alone?

Ah, there's 200 more like him here.

Now that you're so rich, how about giving something to a freshman, huh?

Thanks.

Two hours out there digging in that sand.

Do they work at night here, too?

Well, how about the stiffs? Somebody's got to shovel them in, don't they?

And some of them are only skin and bones.

That kind of work's got to be done at night.

They make us do it at night. You bet they do.

Shh. Put out the candle, quick.

Let's just see what you're up against here.

Get me out of here.

Get me out of here!

Good Lord, kid.

You're not afraid of the dark, are you?

It'll be daylight before you know it.

I'll get you out of here.

There must be some way to escape from this place.

You just leave it to us now, boy. We're all here with you.

Sergeant Dumais.

Here.

Bichet. Here.

Goulot.

Here.

Vandale. Here.

Claverie. Here.

Burial detail.

Detail. Attention.

Forward.

New trade, eh, Gulo?

Yeah, you learn a lot of new trades in four years at war.

Here's this fellow's marking to men.

Class 96.

Poor beggar.

Another one who left in 14.

In a carriage filled with flowers and wine kegs.

I bet he thought it was all grand and wonderful then.

Well, his troubles are over now.

They'll be buried not soon if we wait.

I agree with Gullo.

They'll be burying us if we wait.

Tom, it ain't good.

I told you that I'd get you out of this hole.

Now's our chance. You willing to make a try for it?

Yes, to men.

Aha.

I'll show you.

Bichet, will you hand me my coat, please?

Get ready.

Cell phone dial.

Detail. Attention.

Order!

It's over!

Here, take care of them, boys.

With what?

Use your shirt and bandage this wound.

Don't go away. I'll only be a minute.

We've got to get food and provisions before we get out of here.

What are you doing here?

What do you want?

I want food, bread, coffee, anything, Fraulein.

Sorry to break in on you like this, but we're desperate.

You're an escaped prisoner. Yes, one of my comrades is wounded.

Comrade? Where are the others?

In the cellar.

We have nothing to give the enemy. All right, I'm sorry then. I must help

myself.

Oh, no.

Staying right here. You're not going to give us up.

Oh, don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. Oh, I'm not afraid.

But it's utterly hopeless. You're trying to escape.

And you've already told them.

I'm advising you to go back. Why?

Kindness, that's all.

Thank you, Roland, for your kindness.

Ryan, I'm so sorry.

You'll find that the discipline in this camp is no more difficult and severe

than any other prison camp, under any flag.

For your attempted escape tonight, you'll receive hard labor and cellar for

confinement for a month.

If you'll try it again...

That's what happens to second offenders.

Smith!

We've been doing this for five weeks.

Digging, digging, digging.

Work, work, work.

Morning, noon, and night. Nothing but work.

This is the first job I ever got without asking for it.

This is what we get for trying to escape.

If I get one more chance to escape, they'll never bring me back here alive.

I wish I had a crust of bread. I'm hungry.

Hungry? I'm so hungry I could eat a rubber boot.

Oh, if I only had a bowl of my wife's chicken soup.

Or a nice slice of my mother's pastry.

Pastry and soup, ah.

I wish my grandfather was here. I'd eat the whiskers right off his face.

What's that, a fire?

You're right, Golo, it is a fire. The castle's burning down. Right, the

burning down.

The castle's burning down. The castle's burning down. The castle's burning down.

There was a fire.

I was outside and saw the smoke and I thought that I should... You should have

called someone.

Well, everything in the place would have burned before they could get here.

It's dangerous to use oil.

Oh, call Captain Elving.

Yes, Lord.

Good heavens.

You don't think I set fire to the place, do you?

Oh, you've burned your head.

It's a privilege to burn one's hand in the service of Fräulein von Meerbach.

Oh, yes.

Yes, I know who you are.

I was interested.

That night I came here for food and you gave me away.

Oh, I didn't. Oh, didn't you?

Well, as I was saying, I was interested and inquired.

Oh, yes. Yes, I know quite a lot about you.

You're a descendant from an ancient German family.

And you're an enemy.

I am a Frenchman.

Furthermore, I've just done you a favor.

