All language subtitles for Thunder Birds (William A. Wellman, 1942).english-hearing impaired

[ Male Chorus Singing ]

[ Continues ]

[ Man Narrating ]
This is Thunderbird, the field.

These are Thunderbirds,
the planes.

The sky is bright
out here in Arizona.

It's bright with fighting planes
rolling and slicing through the sky.

Thunderbird Field
is more than just a field...

more than just mere airplanes.

It's a school, one of the schools
operated by the United States Army...

by our army, for training the young
pilots of our allies as well as our own.

Here are Chinese boys.
They learn to fly well, these Chinese.

They have something to fight for.

They remember the smoking ruins
of their villages back home.

They remember
the rape of Nanking.

And here are British boys.
They fly well too.

They fly with a will to win.
They too remember.

They remember the battle of London-
the wanton destruction of life and property.

And here are American boys.
Boys from Kansas and the coast of Maine.

Boys who never saw a plane
close up till yesterday.

Boys who were soda jerks,
law school students...

dry goods salesmen,
high school athletes.

Here they are.
Here they come!

Watch 'em fly.

Thunderbird Field
out here in Arizona...

is one of many schools
of this unique kind.

Officers are in charge,
but the instructors are civilians.

All of them helped to make
this picture out here in Arizona...

at Thunderbird Field.

Chinese, British and American boys work
together, study together, play together.

They not only learn to fly, they learn
to know one another, to be friends.

The Chinese learn about us
and we learn about the Chinese...

and the British
learn about us both.

It's hard work at Thunderbird.
It's deadly serious work.

This is primary training
at its most intensive.

These boys play. Also, they work.
And they have much work to do.

They become more adept
at their jobs day by day...

and their job is to fight
and to play the game to win.

Here, the Thunderbird sails again...

a symbol of victory.

[ Cheering, Shouting ]

Hey, what's he doing,
bobbing for apples?

Oh, no. He just soloed.
Pretty excited, isn't he?

Yeah, but that oughta
cool him off.

[ Chattering ]

Where'll I find the C.O.'s office?

- You mean Colonel MacDonald?
- That's the one.

You go outside.
You go this way...

you go that way,
and you go this way.

- Huh?
- Upstairs.

- Oh. Thank you.
- But he's not there. He's in there.

- Thanks.
- Okeydoke.

Anybody home?

- Steve Britt!
- Hello, Mac. Did you get my letter?

- What letter?
- I don't know. Didn't I write one?

Why, you old son of a gun.

I want you to meet
Squadron Leader Barratt of the R.A.F.

- This is Steve Britt.
- Barratt.

Hi, Britt. I've heard a great deal
about you. I'm glad to meet you.

- Thanks.
- What are you doin' out
in this neck of the woods?

- Lookin' for a job.
- A job? You? [ Chuckles ]

Sure. You could use another good
instructor around here, can't you?

- Why, of course, but-
- Okay. Where do I park my toothbrush?

Wait a minute.
Are you on the level?

I was never more serious
in my life, Mac.

It just doesn't make sense to me.

Why should a flier like you wanna bury himself
out here in the desert with a war going on?

What do you mean, bury myself?
This is where the war is gonna be won...

right here on fields like this,
and I wanna be a part of it.

Of course, if you don't think
I've got what it takes-

Quiet, Steve. I was just tryin'
to catch my breath.

Listen, Mac. I'm not tryin' to kid myself.
I'm no good for combat anymore.

They want babies today, kids.

I'm not exactly a chicken,
but that doesn't mean...

I can't do the next best thing-
train those kids.

Don't you see what this would mean
to a guy who couldn't be up there himself?

Every one of those kids
I trained would be me...

only there'd be hundreds of 'em.

The Steve Britt Escadrille
over Germany and Tokyo.

I'm tellin' ya, Mac, it's the first
decent idea I ever had in my life.

You gotta take me.

How about your eyes?
You're not goin' blind, are ya?

- Twenty-twenty.
- Flying papers in order?

Have a look.

Okay, Steve,
I 'll talk to Washington.

- We'll have confirmation in a couple of hours.
- Thanks, Mac.

But remember this:
I have no friends here.

You do the job my way,
or I 'll run you out of here so fast...

- you'd think you were in a tailspin.
- Sure. That's the way I want it.

- I'd be awfully glad to have you with us.
- Thanks.

I only hope I get a crack
at some of those R.A.F. boys of yours.

- They've been doing all right.
- You will.

There's a new class just getting in.
Would you like to look them over?

Well, I'm sorry,
but if you don't mind...

I'd like to look up an old pal of mine-
Colonel Saunders.

- Has a ranch around here somewhere.
- Yes, I know the place.

- The K.D.S. Ranch, isn't it?
- That's it. How do you get there?

Straight down the road about 12 miles.
Then you turn to the right towards the hill.

Okay.

I'll see you in the morning, boss.

- What do you make of it?
- Search me.

- He's a good flier, isn't he?
- Good flier?

He's what the Wright brothers had in mind
when they invented the airplane.

But, you know, something
tells me this pal of his...

Colonel Saunders, uses lipstick.

Really?

Why, you Peeping Tom!

[ Groans ]

- Wait a minute! Wait a minute!
- Hey-

Down you come. Let go!
Let go! Let go! Hello, honey.

Well, I'll be doggone!

Hi, Steve!

Excuse me, Gramps.
I'll kiss you in a minute.

You were marvelous, Steve.
Really superb.

- Hope you brought your Brownie with you.
- I don't need it.

I have photographic eyes.

Well, you can just take 'em, crank up that thing
and go right on back where you came from.

Okay, give me my coveralls.

All right. Take them.

Well, Gramps, mighty nice
to have you living right next door.

- Next door?
- Sure. Haven't you heard?

- I'm over at Thunderbird Field.
- Oh, no, you're not!

I won't have you at Thunderbird.
I won't have you anywhere around here.

Please don't interrupt, Kay.
I'm talking to your grandfather.

Yep, I'm a professor now.
A reformed character.

