Original subtitles

Ondertitels door Mister Bee Bart Besems

How I miss Scotland...

and the sea...... the sea.

There's nothing like it in all the Earth-

the salt in your face, the wind atyour back...

and all the world before you.

Andyou're freer than a bird in the air or a fish in the ocean.

To be free-

I reckon that's why I joined the Second War to end all wars.

I was at the university studying to be a teacher when the call to arms occurred.

I was only too eager to put aside my studies for the glory of action.

I stopped reading history and became a part ofit.

I joined the proud ranks of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders...

and became Captain Ernest Gordon.

My commanding offiicer was Lieutenant Colonel Stuart McLean,

the finest commander the 93rd Battalion ever had;

a man ofdeep loyalties to his country,

his duty and his men;

a loyalty that was soon to be matched by his own second in command,

Major Ian Campbell,

a man ofpassionate devotion to the colonel as well as the cause.

And it was our loyalties that would eventually be tested.

The Argylls had a legacy or being the last line ofdefense,

and we were to prove that legacy once again...

in the face ofdefeat...

and capture by the enemy.

Sir! Sir!

You all right, sir?

You look the devil in the face with pride, boys!

And try not shit your kilts.

Bastards are just playing with our minds.

When you surrender in war,

you're stripped ofyour dignity as a soldier.

All you've got left is your fellow comrades,

many ofwhom you've just met.

Lieutenant Jim Reardon, merchant marine,

one ofthe few Americans in the area.

Attached himselfto the Argylls during the Allied surrender.

We called him "Yanker," 'cause he was both an American...

and a bit ofa wanker.

Parade, halt.

What's that stench?.

That'll be death, Major.

Sir!

Parade, right wheel.

Parade, halt.

Left turn.

Standat ease.

Stand easy.

What the hell does "tenko" mean?.

Must be roll call.

Today, you will count off in English.

But tomorrow and forever, in Japanese.

- Start counting! - One!

- Two! - Three!

- Four! - Five.

- Six. - Big-eared Nip.

Bastard.

This is a shame culture. You make 'em lose face, you'll pay. Stand easy.

This is an outrage!

I am a senior officer,

and I will not tolerate this barbaric behavior!

This man has rights!

Dirty-

Attention, prisoners. You are now captives...

of His Imperial Majesty, the emperor.

Behold- the extreme penalty for those who try to escape.

This is foryour own sake.

You will sign these papers promising not to escape.

- No escape, myYankee ass. - This is against the Geneva Convention.

They don't give two shits about the Geneva Convention.

Tomorrow,

you will bring these signedpapers from all prisoners.

You are dismissed.

Go. Go!

- What did you just say?. - I told him you were stupid.

Don't know whether to thankyou or kickyour ass.

Ian Campbell.

Dusty Miller.

Where'd you learn to speakJapanese?.

What with the colonel?.

You wantyour colonel back?.

Owe the man my life.

- The more hair, the more lice. - Ow!

A word of advice- stay close toyour cobbers.

But when it comes right down to it, it's survival ofthe fittest.

Every man for himself. Barter is the name ofthe game, gents.

They call the hospital the Death House. You don't want to end up in here.

Relish your health now, gentlemen. It's the lastyou'll see ofit.

There are thousands more prisoners in camps all along the river.

Not too much skinny here from the outside.

Japs keep us in the dark.

No radios.

They catch one, they'll kill you.

Officers, try to keep your shirt on.

It'll distinguish you from the grunts, which is about the only thing...

that's keeping us from degenerating into a bloody anarchy.

Oh, shit.

Ernie, whereya goin'?.

To find out about the colonel.

You're just askin' for trouble!

Doc.

Get him down here.

- Come on. - Easy. Easy.

It's my back. My back, my back.

- Eh. - What the bloody hell happened?.

- Looks like you didn't bow. - What?.

Always bow before a guard, Korean orJap.

Never look 'em in the eyes when they pass you.

That's pure defiance. Always look away. Rules of Bushido.

- Bushido?. - Their kind of chivalry.

Respect and obligation.

Ifyou don't respect them, they feel obligated to bash you.

- Nothing personal. - Well, it sure as bloodywell feels personal.

Yeah, well, it works both ways. They do the same to their own.

- That's a comfort. - Now listen.

You must understand, these monsters truly believe we're an inferior race- less than human.