We do not accept any favors from the prisoners.

Fine.

The last favor I shall ever do you.

What are you doing here?

Oh, Ferdinand.

This prisoner has just been of great service.

The lamp overturned and set fire to the room.

He put it out, alone.

It's dangerous to use oil.

Your name is Jermaine?

Yes, Jermaine. Profession?

I'm an engineer.

What school?

Central. Infantry?

Yes, Captain.

You could have been more useful in the artillery.

However, that's not my business.

What's your specialty? Electric installation.

Can you wire this castle?

I don't think I could.

Very good.

Dismissed.

You'll report here tomorrow morning.

Why, Ferdinand?

To wire the castle.

a joke about two farmers.

One farmer had a black hand that laid a white egg. Shut up, shut up.

You can't shut me up. I got an all -night license.

Shut up, all of you.

Don't you know that laughing's not allowed here? It's a funny walk. He

laugh. Domaine's got nothing to laugh about. He's got to start wiring that

castle tomorrow all by himself.

That's what he gets for being an electrician.

Say, I wonder if they couldn't use a bartender in that castle.

A bartender?

Oh, yes.

I used to be one of the best bartenders that ever robbed a cash register.

I know you.

The Café Pigalle.

Why, you served me lots of cognac. You remember me?

No, no. I've met so many important people, I wouldn't know you.

A bartender and a drunkard.

What terrible company one meets in wartime. Thank heaven I'm a dressmaker.

A dressmaker?

Yes, and if you laugh, I'll punch you right in the nose. A dressmaker.

Well, I knew they had barbers, blacksmiths, plumbers, and even

But a dressmaker, can you imagine an army full of dressmakers?

Yes, and artists, too.

Eh, Clevery?

Yes, I'm an artist.

Ah, a young Van Dyke, or perhaps another Rembrandt.

No, no, just an artist.

What did you ever draw?

What did he ever draw?

Here's a little thing he sketched for me this morning.

Here, take a look at that.

Well, what's this great masterpiece supposed to be?

What is it supposed to be? Why, it's a picture of a cow eating grass.

A cow eating grass?

Well, where's the grass?

Where's the grass? Why, the cow ate all the grass.

Well, the cow ate all the grass.

Well, where's the cow?

Well, you can't expect the cow to hang around after he's eaten all the grass.

Say, Jermaine.

When you go over to wire that castle tomorrow morning, I want you to take a

look at that German girl I saw there.

She's beautiful, and you may find her interesting.

Thanks.

But nothing will interest me until we get out of this terrible hole.

How long have you been at the castle now, Sergeant Domingue?

How long?

Does it seem very long to you?

How long have you been at the castle?

Seems as if I came only yesterday.

But I've really been here all of one glorious month.

Tell me, exactly how long does it seem to you?

Long enough to remove that.

My prisoner's number? Yes.

I'd rather not.

I don't see much of my comrades anymore, and when we do happen to be together,

it might look as though I were trying to show off my good luck.

Your good luck?

My very good luck.

Being here alone with you, it's all good. I see an item for two dozen bows.

What are they for?

To illuminate the general's battlefield cases.

Oh, you dare to touch those cases?

You should have consulted me.

Oh, should I?

Why, the general never allows anyone to go near them. You may not be permitted

to come back here again. You'll be furious.

You think so?

General, I took the liberty of illuminating your cases.

What?

You tampered with my cases?

May I show you?

find the lighting extremely good. Thank you. Like moonlight.

And that's just as it should be.

The Battle of Borny was fought by the light of the moon.

Excel!

Come here.

Have you seen this?

Tell me, how did you get that moonlight effect?

Oh, that was easy. I just daubed the bulbs with blue paint.

Ah, that's ingenious.

Decidedly ingenious. No?

You're not irritated, then, that I took this liberty?

Irritated? On the contrary.

I'm even more sorry that you are not an officer.

Tell me, why out of all these equally famous battles did you choose Borne?

Because it was a battle which had the most important results.

Well, very intelligent.

You should have been an officer. I'm a sergeant. An officer, I said. In the

German army, you would have gone far.

But the French have no sense of efficiency.