Gramps, will you leave us alone
for a few minutes?

Doggone it,
just when things are gettin' hot?

- It's okay, Gramps. Stick around.
- I 'll go.

But just as a favor to you.
Darned women.

It's gettin' so that a fellow
can't even spit... unless they say so.

- You're cute.
- So are you.

Now, wait a minute.
You know I was only clowning.

It's not that, Steve. It's just that
I've stood all I'm going to from you.

Wait a minute.
Let me finish.

I was in love with you.

I don't know why,
but heaven help me, I was.

I can tell you why.

Because the minute
we look at each other, Roman candles.

- The Roman candles fizzled.
- I never tried to kid you.

I'm not a bank clerk or a night watchman
punching a time clock.

You knew that from the beginning.

- Well?
- It's no use, Steve.

Your kind of life
and mine just don't mix.

Of course they do.

What is all this talk?
My kind of life is your kind of life.

You can't get away from that
any more than I can. Isn't that right?

Sorry, Steve.

You see, the trouble is...

I came off the line a woman...

and not a P-38.

[ Imitating Plane ]

Halt!

Right face!

[ Shouts, Indistinct ]

Stand at ease!

(Barratt)
Stand easy. Gentlemen...

I brought you out here to meet Steve Britt,
one of your new instructors.

I'm sure he's already known
to many of you by reputation...

not only because of
his record in the last war...

but for his many
flying achievements since then.

He believes, as we do...

that this war is going to be won
in the air.

That's why he's chosen to come here
to Thunderbird to teach you to do the job.

It's a great pleasure and a real privilege
to have him with us...

and I'm sure that you'll
find him an understanding...

and a sympathetic man
with whom to work.

Like to say a few words, Britt?

Thanks.
I'll do my talking later.

I say, old man, that's good.

Gentlemen, this is an airplane.

The idea is to get it up
and keep it up.

But the most important thing of all
is to bring it back.

Just one more thing you have to remember.
That's your parachute.

If anything unusual happens,
you grab that ring...

count 10, and pull it hard.

If it opens, you haven't got
a thing to worry about. If it doesn't-

- Do we get a new one, sir?
- Nope.

From then on,
you can fly without 'em.

Well, who wants to see
what it's like up there?

- [ All ] Aye, sir.
- Okay, hop in.

Fasten your safety belt...

good and tight so if I decide
to fly upside down...

I won't have to worry about
you digging holes in the runway.

Come on, lads.
Get your morning exercise.

Give 'em the crank.

Ow!

Come on!

- (Man) Contact.
- Contact.

Don't worry about the parachute
not opening. It has to. It's regulations.

See that thing in front of you?
That's a control stick.

Take a hold of it.

Not so hard.
Don't choke it.

It's not gonna give milk. Now, move it
to the left and see what happens.

Now, your left aileron has come up,
and your right is depressed.

As a result, your left wing is down
and you're in a bank.

That's enough.
Back to center.

Now, your ailerons
are feathered out, streamlined.

Back to level flight.
Pull back on your stick.

Easy!

Now you're climbing.

You wanna put her nose down,
all you have to do is push forward.

Level off.

Don't let this throw you.
Some of the best fliers in the business...

get sick from time to time.

That's part of the game.

Hang on.
We're going down.

- Wouldn't you like to get out here?
- I'm all right, sir.

Sure, but the exercise'll
do you good.

- Sorry I messed it up, sir.
- Forget it.

Your stomach's just a little upset.
It's the change of water.

You'll feel a lot different tomorrow
when we're up there kicking her around.

Take a few deep breaths.

- Thank you, sir.
- By the way, what's your name?

- Peter Stackhouse, sir.
- I knew a Peter Stackhouse in the last war.

- That must've been my father, sir.
- Your father was a great flier.

Thank you, sir.
Did you know him very well?

Well enough to know that if I had
to go up against the Luftwaffe today...

I'd like to have a man
with his guts alongside of me.

- Okay?
- Yes, sir.

Now, watch yourself.

- What's the matter with him? Sick?
- A little wobbly.

- A walk'll do him good.
- Don't start coddling 'em, Steve.

We haven't got time
for that around here.

If they don't come through,
wash 'em out and wash 'em out fast.

Sure, General Maytag.

You put 'em in and turn the crank,
and I'll wring 'em out.

Okay. I'll put 'em in.

- (Steve) Hey, you, Lockwood!
- Yes, sir?

- Hop in.
- Me, sir?

- Yes, you!
- Cor!

Shall we do
a Cuban eight today, sir?

What'd your mother
wean you on, raw meat?

When we could afford it, sir.

(Lockwood Singing)

- Hello, chum.
- Hello.

[ Continues Singing ]

- Does that sound a bit familiar to you?
- No, just rather touching.

It is, rather, isn't it? Say, are you sure
you never saw me on the music halls?

Used to write all
me own words and music.

- Simply rolled out of me.
- Sounds very charming.

Oh, very. You sure you won't come
with me to the recreation center?

- Not tonight, thank you.
- Not even for the jumbo malt...

or one of those gorgeous marshmallow
chocolate sundaes with clotted cream and nuts?

- You aren't feeling queasy
in the tummy again, are you?
- No.

Oh. I could let you
have a Mother Sills.

- No, thank you.
- Well, as we Americans say...

I'll be seein' ya, pal!

(Lockwood Singing)

- Catchy, isn't it, sir?
- Sensational.

I thought you'd like it, sir.

- Yes?
- (Steve) May I come in?

- Please do, sir.
- Go ahead. Stretch out. Take it easy.

-Just got a minute.
- I was just lying down. I'm quite all right.

Good. I, uh, found something
among my souvenirs.

Thought you might like to have it.

- That's my father.
- There's a date on the back.

Pretty faded.

"April 8, 1918."

It was just two days
before he was shot down.

Yeah, we had
quite a talk that day.

You English don't usually
loosen up very much, but-

I don't know. He was just a kid,
and maybe he had a hunch.

