Original subtitles

(Multicom Jingle)

(dog barking)

(motorcycle thrumming)

(motorcycle revving)

(train whistle blowing)

(speaking in foreign language)

(whistle blowing)

(ominous music)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(dog barking)

(dog whimpers)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(planes whirring)

(speaking in foreign language)

- I blew it this time.

Gotta hit the salt.

Don't wait up for me, guys.

(speaking in foreign language)

(explosion booms)

(guns firing)

- This isn't gonna take long is it, guys?

(militaristic music)

(crowd applauds)

(crowd cheers)

Who do you like in the World Series?

(speaking in foreign language)

- You know, baseball.

(chuckles)

(guns firing)

(shouting in foreign language)

(guns firing)

(militaristic music)

(dogs barking)

(shouting in foreign language)

- Yeah, well get rid of the dogs first.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Okay, okay, I'm only kidding.

I'm only kidding.

(militaristic music)

Thanks for the lift, guys.

Good morning, captain.

Hey, what time does the pool open?

Hey, guys.

Yeah, I saw Betty Grable in London.

She sends her love.

- What?

- Hi, mate.

- I want one close to the john.

In case I gotta get up in the middle of the night, you know?

(speaking in foreign language)

Hey, Mack, you speak any English?

- Yes.

How about you?

(Mike laughs)

- You know, you got a right to a uniform.

Next time the Red Cross comes in here,

you tell 'em you want a uniform.

- Okay, thanks, I'll do that.

- What kind of uniform would that be?

- I'm a major.

British Expeditionary Forces.

- Well, you can't see me, but I'm saluting.

(chuckles)

You don't sound like a Brit.

- Long story.

- How long you been in here?

- Five days now.

- Yeah, what'd you do?

- Ah, I got a little wire happy,

took a walk through the woods.

What about you?

- I fell out of a P-47 over France.

And the Jerries nabbed me.

(dog barking)

You break outta here solo?

- Mm-hmm.

- That's all they got going on around here is guys

with ants in their pants going for midnight strolls?

- Far as I know.

- Well, you need to get on a program.

I'll talk to you when I get out.

- Okay.

(wood banging)

(shouting in foreign language)

- Where'd you say you flew out of?

- I didn't.

- Good luck.

- Yeah, you too.

- This escape I take personally, Major Dodge.

- You shouldn't, colonel.

- All the agreed rules for the treatment of prisoners

are observed in this camp.

It's a matter of policy for Luftwaffe Commander Goering

and a matter of personal honor for me.

Yet, you persist in trying to escape.

That's very obstinate of you.

- People have told me

that I'm obstinate my whole life, colonel.

Afraid it hasn't done very much good.

- May I speak frankly to you?

As an officer?

I am sure English officers come together

and they speak about things, they gossip

as German officers do this as well.

Mostly, they speak of what goes on in Berlin.

Right now they are saying in Berlin,

Herr Himmler is thinking that the Luftwaffe has been

too weak in its dealings with escaped prisoners of war.

He regards them as no different than civilian spies,

especially since they are usually out of uniform.

He thinks the Gestapo could manage them much better.

- But if that were true,

that'd be a violation of the Geneva Convention.

- I'm only telling you this for your own good, Major Dodge.

- I don't think that Germany

would want to violate that convention.

- I tell you what I have heard, that's all.

They say you were captured by the Hitler Youth.

That's correct?

- Yes.

- I think there must be more to this story.

- You all right, Johnnie?

- Fine, Roger.

I can't say I wouldn't have liked

to just keep on going to the Swiss border.

- How'd it go?

- Good, I think I got what we need.

- Good.

Wings is waiting for us back at the barracks.

- Right.

Say, Jim.

Northbound, Sagan, 11:47.

Frankfurt, 14:15.

And Berlin, 16:50.

Although I doubt you want stay on that long.

- And what about southbound?

- Leaves Sagan at 9:53.

Dresden, 16:20.

