Original subtitles

Body Of Christ.

Ah, Monsieur Wraysford,

we had almost given up on you.

- Your train was late? - A little.

You're certainly not the last.

Let me introduce you to Monsieur and Madame Bérard.

Isabelle, my wife.

He came all the way from England.

She, I suspect, only from one of the more fashionable shopping parades in Amiens.

Gregoire. Don't tease the dog, please.

We have dinner?

Bravo.

Oh, Papa has such a beautiful voice.

An artist is nothing without his patron.

Do you sing, Mr Wraysford?

- Very badly. - Pity.

I have a particular fondness for the patriotic song.

You'll be staying with us long, monsieur?

A month or more.

London is very keen to see how these new machines work.

They can do in a single day what 30 of my women manage in a week,

and for one third of the cost.

Monsieur, how old are you?

- Grégoire. - I'm 20. How old are you?

Ten.

Remember, Lisette, we are speaking in English tonight

for the benefit of Mr Wraysford.

Madame?

Did I see you today walking along the Rue Saint-Leu?

I might have walked that way.

I passed that, um...

...beautiful house near Les Jardins d'Eau.

There was someone playing the piano.

I couldn't recognise the melody.

I just stood in the garden

trying to stop myself from walking right inside.

And did you?

Stop yourself?

It was one of those sentimental folk songs, I'll bet.

I cannot bear them.

Musicians of today are now satisfied

with four notes they can sell on a song sheet on a street corner.

Give me one of our great composers.

- Now Camille Saint-Saëns. - Ah...

Now, there is a composer.

Rene, forgive me, I cannot shake this headache.

Perhaps Monsieur Wraysford can take my place at cards.

Of course.

And I had another little song I was so looking forward to singing.

Another time?

Madame. Monsieur.

- Good night. - Good night.

Oh, poor Madame Azaire, I hope she is not unwell?

My wife is of a nervous disposition.

Sir, Captain Weir has taken two men underground.

- How long have they been down there? - Six, seven hours, sir.

And who told Captain Weir he could take two of my men?

Captain Gray, sir.

Turner's heard something.

Turner's heard something.

Turner's heard something.

Just here.

Vibrations.

Could be Fritz laying a wire.

Too far down.

They'd blow their own boys up at the same time if it was.

Close the air feed off.

Tyson!

Tyson!

Cut off the air feed. Turner's heard something.

The air feed's off.

For God's sake, Firebrace, we're expiring down here.

I can't bloody breathe.

So shut up and save your breath, Tipper.

It's shell fire.

I heard wrong. It's just shell fire.

Get out!

- Get out! Get out! - Get back!

Jack!

I want my men out now.

We want everyone out, sir.

I'm going to get you out, Turner, I'm going to get you out.

Get out HOW!

Keep going forward! Come on!

Look at me. Keep looking at me, all right?

Look at me. Look at me, Turner.

Help!

Damn it, Weir. I will not allow you to take my soldiers and put them in danger.

They're fighting this war too.

Hurry UP...

Tipper.

Breathe out sharp. It makes it quicker.

Go on. Go on.

Easy lad, easy.

Tipper, Tipper!

Tipper!

Tipper!

You all right?

Turner.

- Tipper!

Tipper!

For God's sake! Do you want to get us all bloody killed?

Get up.

Don't you ever let me see you do that again. Do you hear me?

Sir.

I will not have you endangering the lives of the other men.

Get him to the MO.

Tyson, Shaw, rest up,

then I want you back down and start to pump out.

Yes, Captain Weir.

I'm on sentry duty in an hour, sir.

- Tunnellers don't do duty... - They're short of men.

Firebrace, take his watch.

Yes, Captain.

The water table must be too high, it's all the rain.

So how many men did you lose?

One. Turner.

You talk to Gray. It was his idea.

I will.

Sir?

Did you order my men down with Captain Weir, sir?

Weir? Captain Weir.

Yes. He's an engineer, isn't he?

Yes and we're infantry, sir. We're not clay-kickers.

Those clay-kickers are doing their bit.

You'll find you like them when they blow Fritz sky-high from underneath.

My men nearly drowned.

Yes, I know.

Water table's up. There's nothing we can do, unfortunately.

Sir, we are infantry. We do not go underground.

Wraysford, they are laying mines under Fritz's trenches.