I remember we got to talking
about his place down at, um- at, um-

- Compton-on-the-Wye?
- And about his mother.

- She must've been quite a gal.
- She still is, sir.

I started to get in touch with her
once or twice, but you know how it is.

I wish you had.
She would've liked that.

Talked a lot about you boys too.
There are two of you, aren't there?

There were.

My brother Tom was shot down
over Wilhelmshaven about 10 weeks ago.

I'm sorry.
Have a smoke.

- Won't you have one of mine, sir?
- No, go ahead. Try these.

Thank you.

By the way, Stackhouse,
you're not afraid of flying, are you?

I don't think so. I'm not afraid
of getting hurt, if that's what you mean.

Sorry. Maybe I shouldn't
have asked that.

I'm glad you did, sir,
if you believe me.

Sit down.

Listen, Pete,
this is a big war.

There's lots of jobs
in it beside flying.

Take the tank corps.

Those guys have really got it.
Or those stone crushers in the infantry.

Nobody's ever won a war
without them yet.

- Is that right?
- Yes, sir.

There's lots of people can't fly...

but that's no reflection on 'em.

A guy just finds he can't get his head
and feet all to move at the same time.

He lacks that little mystical something
called coordination.

You know, it takes guts to fly,
and it takes guts not to fly.

Does this mean you're going
to wash me out, sir?

Well, you've been up there three times now.
The same thing's happened every time.

Don't wash me out, sir.
I'll get over it, I'm sure I will.

- Yeah, but there's a war on, you know.
- Give me a few more days.

- I'll be all right.
- I'd like to, Pete.

But we've got to think
about what's best for your country.

They need fliers,
and they need 'em quick.

Suppose I let you go up there alone,
you get killed?

I'm asking you
to take that chance, sir.

I studied medicine. I know what's wrong
with me. It's just a conditional reflex.

- A what?
- Subconscious fear of falling.

I seem to freeze up. I can cure myself
of it if you only give me time.

- Did you know that when you came here?
- Yes, sir.

- Then why'd you come?
- Afraid it's rather a long story, sir.

Go ahead, shoot.
I got all night.

Well, it really has to do
with my grandmother in England.

- Your grandmother?
- Yes, she's quite a remarkable woman.

Still rides every day
even if she is past 70.

Still rides every day
even if she is past 70.

It all started a little more
than 10 weeks ago.

Grandmother was just returning
from her usual morning ride.

A boy from the post office
was waiting for her with a telegram.

I expect she knew what was in it.

She just held out her hand and said-

- You don't need to tell me. The king's service.
- Oh, milady!

I came out without my spectacles.
Read it to me, boy.

"Lady Jane Stackhouse,
the Air Ministry regrets to inform you...

that your grandson,
Thomas Stackhouse"-

- Master Thomas?
- Ellen. Go on.

"Has been killed in action
over Wilhelmshaven."

Take Lady Bess round to the stables.
There's a good boy.

Trunk line, please.

I want to speak to London, please.

George V Military Hospital.

First aid casualty station number 9.
Peter Stackhouse.

Not bad.
Not bad at all for an intern.

Pretty soon, you won't need
us old fellows at all.

- I knew you were on hand, sir, just in case.
- Oh, yes.

I thought of that too.

- Telephone, sir.
- Take the call for me, please.

It's a trunk call, sir,
from Compton-on-the-Wye.

- Thank you. Will you excuse me, sir?
- Certainly.

Hello?
Hello, Grandma.

Very well, thank you.
And you?

Splendid.
Did you ride this morning?

You did? I envy you.

Yes, frightfully busy as usual.

What?

Oh, Tom.

Wilhelmshaven?

I'll come down at once.

No, don't meet me.
I'm not sure what train I can get.

Yes. Yes, of course, Grandma.

I know he would have
wanted it to be that way.

I thought you ought to know, there'll be
�25,000 less for you if ever I decide to die...

which, I warn you,
I have no intention of doing...

with the world in the state
it is now.

However, as compensation...

I've given you three lumps,
ration or no ration.

Thank you, Grandma.

I've been trying
to write a letter to go with it.

It's very difficult.

But I always did
hate writing letters.

Didn't Grandpa say it was because
you never learned to spell properly?

In my day, a woman
with a good figure didn't have to spell.

"Dear Mr. Churchill,
I've just received news...

"of the death of my grandson,
Thomas Stackhouse...

"in action over Wilhelmshaven...

"and I want to make
an immediate reply...

"in the way I know would have been
his and his father's reply-

"by striking back
straight to the mark.

"I'm asking you, therefore,
to purchase for me...

"a suitable aircraft,
preferably a bomber...

"with which to carry on his work.

"With the deepest regrets that
I have no more sons or grandsons...

"to take it into battle...

I remain as always your devoted
servant, Jane Stackhouse."

Have you forgotten me?

I spoke to the superintendent
before I left the hospital.

He's agreed that I be transferred
to the R.A.F. immediately.

You'd better add a postscript.

Ask Mr. Churchill to have that bomber
available for me as soon as I've learned to fly.

I've wanted to fly for a long time.

Always, I think.

We used to talk about it,
Tom and I.

As long as he was flying,
I didn't mind so much.

But, Peter, your work at the hospital,
that's important too.

- Have you forgotten that?
- No.

Then think of yourself. You know
you're not fitted for this sort of thing.

- Nonsense. I'm perfectly all right.
- It isn't nonsense.

All your life, you've been
affected by heights.

You've had- what you call it-
a conditional reflex.

Don't know where you got it.
Not from me, I'm sure.

Perhaps it was that fall from your horse
when you were seven.

That's absurd.

- I got up and rode again, didn't I?
- Yes.

But you've never quite
got over it.

That's nothing serious
or unusual.

- I'll make myself get over it.
- How?

By reconditioning myself.
By forcing myself to fly.

By exercising some of the willpower
I inherited from you, Grandma.

Forgive me, Peter.

- I'm afraid I've behaved very badly.
- You could never behave badly.

[ Chuckles ]

I remember the day your father told me
he was going into the Royal Flying Corps.