Now, beating a prisoner to them is like beating a disobedient dog,

and the fiercer the beating, the fiercer their dedication to the emperor.

You'll be all right, son.

Make space for the colonel.

You're buggers forpunishment,you lot.

You should've let 'em take me instead, sir.

- Anything we can do foryou, Colonel?. - Ah. Start preparing.

Preparing forwhat?.

Escape. Heh! What else, you towheaded Yank?.

Dusty.

Thankyou.

Colonel, I've been watching these Nips. There's never more than a handful ofthem...

guarding the perimeter at any given time, and they're not watching very closely.

- Itjust doesn't make sense to me unless- - Unless what?.

Unless every prisoner's been caught or died in a thousand miles ofhostile jungle.

Unless the local villagers are willing to turn in a P.O.W. for a bowl ofrice.

Unless- Escape is impossible.

Excellent.

Yanker.

You find the best escape route, hmm?.

- Ian. - Yes, sir.

You should start getting survival gear together, hmm?.

Ernest, get things together.

- We can trade with the locals. - Yes, sir.

And as soon as I'm well, we're on ourway.

- Yes, sir. Yes, sir. - Okay?

- Good. - Sir.

Good boys.

They're good boys.

That's myboys.

Hey. How about some extra for my colonel?.

- He's in the Death House. - Ifyour colonel can't make it, it means he can't work.

Ifhe can't work, he can't eat. Nip rules. Move along.

Come on, pal. I'll oweyou one.

Hey, you heard him. He said, move along!

You look like a sheep-humping highlander!

Come on!

- Yeah! - Do it!

What areyou, bloodychicken? I'll kickyourass!

Come on, you English fuck!

Well, come on, then, wanker!

Well, come on!

It's enough.

What does it take for a man to lose his dignity?

Come on, you English fuck!

How far can he fall to pay the price ofsurvival?

Dusty built a sanctuaryjust outside the camp called the Church Without Walls.

We were allowed to visit it freely.

They knew we had nowhere to go.

I'll tellyou what I'm gonna do soon as I get back to Glasgow.

Gonna visit my favorite pub.

I'm gonna sink... 14 whiskeys and seven pints.

And I'm gonna spend the night in the arms of my tender, lovin' wee wife.

- You're married, sir?. - No, but ifyou got a sister, I'm available.

What aboutyou, Ernie?.

Probably teach.

I've always fancied teaching.

I thought I'd see the world first though.

- You got that wish. - Aye.

When I get outta here, I'm gonna go into business for myself and get stinkin' rich.

What kind ofbusiness?.

Black market. Prostitution.

I'll tell ya what, mate. You're not gonna make much money as a prostitute, I'll tell you that.

What aboutyou, sir?

What areyou gonna do after the war?.

Start preparing for the next war.

In the Bushido code, the nation is everything.

The individual is nothing.

Conformity is how they gain their sense ofpurpose,

and they expected us to fall in line as well.

What are we sayi ng, Dusty?.

Loyalty, politeness, frugality. Soldier's duty.

Well, isn't that just dandy.

Carry on, Sergeant Major.

Parade! Parade-tion!

About face.

All show respect for honorable Lieutenant Colonel Nagatomo,

Chief ofThailand P.O.W. Administration.

I think she fancies me.

It is great pleasure for me...

to see you at this place.

You are few remaining skeleton...

of ourvictory and our pitiful victim.

Youshould weep with gratitude...

at His Imperial Majesty, the emperor,

who pityyou for being coward!

- What's he talking about, cowards?. - Rules of Bushido.

They believe the losers should kill themselves.

You will give me greatpleasure...

to build a railroad...

through the jungle to the glory of His Imperial Majesty,

the emperor,

saviour ofJapan!

Saviour of Asia!

We willbuild this railroad...

ifwe have to build it over the white man's body.

It is your purification.

Hmm.

Railroad to be 420 kilometer,

from Chungkai base camp to...

Thanbyuzayat in north.

You will build the railroad in 18 months.

Eighteen months?.

How will my men manage that on the rations you're feeding them, hmm?

Officers work as well.

Royal engineer will oversee building.

Where are the signed papers?

Gentlemen,

as you have violated the Geneva Convention,

the Hague Convention...

and every human right for properly supervised prisoners of war,

mayl respectfullyrecommend...

thatyou...

and your fascist monkeys...

stickyourhead upyourass!

