Original subtitles

Capt. Sparks, sir?

Do you need a break before we start?

Take your time.

Our orders were to…

hold the Via Anziate.

We were part of the main force tasked with… defending…

Anzio.

We came ashore on January 22nd.

Caught the Germans by surprise.

We made five miles that day

with bets going round that we'd be in Rome by the end of the week.

The next day, though,

we were told to pull up and wait 24 hours for orders.

It turned into three weeks.

Let's move out.

Okay, wrap it up and get movin'.

Three weeks may not sound that long…

but it was just long enough for us to get comfortable.

Read 'em and weep, boys.

Nah, nah, nah, not so fast, papi.

Are you cheating?

Cheating? Me?

Ah!

That is a terrible thing to say, amigo. Did anyone else see me cheat?

- No. I didn't see anything. - Huh?

Or maybe they just ain't as fast as me.

Mmm.

We knew the Germans were gonna attack,

and since Via Anziate

is the only way they could get tanks and trucks into the city,

it was a pretty good bet we'd see some action.

Keep moving.

Let's go, everybody.

Let's go!

Hey, you call that a hole?

My one-armed sister could dig a better hole than that.

It's the damn soil, Sarge.

You dig down a foot and water just starts seeping in.

Yeah. We don't wanna sleep in no swimming pool.

Oh. Well, let me tell you something.

When Jerry opens up with his 88s, you both are gonna be under that water

wishing you had a straw to breathe through. Dig it deeper.

Sergeant MacMillan, sir. Where do you want us?

I asked for a squad of TDs, MacMillan.

They couldn't spare a squad, Captain, so they sent you their best.

All right. Set up behind us and cover up.

Okay, move out, boys.

Hey, I got this, Cloudfeather.

- Why not hunt down some logs for the top? - Yes, sir.

Hey, Coldfoot?

Something bothering you?

What I can't see.

That's the beauty of it.

It's impossible to miss anything coming at you across them plains.

Did you get that?

No.

It's Choctaw, sir.

He said the hills see what you can't.

Field Marshal Kesselring is here, General.

A problem, Eberhard?

No, Field Marshal.

Thank God you're a better general than a liar.

I have six kilometers of open ground to cover.

Six kilometers under enemy artillery.

But only two to reach his lines.

And he's proven a timid foe, Eberhard.

One who's been sitting there for weeks, unwilling to attack.

Reach his lines and he will not sacrifice himself to stop you.

Shit.

Hey, Webb. You should see this.

Stop it.

Cordosa!

Hey, Cordosa!

Hey! Get me 148th on the radio now.

Stay ready, stay ready.

What happened to Maddox?

He just ran away.

What the hell is this?

Hey, Cruz, get the ammunition boxes.

148th Artillery, this is E Company, 157th.

Do you read, over?

I can't get through, sir.

Keep trying.

Son of a bitch.

- Get the boxes now, Cruz. - Let's go! Let's go!

Let's go!

I've got Artillery CP, sir.

This is Sparks, E Company, 157th, requesting artillery support now.

Do you copy?

- Hello? - Sir, I swear I had 'em.

Get 'em back.

Hold your fire.

Save it till they're closer.

This is E Company…

requesting artillery support, over.

2-5-4…

E-6-5-1.

E Company.

At coordinates 2-5-4-E-6-5-1.

Oh, my God.

No, the gun!

Brace! Brace!

Ah!

North-northwest 43.

We've lost half.

At least 30 wounded. I don't know the damage to the forward positions.

- British are gone. - What?

They've been overrun or pulled back. The whole right flank is open.

Sir.

Capt. Sparks?

Yeah. Who are you?

I'm Lt. Childers, sir. 5th Army Military Police.

I'm here to inform you

that you are officially under arrest for violation of military code 4331,

absence without leave.

I have orders for you to accompany me back to division headquarters in Naples.

You will await a disciplinary hearing.

Get in here, Lieutenant,

- before you get yourself shot. - Thank you, sir.

Let me get this straight.

You came all the way out here today to tell me I'm under arrest?

Yes, sir. That's my job.

Uh-huh. Well…

I gotta hand it to you, Lieutenant, you sure do take your job seriously.

We got visitors, Captain.

Cover me.

- Major. - Captain.

You have a great many wounded, as do we.

I'm here to suggest a brief truce, so that we may both remove them.

- How about 30 minutes? - Agreed.

Gomez, Coldfoot.

Let's get these wounded outta here.

Get the wounded!

I sense my mission has brought you some amusement, Sergeant.

I don't find anything funny in disobeying orders.