It was the World War then.

He was standing just where you are,
Peter, with his pipe in his mouth.

I hope you've got a nice pipe.

Suddenly, he said something
I've never forgotten.

It was by an American,
I believe. Emerson.

"For what avail the plow or sail...

or land or life if freedom fail."

You're the last of your line, Peter.
The last Stackhouse.

All your life, I've looked forward
to you and Tom marrying...

coming here, filling the house
with fine, young rascals.

I've even thought of myself
as here with them-

a sweet, old lady with a white kerchief
and a- and a wheelchair.

You in a wheelchair?

I've been a very silly,
selfish old woman.

But you'll understand,
I'm not any longer.

I'm a very proud
old woman, Peter...

proud and angry...

who's suddenly discovered
how very stupid life could be...

without someone
buzzing around up there.

Come down here.

And now, run along.
I'll join you...

as soon as I've written
to Mr. Churchill.

And this time, I don't care
whether I spell it properly or not.

He'll know what I mean.

"Dear Mr. Churchill"-

What a dame.

I didn't intend to say
anything about that.

It's not the sort of thing
one blabs about.

Okay, Pete.

Forget it. But you gotta
promise me one thing.

Yes, sir?

If you do get sick up there again,
watch out down below.

Be sure Barratt
and MacDonald aren't there.

( Man on P.A. )
Attention, all aviation cadets.

All aviation cadets, unless
previously notified to the contrary...

will be permitted to absent themselves
from the base today, Saturday...

from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m..

[ Cheering, Shouting ]

Hey, Bill, you got a date?

You said it,
with a million-dollar baby!

- Has she got a friend?
- Yeah- me!

[ Speaking Chinese ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

- [ Clears Throat ]
- Oh, pardon me. May I help you?

- We'd like some stockings, please.
- Any particular color?

Well, uh, what colors are there?

Oh, there's Desert Sand,
Honey Beige, Nude.

Wait. I'll show them to you.

What size?

- Um, 36.
- Thirty-six?

- And a 42 for me.
- Forty-two?

- You see, they're for my grandmother.
- And my mother.

She's the solid
British type, you know.

I see. Well, how big
is your grandmother?

Well, she's-

Look. Mother.

I think about 10 and a half.

Wouldn't you like
to look around a bit too?

- Thank you.
- Thank you very much.

- How about those?
- No, a little bit too large.

- You like these?
- They're slightly on the other side.

She must've been born
on a horse.

The ankles seem right anyhow.

Oh, cor!
What a grandmother.

Are you playing
some sort of a game?

- Well, uh-
- Oh, no. We were just trying to look at your legs.

- I mean -
- Did you like them?

I thought they were gorgeous.
I really did.

- Thank you.
- Look, here, I say-

- Yes?
- I hope you're not angry.

That you were interested
in my legs? Why, not at all.

- That's what they're there for.
- We're really terribly sorry.

Don't apologize.
I'm flattered.

We weren't trying
just to look at your legs.

No, it's his grandmother's legs.

Oh. His grandmother's legs.

You see, it's almost impossible
to get them in England.

- To get what? Legs?
- No.

- Stockings.
- Oh, stockings.

Well, to put it very bluntly, we were
trying to decide just what size to buy.

- For Grandma.
- Nine.

Now may I go, or are there any other
little intimate details you'd like to know?

- Uh, please wait.
- I know it's very thoughtless of me...

but I have an engagement.

Couldn't you postpone it
and have tea with us instead?

- No.
- It would give us time to apologize properly.

We've heard so much
about the friendliness of the West.

And you wouldn't want us to go away with a false
impression of American hospitality, would you?

If you were in London,
we'd have tea with you.

After all, it isn't as if
we were total strangers.

Do they give you a course at Thunderbird
on how to pick up American girls?

It comes under the heading
of initiative.

I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid
I can't possibly go to tea with you, Mr.-

- Stackhouse.
- Lockwood.

Saunders. But I might
take you to tea with me.

- You might?
- I say!

If only for the sake of
international solidarity.

But not, of course, until
we've disposed of Grandma's legs.

Well, here we are.

Here?

Whether you know it or not,
you're a couple of angels of mercy...

for the rest of the afternoon.

Hands forward. Rock.

- Hands off. Sit back.
- [ Groans ]

You see? You repeat the operation
12 or 15 times a minute.

And remember, rhythm is the important
thing. Now, try again. Forward.

- [ Groans ]
- No. Not so much pressure.

- Hello, Miss Blake.
- Hello, Kay.

May I present Mr. Stackhouse
and Mr. Lockwood.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

They're both so interested
in our work that they begged me...

to let them come in
and serve as patients.

Well, how nice. Of course,
our lesson for the day is almost over.

- But if any of the girls would like to stay-
- Oh, I do!

- [ Voices Overlapping ]
- Oh, me too!

- Oh. Hello.
- All right, go right ahead.

- It isn't often we get men to practice on.
- (Peter) Thank you.

- Shall we all lie on the floor?
- Oh, no, no.

It isn't necessary at all.

Just take off your coat, roll up your
sleeve, and I'm gonna try my tourniquet.

Cor!

Red Cross sure covers
a lot of territory, don't it, son?

Too much.

- There. How's that?
- It's marvelous. May I call you Miss Nightingale?

It's beautiful, but I'm afraid
I'd have bled to death before now.

- What?
- My pulse is still beating.

Why, it couldn't be.
I've been practicing tourniquets all week.

Hello, Pete.
What seems to be the trouble?

Nothing, sir. I was just going
to explain to Miss Saunders...

about the tourniquet point, or pressure
point, where the artery crosses the bone.

Sure. Go right ahead.
Sounds fascinating.

You seem to know everything you need
to know about anatomy, Mr. Stackhouse.

- Well, we doctors always do-
- Doctor-

- Mm-hmm.
- My error.

- Any of you boys feel the need
of a little first aid?
- Yes, sir!

Well, come on in.
Come on in.

Heaps of pretty girls in here
with just the kind of medicine you need...

at your age.

