Original subtitles

Lieutenant. Crew's wiped out.

Checking for identification.

You both seem to be chasing the same bit of fluff, huh?

Oh, Major Cole Hughes, British Commandos.

Lieutenant Hanley, United States Army. This is Private Kirby.

Wing nuts on the camera base frozen fast, eh?

This'll soon put a fire under it.

You wouldn't have a cigarette, would you?

An ice age if they had one of yours.

Yes, sir.

Thanks, dear boy.

No pity, Jeffs.

All of it.

Come on, break it free. Chop, chop.

Thanks.

Crud honor coming, Lieutenant.

We've got to get out of here, Lieutenant.

Put it down, Lieutenant.

I'll take it back. You cover us, right?

Hold it.

Major.

Yes?

Lieutenant?

We were sent here to bring this back by our people.

And we got here first.

And we're leaving first.

The simple fact is, you see, we are more valuable.

Cheerio.

gangster outnumbered the bloody shade.

Seen a nice bunch of chairs.

Come on.

Come back.

Rick Jason.

And Vic Morrow.

Guest star, Michael Evans.

Racket, Lieutenant.

Both grenades.

Here, catch a couple.

We're going to lay down a screen.

We're going to flank them? No, they'll expect that.

We're going down the middle.

to give intense sense for our chances.

Bad?

No, sir.

That's crummy, commandos. Do you hear what that Major said? We're more

valuable than you are.

Listen, we're not going to let him get away with it, are we?

What do you think?

Let's get close enough in the radio back where we're still in the sector.

Paulson, take up the rear.

Take little John down to the aid station. I'm going up to company to see

Captain Chappell.

I

see

the lieutenant. Hello.

I was keeping an eye out for you chaps. I almost missed you.

I don't understand why you'd take the trouble, Major.

I simply had to.

After Captain Jampel filled me in on your radio call.

He told me how you wiped out all those jerrys. Absolutely wizard.

Thanks. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll toddle on down to see Captain Jampel

about the latest Allied agreements.

I, for one, would like to know the current value of a G.I. in this man's

war. I can save you a long walk, Captain.

Here. For you.

From the very same Captain Jampel.

in order to see a movie.

Well, should we dress, sir, or just come like we are?

On this way, chap.

Now, how do you like our little film, Lieutenant?

I think it's a bird's-eye view of nothing.

Very well put, old boy.

That's what you risked our silly lives for this morning.

Who risked whose silly lives, Major?

For worthless film.

We'll just have to go back into enemy territory and try again.

We?

I requested you for the mission.

Your company commander checked with regiment and your colonel approves.

Splendid chap, that.

Believes heartily in allied cooperation.

All that sort of thing.

Signed by the colonel himself.

Well, this is not an order, Major. This is just a request to volunteer.

Of course, of course. It sounds better that way.

Well, not me, sir.

However, it's nice to be wanted.

Let's go, Kirby.

I would at least want you to wait for the feature.

I don't even like your cartoons.

They're ready for the gentleman, Layton.

Ah, this is the real thing.

Latest on V2 bombing.

Just flown in from London.

The whole city ablaze.

Over 50 square miles of chaos.

Those devils. Making London into a slag heap.

Bombing civilians.

Day and night.

This very minute, most likely.

While we are snugged up here in cozy billets.

Not enough men in the fire brigade.

Not enough machines.

Not enough water.

Night after night, this is going on. This horror.

Another few months of this.

Nothing will be left.

Hospitals are overcrowded.

People lie buried under those ruins for days on end.

Even children.

Look, Lieutenant. Look at those poor little devils.

Thank you, Lincoln.

We've quite put a stop to that, chaps.

We must find those V2 sites and destroy them.

That's the mission I requested you and Private Kirby for.

Why us?

Because two of my best were killed on the way to that wrecked plane this

morning.

I have no time for a place on two channels.

You weren't killed due to your quick thinking.

And blind luck?

Luck is a lady I like in my garden, Lieutenant.