Because we will not sign your bloody paper!

Now translate that!

I am sick of this drivel!

- Gentlemen. - Sir.

Look after my boys, Ian.

It is regrettable, but...

we take each ofyou andshoot one by one!

Come on, man. - Sir!

Until you respect Emperor!

Come on. Out of here. Out of here!

- Fuck! Fuck him! - Come on! Come on, man! Come on!

- Fuck! - Come on, man! Out ofhere!

- Bastard! Fucking bastard! - Out, out ofhere!

- Fucking- - Come.

- Major, what happened?. What happened? - Fucking shot!

- Where's the- - Fucking- Fucking shot!

It's the colonel's blood. It's the colonel's blood!

Fuckingshot him!

- The bastard! Major.

Major, the colonel!

You fucking slanted-eyed-

- Don't let him go! - Campbell!

Don't be another! Enough is enough!

Fucking bastard!

There's nothing you can do. There's nothing you can do.

How can he die?

- What are we gonna do? - It's all right.

- What the fuck are we gonna do now? - Shh!

What the fuck are we gonna do now?

Just stay down, Major.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you,

"except a corn ofwheat fall into the ground and die,

"it abideth alone.

" But if it die,

it bringeth forth much fruit. "

There is suffering before glory.

There is a cross...

before the crown.

Outward, turn!

Slow, march!

- Cheers. - I'm not leaving.

What?

I said, I'm not leaving.

What about our plan?

I owed the colonel my life.

And I watched him die in front of my eyes, and I just stood there doing nothing.

You thinkyou're the only one suffering here?.

- You thinkyou're the only one- - Now waken up!

There's a reason why every escape has failed,

and there's a reason why theJaps don't give a toss about security.

We were fools to think we even stood a chance.

I've got my own plans now.

You are a selfish bastard.

Come on, Ernie.

Ernie!

Fine!

Yanker, wait a minute!

Yanker, wait!

You'll never make it on your own in that jungle. It's suicide!

Take a look around you! Take a look in the eyes ofthese men.

You tell me whatyou see.

That's right, Ernie. They're dead already.

You know it, and I know it.

Everybody in there does, too, except they're afraid to admit the obvious,

and that scares the fuckin' hell out of me!

Because at least with escape...

it gave us one thing- hope.

Hope, Ernie. Because without that, we might as well be sitting in there...

with our thumbs up our asses waitin' for the end to come!

Is that whatyou want?.

Let me tell you something about me.

I am not a stupid man,

and I am not a kamikaze.

Ifl can't escape, I'll do the next best thing.

I will take care of myself.

And that's exactly what I plan on doing.

Yanker! We are all in this, all of us together!

Sure, kid. Every single one of us.

The Japanese were preparing to invade India.

The railway would be their supply line.

We would be the means to their end.

When you're living to die, every minute is an eternity.

Days are lost.

Months blend into one another.

And the only realityyou know is in the moment,

and the moment hangs over you like death.

It's diffiicult to describe what it's like to live with permanent hunger in your belly,

and the stench ofdisease and death all aroundyou with every breath you take.

Malaria, diphtheria,

pellagra, dysentery...

sucks every ounce offluid right out ofyour body.

Your muscles cramp up andyour circulation collapses.

Major! He's burni ng up.

Ernie.

I don't know anybody who could survive that lot.

Oh, Ernie, son.

You are a good soldier...

and a good friend.

So this is death.

Dark.

Cold. All alone.

No more reason to fight,

so they give up on you.

In death there is no secondchance.

So that's what you think about when you're dying-

the real value of all that you've done with your life,

andall thatyou might have done...

if only you'd had a second chance.

Aah!

Bloody hell! These Nip bastards are eatin' like the Prince of Wales!

Life doesn't wait forthe individual,

especiallylife as a prisoner ofwar.

Ifyou want to survive, you need a bit ofluck,

a quick wit and a mate to pickyou up when you fall.

Where am I?

You've been unconscious for days.

I thought if I could get you out of the Death House and into some fresh air,

you'd have a better chance of surviving.

Well, I don't know if I want to survive anymore.

- Open up. - How did you get the food away from the line?.

I have my connections. Come on. Open up.

Why areyou doing this?.

Hey, Ernie.

Uh, me and the cobbers, we've been chewing it over,

and, uh, we got thinking.