That's a great mistake.

And do you know what happened at Varney? Yes, sir.

The French were outnumbered.

But they fought valiantly. Yes, yes. But the point is the Germans triumphed.

And soon, Germany will triumph again.

The day of victory is at hand.

Those men down there are soldiers of France.

Do you hear them? They're singing.

Well, what of it?

As long as those men can endure such hardships and sing at their work like

you mustn't be too sure that you're there.

We're so thankful, Fraulein.

We were starving.

The castle has always been good to us.

The castle is always open to you.

We wish we could do more.

We've crossed the Marne, and the enemy's line is cutting through.

Is it true?

Yes, Brolin, it's true. Tell the General. Yes, Brolin.

Come to my arms, my child.

Is it true? Yes. We've crossed the Marne for the second time. And you know who

did this?

My regiment.

Dietrich's regiment.

I thank God my son was active in this great event.

This glorious German victory which will bring the end of the war.

I must find Erwin.

I suppose now you're happy.

I have no right not to be.

I understand.

that have been killed in this war and you still live. No.

It's enough to make me sick to my stomach.

Well, there's one thing I agree with him about.

Tonight's our chance.

I wonder what's keeping Domingue.

He's probably holding hands and swilling food up at the castle.

Hey, I suppose you'd refuse a chance like that, wouldn't you?

Of course you would. The point is this. Hello, boys.

Hello, Domingue.

What's up?

Here's what we've been saying. By midnight, the Germans will be so soaked

beer and so stuffed with sausage that they won't know what's happening.

be a good chance for us to get away.

Yeah, that's what I think, Domingue. What do you say?

I don't know.

Why, what's the matter?

This news about a German victory... That's not the idea.

Well, Lulo, there's no use risking your neck.

trying to escape, but there's going to be an armistice in the next week.

You see?

It ain't the first time that a man turned traitor for a woman.

What's that?

It's easy enough to see what's happened.

He's got a nice, soft job with the enemy.

He loves them.

Take that back.

Now, let's go.

Sergeant Domaine, report to the office of the commandant.

Sergeant Domaine,

I have good news for you. Please.

You have, Captain?

Yes. It seems you have influential friends at Paris.

May I ask why you say so?

The International Commission is in favor of sending you to Switzerland.

Exchange of prisoners?

Yeah.

But I... But what?

Am I obliged to go to Switzerland, Captain?

Obliged to go?

Please explain what you mean.

I mean that I'd rather remain here.

Here? At camp? Yes.

Must be joking.

I'm not joking, Captain.

You're absolutely firm in your decision?

Yes, I... If I were going to be sent back to France, it would be different.

But to be confined here or somewhere else, to me, it's all the same thing.

Fine here.

That relieves me of all responsibility in the matter.

Your decision is most flattering to me. I didn't realize you would join our

company so much.

Thank you, Captain.

Dismiss. Don't do that, Dominica.

I need every inch of that wire.

Rubbish. Always messing the place up with wires and tapes.

Now, aren't you sorry?

I'm not sorry for anything I do to a Frenchman.

Good morning, Frodo. Good morning.

I'll be out of here in just a moment.

Well, why don't you go on with your work?

Am I in the way?

Oh, no, no.

No, on the contrary, I... I need your help.

Would you sit down over here just a moment, please?

Please.

Now, I was thinking of putting a nice... Reading lamp, yes.

With a shade on it.

Would you like that?

You're always thinking of something to make it more tearful, George.

Well, I can't think of anything else.

And my work is about finished.

You mean the castle is all wired?

I've wired it three times.

Dominica? The packages came last night.

Here's some chocolate for you and Gottlieb. Take it to him, will you?

Very kind of you.

Is France so well off still?

Oh, yes. Very well off.

Well, it's a good thing.

Seeing that the German armies will soon be in Paris.

You know, Dominica, they really should see Paris. It's the most marvelous city

in the whole world.

There's one person who'll be glad to know that I'm leaving.

Leaving?

I've been offered my release from camp to go to Switzerland.

Are you going?

Do you want me to go?

Oh, the castle was such a gloomy place before you came.