If the Boche hear them, they'll dig down and break through. They need protecting.

You try telling that to my men when they're on a shilling a day, sir.

Try leading by example and go down with them.

Are you frightened, Lieutenant?

No, sir.

Refresh those sewer rats in the basics of combat

and then maybe I'll reconsider.

They may have been taught how to hold a rifle

but I'm not convinced they'll be able to fire

it if the Boche break through into our tunnels.

Yes, yes.

- Thank you, Riley. - Sir.

Rumour has it we'll get some rest tomorrow.

Then who'll keep the French company?

I don't know what's worse,

being underground or coming up and being under this.

Oh, you better get used to it.

The big guns take at least a week to dig in. They're not going anywhere now.

Aren't you going to open that?

It's been lying there all day.

Christ.

Mother has surpassed herself.

At least I get post.

If only from my wretched mother.

I've never even seen you get so much as a bar of chocolate.

Even the Red Cross sends socks.

You ought to get yourself a sweetheart, Lieutenant.

Riley, bowl!

Are you lost, Monsieur Wraysford?

No, I'm...

Yes, I am.

I meant to turn left, but...

Yeah, there is a quicker route,

but then one would miss the roses.

Ah.

Are you settling in well?

Quite well. Thank you.

I am sorry that you are joining us at such a difficult time.

I fear the situation at the factory will grow worse before it is better.

Grégoire is a fine boy.

Yes.

And Lisette, she's...

They are my stepchildren.

René's first wife died eight years ago.

We married two years after.

Ah.

I saw you today.

Near the Rue de la Gare. There is a very fine café there.

I know it well.

You were visiting a friend?

A friend? No, um...

I have very few of those.

On the command, load, safety catches off and open the bolt.

- I've forgotten how you hold it. - Like you hold your sweetheart.

Quiet.

Take the charger clip of five rounds and place it in the breech.

Push the rounds firmly into the magazine.

Open the bolt.

Close the bolt.

Safety catches on.

Check the safety catches, boys.

Good.

The weapon is now loaded.

Fire!

Miles away.

Blast!

His finger's too fat for the trigger.

Hope you don't have that problem anywhere else, Mr Shaw!

Don't hold it like you were in a penny arcade.

Tuck it under your shoulder.

No, tuck it under.

Tuck it in.

Fire!

Hey, good man! Not bad.

It's all muscle from that hard digging we do

while you boys are nancying around upstairs that does it.

- Anytime you want to swap places, mate? - No thanks.

At least we get some peace down there.

Unload.

Close the action,

safety catches on

and rest your rifles.

Douglas, check the targets.

That's not much cop if that's all we get to practise shooting at Fritz in the tunnels.

Suits me. I came here to dig, not hold a gun.

You'll do what I say if it's needed.

Sir.

- He's a cold bastard. - He's a queer one, all right.

He's just trying to get through this war like the rest of us.

I'd rather him than Florence back there.

Captain Weir's all right.

Jesus Christ. Don't Fritz ever stop for tea?

Nor for breakfast, nor dinner.

Move out! Move out!

Come on.

Come on.

Douglas, look at me.

I'm here, Douglas.

Hold onto my arm.

Grip harder. Harder, Douglas.

There you are.

Do you have a sweetheart, Douglas?

Morphine! Morphine!

You do? What's her name?

Iris.

Iris.

I want you to think of her

and I want you to think of the last time that you saw her

and I want you to think of the first things you will say to her when you see her again.

Think of her, Douglas... For God's sake, morphine!

Keep thinking of her. Keep thinking, keep gripping.

Keep thinking of her.

Keep gripping my arm.

Get him out of here.

Bad luck... today.

This war provides daily lessons

in the extraordinary simplicity of the human anatomy.

See this muscle here?

I never knew that there was another one here inside the sartorius.

Not until I saw it.

You're drunk.

Not nearly enough.

Who's she?

Someone I once knew.

Would you believe it if I said I've never been with a woman?

Never?

How old are you, Weir?

Old enough.

Well, the next village.

We don't want you to die curious.

Your family are close, monsieur?

No. No, I have no family.

- No parents? - No, no parents.

No. My, um...

My father before I was born and my mother when I was four.

Then you must have children, monsieur.

They are the greatest gift.

Yes, people say that.

Grégoire, how many is that now?

Five, but only the fat one.