- Wait a minute.
- Hey, you!

You!
Come on in here.

You fellows have been bleeding
to death by yourselves long enough.

Come on in here, youse.
See the girls. Get some help.

(Woman)
Oh, my!

[ Gasping, Muttering ]

I telephoned I'd pick you up
at the ranch this afternoon.

Yes, I know.

You know? Then what are you doing here?
Why didn't you wait?

Perhaps I preferred
to be picked up by someone else.

Now, listen, sweetheart,
you can save those subtle little digs...

for some guy that
doesn't know any better.

Don't waste 'em on me.
And what's more...

if you're worried about somebody's
arteries, what's the matter with mine?

Nothing, darling.
They're lovely, I'm sure.

Now, come on. Get up on the table
like a good little boy.

- Do I have to?
- Yeah.

There.

Lie down.

Hey, take it easy.

[ Shouting In Chinese ]

- You aren't gonna put that on me, are you?
- [ Laughs ]

We'll drive out to Biltmore
for a cocktail...

have dinner at the Westward Ho...

then I'll drive you home...
the long way.

- It sounds lovely, Steve.
-Just like old times, huh?

- There. How's that?
- Swell. Now, let's get out of here.

Oh, wait a minute.
I haven't finished yet.

Tiny, will you take over
for a while?

And how does
the little patient feel?

Fine. Fine.

- Ready?
- Ready?

- Well, you asked me to go to tea, didn't you?
- Yes, but you said-

- Can't I change my mind?
- But I gathered that you and Mr. Britt are-

Oh, no. He's all tied up
for the afternoon.

Hey!

[ Women Screaming ]

- Oh, look! He's hurt himself!.
- Our first accident!

[ Voices Overlapping ]

[ Screaming, Gasping ]

[ Tires Screeching ]

- Hey, wait a minute. What's the big idea?
- There, there now, son.

Take it easy.
We're doin' all we can for you.

[ Man ]
Come on. Get him in there.

[ Woman ]
Take it away!

[ Screaming ]

W-What's going on here?

Civilian defense.

I've never really known
an Englishman before.

- You typical?
- I suppose so.

Don't have a title, do you?

A... very little one.
You object to titles?

- I never thought about it.
- Neither have I.

- By the way, what are you? A duke?
- Nothing so grand, I'm afraid.

Do you know Steve Britt
very well?

Yes. He's my instructor.

He's a great flier, isn't he?

He's a great everything,
in my opinion.

That was my grandfather
who came in with him.

- Yes, I know.
- He's awfully rich.

How nice.

I mean, at the moment.

He's always making it
and losing it.

Never matters to him whether he has
a dime or not, just the fun of making it.

- Do you think Americans are money-grubbers?
- Some of them may be.

- I wouldn't say it was purely an American trait.
- Thanks, now.

I traveled around the world once.

Everywhere I went, I saw churches and
schools and hospitals- even in the jungle-

all built with American money
for somebody else to use.

I never saw any German
or Japanese philanthropies.

I could almost kiss you for that.

What a stunning idea.

Figuratively, milord.

Oh.

- Good night. It's been fun.
- It's been great fun.

By the way, do you ride?

- I was born on a horse.
- Will you come ride with me?

- Anytime.
- Good night.

Good night, sir.

Good night, sir.

Good night.

- Hello, honey.
- Hello. Is this a new listening post?

- That's right.
- Hear anything interesting?

Quite a lot.
What's it all mean, Kay?

It means that I had a lovely time
and that I like him.

- That all?
- I don't know yet.

Wouldn't be trying
to make me jealous, would you?

Really, Steve.
You're marvelous. What an idea!

I just wanted to remind you
he's a very nice guy.

- He might think you meant it.
- And he might be right.

Go ahead. Sink your teeth
into these hot dogs.

- Hot dogs?
- Yes.

The great American delicacy.

Hope you don't like women who
pretend to be delicate eaters.

You should see
my grandmother eat.

Most women are such
awful liars about food...

especially in front of men,
before they're married.

As if the man didn't know
women had stomachs.

Steve Britt used to swear
that I had an alarm clock inside of me...

which went off
every five hours on the dot.

Have you known Steve Britt
very long?

I met him three years ago. The regular
planes from New York were grounded...

so I hired him to fly me out here.

It was Gramps's birthday.
First thing I knew...

he'd set me right down
in the middle of a desert...

and was threatening
to leave me there...

unless I promised to turn right around,
fly back to New York with him.

- Why should he do a thing like that?
- He said he was in love with me.

- Did you go with him?
- Course.

Were you in love with him?

Head over heels.

It was wonderful,
long as it lasted.

Are you still in love with him?

You like Steve,
and you're wondering...

whether it's all right for you
to be out with me, aren't you?

How'd you know?

Well, Englishmen usually
aren't so inquisitive.

But all right. I'll tell you.

I do like Steve, tremendously.

Sometimes I think
I'm in love with him.

I've got enough sense to know he'd make
a horrible husband. He'd never stay put.

You sure you'd like a husband
to stay put?

I wondered about that myself.

The men at the field
think he's great- all of them.

Yes, I know. That's awfully
important to a woman.

I mean, to know
that other men like him.

And too, he's just enough older
than I am to be very fascinating.

I wonder if you realize
what an amazing person you are.

Should we leave it there
for now? I'm hungry.

Fella that gets Kay
sure got to step, son.

He can't let any grass
grow under his feet.

If I was courtin' a girl,
you bet I'd get up early.

- I wouldn't let the other fella beat me out.
- I got here at 11:00.

- I would have made it 10:00.
- Hello, Steve.

- Shh, now. We're busy.
- Hello, Kay. Stackhouse. Have a nice ride?

- Yes, sir. It was wonderful.
- Hope he hasn't caught you
cheating again, Gramps.

I don't get caught.

Doggone it! Every card I play-
Say, you didn't shuffle these cards.

[ Laughs ]

Sorry we weren't here, Steve. Why didn't
you let me know you were coming?