What's the purpose in what we been suffering?.

I mean, where's thejustice in-

in Nips bashing us and working us to death?.

And what's worse, we're killing each other to save our own skins.

What exactly are you asking me?.

You said you wanted to be a teacher.

Yeah.

We thought thatyou might have some answers, sir.

Would you like me to...

take a lecture on the meaning oflife?.

Oh, that's a bloody fine idea, sir!

Please,

just leave me alone.

That's what I figured.

You know, a man can experience an incredible amount of pain and suffering ifhe has hope.

When he loses his hope,

that's when he dies.

All right. Uuh.

Shit, I gotta take a shit.

Come on.

Reardon managed to make a connection to the local Thai black market.

- Lemme see. Get outta here! - He wouldn't share it with the others...

for fear ofbeing discovered by the Nips.

At least, that's what he told us.

Good God, Yanker, that's stinking!

Ri ght there, Major Cam pbel I,

this is the scent of happiness.

Nectar of the gods. Our ticket to numbness.

Fermented rice alcohol. This one's on the house.

Yeah?

Bastard.

He's done it.

Course I've done it.

Oh, nice one, Yanker. Let's have a swig.

Whoa, whoa, gentlemen.

You want charity, go to church.

As for me, I'm bartering my way to happiness.

So pony up with some cash. Anything you got.

Don't be shy. Line starts right here.

Two cigarettes.

You've gotta get out of this rain.

Come on. Walk!

Ernie, you bastard!

- You're still alive! - Hey, Lazarus!

- Back from the dead, my son. - Well, I kinda wish I'd stayed there, sir.

Bollocks, soldier. We need you alive. Hey!

- Come on. - What's wrong?

He hasn't eaten.

He's been able to get me extra rations.

He never got you extra rations, Ernie. He was giving you his.

Help me with his legs.

I learned that while Dusty was taking care of me,

the major was preparing his own plans.

Just what,

I couldn't tell.

No, no.

Where did you get the food?

Multi ple anonymous donors.

Eat.

I've decided to start school for the jocks.

A jungle university.

I already made my own blackboard.

Yankerrustledme up a textbook,

for no small price.

First class is this evening.

I've got six students already.

I know it's small, but, em,

it's a start.

I don't want to be the skeptic here, Ernie,

but how in the hell doyou expect to engage in a group activity...

without the Nips seeing you?.

In the one place that the Nips will never go near.

- This stench is intolerable. - Shutyour cake hole!

We're doing the best we can. Get used to it!

Right, lads. Eh, makeyourselfas comfortable as you can,

andlet's getstarted, eh?

I'd like to speak toyou about Plato.

Um-

All right.

What...

is justice?

Excuse me, sir. Sir.

- Is it true you're giving educational classes? - Mm-hmm.

We'd like to help teach.

Well, what's your story?.

Roger Primrose, trained in the fine arts.

Lieutenant Foxworth here used to teach Shakespeare at Cambridge.

I'm his platoon sergeant.

Poor blighter's at a loss without his books and the Bard.

I figure ifl can keep him busy long enough,

he won't end up killing himself.

I'm... notjoking, sir.

Well, unfortunately, we don't have any Shakespeare.

To die, to sleep-

no more-

and by a sleep to say we end the heartache...

and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.

'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

To die, to sleep-

to sleep, perchance to dream.

Ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death...

what dreams maycome when we have shuffled offithis mortal coil,

must give us pause.

There's the respect that makes calamity ofso long life.

For who would bear the whips and scorns oftime.

Th ' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

the pangs ofdespised love,

the law's delay, the insolence of office-

H m m. Looks I i ke we do have the old Bard after all, sir.

- Looks like we do. - He'll handle it.

Come on, Foxworth.

Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

the pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

the insolence of office, and the spurns...

that patient merit ofth' unworthy takes,

when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?.

- That's nice, David. - Who would fardels bear,

to grunt and sweat underweary life,

but that the threat...

ofsomething after death, the undiscovered country...

from whose bourn and no traveller returns,

puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have...

than fly to others that we know not of?.

I n the second book of The Republic,

Plato says, "What will happen to the just man...

should he enter this world?'"

Well, thejust man will be scourged,

racked, chained.

Then after every kind of misery,

he will be crucified on a pole for all to see.

Any questions?.

I've got a question.