I've promised a centime for each one that he caught.

Then you are more foolish than I thought.

It's too hot.

It's beautiful.

Maman?

Do we know her, Stephen?

You mean Monsieur Wraysford, Lisette?

Lisette.

Grégoire, attention.

Grégoire, you'll bankrupt me.

They are all asleep.

It is very beautiful here.

Yes.

Yet all around there is such decay.

I take bread to the workers.

That's where I was going when you saw me in the Rue de la Place.

The children are starving.

My husband would not approve.

Madame, forgive me, but I cannot stay silent.

At night, I hear you crying.

Maman!

Everyone.

A souvenir, if you please.

Attention.

Un...

deux...

trois...

Perfect!

Were you asleep?

I don't know...

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

Firebrace.

Pick that up, Firebrace.

You know, some of my men think that you tunnellers don't work fast enough.

You don't hear the noise of the enemy

so they're terrified of being blown up from underneath.

And now they must escort you underground as well as fight a war above it. And...

in return...

you fall asleep on your watch,

just 50 yards from the German front line.

You know the punishment for falling asleep on sentry duty, Firebrace?

Court martial.

Sergeant Major Price will bring you down in the morning.

- Eyes skinned, Brennan. - Yes, sir.

Byrne, bail out some of this water if you don't want your feet to rot.

Sir.

Smarten yourself up, lad.

Put your cap on straight.

Firebrace, is there something wrong?

Lieutenant Wraysford asked to see me, sir.

He was asleep on sentry duty, it's punishable by firing squad.

For Christ's sake, Lieutenant, you can't be serious?

He's the best tunneller I've got.

Sit down, Firebrace. Have a drink.

No. Thank you, Captain.

Sit down.

My son's not well.

My wife...

She says it's worse this week.

Diphtheria.

You turn it over in your mind.

Funny, you know, how your...

your head's here, but your heart's always somewhere else.

Do you have children, sir?

No.

No, I don't.

- I've not been sleeping properly... - I have two men on guard

in a shell hole in no-man's-land for three days with their feet rotting in their boots.

What happens if one of them falls asleep? Each one of them is someone's son.

Yes, sir. Sir.

Are you a gambling man, Firebrace?

No, sir. I don't believe in chance.

Tap that top card.

Tap it.

For Christ's sake, Lieutenant, you don't have the authority to have this man shot.

Seems like the man upstairs is on your side today, Firebrace.

The ace...

Power and stability.

No further charge.

You may go, Firebrace.

Yes, Captain.

I should fire every one of them and let them go hungry.

One cannot deny progress, monsieur, when the world is demanding more

and we must supply them with what they need.

But they do not understand commerce.

One must be fearless if one is to survive.

A big order. French military.

Oh.

Jeanne.

- This is my darling sister, Jeanne. - Jeanne, enchanté.

And this is Monsieur Wraysford, our visitor from abroad.

My sister was just reminding me that as children we used to say that, um,

I would open a shop in Paris and she...

Would live in the jungle and be a missionary.

- But only after your lover had rejected you.

Maman!

And what about you,Monsieur? What did you imagine as a little boy?

Well, the usual, I suspect.

And what was that?

A life of sorts.

No adventures at all?

Every child should wish for adventure, monsieur.

Lisette.

That's the way all the young ladies are wearing it.

Do you not think it should be a little higher, monsieur?

Uh...

Maybe a little higher?

Lisette.

Oh, Grégoire. All right, you bat, I'll bowl.

D'accord.

You must think we are silly, monsieur,

but we see each other so little.

Then, when we are together...

Not at all. She seems very happy now that you are here.

No. I don't think it is my visit, Monsieur Wraysford.

At last, she has someone under 40 to keep her company.

- You never married, madame? - No.

I resisted my father's choice for me.

And Isabelle did not?

Be careful, monsieur.

My sister is very dear, but I'm afraid you will be the one who is hurt.

- Sir. - Have you read it, Freud?

No, sir.

Pity.

Captain Weir said you wished to see me.

Yes. We are sure Fritz are going to break through any day now,

but we need to keep laying charges.

I need you down with those tunnellers.

It's not natural to be buried alive, I know, but, uh,

we need a regular rota going down with them

- if we are ever to mobilize near Amiens in... - Where, sir?

Amiens. In around six weeks, yes.

Do you know it?