That's okay. I was out this way, thought
I'd drop in for a little game with Gramps.

- And have I been taking him.
- Sixty-four cents in me.

[ Chuckling ]

Not counting this hand.

I'll try two.

Oh!
There he goes again.

- Luckiest man I ever saw in my life.
- At cards?

- Course you'll be staying
for dinner, won't you, Steve?
- I'm sorry. I have work to do.

- On Sunday?
- Go on, Gramps. Give me my dough. I have to go.

What's all this tomfoolishness
about leaving when Kay gets here?

Maybe if you're free some night this week,
I'll have that dinner with you.

I'd love to, Steve. Some night
when you don't have to work.

Are you going straight
back to the field, sir?

- Yeah, sure.
- Mind if I come along with you?

You mean you're not
staying for dinner?

No, sir.
My leave ends at 7:00 p.m.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Okay. Let's go.

- Good-bye, Kay. I've had a marvelous time.
- It was fun, wasn't it?

- Good-bye, Mr. Saunders.
- Good-bye, sir.

- Good-bye, Steve!
- Good-bye.

Can't make up your mind which one
to let bite the apple, can you?

You serpent!
[ Hisses ]

- [ Hisses ]
- (chuckles)

- [ Knocking ]
- (Steve) Who is it?

- Stackhouse.
- Come in.

- Did I wake you, sir?
- No, I just turned in. Close the door.

I had to speak to you.

Okay. Sit down.

- Cigarette?
- Thanks.

What is it, Stackhouse?

I'm in love with Kay.

Mm-hmm. What about it?

I'm going to ask her to marry me.

What are you coming to me for?
I'm not her grandfather.

- No, but... I know how you feel about her.
- Do you?

I know you were in love with her.

I'm still in love with her.

I know if it weren't for you,
I wouldn't still be here.

You're afraid
I'll wash you out. Is that it?

No.

How do you know I won't?

What would you do in my spot?

I don't know.

Okay, Stackhouse.

I told you I'd give you every chance
to make the grade as a pilot...

because I figured you had it in you.

That still goes.

Thank you, sir.

Personally,
I might hate your guts.

But that has nothing
to do with flying.

As far as you and I and... Kay are
concerned, that's a different matter.

I don't believe you can take her away
from me. What do you think of that?

If I don't, it won't be
for lack of trying, sir.

Well, good night, sir.

Thank you for
letting me talk to you.

- It's been a pleasure.
- (Door Closes)

- Oh, Stackhouse?
- Yes, sir?

How many hours dual
have you had?

- Twelve, sir.
- Well, get your parachute
and come along, will you?

- I'd like to give you a check flight.
- Now, sir?

It's about time you had your solo,
don't you think?

- Well, yes, sir.
- Hurry, will you? I'll be waiting.

Yes, sir.

I'll take her down,
Stackhouse.

[ Engine Stops ]

Oh, not feeling so well,
eh, Stackhouse?

- I'm all right, sir.
- Splendid.

That's all.

Mr. Britt, sir. Stackhouse
just had his check flight, sir.

- Yeah?
- I'm afraid he was sick again, sir.

That's too bad.
I'm sorry to hear it.

You don't think
he'll be washed out, do you, sir?

That's not up to me.

(Man on P.A.) Attention, all eliminees.
Attention, all eliminees.

Report to transportation
immediately.

On the double.

[ Man ]
So long, Charlie.

Don't let them get you down, Joe.

- A bombardier's just as exciting.
- Sure.

So long, Charlie.
Tough break.

- It's okay. There are plenty of other jobs.
- Right.

Sir? Colonel MacDonald
would like to see you in his office.

Thanks.

Colonel MacDonald and I have been going
over the records of the Britt Escadrille.

- Nice job.
- Thanks.

Only one man in the whole lot
not up to scratch.

- Yeah? Who's that?
- Stackhouse.

- Stackhouse?
- Yeah. Too bad. Looks like we're
gonna have to wash him out.

Must be a mistake. Stackhouse is gonna
make one of the best pilots we have here.

If that's the case,
why haven't you let him solo?

- He isn't ready.
- All the other men in his class have.

They must have been ready.

I know how you feel about those kids ofyours,
Steve. It's the mother instinct in you.

I'm going to recommend that Stackhouse
be returned to the medical corps.

- Okay. You're the boss. But if he goes, I go too.
- What?

Now look, Mac. If I'm
the right man for this job...

then you gotta
take my word about my kids.

Don't wanna do that, you better
get yourself another boy.

- But he's had 12 hours in the air
and still gets sick.
- I know all about that.

Some kink in him that's holding
him back. Whatever it is...

it's up to me to find it and
straighten it out, and I will.

And in the meantime,
we're going to hold up the war.

You might as well, Barratt...

'cause it's gonna take guys
like Stackhouse to win it.

I know all about that boy-
his whole background...

his father, his grandmother
and what all this means to him.

Things I can't even tell you about
because I promised him I wouldn't.

Things that spell "flier" to me.

I don't want
to be personal, Steve...

but you aren't by any chance
being noble about Stackhouse, are you?

I wouldn't know about that, Mac.

You'll have to figure
that out for yourself.

The average life of a fighter
in the R.A.F. is what?

On the other hand, they tell me
doctors marry young and live forever.

(Man Reading)
"Fourth of July party.

(Man Reading)
"Fourth of July party.

"I'm going to have a Fourth of July party
at my ranch next Saturday...

"and it wouldn't surprise me
if a heap of pretty girls...

found out about it
and came a-running."

Cor!

Whatever in the world
is a Fourth of July party?

It's the American celebration of their
independence from England, sonny. See?

- Not really.
- What cheek!

(People Whooping, Shouting)

[ Chattering ]

Don't be a fool, Peter. You can't ride that
bronc. He's the worst bucking horse in Arizona.

- Why, Gramps says he's as gentle as a dog.
- He put you up to this?

Only as a sporting proposition.

Why, you can't do it.
Why, you might break your neck.

At least I'll go home
with a wound stripe.