And Munich, 23:07.

- Mm-hmm.

Where do the Sagan police stay?

- There's a little room right next

to the station master's office.

They wait in there.

- Pieber's headed this way.

- Right, I'll see you chaps later on on the pitch.

Captain Pieber.

- Colonel Von Lindeiner wants those clothes.

- Why, does he want to escape too?

(Al grunting)

- Rubberneck's had his eye on 104 all day.

- Which tunnel are we digging today?

- Digging in 102, he's watching the diversion.

- Diversion or not, he looks like he's up to no good.

- Maybe we're being too clever.

- I don't know, it looks like it's working to me.

- I still think it's trouble.

(whistles blowing)

(shouting in foreign language)

- Damn.

- Quick, let's get a move on. - Okay.

- Bloody hell.

- Get up, move, now. - Come on, Mack, let's go.

Everybody out.

(wheels screeching)

(whistles blowing) (shouting in foreign language)

- Go, move.

(wheels screeching) - Faster, faster.

(shouting in foreign language)

- Line up. (shouting in foreign language)

(shouting in foreign language) - Faster, please.

(shouting in foreign language)

- Take your time, lads, take your time.

(yelling in foreign language)

- Just keep it nice and slow.

- Thank God.

- That was too damn close.

- Okay, let's spit it up now, come on.

- Thank you, flight leftenant.

- Parade, attention!

- Group Captain Massey.

- All men present and accounted for, colonel.

(speaking in foreign language)

- So, where is your tunnel, Squadron Leader Bushell?

- Tunnel, colonel?

- You know, I have great respect for all

of these fine soldiers and good pilots.

I'm even honored to be your guardian.

But there are those who think we waste too much manpower

in taking care of you.

Open.

- Just doing a bit of gardening, guv.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Yes, sir.

- Obviously, there is a tunnel.

Find it.

(shouting in foreign language)

- If the Jerries didn't do everything by the bloody numbers,

they'd have trapped the day shift underground today.

- What are you getting at, Roger?

- It's getting tight.

I want to move the whole thing up.

- No, we can't just do that.

- Gentlemen, gentlemen, we cannot break for it now.

- Well, we damn well can if we have to, sir.

- Roger, Roger, I know as Big X, it's your decision.

But it's still bloody April.

The ponds freeze at night.

- It's cold, but it's dry.

No tracks.

Besides, they won't be expecting it.

The escape season's May to September, right?

- Right.

- We've been through a lot together.

You're the best bunch of men I ever worked with.

If you want out, though, it's okay.

I just think it's now or never.

- Roger's right, we can't wait.

Not with Rubberneck on our backs.

Harry needs what, 42 more feet?

If we dig around the clock, we can get it done in a week.

- We need three factors the night of the breakout.

No moon, reasonable weather, a little bit of luck.

(all chuckling)

- Right.

Now the almanac only guarantees

the moon Saturday, April the 24th.

- That's two weeks away.

- Right.

There won't be another moonless night

until the end of May after that.

- Yeah, we can't make it that long.

- Saturday night means Sunday timetable

for the trains, gentlemen.

Fewer trains.

- Fewer police, more people.

- We don't have any choice.

- Jim, you'll have to have all the travel documents

made up for that Saturday.

- I won't have them all.

- Well, how many?

- Nearly 200.

(all chuckling)

- Oh, 200 men, scattered around Europe

should keep Jerry busy, eh?

That's it then.

- Yeah. (table bangs)

- There's one more thing I'd like to say.

I talked to Von Lindeiner when I got out of the cooler.

He says Berlin's tired of all the escapes.

Anybody breaks out in the future

might end up with the Gestapo.

- That is contrary to the Geneva Convention.

- Right.

But if it happens, they could be shot.

- Oh come on, it's just a threat, they don't mean it.

- What do you think?

- I think as long as our side's holding German POWs,

they have to watch their step.

I think we have to go.

- You run a nice cooler in there, Hans.