Did you even know what those orders were, sir?

No. And they don't matter to me.

Sorry, but that's where I think you're missing the humor.

The captain got wounded in Salerno and he almost died on the battlefield.

His wound was so bad that we were all shocked when he returned to E Company.

Until you arrived, we all thought those were his orders.

But they weren't.

He went AWOL to come back… to this?

Come on, if you don't think that's funny as hell,

you ain't got no sense of humor at all.

You know, he's seen our flanks are gone.

And I'm getting 35 men out of here that otherwise would die.

Pull our forward positions back.

Nah, he's gone.

Hey, Yankee…

take a good look.

You'll be joining him soon.

Your predicament…

is not good, Captain.

- Perhaps I can offer you a solution. - If you're surrendering, Major, I accept.

Hmm.

Hey, Mac, how much ordnance you got left?

Three rounds in the Ma Deuce.

Escort the wounded and get out of here.

- If it's all the same with you, sir, I'd... - It's not.

- Get me the 148. - Yes, sir.

Listen up.

This road is the only way into Anzio.

The Germans are determined to take it.

Our orders are to hold at all costs.

At the end of the day, only one of us is gonna get what they came here for.

I don't know what the Germans are made of,

but I know for a fact they've never met men like you.

Tighten up your chinstraps one more time, boys.

I'm pulling the chain on the 157.

Pulling the chain? You're gonna shell our position?

- Hey, Mac, take this guy with you. - No. Negative, sir. I've got my orders.

- Fuck your orders. - No, sir.

If you're staying, so am I.

There is only one company left on the Via Anziate, Herr General.

They are down to quarter strength and there is nothing between them and Anzio.

Prepare your men, Colonel.

Becker, I saw you talking with their commander.

Yes, sir, Herr General. I offered him the opportunity to surrender.

And what was his response?

He asked if I knew anything about Oklahoma.

When I said no, he said I was about to learn a lot.

I did cheat.

Here.

Say it again.

Cabrón, take it!

Say it again.

I cheated.

Keep it, amigo.

It was worth double that to hear you say it.

- I'm Lt. Childers. - Garcia, sir.

- Let me give you a hand. - Yeah. Thanks, sir.

Hey.

- You ready? - No.

Fear is a reaction.

Courage…

is a decision.

Be brave, boys!

We can do it!

Now!

Attack!

With me! Forward!

All right. Hang in there, Cordosa. All right?

Hope that wasn't anything important, sir.

Nope.

And after that?

We, uh…

held our positions for the next three days…

before being ordered to fall back to a place called the Caves.

A holding area for locals and displaced troops.

Since the German attack, the Caves were surrounded by the enemy.

It was only our artillery that was stopping them from overrunning us.

We knew…

it was just a matter of time.

Good. Good.

Now…

keep an eye on it. Keep an eye on it.

Hmm? Watch carefully.

This one?

Let's see.

Guess what?

Where is it?

Where is it, huh? Where is it?

Look!

Ah…

Here you go. Hmm?

It's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

Come on in, Felix.

We've received orders to withdraw tonight. Any man who can walk has to go.

Mark, lay it out.

Our closest lines are here.

Over two miles away, just beyond the river.

How do we cross?

There are two fords.

Here and here.

With the rains, they'll be flooded.

They're our only option.

The nearest bridge is 16 miles north… and heavily guarded.

At 01:00 hours, 148th are gonna lay down a barrage around the Caves.

At 01:15, they're gonna pause for two minutes.

That's when you guys make your break. Mark, you take G and I Companies.

Felix, you bring up the rear with your men.

Questions?

No, sir.

What did you find?

There's a church on the river and a monastery on the other side.

A church and a monastery, sir. There's gotta be a bridge between 'em.

Is it on the map?

No. It probably wouldn't be if it was just a footbridge.

Let's find it.

Understood.

Keep the man in front of you in sight at all times.

Keep movin'.

Hey, Captain…

what happens to the children?

They'll be safer when we're gone.

Go!

Go.

Go. That's an order!

Go!

Good luck, Felix.

You comin'?

Wait!

Wait! Wait up!

Let's go, kid.

Who the hell are you?

You're the guy who held up the line.

- My name is... - Save it. We don't wanna know.

Found the river.

- How far away? - A mile at most.

Any way to get to it?

- What is it? - It's an irrigation ditch.

It'll lead to the river.

Hey, come on in, water's fine.

Gomez, take point. All right, keep moving.

Attention! Enemy!

Grenade!

Captain, grenade!

Come on! Hands up!

Okay! Okay!

It's a letter to my wife.