(Shouting, Cheering)

I bet this is your bright idea.

Well, I always wanted to see an
Englishman ride a bucking horse.

[ English Accent ]
Odd combination, isn't it, old bean?

( Cheering Continues )

[ Folk ]

[ Rhythmic Clapping ]

(Continues)

- Howdy, son.
- Hi.

- Will you join me in a little piece of steak?
- No, thanks, Gramps.

(Continues)

She run off somewheres
with the young English squirt?

- Why don't you go down there and get her?
- She knows what she's doing.

Ah, fun-di-diddle.

The smartest woman
that ever lived...

didn't have sense enough to come in
out of the rain till she was at least 30.

- Now, that's statistics.
- It's no use, Gramps.

She's fallen for him
hook, line and sinker.

- She say so?
- No, but I can tell.

- How?
- She's been so nice to me today.

Now, listen, son.
Kay's not a bad girl.

Well, maybe she ain't
any too good a girl either.

But she's everything in the world to me.
She's part of my heart.

But that don't blind me to
the fact that she's a woman...

and kind of flighty like all the rest.

If you had half the gumption
I give you credit for, you'd see that.

- Now go on down there and do like I said.
- It's no use.

- Couple of kids like that-
- Ah, so that's what's eatin'you.

Now, listen. I was
20 years older than my wife.

Twenty-two, according
to her calculations.

Would you think
that worried me? No, siree.

What worried me was,
was she young enough for me?

- You love her, don't you?
- I'm nuts about her.

Well, then, go on down there
and do like I say.

I don't want any wishy-washy,
broken-down flier in my family.

[ Shouting ]

Oh, look.

Someday, maybe the whole world
will be lighted like that again.

- Of course it will be.
- Can you imagine London...

with lights again after
all these years of darkness?

Children who have been
born in blackouts...

seeing the lights
of a great city for the first time.

Old people who have given up hopes
of ever seeing them again...

suddenly coming out of
their holes in the ground...

and beginning to live
like human beings.

It will be the most wonderful night
in the history of the world.

That's why I want to learn to fly.

I want to help
turn those lights on again...

not to be just a butcher up there,
killing other men for some empty victory...

for a peace that was only
the first shot of a new war.

I want to help make it
really mean something this time...

to make sure those lights
never have to go off again...

not for a single night.

Kay, just now you said...

"It'll be the most wonderful night
in the history of the world."

Can't we share it together?

I love you.
You know that.

I have from the very first minute
I ever saw you.

Will you marry me?

I don't know, Peter.

- You don't love me?
- I'm not sure yet.

- You're afraid of hurting Steve.
- Perhaps.

And perhaps it's because
I'm afraid of hurting you...

if I ever found out
I was still in love with him.

I've got to be sure
of myself, Peter...

because once I've decided,
it'll be forever.

I'll wait.

It's a horrible thing to say...

but when I first met you, I was trying
desperately to fall in love with somebody else.

I wanted to hurt Steve,
make him jealous...

get him out of my system
all at once.

Yet all I've done is hurt you both...

and confused myself.

I love you, Kay.

Steve?
I been lookin' for you.

- Shoot.
- The inspectors are here today...

and they've been asking some very embarrassing
questions about that class of yours.

- Yeah?
- They wanna know why
your boys are being held back.

- You know what I told 'em?
- What?

That the situation would be cleared up
immediately. Today, in fact.

Look, Steve, I'm not interested
in your personal problems.

I'm here to run this school
and do a job.

There's a new class of British boys
coming in here very shortly.

I want everything cleaned up
and out of the way before they get here.

- Okay, Mac.
- Personally, I think you're wasting your time...

as well as ours tryin' to make
a flier out of Stackhouse.

But whether you are or not, you'd better
make up your mind right now, today.

Otherwise, I'm gonna have to
make it up for you.

[ Exhales ]

[ Motor Revving ]

Contact!

Listen, you were kicking that bronco
all over the corral yesterday.

You didn't freeze up
every time he bucked, did you?

The time he came down stiff-legged,
you eased down with him.

When he twisted and spun around,
you rolled your body right with him.

Trouble with you is
you been trying too hard.

You been stiffening up
in the saddle.

When this ship noses down,
don't yank the stick back suddenly.

You tried that yesterday, you'd have
pulled that horse over backwards, right?

The next time this baby
starts to act up or gets nervous...

just remember
he's got a tender mouth.

Don't try to yank him suddenly,
unbalance him.

Give him a chance to recover.
Straighten him out gradually.

Ease up! Relax.

Okay, cowboy.
Now you got the idea.

It's your horse.
Go on and ride him.

I been telling Barratt and MacDonald
you could fly this crate.

They don't believe it.
They say you haven't got it in you.

Well, I'm gonna give you a chance to prove
either that they're liars or I'm a sucker.

Whichever way it comes out,
it's okay with me.

You can talk to yourself
for a while.

I'm going for a little stroll.

( Wind Whistling )

How many ships are out?

- They're all in but one, sir. Britt and a student.
- Right.

Yes, one of your training ships.

I saw him circling around
over Camelback Ravine.

It looks like
he's in trouble to me.

( Engine Stops )

( Wind Whistling )

Those tactics might be all right
in a barnstorming circus, but not here.

I can't imagine what you were thinking of,
bailing out of a ship in a sandstorm.

I didn't see any sandstorm
when I jumped. I'm not that big a fool.

Leaving that boy up there alone
when you knew he couldn't handle a plane?

He made the greatest landing
I ever saw.

He cracked up, didn't he?
He wrecked a ship.

The wind turned her over
after he set her down.

We had a perfect record
until you came here.

I might've known something
like this would happen.

Is that another way
of saying I'm canned, Mac?

I'm sorry, Steve,
but I warned you.

Colonel MacDonald,
he was only trying to give me a chance.

I understand that, Stackhouse,
and I blame myself.

I should've washed you
out of here weeks ago.

When you're through, report
to your squadron leader, Barratt.

He'll have your
transfer papers ready.