I need you rather desperately.

More women and children will die dead or mangled unless we in this room help

them.

You don't have to like me, Lieutenant.

Just do a job with me. That's all I ask.

we leave.

Smashing.

I'll pick you up at $1,500 tomorrow.

Now, Major, you don't have to like me either.

Kirby, this is a request from upstairs for us to volunteer.

It's not an order.

You don't have to go.

Yes, sir.

I think I better string along with you.

You're gonna need somebody on your side.

Jolly good water.

It must be the tenth time you look at the sun, Lieutenant.

Afraid we're lost?

Look, Major, we've been heading dead east for hours.

Now, the beach you cite has got to be up that way north towards the sea. Yes, it

does.

Well, do you mind my asking where our destination is?

Well, that depends what Wilson found out.

You can bet your last shilling he found out whatever there is to learn.

Dependable type, Wilson.

Never failed yet. Wilson? Who's Wilson?

What? What's our plan?

Sorry, old boy.

That'd be breaking old Bertie's number one rule.

You see, if only the ranking officer knows the plan, then the enemy would

have a perfectly horrible time finding it out if we're captured.

Sensible word.

I remember old Bertie running up at Jeppelbroke, that rule.

That was in the African campaign, when they were chasing Rommel.

Old Bertie?

What? Oh, yes, old Bertie. One of the old desert sweats.

Helped get this commander thing started.

Wrote a lot of book himself.

I think Leighton spotted something.

Good spot.

We certainly have.

Shall we try Knivesbridge, laden?

I think Knivesbridge will just about do it.

I'll do it then.

Hey, if I know, what is Knivesbridge?

We're a little jolly devised by old Bertie, made to order for a situation

like this.

In brief, Lieutenant, I'm giving you and Private Kirby the opportunity of

stealing up on those juries and...

Ah,

yes, sir.

That's what they say we ought to always look for, is opportunity.

Major, I assume you're going to keep this an allied operation?

Yes, indeed.

Blended, Leighton. You look remotely authentic.

At ease.

And, Leighton, remember to keep at a proper angle behind me so the jerrys

won't spot your stem gun.

Very good, sir.

And keep the magazine down.

I'll tell you now how to handle your part, Lieutenant.

Thank you, Arthur.

Don't shoot.

I know my rights.

I demand to see the ranking officer immediately.

I know my rights.

I demand to see the ranking officer immediately.

I do my right.

I demand to speak to the ranking officer immediately.

The show's out.

Now let's join Wilson and have a cup of tea, huh?

Who's this Wilson?

Big secret.

Smell like Wilson, sir?

Put a billy on. That'll fetch him.

Wilson never misses his tea.

I'm afraid Wilson's a bit off schedule.

Oh, yes. Now I can tell you, he's one of mine.

The station gave me yesterday to see what he could find out.

And what are we supposed to do? Wait for him?

Well, two of us will.

The two of us are going to hurry him up.

Well, first, we all have a cup of tea.

Is it boiling, Leighton?

Oh, just about, sir.

Where's the tea?

It's in the canister. Oh, yes.

I can make you the best cup of tea I've had in your life, Lieutenant.

I'm sure the Germans would love to join the party after they see the smoke.

Oh, a little bit of comfort's worth the risk, don't you think?

No wonder a little trifle like a war would destroy the church customs.

Leighton? Yes, sir?

I want you and Private Kirby to walk east and look for Wilson.

If he's running into some pretty girl, remind him there's a war on. Very good,

sir.

Have a spot before you go, Kirby.

Oh, no, thank you, sir. I never touch it this early in the day.

By Jove, you have a sense of humor, Kirby.

Here.

Try a little of this.

Thank you, sir.

Major, next word that comes along, I think I'd like to get in your outfit,

okay?

On your way, chap.

Oh, Layton. Yes, sir? If Wilson has found himself a pretty girl, bring her

back, too.

I

expect

you'd prefer this left hand.

Thank you.

Family crest, Major?

Yes.