You won't be mailing it.

- Where did you come from? - My wounded need treatment, Lieutenant.

Your wounded will get help after you answer my questions.

I'll answer your questions when you treat my men.

Your men will get help when I say so, Captain.

Where are the rest of your men?

This is it.

You're lying.

I'll ask one more time.

Yeah.

Yeah, you're right.

Yeah, I forgot someone.

Now it's your turn, Lieutenant. We're looking for a bridge by a church.

There is no bridge.

Think a little harder.

It's close, very close! I can take you.

Thought you might.

Hey.

Muchacho.

Tell me your name.

Cooper.

What's your first name?

William.

William Cooper.

Where's the bridge?

Beyond the graveyard.

I'll go first, secure it.

Gomez, you help Cordosa, Childers, and then Hallowell.

Bring him.

I'm sorry, Cap.

I'm not gonna make it.

Hang on. I'm comin' for ya.

Hey!

Hey, are you okay?

Do you need help?

No.

No.

You are bleeding.

Let me help you!

Americans!

Get up! Get up!

Up!

Armin, Armin! Over here!

Ah!

I assume that Cordosa and Childers are at the hospital?

Yes, sir.

I left them there and came to report.

Other than them…

and Gomez…

no one else from E Company survived?

No, sir.

Excuse me, I'm, uh, looking for…

anybody from E Company, 157th.

No, not that I know of.

Thank you.

Captain.

How you feel?

Okay, sir.

Gomez?

He went out looking for Coldfoot.

What about Childers?

You escorted him in?

- Two hours ago. I left him at Receiving. - It's possible he's been released.

There he is, Childers, John A.

He didn't make it.

What do you mean, "He didn't make it?" He walked in here on his own.

He had a hemorrhage, Captain. He died in prep.

We never got him into surgery.

We're overwhelmed here, Captain.

We're under enemy bombardment day and night,

and doing the best we can under the circumstances.

Sir? You're needed immediately.

He's so heavy. Help me, please!

What's going on here?

This man is badly wounded.

He needs a doctor and no one is helping him.

No, he's not dead yet! He needs help and I am not moving until he gets it.

Stay back. Oh, no, you fucking…

You cannot leave him here to die!

Let him go! Hey!

Captain. It's Coldfoot, sir. He's wounded bad, but he's still alive.

- Get this man into surgery. - We have a protocol here.

I said do it.

Captain, you are dangerously close to being placed under arrest

and court-martialed for insubordination.

I just lost my entire company, Major.

If you're gonna try and threaten me,

do it with something I actually give a shit about.

Take him into Number 3 now.

Tell Dr. Phillips he's my patient and I'll be right in.

Capt. Sparks, sir.

Are you okay? Hey.

Sergeant MacMillan, sir, from Via Anziate.

- Mac? - Yeah.

Hey! Get him the hell outta the road.

Shut the fuck up or I'll jam that whistle so far up your ass,

you'll need a string to pull it out.

Come on, sir, let me help you. I'll get you somewhere safe.

- You made it back. - Yeah, I made it, sir. You made it, too.

My dearest Mary…

I have lost almost every man I began this war with.

Men who, before it started…

I probably would never have known.

But because of it,

I considered closer than family.

Captain Felix Sparks, 157th Regiment, 45th Division.

What can I do for you, Captain?

I'm answering a charge, sir.

4331, AWOL, North Africa.

It was served on February 16th by Lt. Childers.

Is Lt. Childers with you, Captain?

No, sir. He's dead.

Unfortunately, he reached me at the start of the German offensive

at the Via Anziate.

The 157th?

Yes, sir.

I tried to send him back with our wounded,

but he voluntarily chose to stay with my men

and fought with us for the next four days.

He was an excellent soldier, sir.

I promised him I would report to you.

Sir, I'd like the opportunity to explain my actions in North Africa.

Not necessary, Captain.

If Childers chose to stay with you, that tells me all I need to know.

Dismissed.

Why am I alive now to write you when so many are gone?

I know I should feel lucky, but instead…

I feel my soul starting to fray.

I know I can hang on.

Thinking of you helps.

But for the rest of my life,

if ever I go silent

or weep for no reason

or seem to leave you even when you're right beside me…

remember one word and you'll know where I am.

Anzio.

♪ Pulling that chain in a race Trying to make time ♪

♪ How long we hold the line ♪

♪ God only knows ♪

♪ One shot left We won't go home ♪

♪ Good men frayed and torn apart ♪

♪ Everything's gone wrong from the start ♪

♪ Free the birds ♪

♪ Before he's gone ♪