Only my caviar was a little too salty.

Maybe you can work on that.

- I have heard that you like to provoke, Lieutenant Corey.

But at this camp, it's my responsibility

to see that there is no trouble.

Is that understood?

- You got your orders, I got mine.

- How's Betty, big fella?

- Not bad, not bad.

- But there is one difference.

We have guns and you don't.

(Mike laughs)

- It's keen observations like that

gonna make you a general, Hans.

♪ La la la la, fa la la la la la la ♪

♪ The spring clad all in gladness ♪

♪ Doth laugh at winter's sadness ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la ♪

♪ And to the bagpipe's sound ♪

♪ The nymphs sail off the ground ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la ♪

♪ Fie, then, why sit we musing ♪

♪ Youth's sweet delight refusing ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la ♪

♪ Say, dainty nymph, and speak ♪

♪ Shall we play barley break ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la la ♪

- All right.

We'll come back to it tomorrow

with "Good Morrow, Fair Ladies", all right?

(all chattering)

- Hey, hey, that's a pretty catchy tune.

- Pretty great, huh? - Yeah.

(both laughing)

You know, I was doing a lot of thinking in the cooler.

- Really?

- Mike Corey, by the way. - John Dodge, how are you?

- Okay.

Tell me, what's a Yank doing in a British uniform?

- Well, my family moved to England awhile go.

When the war broke out, I wanted to do something right away.

So, I joined up.

Luckily, I could pull some strings too.

Believe it or not, Winston Churchill's my cousin.

- You're kidding me. - Nope.

And by the way, the goons don't know about that.

I'd like to keep it that way, okay?

- Okay.

Yeah you know, major, I think you're wasting your time

doing solos outta here.

If you work at it, you might be able to break out

as many as 10 to 15 men with one shot.

- Well, they got goon boxes all around the perimeter.

- Well, you got out.

Besides, tunnel's the way to go.

- You know, they've got microphones buried

to detect any digging.

This whole place is built on soft sand too.

- Well, you dig deeper and you brace

up the tunnel with bed boards.

- Really?

How do you know so much about tunneling?

- Well, this isn't my first time in a camp.

I spent six months in 11 tunnels

before I figured a way out last time.

I made it to Finland and I rejoined my group,

started doing missions again.

- That's great.

You know, lieutenant, we're about 700 miles

from the Allied lines here.

- Yeah, I just got transported all the way in from France.

And I can tell you every Wehrmacht deployment

and railroad crossing between here and the French border.

- Why don't you come on in?

So, lieutenant, what's your P-47 doing over Eastern France?

Isn't that about a hundred miles past your range?

- I ran outta gas.

- You ran outta gas? - That's right.

That's why I'm here.

- Al Hake, mate.

Now, in America, don't they teach you to calculate

how much petrol you need before you take off?

(Mike laughs)

- I had plenty when I took off.

See, I'm running protection for our B-17s

on their way to visit the Fatherland.

But the Germans, they figured out the range

of our fighter escorts.

And the Messerschmitts, they just sit around

past our range, waiting to pick off the B-17s

once the fighters turn back.

Well, I didn't like them having

a free turkey shoot at our boys.

A P-47 can really move in a dogfight

when it's light on fuel.

Took out three Messerschmitts

before the fuel lines started sucking air.

(laughs)

- Roger Bushell, leftenant.

- Mike Corey, sir.

- Wing Commander Day, Mike, nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

- Crew Captain Massey, Mike.

- How do you do, leftenant?

- How do you do, sir?

- Captain's the senior ranking officer in the camp.

- Lieutenant Corey says that we

should try tunneling outta here.

We could break out, what, 10 or 15 men all at once.

- Oh no.

- Too dangerous.

- A bit ambitious, isn't he?

- No, not really.

A little planning and it should be simple.

- No.

- You guys aren't gonna try to talk me

out of escaping, are you?

- Not me.

How about you, Roger?

- Well, not I, dear lad.