Something like that.

Belongs to old Bertie.

He's a belty girl, believe it or not.

No woman, huh? Yeah.

Has a right sitting house of lords.

A deskie who's born in the proper family.

You admire him, don't you?

I did.

He's dead.

That's good ass.

His heritage, that they taught him at school, was to fight and die for England

whenever the need arose.

One of the last men to leave Dunkirk helped chase Rommel out of Africa, led

300 men ashore on D-Day.

Finally, in Normandy, the hot white light went out.

He couldn't turn it on anymore.

That's how soon it happened.

Good men.

And they start looking over their shoulders too often.

What, for the old man with the scythe?

Oh, no.

No, Bertie's cozy with him.

Very cozy.

In fact, he'd welcome him any time.

And why?

Why did the light go out?

Same reason that you two may one day harbor a death wish.

He'd sent too many of his own men to their death.

Brave, decent fellows, like... like your Kirby and my Leighton.

I say, Lieutenant, we are getting a bit morbid, aren't we?

Tell me about American girls.

Do they really spend all their time with the dentist? They have the divine teeth.

I'll take over, Layton.

Morphing, quickly. Sir.

Easy, buddy, easy.

Morphing, Layton.

Yes, sir.

I said it don't seem funny. Just same. Just same.

Three jerrys.

A couple of hours ago.

I got all.

But knife.

Shake it with the last one.

He got to the trigger.

Not much noise, though.

Just one shot.

Let's pave the road again, will you?

Many's the time I... Many's...

Five miles beyond the ridge.

There's a map to my left, Paddy.

Convoy passed through last night.

Five lorries.

Oil drums.

Heavily guarded.

Aided north to the sea.

What time were they?

2100.

Only one convoy all night.

How long did they stop to refuel the convoy?

Twenty minutes, exactly.

We better cook up.

Layton, soup.

We'll do it, Willie.

Aye, we will, sir.

Luck with rainbows.

To yourself.

Luck with rainbows, will he?

God's light, friend.

God's light, old.

The map and Wilson's lip, how do you get it, sir?

He's gone, sir.

The map, laden.

Have we got time, sir, for a quiet moment?

No, we have less than two hours to penetrate five miles of closely guarded

country. We're about right away.

Something on your mind, Lieutenant?

You had time for a tea, Major.

But none for epitaphs.

You feel sorry for Wilson, Lieutenant.

I can tell you... he's the lucky one.

Okay, chaps. This way, please.

There it is.

Just as Wilkins kicked it.

2100 hours here, Lieutenant.

Four minutes to go, sir.

The convoy should be along soon.

Meanwhile, briefing.

Now, we don't know the location of the B-2 sites.

But the French underground has informed intelligence that rocket fuel in drums

is delivered to them by convoy.

Our job is to see that one of the lorries carries a piece of cargo not on

the manifest.

Gentlemen, these should call us our fireflies.

Inside, a flaming explosive.

Outside, plastic.

The plastic dissolves in rocket fuel.

I will scramble aboard the last lorry in the line and plant this firefly in one

of the drums of rocket fuel.

How long before it blows?

Two hours.

By which time I'm confident the convoy will have arrived at the rocket site. As

a result, a fire that would have made old Nero happy.

To make a beacon for our planes, huh? Exactly, Lieutenant.

A baleful beacon.

Our bombs will be surfing over the channel waiting.

When they see the fire, they'll bore in.

And blow the rocket side past the moon.

Another gambit of old Bertie's.

Precisely.

He used it once before.

A German fuel dump near Berserker.

Truck's coming, Major. Convoy.

This is plenty.

How? A German spanner.

Runs through the top of the petrol drum. Your job.

Yes, sir.

Layton? Sir?

You'd better come along, too, as a diversion.

In case the driver of our lorry decides to stick too close to his vehicle.

Kirby?

You can relax here in a box seat.

If you do slip up, don't do anything heroic.

You neither, Layton.

What do you mean? Just leave you two down here to get fried flat?