Oh, I knew you'd have to leave sometime, but...

I wanted it to last as long as possible.

It's made some difference, then, my being here.

It's changed everything.

I'm not going, Axtell.

I tried to, but I couldn't.

It means too much to me, just to be near you.

Oh, it's so hopeless.

Can't we forget these stupid barriers?

What if I am a Frenchman, a prisoner of war?

Don't we mean more to each other than all the things that stand between us?

But there's Dietrich.

Everything's a rain.

I know.

Your whole life is mapped out for you.

But I don't want it to be.

Jermaine.

Say it, Axel.

Don't be afraid.

I love you.

How are you, Dominique?

Enjoy thine excels.

You're like all your French generals.

You think all you have to do is to advance. Now, throw your dice.

Try to withdraw two regiments.

No, no, no, no, no. You can't do that.

You can't cross that river.

You haven't enough pontoon.

Boy, it's easy to see you were in the infantry.

Dietrich, isn't that like the French?

An electrical engineer in the infantry.

I must go back to camp, if I may, General.

You were in the infantry?

Yes. Where?

On the Aisne. When?

May 1915.

At just what part of the Aisne? At Ulch.

I was there myself, at exactly the same time.

We must have been almost out to each other.

I was there, too.

I camped there, right at that very spot.

On the evening of the 15th of January, 1871.

Ah, see how my memory holds out.

Oh, that was a grand fight.

We stormed the heights of the Aene without getting off our horses' backs.

Those were the days when men fought real battles, when there was action.

Not like today, when it takes you months and years to capture a few cursed

trenches per father.

There are more German soldiers buried in that little place than you lost in the

entire campaign of 1871.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, but that's just what's wrong with these present methods.

Enormous losses, no results.

No distinction in the plan of action.

Do you remember that day toward the end of January? You mean the day when one of

your battalions was captured?

Yes, I remember.

That was a bad day for us.

Snow everywhere.

Snow and... and dead.

In Foulon Wood, there were so many dead piled up, we could scarcely make any

headway.

That was a bad day for us, too.

A bad day, a bad day.

All that to take or lose a battalion, not even a regiment.

What do you say about Sedan?

In one day at Sedan, we took 60 regiments.

Dietrich, do you hear me?

60 regiments.

Everything was different in your day, Father. You fought with flags flying and

music playing.

Gloriously, magnificently.

The war we're fighting is different.

Entirely different.

A war... A war impossible to describe to you. A war of which you can have no

conception. Absolutely no conception.

Ask him.

He knows.

What's that?

Some of the prisoners have escaped. God, the fools.

They think they can get away, but they can't. And they don't seem to learn.

Frenchmen have no brains.

I didn't think they'd do it.

You know them?

Yes, I think they're my comrades.

I beg your pardon, Major.

The guard is waiting for Sergeant, you mean.

Thank you, Captain.

Good night, Sergeant.

Good night, Commander.

Jermaine!

Then you didn't escape.

No, but that's where I should be. Out there with my companions.

They didn't wait for me. They didn't think I'd come.

I heard the siren. I didn't know.

Oh, I'm glad.

What's the matter, Axel?

Nothing.

I was just thinking of those...

Poor miserable fugitives.

Poor devils. I hope they get away.

So do I.

Why, Axel, how unpatriotic we are.

Suspend all privileges for French prisoners.

No smoking, no mail, no packages, no talking.

If they go this way, they'll be stopped by the sea.

And this way, our dogs will get them.

A hopeless, futile airport.

Why don't you go on playing?

I love to humor.

I can't play.

I can't read. I can't settle down to anything.

Dietrich, what is it? You're so wretched.

After the music you hear out there on the front.

This music is too unreal.

What's Beethoven after the big burthens?

Jill, I think the music of Beethoven will survive all the guns in the world.

Maybe. What difference does it make to us what survives beyond us?

For us, for me, the reality's out there.

What a music.

Poetry. The babblings of a week.

child.

Oh, Excel, everything about me, my past, my education has been so wrong. I see

now that father was right.

He was angry with me because I refused to fight duels at the university,

I insisted on fooling around with poetry and philosophy instead of learning

military tactics.