What do you think, group captain?

- Heavens, no, no, no, no.

After all, it is every soldier's duty to try to escape.

Oh by the way, leftenant, Squadron Leader Bushell is Big X.

- Big X?

- You look cold, Mike.

Gentlemen, I think we should show Mike our stove.

- Do you now?

X?

- Yes.

I think we can trust him.

- What the hell?

(laughs)

- This is Dick.

It goes down 30 feet to get past the microphones.

It's 120 feet out into the woods right now.

We've got electric lights, pumped-in air,

and a pulley-operated trolley.

We got two others, Tom and Harry,

going in other huts as backups too.

- Well, how do you hide the dirt?

(crowd shouting)

- They're carrying bags with drawstrings at the bottom.

See, the problem is trying to mix it into the regular dirt

so the goons don't notice.

- How many are going?

- 200 if we can get it ready.

- You serious?

Hey, what's this Big X stuff?

- It's our codename for Roger.

He's in charge of all escape activities.

If he goes out on this one, it's gonna be his eighth.

It's more than any other Allied POW.

The goons really wanna put an end to his career.

He's caused them a lot of trouble.

- Come down there. - Move.

- Come on, get it. - Shoot.

Shoot!

- Come on.

Pass the ball.

Pass it.

Go, go, go, go.

- We had to take this big detour right here

'cause the quarter mile of rail was knocked out.

- Was there a lot of French labor camps there?

- I saw mostly Dutch.

I think it would be a good cover for some of the men.

You know, I speak a little Dutch.

I had a girlfriend once that was Dutch.

- Mike, there's a problem.

- Mike, all the places are taken.

The documents are forged, the clothes are made too.

I'm sorry.

- That's okay.

I understand.

Hey, I'm a fair digger, by the way,

if you need a hand with the dirty stuff.

(grunting)

And I volunteered for this.

- You've got a natural gift for it, my boy.

(humming)

- So, where are you digging your new tunnel, sergeant?

- Hello, Pieber.

You know, you worry too much for such a young lad.

You see, before, we always tried digging down

in the direction of Hell.

But that didn't pan out.

So now, we try to go up in the other direction.

- This is not very funny, sergeant.

(Mack laughs)

- Bloody woofter.

Good on me.

- Travel papers.

- Ah.

- Tell me which is a forgery.

- I, um, I don't know.

This one.

- Both of them.

- You're amazing, Kitteridge.

(pleasant music)

- You make all these compasses from scratch?

- Mm-hmm.

- How accurate do you think they are?

- Plus or minus three degrees.

- It's really great work, Al.

- Mm.

- Well, I'll see you later.

- Michael. - Yeah?

- Did you really meet Betty Grable?

- Would I kid you?

- Money, map, furniture. - Food.

- Money, map, furniture.

There you go. - Food.

- What do you think, is that enough planning for you?

- And I was gonna put you guys on a schedule.

- Money, map, furniture.

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Not bad, but don't forget.

(speaking in foreign language)

One phrase.

(speaking in foreign language)

- How far have we got to dig through tonight, Mack?

- Got about two feet left on top.

That means maybe 10 minutes to break through.

- Any other hitches I should know about?

- Yeah, Chapman's still in the infirmary with a fever.

I think we should count him out.

- Right.

- Can anybody else use his clothes and papers?

- It has to be somebody experienced.

It's too late to train anyone.

- I can take care of that.

- Blue tip points north.

Grable's gonna love your new clothes.

(laughs)

Blue tip points north.

Yup.

Blue tip points north.

Blue tip points north, Jim.

(dog barking)

(owl hooting)

- All right, Mack?

- Dammit, Johnnie. - What?

- Johnnie, we're short.

- How the hell could we be short?

- I dunno, we're short.

- Where are we?

- We're right in the middle of the clearing,

about 50 feet from the goon box.

The bugger could've spit on me head if he wanted to.

- Wing.

We're short. - What?

- Wait here.