Well, if things do go sour, you couldn't do any good against so many.

You head for home.

Tell the Commander-in-Chief it was splendid.

We didn't see the banana peel.

Let's go.

We gotta hand it to him. If somebody can stick his neck out, he'll make sure it's

him.

Yeah.

Back to the railway!

I'm tired.

It was a long ride today.

Yes.

Sie sind verrückt geworden, hier zu rauchen.

Wollen Sie das alle in die Luft sprengen? Nein, Herr Leutnant.

Gehen Sie vor zum Wagen zurück.

Jawohl, Leutnant.

for me to spare this girl.

Marty now. Home and money.

too late you ruddy swine too late the officer told the truck driver to rejoin

the convoy when the tires replaced

Never any end.

Two men died yesterday and one today to drown a far fly in a ruddy river.

Leighton.

Sir? That German uniform you carry, get it out for me quickly.

Of course. Give me a hand, will you?

What's the plan now, Major?

It's very simple and very safe.

Wait till they change the tire, and we'll all go up there.

Wipe them out.

We'll have another far fly, and the job will get done tonight.

We'll have to kill the driver too, you know.

Well, of course.

So you're going to put on the German tunic, replace the driver, rejoin the

convoy, and drive that truck into the V2 site, hmm?

There's no other way.

Well, you've finally made your death wish come true, Bertie.

I will not tolerate insolence attempt. Come off it, Major.

old Bertie himself.

Bertie, the belted Earl, who sent so many men to their death, he can't take

it anymore.

So you're going to light a bonfire and go out in a blaze of glory.

I so command this.

Then command it.

Turn that light back on again.

You can do it, you know.

I will not wait another 24 hours.

You don't have to.

like the birdie of the old days.

I'm sure he was smart enough to figure out a way to get ahead of that truck and

stop it.

Get a firefly aboard without the driver ever being any the wiser.

I could do it and I'm just a bloody colonial.

Yeah, we can move it down.

Anyway, get the others and follow me.

As good as we'd like to get, I think.

It's far enough from the fueling station not to be heard.

A couple of those boulders could easily have rolled down the embankment.

Yes. I think we'll try it here.

Andy, you and Kirby deal with the boulders.

I'll have to stop the lorry, but big enough that it takes two men to move.

Bladen, be uniform.

No, sir.

I'll try and stop him here. Hanley, you and Kirby position yourselves so you can

climb aboard the back of the lorry while the driver and I move these boulders.

Here's your firefly.

Layton, you give us overall coverage.

President Hussain.

You're hit, Major.

Come on down from that truck, sir.

Get away, Lieutenant.

Layton, stand in front of the truck with Kirby.

Get away.

Get out of the way. Move.

You're still determined to drive this truck to the V2 site, aren't you? And

when you fail, you'll die a legend.

That's really what you want, isn't it, Bertie?

Stand aside.

Stand aside, all of you. I'll run you down.

That's just what you're going to have to do.

Because Bertie is no legend.

He's just a scared man like the rest of us.

Only his ghost wants to quit on the fire.

Layton.

Hold this bleeding while I find a tourniquet.

late and tie it tight.

Kirby, take the firefly out of the drum. If it sticks, dump the drum off the

truck.

Cleaning's stopped, sir. He's coming to.

Get them ready to move before they show up from the fueling station.

Come along, sir.

Here we are.

Easy now, sir.

It's late, sir.

We'll get you home, sir.

Am I a chance?

Leave me.

Sorry, Major.

You've got news for Air Intelligence.

This is a map of the V2 sites.

It's worth ten fireflies.

What is...

This is nonsense.

This is the convoy officer's roadmap with his pencil notes. Now, I don't read

German, but isn't B and 2 the same as in English?

Aye, Joe.

They are the rocket sites.

Let's get this back to air intelligence.

Quickly.

Don't bother about me.

You still trying to go out with rockets, Major?

Just give me a hand, Aiden.

Most certainly, sir.

Luck with rainbows.