I spent a summer there before the war, sir.

I will not... I will not go down that tunnel, sir.

I did what you asked, I went over their basic training with them.

For God's sake, is that not enough?

You're curious to me, Wraysford.

I've seen all that rubbish in your dugout,

your carved figures in bits of candlestick. You're quite superstitious.

- Aren't we all? - No. An officer can't afford

to be superstitious. Our lives depend on strategy and tactics,

not matchsticks or card games.

It passes the time.

You'll go down with them.

All right, dismissed.

So, Armitage, Byrne and Tipper.

Here, give us that. You do my watch tonight.

Cheers.

Oi! What about me?

Give over, will you?

- Cigarettes out. - Wraysford, you joining us today?

It would seem so.

You keep that pump working. Brennan, you go first.

Yes, sir.

Here, I got your back.

There better be no crawling.

Just shut up, Byrne.

WEIR; Down here.

Fighting tunnel. Fighting.

Listening. We've heard Fritz just beyond,

so if they break free, you back us up.

We stick together and we talk only when I do.

Firebrace.

You sure this will hold?

It's not up to London Underground standards, sir,

but I reckon you could run a train through it good enough.

Brennan, you first, then Byrne.

All right, go on.

I can't! I can't! I can't!

Byrne! Byrne!

No, sir.

I'm infantry. I'm not supposed to be down here.

I'll take my chance in the trench but not in a bloody hole.

None of us signed up for this, Byrne. But if the sewer rats can do it, then so can you.

Now, you will go down that tunnel

or I will send you on every patrol until you've out the wire from here to Switzerland.

Back! Get back, get back, back!

Sir.

Sir.

Tyson!

- You're leaving already, monsieur? - Yes. I must go on business.

I will not be back until tomorrow. I leave you in charge of the factory, monsieur.

- Jeanne, are you ready? - Oui.

Tell her, Rene. Tell her to stay. I will not let you leave today.

Don't be silly, your sister cannot visit forever.

You are shaking. Have you a chill?

No.

- I am so sleepy. - Mmm.

A walk in the garden and then a little nap, I think.

A walk is a good idea.

Do you want to go into town?

No, I think just a nap.

Oh, and wake me if I am not up by 5:00, please.

Excuse me.

- We got you. - Move him out!

All right.

Get him out!

Get him out! Get him out! Move!

Morphine, please! Morphine!

I can't look at you. I'm going to give myself away.

René...

- All's well? - Bonjour.

Bonjour.

This malevolence has spread to the other workers.

"We must stand together in this matter or we will all fall."

Did she seem preoccupied to you?

My Wife?

I'm...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

No, no. Not at all. I... She doesn't.

I'm sorry. You're right, you're right.

You are very good for us, monsieur.

Morphine. Morphine.

No. He's gone. Name, tag him and lay him out.

No, no, a moment longer.

- René will be home really soon. - Isabelle...

Do you feel guilty?

No.

Is that terrible?

I don't know why, but no.

No, I don't believe it is.

Perhaps I should...

You must want more.

- Than what? - Than...

Picnics...

And endless dinners, the numbing hours with him.

Let us not talk of this...

- I could take care of you. - Stephen, please!

I could take care of you.

So that he won't hurt you any more.

- He doesn't mean to hurt me. - Well, then why does he do it?

Hey.

He grows frustrated.

He can't...

For some reason, with me...

He is unable to...

My boy...

So serious.

Now that you are here, he can't hurt me at all.

How does this fasten?

- How does...

Mademoiselle.

The trees are too close together.

Or, perhaps, you are trying to sketch Maman?

Isabelle.

Isabelle.

- What do you mean? - I have seen you.

You think we're all asleep?

Do you not want me?

Do you not want to do those things to me?

She is not even my mother.

She need only say a word.

She won't.

Leave him.

This is madness.

Did you want her?

She's a child.

Did you?

I want you.

- Morning, beautiful. - Fancy a bit of that, Jack?

- Too early for me. - Oi, I'm starving.

Ah, put 'em away. You're putting me off me eggs.

Who's the new brass?

- Must be Wraysford's replacement. - Do you know where they put him?

Over with the rest of them. Might be brass,

but makes no difference. We're all the same when we're dead.

Sir.

- Lieutenant Cartwright. He'll be...

...taking over from Lieutenant Wraysford.

Yes, sir.