- Do you mind?. - Sure.

My question:

Ifthe just man...

is treated as you say,

then what's the just response?.

Roll over and let evil have its wicked way?

Well, what would you recommend, Major?

Oh, I'd recommend defiance.

J ustice for the captors.

An eye for an eye.

At what price mercy?

Yeah, mercy.

The last bastion of traitors and cowards.

So you would take a man and crucify him on a pole for all to see?

I would seekjustice.

Any of you?

Sergeant Major?

Heave!

Major Campbell was a natural leader amongst men.

He seemed to draw them from all nationalities and groups,

- and he had a way with uniting them in a common cause-

his common cause.

Better get two more of ours.

The guards change between 5:00 and half 5:00 every single day,

- so we have to be there, men. - Sorry, Major.

Are we interrupting a church service?

So what's the story?

Major, let's say your plan works, right?

You've confiscated the guns, captured the guards,

taken overthe whole camp.

What then?

You have still nowhere to go.

And when the Nips find out,

we'll have a regiment a thousand strong...

descend on us with a vengeance.

You can't possibly hope to survive.

Who's talkin' about survival?

So that's what this is, a suicide mission.

Come here. Come here.

So what areyou gonna do, eh? What areyou gonna do?

You're gonna throwyourself on the mercy of Bushido?

Aye, now that would be suicide.

Save us the bullshit, Major.

What are they payin' ya, Yanker?

Huh?

Oh, didn't he tell ya?

Some ofhis best trades are with the Japs.

Well, how'd you think they get such good medicine?.

Ain't that right, Yanker?.

You tell them, Yanker, eh?

Ha!

You are endangering the life ofeveryman in this camp.

I don't think they agree with your idea of justice.

So, what, are you the voice of the people now, eh?.

Oryou may be just a wee bit too Jap happy foryour own good.

Ernie,

we Argylls have got to stick together.

And you know that's what the colonel would say.

Good boy.

Greaterlove hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

You have heard that it was said,

that you shall love your neighbor...

and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemy,

andprayforthose who persecuteyou.

Forwhat shall it profit a man...

ifhe gains the whole world,

but loses his soul?

For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

- Baht? - Baht.

You're making a terrible mistake. I can get you anything you want.

American chocolate, whiskey, American cig- How about a watch?

The majorimagined Reardon a threat.

To him, a man without a sense ofduty,

loyal to no one but himself,

- is already a traitor. - Shit.

No, please. Please.

It's my school. It's my school!

Major Campbell struck a deal with the Japs.

I was to be left alone.

In his mind, this was not considered betrayal.

The school had delayed his plans.

Men were changing their minds. And Dusty had been the catalyst.

This book...

teaches to turn the other cheek.

We read these books,

and we become better slaves for the emperor.

He says the book is superstition.

Captain Noguchi says the railroad progress is too slow.

He received orders from headquarters...

requiring us to finish six months earlier than it was scheduled.

Honorable sir, that's-

You are dismissed.

Superstition.

I'm still alive, you Jap bastards!

You can understand that, can't you?

They could take away our books and classes,

but we were determined they couldn't take away what we had learned in our university.

Dusty led some ofthe men out of the Death House to help draw water.

His example ofwhat we were learning inspired us to work like never before.

And our captors noticed.

As for the major, we refused to get even with him-

to pay him back in kind.

And it began to eat at him.

Captain Noguchi says he gives you your books back...

foryou to keep learning.

Captain Noguchi graciously givesyou these gifts...

for being good workers.

What is it?

We're back in business, lads!

- Oi, these are three years old. - Japanese import laws.

- There's mail in here! - Oh, let's see it.

From that dayon, Yankerneverspoke much.

Something had changed inside him.

It was hard to tell whether it was for the better...

or the worse.

Chi p, chi p, m uckers. Graduation ceremonies are coming.

I want a tip-top performance out ofyou.

Continue.

Gentlemen,

let's continue.

If we are marked to die, we are enough to do our countryloss.

And ifto live, the fewer men, the greatershare ofhonor.

He that shall live and see old age,

then shal I he stri p his sleeve and show his scars and say,

"These wounds I had on Crispian's day. "

Old men forget,

yet all shall be forgot.

Meat! Meat!

Beef!

Yanker decided to join us-

a bit late in the term, but eager to catch up.

You're a good teacher.