Roger, we're short.

The hole's right in the middle of a clearing.

- Oh no. - God.

- The goons haven't spotted it yet?

- No, I don't think so.

- All the papers are date stamped.

They won't be any good for next month.

If we don't go now then we'll have to do them all again.

It would take months.

- We could string a cord out into the woods

and put a sentry out there.

One tug for danger, two for all clear, something like that.

- What do you think?

- I say we go.

(militaristic music)

- We go.

- Go.

- Okay, Louie.

Go to the end, wait for a signal, good luck.

- This bleeding thing is too big.

- I brought the blooming crown jewels in here, mate.

- Oh. - What's the holdup?

- Pull away.

(wood crashing)

- Wings.

Give me a hand, cave-in.

- Oh no.

- Get up.

Come on.

- Okay, bring him through.

Bring him through. - Take him.

- Okay, easy, easy.

Easy.

- Listen, keep going.

- Do you think this thing is strength?

Take it easy, easy.

- Sir, cave-in.

Trying to clear it now.

Shouldn't be too long.

- Go.

Okay.

- Lieutenant.

All clear.

(siren blaring)

- Sh sh sh sh.

Roger, Roger.

Air raid.

- Bloody hell.

Pull.

(dogs barking)

A rudding air raid.

- Search lights will be out, let's keep 'em moving.

- All right.

Going.

Roger, be careful, you're a prize catch for them.

- Don't worry about me, lad.

See you in Piccadilly, I'm buying.

- Piccadilly it is.

- It's been great, Johnnie.

- Take it easy, Willie.

- Good luck.

(siren blaring)

- Go.

Go.

- Come on, Roger. - Get going.

- You okay, Mike? - Yeah.

Kinda reminds me of Coney Island.

- Damn, the air raid's over.

Say, Mike, we're all meeting at Christmastime.

Ram's Head Pub, Piccadilly.

See you there, okay?

- Okay, Johnnie, thanks.

- You take care.

(tense music)

What the hell are you doing here?

- Was going too slow.

It's easier for one man to do it.

- Roger, you can't do everything by yourself.

Listen...

(soldier exhales)

- Go.

- Halt.

(rifle firing)

(whistles blowing)

- Back, go back, get down.

(guns firing) (whistles blowing)

- Dr. Absalon.

The highest search order in Germany.

Do you know how many

of our men this search order will require?

There will be no police left to deal with criminals.

- And are these not criminals, Herr Wielen?

All 76 of them?

- They are military prisoners.

- Nevertheless, you will capture them.

And when you have done so,

you will hand them over to the Gestapo.

- This order does not tell me that.

- I tell you that.

- You have no official authority over my police.

Until I have an order that says otherwise,

I intend to hand any captured prisoners

over to military authorities.

- Yes well, very soon we shall

be running those military camps.

Oh, and Herr Wielen, when you have a complete report,

I shall want to see it.

(table bangs)

(whistle blows)

- Halt.

(speaking in foreign language)

(whistles blowing)

(bells ringing)

(train whistle blowing)

- Out, now.

The station up ahead is crawling with Wehrmacht.

- Shoot them.

They are all to be shot upon recapture.

Then, there will be no more escapes.

- If we shoot them all, Mein Fuhrer,

then obviously everyone will know that we executed them.

- Mein Fuhrer, if I may.

(militaristic music)

- You have a plan, Herr Burchardt?

- The disappearance of a certain number

of the escaped airmen

could be discreetly arranged, Mein Fuhrer.

- How many?

- More than half.

- Ja, ja.

It's good.

(speaking in foreign language)

You want some?

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

Just because we are in Breslau, do I look like a German?

I'm a foreign worker.

French, like you.

Hungry?

And where are you going like this?

Okay, do not tell me.

It is not my business, right?

But if you are going north, I can take you a few kilometers.

I am the captain of this magnificent ship.

(horse neighs)

(phones ringing)

(door knocks)

- What is it?