He was right.

I'm such a misfit, Excel.

There's no place for me at all.

You mustn't talk like that. I won't let you.

This war can't last forever.

Everything you stand for will come back. What do I stand for?

Gentleness.

Understanding.

Kindness. Beauty.

All the things that make life worth living.

That's funny.

What is it?

So ironic.

What is?

That of all four of us, the four sons of Reischendorf, I should be the one to

survive.

Well, maybe that's a symbol. Oh, don't be sentimental. Can you, in times like

these, still believe in symbols?

No, it's just stupid.

It's just part of the general stupidity.

Fair body.

My three brothers lie on the battlefield while I walk after them. A living

corpse waiting for the end.

If there was any sense in anything, they would have survived, not me.

Because they believed in it all. They believed in Prussia and our high destiny

as a world power.

They believed in the emperor and the male fist in blood and iron.

I don't. I hate it all.

I can't endure it all.

Why was I saved?

Perhaps because everything you love and in which you believe will survive all

others.

I believe it, Dietrich, I do.

If it wasn't for that face, how could I endure these times?

How could any of us?

You are sweet.

You are good.

You're real.

Aren't you, Axel?

The man.

Gullo.

How'd you get here?

Where are the others?

Are they alive? They're in the cellar.

You gotta help us, the man. We want food and water. You gotta help us. You are

mad to come here.

There'd be a little mad, too, laying out in the woods day and night, watching

for a chance to escape.

Every spot is watched. So is this castle. They search it every day. We

that.

But there's a boat leading the village to the next, but we'll lose.

The night of Sweden. We'd be in France in a week.

I want to get rid of these. But how?

We want civilian clothes or German uniforms.

This time they won't take us back.

A lie.

They won't take you back.

Not if I can help it.

I'll get you food and clothes and everything.

Now you hurry. I'll come down as soon as I can.

Good evening, Debelica.

The soup is excellent.

I've been so busy at camp the last week, I haven't had a chance to call on

Dietrich.

Dietrich would be glad to see you.

He's leaving tonight.

Axel.

I'll tell him you're here. One moment.

I don't want to talk to Dietrich.

I want to talk to you.

I don't mind telling you I'm jealous of Dietrich.

That's why I've stayed away purposely.

Ferdinand. Axel.

You're all that's left to me out of all this.

Embarrassing, isn't it, to love you so much?

Good evening, Alvin.

Major.

How's the stern soldier, the disciplinarian?

Well, thank you, as you see.

And how's the amateur musician?

One nice thing about Alvin, you don't have to pretend to like him. He doesn't

expect it.

I've good news for you, Alvin.

I'm leaving tonight.

The war must be won, you know.

Don't be such a martyr, Dietrich.

The war hasn't cost you so much.

You'll probably survive it and all of us.

No, Albing, I don't think I will survive it.

Even the war couldn't be as illogical as that.

Charming to the end, eh, Dietrich?

Charming at all costs.

Let me say farewell to you, and imparting that I never could endure you

charm.

At your service.

Always.

Poor fellow.

I remember him when he was a dashing officer, proud of his success with

He was always so vain.

Can you imagine what this means to him?

I feel desperately sorry for him.

Axel, there's so much that we haven't said to each other.

When you come back.

No, not now.

You're not in love with me, Axel.

Dietrich. You're so good.

You're so dear.

You've tried not to let me see it, but I know you're not in love with me.

Please, Dietrich. No, no, you must listen.

Our engagement, what was it? A device to keep alive two ancient families.

Keep them alive for what?

Better that we reichendorf and all we stand for should sink into the sea.

Perhaps the true meaning of this war is that it will seal our doom.

I tell you, Axel, I feel certain that for us there is no victory.

It's the end.

That old man playing with his toy soldiers is the end.

I am beyond the end.

You'll be happy someday, darling.

What news from the front, Elvin? It won't cheer you.

Losses. Losses everywhere.

We're being defeated on every front. What? Behind the line, the blockade is

starving us. Slowly, surely.

Our morale is broken. I don't believe you. How dare you?

I forbid you.

Leave my house.

Leave my house, I say.