What's your name?

I'm Nagase. Takashi Nagase.

Hello, Takashi.

I'm Ernest.

I've actually been wonderin'...

whereyou learnedsuch excellent English.

I was educated at Cambridge.

To be a good translator,

I thought one must understand the culture.

So what do you think of the British?.

I think there is a lot to learn from them.

Can laskyou, honorable Takashi,

what are you doing here in this camp?.

Uh, I was classified low physical fitness.

Prisoner ofwar camp is not honorable place forJapanese soldier.

It is more like punishment.

Shame for his entire family.

Well, what about...

Sergeant Ito?.

Surely he's the consummate soldier.

He accepted the blame for the bad decision that his superior made.

It resulted in the deaths of most ofhis squad.

- Right. So that's why he's so bitter. - No.

In Bushido, it is an honor to be punished in place ofyour superior.

According to our Imperial Rescript,

in the emperor's army,

a single life weighs less than a feather.

No matter how good things got,

we were still slaves building a railway,

being starved to death.

Thousands ofus in a dozen other prison camps as well.

And as ifthat weren't enough,

the major and his dangerous plan seemed ready to explode at any moment.

It was a sobering thought when we realized...

we weren't the only slaves being used in the name ofthe emperor.

They called them "comfort women-"

spoils ofJapanese conquest.

A conquest whose original intent was to purify the spirit...

where the true warrior deems his sword the soul of Bushido-

the key ofheaven and hell.

A symbol ofwhat he carries in his heart-

loyalty and honor.

We finished the railroad in October of 1943,

six months ahead ofschedule.

A real cause for celebration.

Like we were told in the very beginning,

they built it over the white man's body.

These damned yellow Mongoloid Nips.

Actin'as ifthey built the bloody thing.

Bloody rai Iway of death.

That's the least of our concerns.

What do you mean?

We've built the railway.

Don't need us anymore.

Those ofyou to the right of me will be immediately transferred...

to another camp.

It seemed like the final hindrance to the major's plan.

Half of his men were split apart that day. Sent away, never seen again.

Attention, all prisoners,

there is a shovel m issi ng from a toolshed.

The one who has taken the shovel, return it now.

If the shovel is not returned,

the entire company will suffer punishment.

You will respect us.

The shovel was found.

There was a miscount-

a simple, bloody miscount.

You are dismissed.

What would compel a man, one so selfish,

to sacrifice himself for others?

Boys, I can't feel my legs.

I can't feel my legs.

Tonight's the graduation ceremony.

Japs have all been invited.

That means a slim to zero chance of anyone being left in the guardhouse.

Major, you're not still planning on going through with this?

There's only six of us.

We lost six men.

I thought it was near impossible with 12. God in heaven knows, we haven't got a chance with six.

So now you're privy to the mind of God in heaven?

- No, but- - I will not tolerate double-mindedness.

I'm stayin'.

Well, that leaves five.

Don't worry, boys.

You don't worry, boys.

We'll have our justice.

Major Charlie Fraser, language.

Sergeant Bingo Johnson, philosophy.

And last, but by no means least,

Private Wallace Hamilton, ethics.

Gentlemen,

the graduates...

from our jungle university.

Well, let the festivities begin.

The music we heard that night was less than perfect.

In fact, it was bloody terrible.

But we didn't care. In our hearts we heard what it could be.

We heard the true spirit ofthe music, and that was pure freedom.

If we are mark'd to die,

we are enough to do our country loss.

- Go on. Do it. - Guard. Down. Down.

Come on. Come on now.

Glad you could make it.

Well, the music was bloody awful.

He that shall see this day and live old age...

shallstandat tiptoe when this dayis named.

Then shall he strip his sleeve and show his scars,

and say-

- There's no ammo in this thing. - Find it!

Old men forget, yet all shall be forgot.

Shh, shh, shh.

- It's a B-24. It's Liberators. - How can you be sure?

It's unmistakable, man.

Sweet music, man. It's Liberators!

Alliedaircraft.

They couldn't see us,

but we could sure hear them.

And we knew that the war was turning.

Speedo, speedo.

Speedo, me arse!

Attention, prisoners.

These men are guilty of murdering two guards...

who represent the ImperialArmy...

- Give us this day our daily- - and ofconspiracy to commit insurrection.

Theyhave violated the mercy ofthe emperor and his benevolent subjects.