- A teletyping has just come in

ordering you to personally receive the next message.

No one else may remain near the machine.

(speaking in foreign language)

- As a deterrent, it is the order of the Fuhrer

that a number of escaped officers be turned over

to the local Gestapo.

Therefore, I order the Kriminalpolizei to hand

over designated prisoners to my special emissary

who will make selections regarding the disposition

of the prisoners.

Signed, Heinrich Himmler.

Selections, Herr Burchardt?

- You asked for clarification.

Now you have it.

- Johnnie, run.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Okay, okay, okay.

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Morning, Herr Wielen.

How many now?

- We have recaptured 22.

- Where is the list?

- Burchardt.

- Burchardt?

In my office?

- He gave strict orders that he wasn't to be disturbed.

(ominous music)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Hartheim prison.

It's supposed to be for political prisoners

and high-ranking officers.

- Why are they bringing us here then?

- They say no one's ever escaped from here.

Except in a coffin.

(shouting in foreign language)

- What I see are three men 700 miles behind the lines

disguised in civilian clothes.

- No, these are military uniforms

made to look like civilian clothes.

- To me, you are spies.

We shoot spies.

Think about that, gentlemen.

- Hey, come on.

- Give 'em hell, Roger.

- Hey, hey, what is this?

- Hello.

Who's that, Corey? - Johnnie Dodge.

- Mack. - Hey, it's good to see you.

- Hello, Johnnie lad. - Hello, Mack.

- Wings, they got you too, huh?

- Oh, I failed.

- Hey, did you see that?

They put an S on Roger's door.

- An S?

Is Roger here?

He's all right, isn't he?

- That S stands for Sagan doesn't it, Johnnie?

- It could be S for schiessen.

S for shoot.

- Only 16 kilometers to Breslau.

- Ja, it is good.

(gun firing)

(ominous music)

(dogs barking)

- It's a bleeding shame.

Some of them are out, though.

- Only 15 back out of 76.

Our boys must be giving them a merry run.

- I can't believe they've caught only 15.

Can the others really have made it?

- I'll go and dig into it.

Go on. - No.

- Go on.

Actually the Red Cross bunched up two shipments

and now I have too many.

Really.

Take another one for later.

So, what do the men have to say

about their little adventure?

- Oh, not much.

- The other 61 made it then.

Well, they must be out of Germany by now.

- No, no, no.

Many more have been caught, I can assure you of that.

- Franz, you have been reading Nazi newspapers again.

You can't expect me to believe

a word they're saying, can you?

- Of course not.

But one of the men in the cooler,

McBride, told me that he saw 16 more at Goerlitz prison

being taken away in the middle of the night.

- Then why haven't they been returned to the camp?

- Why are the prisoners still being held in Breslau?

These are Luftwaffe prisoners.

The civilian police have no authority in this matter.

I insist they be returned immediately.

- I find it interesting that a man who has allowed

76 prisoners to escape should insist on anything.

I am here to conduct an investigation

into the very unusual circumstances of this escape.

My authority comes from the highest sources.

- My authority comes

from Field Marshal Goering, Herr Doctor.

- Field Marshal Goering has been told

of the special measures to be used.

In the case of these escapees,

he is in complete agreement with them.

- Special measures?

- You should not trouble yourself

with matters which no longer concern you.

I shall conduct this investigation as I see fit.

As for you, commandant, I have an order here

from Field Marshal Goering relieving you of this command.

There's a car outside waiting to take you to Berlin.

(tense music)

- What's this?

Five or six guys.

- What do you see?

- It's the Gestapo and they've got Roger and Al Hake.

(speaking in foreign language)

- What the hell is this?

They got Cross, Wiley, and Pohe.

They're all being loaded into a car.

Where the hell are they taking 'em?

(ominous music)

- Bushell.

Hake.

Cross.

Wiley.

Pohe and...

And Stower.

Gentlemen, by order of the Furher,

you have all been condemned to death.

But of course, you knew that.