[ Sighs ]
Tough luck, Pete.

It's all right, sir.
At least I know I can fly.

Thanks to you.

You shouldn't have
done it for me.

What gives you the idea
I did it for you?

Your father was
a friend of mine, wasn't he?

Besides, they say there's a great future
in parachute jumping.

Guy can't stick to the same job all
his life. I might want to better myself.

Oh!

[ Swing ]

You know, there's one thing I just love
about you English: your sense of fair play.

No matter what a man does, you always
give him another chance, don't you?

Yes. That is, uh, if he deserves it.

You see that man over there,
the one with the white hair?

- Yes?
- A few years ago, he stole an
awful lot of money from a bank.

Literally ruined hundreds of people.

Then he got to thinking
about it and came back...

and said he wanted to make
whatever restitution he could.

- Hmm. And, uh, did he?
- Uh-huh. He was so sincere, a lot of people-

even those who
should have hated him most-

- decided to give him another chance.
- Huh.

And now, he's one of the finest
and most respected men in the state.

- Splendid.
- I told Colonel MacDonald I knew
you'd feel that way about it.

Oh, naturally.
Anyone can make a mistake.

Then you will do it, won't you?

- Do what?
- Give Peter Stackhouse another chance.

- Stackhouse?
- Colonel MacDonald's wanted to do it all along...

but since Peter's in the R.A.F.,
he felt it was up to you.

Colonel MacDonald hasn't
even mentioned it to me.

Well, it's rather
a personal favor, you know.

He's such an old friend
of Steve Britt's...

and he knows how badly
Steve feels about it.

But now that you're willing,
I can't wait to tell him.

- Mildred, may I cut in?
- Of course, Kay.

I just love Mr. Barratt.

Seems to me you love
a lot of people around here.

He has such a wonderful
sense of fair play...

only of course he feels it's your job
and he hates to bring it up.

- Bring what up?
- You see that man over there,
the one with the white hair?

- Yes?
- I was telling him...

about a horrible mistake
that man made a few years ago.

Really? What did he do?

Left his wife and three babies
for another woman.

But then he got to thinking
about it and came back...

and pleaded so hard for a second chance
that his wife took him back.

Now he's one of the finest
and most respected men in the state.

- Well, isn't that wonderful?
- I told Mr. Barratt I knew
you'd feel that way about it.

Just a moment.
What are you trying to say?

That Mr. Barratt would love
to give Peter Stackhouse another chance...

but of course you're head of the school
and he doesn't like to interfere.

- But you don't mind interfering.
- Well, I'm an American...

and I'd hate to think that
we aren't as fair-minded as the British.

Yes. Well, I suppose if Barratt feels
as strongly about it as you say-

- Then you will?
- If you promise to be
at the field tomorrow morning...

- to see that I don't forget.
- ( Music Ends )

Oh, thanks! I hope you didn't mind
my cutting in like that.

- The pleasure was all mine. Tom?
- Yeah.

I want you to meet
a great admirer of yours.

Miss Saunders, Mr. MacDonald,
my brother.

- How do you do?
- Your brother?

- How do you do?
- [ Laughing ]

[ Laughing ]

[ Laughing ]

(Airplane Passing Overhead)

- Look. Isn't he marvelous?
- What'd I tell you? Not even a flutter.

They didn't believe you
when you said he could fly.

I knew he could.

You really go for that guy,
don't you?

I'm in love with him, Steve.
I'm going to marry him.

Sure. I could have
told you that weeks ago.

You knew and yet you made a flier
out of him in spite of it?

I made a flier out of him, my eye!
He had it in him all the time.

All I did was
iron a few of the kinks out.

Okay, Steve.
But thanks just the same.

[ Chuckles ]

What are you going to do, Steve?

Oh, I'll find a spot somewhere.

But they don't really
want you to go.

They couldn't after
you've proved you're right.

Ah, Mac's been doing
a lot of talking. I don't know.

Ferry command
looks kind of hot to me.

I always did like to travel.

Don't be a fool, Steve.
You can't leave here now.

- Why shouldn't I?
- Look what you've done
for Peter and the other boys.

And this is only the beginning.

Why, there'll be hundreds
of others just like them...

with kinks to be ironed out.

You said yourself
that this war will be won...

on fields like this,
by boys like these.

But they can't win it
unless they know their jobs.

And how are they going to learn unless
men like you stay here and teach them?

Besides, now that you won't have
a little dame like me on your mind-

[ Both Chuckle ]

[ Engine Sputtering ]

What's gone wrong?

His motor's conked.
Hey, who did that? That's a frame-up!

- (Engine Stops )
- Ambulance!

( Wind Blowing)

[ Siren Wailing ]

[ Siren Continues ]

Whew!

Steve, he did it.
[ Whimpers ]

[ Shouting, Cheering ]

Oh!

(Man Narrating)
There they go, the Thunderbird pilots.

No longer novices, no longer boys
being trained, no longer fledglings.

They're out of the cradle now.
They're experts. They're veterans.

Thunderbird Field has done its job.
Now the boys do theirs.

Watch them fly, these young pilots who
send their messages in the form of bombs.

These young Englishmen
are going to bomb Berlin...

just as they bombed Essen,
Cologne and D�sseldorf.

These young Chinese will
harry the Japanese invaders...

from the Yangtze to the Yellow River.

They have a score to settle with Tokyo.
They'll settle it. Watch them.

And these young
American Thunderbirds...

have some bombs and bullets
up their sleeves too.

These are the young men who are fighting
for the rights of free people everywhere.

These are the pilots.
These are the Thunderbirds.

They know their job.
They'll do it.

But they might never have become pilots if the
men on the ground hadn't served them so well.

Let us pay homage
to the instructors too.

To the Steve Britts everywhere, who teach
men how to fly and fight and win.

Hey, boy. My name's Britt.

- What's your name?
- Atkinson, sir.

Atkinson, huh?

You with the freckles.
What's your name?

Percival Archibald
Couverneur Smythe, sir.

Okay, Red.