Such bad spirit must be punished.

Honorable Sergeant I to will now dispense with the prescribed and just punishment.

- Major? - Amen.

Cor!

Bastard.

I to.

Dusty!

What are you saying? What are you saying?

Dusty?

No.

No. No.

No.

No! Dusty!

My boy.

Major? Major, what did he say?

Major, please, what did Dusty say?

Major!

My boys. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

No, no. No. No!

No!

No!

Superstition.

Do it.

Dusty!

Dusty!

Dusty!

When Dusty Miller died, something in the hearts...

and minds ofevery man died with him.

What we had somehow managed to hold onto for years of survival...

now seemed utterly meaningless,

like God Himselfwas playing a crueljoke on us all,

until I remembered Dusty's words so very long ago.

"Except a corn ofwheat to fall into the ground and die,

"it abideth alone.

"But ifit die,

it bringeth forth much fruit. "

I never found out what Dusty said to I to that day,

but I knew I had witnessed the power offorgiveness.

Attention.

Soon, all inferior races will bow...

before the majesty of the em peror and the knights of the Bushido.

When we heard the planes again,

we thought our deliverance had finally arrived.

And then it happened.

Hai I kni ghts of "bullshito!"

Our own allies thought we were the enemy.

Give me a hand!

Go on! I'm fine! Help the other men!

Hurry! Help me! Help me, Ernie!

Just don't look at it, man. Don't look at it!

They thought we was Nips, Ernie.

I almost made it. I got killed by my own side, Ernie!

You're not killed. You're with me, man.

- They thought we was Nips! - Shh, shh.

Don't leave me, man.

Don'tyou leave me, man! Don't you leave me, man. Don't leave me, man.

Stay with me, man. Staywith me, man! Staywith me, man! No!

Get up! Get fuckin'up!

An enemy location was also hit nearby.

The wounded had abandoned their posts looking for help.

Their arrival at our camp would compel us to make...

the most important decision ofour lives-

a decision that would defy the Bushido code...

of honor and shame.

No good. No good.

Ernest?

Captain Gordon, I forbid you to give comfort and aid to the enemy.

Major,

those... are wounded,

dying human beings.

They're no harm to us.

Ernie, get back to your own men.

Could someone please get me some water?

Couldsomeone please get me some water?

We were left alone by our captors. Nowhere to go.

Nothing to do.

An uncertain future,

with only a makeshift radio left behind, hoping for any word from the outside.

"To all Allied prisoners of war.

"The Japanese forces have surrendered unconditionally,

and the war is over. "

For he today that sheds his blood with me...

shall be my brother.

Be he ne 'er so vile,

this day shall gentle his condition,

from this day to the ending ofthe world.

But we in it shall I be remembered, we few,

we happy few,

we band of brothers.

Where are the guards?

They- They left.

Fled into the jungle... from us.

Which direction?

I have no idea.

You're a man of true principle and devotion.

And you know,

I wanna be just like you- just like you.

Major Campbell?

Ernie. You're just in time.

You're making a mistake.

No.

I'm makin' justice, man.

Makin' justice.

Don'tyou think I want this?.

Eh?. Eh?.

We all deserve to see him suffer,

but this is not right.

Hmm?

Hmm?

Aye.

Fuck!

You stupid- stupid wee boy.

Stupid wee boy.

God forgive me.

Oh, God, forgive me.

Oh, God. Forgive me, son.

Forgive me, son.

No!

What is the consequence of a single life weighing less than a feather?

Bastard!

What is the final destination of hatred?

When you look in the eyes ofthe enemy...

and you see yourself,

Come here.

at what price mercy?

Who is my neighbor?

How many times shall I forgive my brother?

What does it mean to love one's enemies?

What can a man give in exchange for his soul?

These are the questions that I faced in my prison camp.

The answers...

changed my life forever.

55 jaar later, troffen Kapitein Ernest Gordon en de toemalige keizerlijke tolk Takashi Nagase zich weer in Thailand op het kerkhof "Bahnstrecke des todes"

Ondertitels door Mister Bee Bart Besems

Ernest Gordon was 26 jaar lang Dekaan van de Universitaire kerk in Princeton.

Ernest Gordon was 26 jaar lang Dekaan van de Universitaire kerk in Princeton. Takashi Nagase werd een Boeddhistische Priester.