- Our Father, which art in Heaven.

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

(guns firing)

- Come on, Mack.

Okay.

They got you.

- Come on, lad.

- There you go. - Come on, boy.

- Very good. - Here, we got you.

How is it?

- I can't believe it.

The walls are hallow.

You could drop right down into the basement.

- Take a look at this.

You tunnel straight out from the basement

and this is what you get, it's clay.

Firm enough to stay together without shoring.

Not that it bloody matters, there's nothing here

to shore a tunnel up with anyway.

(John laughs)

- How do we hide it, Wings?

- It's easy, Wings.

You just dump it in the basement between the walls.

- I cannot believe there are no ferrets.

- No no no.

I've watched for days.

The guards hardly ever leave their posts.

- That's right, they just don't think

anyone's ever gonna try to escape from here.

How long do you think, Mack?

- 50 feet, mate.

You'll be on the hillside.

Good as gold.

- Let's do it.

(speaking in foreign language)

- We all right then, Johnnie?

- You ever come to America, Wings, first thing we do

is take you to a ballgame.

(chain jiggling)

- Corey, Wings, up here.

- Let's go.

- Get a move on.

There you go.

- What's going on?

- Best have a seat, mate.

- Listen to me.

This is Goering's newspaper, Volkischer Beobachter,

they had it for toilet paper in the can.

Just three weeks out of date.

In it, there's a story about the escape of Sagan.

- Shouldn't think they'd wanna brag about that.

- Well, what's it say, Johnnie?

- In it, they claim that...

They claim that 50 escaped prisoners

either tried to resist arrest or...

Tried to escape after they were recaptured

and so they were shot.

No one was wounded.

They were all killed.

- 50?

- Do they give any names?

- Pohe.

Cross.

Wiley.

Hake.

Bushell.

I don't believe it.

Dammit, I don't believe it.

It's a bluff.

They're trying to scare us.

- This newspaper's the real thing.

- Eh, Johnnie, I gotta agree with Corey.

Those goons might be blighters

but they're not that trigger-happy.

Not against unarmed men.

- Those were Gestapo we saw outside.

We all saw them.

Now in view of this, we're going to take a vote

as to whether to continue to work on this tunnel.

- You're Big X now, John, it's your decision.

- No, I made that decision one time before

and a lot of good men are dead.

So, anyone in favor of discontinuing work on this tunnel

until we can see which way the wind's blowing,

raise your hands, please.

Come on, we're friends.

If you want to stop work on the tunnel, just say so now.

Look, we have no sworn duty to commit suicide.

- I say dammit to hell.

Let's get on with it.

- Me too.

I'd rather take my chances with the Gestapo

than spend one more night in this godforsaken place.

- Mack, what about you?

- Well, mate, I really wouldn't know what

to do with myself if I hadn't a tunnel to dig.

Wouldn't know how to occupy my time.

- You bloody fools.

(dramatic music)

(militaristic music)

(ominous music)

- Bushell.

Hake.

Ashes.

Kirby-Green.

Kidder.

(speaking in foreign language)

(guns firing)

- Mack.

Guard.

- Hey, guards.

Let's go.

Let's go.

- Gestapo.

- Come on. - Get in here, the Gestapo.

- Come on.

(dog barking)

- Major Dodge.

- Who the hell are you, the Angel of Death?

- You think I'm Gestapo?

We're taking you out of here, major.

- I see.

- You have nothing to fear.

- No, of course not.

I guess I don't have to comb my hair for this, do I?

- You dumb bastards. - Corey.

- They'll kill us all. - Corey.

- Corey, can you hear me? - Yes.

- Mike, listen to me.

You stay alive, you hear me?

You do whatever it takes.

You stay alive, all right?

- I will, I will, Johnnie.

- Major Dodge.

- I'll be waiting, Johnnie.

- Ram's Head, Piccadilly.

(tense music)

(thunder roars)

- We got about seven hours until morning,

then all hell's gonna break loose.