I'm here on duty.

Duty? What?

Do you hear that, Dietrich?

A soldier talks of defeat.

I report him.

You hear, Irving.

I report you.

Why do you tell him those things?

I always tell myself the truth, no matter what it costs.

Why should I spare others?

I'm leaving, Father.

Goodbye, my son.

I know you won't fail your country, your Kaiser, or your family.

Come back victorious.

Goodbye,

father.

Well? Well what, Captain Elving? Where do you plan taking these things? To my

comrades. The escaped prisoners?

Yes, the escaped prisoners.

They're going to have German uniforms and German guns.

And I'm going with them.

Captain Elving.

Jermaine, we've taken you in, trusted you, forgotten you were a Frenchman, an

enemy. Yes, I've forgotten it too.

Deserting my own countrymen.

Why, I've talked some to you Germans, I've even forgotten my own language.

While my friends were being clubbed and starved.

And looking to me for help. What was I doing?

Playing with toy soldiers.

Flattering an old man in his second childhood.

And falling in love with a woman I can't have.

Demain!

You won't get very far.

And this time he'll be shot.

I must do my duty.

Surely as a patriotic German, you wouldn't have me behave otherwise.

Ferdinand!

Don't go away.

I... I want to talk to you.

Sergeant Muller.

You'll keep the five prisoners, Bondyle, Fichet, Clavery, Boulot, and Dumaine

under close guard till 11 .30.

At that hour, you will take them to the southwest gate to the burial ground.

And at midnight, you'll shoot them.

Me. Me.

Me. Me.

Are you pleased with the result, Hugo?

Seductive, eh?

Compelling, don't you think?

Wine.

It's an occasion, Hugo.

To my last conquest.

You must drink with me, Hugo.

Drink.

Why not?

Master and servant.

Truth and falsehood.

All these old -fashioned distinctions. They're in the discard, Hugo.

Miss Smith!

Vernon!

Did you come to escort me?

I'm not so disabled.

I came to talk to you.

Am I to be flattered that your anticipation was so keen that you could

That's what I came to tell you.

Our plans for tonight.

This rendezvous? It was a mistake. A mistake? Then why did you ask me to come

you? Because I love Jumaine. That's why. For him. To save him.

Then it was Jumaine I should have thanked. Oh, you should have known. It

madness. When I had time to think, I couldn't wait to come and tell you the

truth. And what would you like me to do?

You say you love me.

Then you know what love is.

Oh, there's been so much suffering. What good will it do you to add to it?

Well, there has been so much. Can a little more make any difference?

Oh, you must save him.

You must.

What harm can he do you or the German cause or anybody?

Oh, you can't take him away from me.

Oh, please, please, before it's too late.

Will you excuse me?

I've sent them back to their barracks.

You don't think for an instant I believed you when you asked me to come

tonight? That you had a change of heart?

I knew you were in love with the Frenchman, were lying, and I hated you

My dear, your coming here and telling me the truth is the only thing that could

have saved me.

I've cancelled the order for the execution.

Quite unmilitary.

At least I've always been a good soldier.

You've ruined even that distinction.

What have I left?

Vernon Adams, what you have done... Don't thank me.

If I thought his death would help me, I should be less magnanimous.

Hugo, see that Mademoiselle has an escort back to

the castle.

Sergeant Domaine, Fichet, Goulod, Van Dyle, Claverie.

The order for your execution has been cancelled.

Dismissed.

The war is over, Hugo.

It is the end.

Surrender.

Peace.

I had hoped, Hugo, that in peacetime I might find some use for you.

But in peacetime I shall find no use for myself.

I'm leaving you some money, Hugo.

You have the keys to my strong box. Destroy my papers.

I want to leave nothing behind.

I know I can trust you.

You're a good fellow, Hugo, but sentimental.

I, unfortunately, am logical.

I see ahead.

A certain heroism clings to a mutilated soldier in wartime. A uniform covers

much.

But civilian clothes are less graceful.

To be assembled like a machine in the morning. To be taken apart again at

To go stomping along the boulevards, watching whole men pursue their

The prospect does not entertain me. No.

Exhale.