Good luck, guys.

- Don't forget, Ram's Head,

Piccadilly Circus, Christmas next.

- Wouldn't miss it for the world.

- Ram's Head.

- Hey, and don't you worry about Johnnie Dodge, mate.

He'll be there.

- Goodbye, Johnnie.

(whistle blows)

(bell ringing)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Now you can bath and shave and put on your new clothes.

I'm sure you will feel much more comfortable.

- What's going on here?

- Patience, Major Dodge.

Ah, you look splendid.

Truly splendid.

The clothes do indeed make the man

as I think one of your chaps said.

You're going to meet with a man named Schmidt.

A very common name for a very uncommon man.

He is Herr Hitler's private counsel.

And my dear Major Dodge,

please do not try to escape tonight.

We're sending you home to England.

(pleasant music)

- Ah, so good of you to come, Major Dodge.

Take a seat.

Have a drink, my dear fellow.

Scotch whiskey.

Have you told him the excellent news?

- I have told Major Dodge

that he is going home, Dr. Schmidt.

- Ah, then I have the honor

of telling him the truly wonderful news.

You, Major Dodge, will be the instrument.

Yes, the instrument of peace in our times.

When you go home, you will no doubt

be seeing your kinsman Mr. Churchill.

You see, we have found out your little secret, oh yes.

So you are the perfect person

to carry a message to the prime minister.

- A message?

- Quite so, a message from Herr Hitler.

I want you to remember three things.

One, no unconditional surrender.

Two, ethnographical boundaries.

And three, the balance of power in Europe,

for Britain's safety, it must be maintained.

The Fuhrer has always thought of the English

and Americans as civilized, reasonable people.

We must protect Europe

from the Russian barbarians to the east.

Herr Thost here will escort you to the Swiss border.

I'm sure the British embassy in Zurich

will get you back to London.

(siren blaring)

(train whistle blowing)

- Mack.

Mack, you still in there?

It's Corey.

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(guns firing)

(explosions booming)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

- What was that all about?

- Fools.

- What's wrong?

- The Fuhrer is enraged.

Your friends have escaped from Hartheim.

(John laughs)

Well, don't celebrate too much.

I've just been ordered to hand you over to the Gestapo

here in Munich and I told them I would.

Don't you be a bloody fool as well.

You would have no chance at the Swiss border without me.

You actually gonna believe that I'm going to listen

to the ragings of that maniac?

You really think I'm going to hand you

over to the Gestapo to be shot?

- Well, the thought had crossed my mind.

- Look at me.

I'm an educated man.

Do you think I have no eyes in my head to see all around me?

Look, it's over.

The mad dream is over.

We've been fools all drunk with visions of glory.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Where are we going?

- Switzerland.

(pleasant music)

All appears to be normal.

These are papers that will permit you

to pass through our controls.

When you simply walk across the Franger into Switzerland

and make contact with your consulate.

In two days, major, you'll be in England.

Major Dodge, you have heard what that imbecile

Dr. Schmidt explained about your mission,

what you must say to your cousin, the prime minister.

It is, of course, far too late for these peace terms

to be taken seriously.

Your real mission, major, must be to convince Mr. Churchill

there are still some sane people left in Germany.

Reasonable men who want peace.

Peace with no conditions but a lasting peace.

We want to stop the slaughter.

- We?

- I am the spokesman for a group

of high-ranking military officers and members

of the civilian government who do not wish

to follow the Nazis blindly to our total destruction.

Tell the prime minister that.

Tell him that he must deal with us

or the war will go on and on.

Hitler is completely mad.

He will never surrender.

Will you do it?

Can you persuade your cousin to deal with us?

- I can't promise you anything.

But I'll speak to him.

- Good.

Let's go.

(dog barking)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

(militaristic music)

(dog barking)

(Mack grunting)

(gun firing)

- Mack.

(dramatic music)

(militaristic music)

(Multicom Jingle)