Sir, has Lieutenant Wraysford got family?

I don't know...

I really don't know.

Someone should write to his family, sir.

Send his badge.

Yes.

Would you like me to go, sir?

Say a prayer?

Yes, Firebrace.

That would be very...

Kind. Yes...

If you wouldn't mind.

Captain.

- Get me a souvenir. - Get it yourself.

You're going soft, Jack. You'll miss breakfast.

Save us some.

Another order in today. Two thousand more coats for the military.

The promise of five francs extra in their pay and they just look at me.

Where's their sense of national duty?

We'll break the strikers yet.

The strangest thing I've heard today.

Someone has been taking parcels of food to their families.

Well, they...

They do have some supporters, sir.

One or two sympathetic men.

No. This is the oddest part.

It was a woman. Apparently, of some rank.

Now, isn't that the strangest thing?

Their children were hungry.

I saw them going through the dustbins in Saint-Leu.

Don't ask me to stop, because I'll do it again.

- Isabelle... - Punish the men, not their families.

Leave the room.

Lisette, I said leave the room.

- It is all your fault. - Lisette.

We were happy before you came.

Your father is right. Leave the room.

I discounted these rumours, even though it was your name attached to them.

- René... - Be quiet.

Monsieur, if you please, I would like to be alone with my wife.

- Sir... - No.

Let him stay.

I want him to stay.

There was another piece of idle talk. I chose to ignore it.

I'm so sorry.

I meant you no harm.

This boy...

This English boy!

In which room?

In my own house! Which room?

I pursued your wife, sir. I seduced her.

You have never taken the trouble to know me, René.

- Forgive me! - Yes, I forgive you.

I forgive you for all the wrong you have done me

and I ask you to forgive me for all the wrong I have done to you.

You will leave my house now.

Then I'll go with him.

You think you will be able to keep her?

Isabelle, we must leave now. Come.

Wraysford.

Wraysford.

- Maman! Maman! - Maman!

Isabelle!

If you go with him, you go to hell.

Help me. Help.

Help.

Get me up.

Isabelle.

They told me you'd had it.

Not yet, I'm afraid.

You've been promoted.

Two weeks' home leave and then a spell on brigade staff back in London.

Wraysford, go home.

Visit Piccadilly Circus. Buy yourself some dinner at the Café Royal.

No one's going to think you're shirking.

When are we going to attack?

Why else would they be getting us up and walking,

if not to move us somewhere, sir?

You're right.

We go to Amiens next week.

It's mostly new boys, Kitchener's Army, a few regulars to stiffen it up.

Amiens.

You're declining my offer of a desk job, aren't you?

All right, Wraysford,

I'll authorise your return.

But get rid of this voodoo, would you?

Believe in your men if you want to believe in anything.

That's the only way any of us are going to survive this bloody war.

This isn't a war, sir,

this is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.

Well, then,

why the hell are you going back?

Turn them over.

Tell me.

That's the nine of clubs. Right, so...

Much is held in reserve,

including a strong will.

There is a certain, a certain stubbornness...

Nine again... It's a fortune. But this time delivered in hearts.

Our wish will come true.

But...

But an overindulgence in...

cake and wine.

And the food and the wine is to be avoided at all costs.

- Ow. - Be careful.

She's here. She's here!

- Hello! - Hello!

Stephen.

How do we look?

Happy.

Sweet Jesus! It's a ghost.

- Brennan. - Sir.

How are you, Tipper?

Yeah, I'm good, thanks, sir, yeah.

- Erm, that's Wilkinson. - Sir.

I've been keeping an eye on him.

Very good.

Who knows, Tipper, you might be lieutenant by the end of the week.

Wraysford.

You could have gone home.

Why didn't you take the desk job?

The hours were too long. The company was tedious.

Evans, pack it in.

Up on your feet, men, let's carry on.

Welcome back.

That's it, men, on your feet. Let's go!

Left, right, left, right, left.

Firebrace.

- Good to see you walking again, sir. - Yes.

Thank you.

Sir.

Firebrace! How's your boy?

Fingers crossed, he's on the mend.

Very good.

You seem well.

And I was King of England when I toddled out of church.

All the people started shouting.

"Hip-hip-hooray!".

Said I, "Get down on your knees, it's Coronation Day!".

♪ I'm Henry the Eighth, I am!

♪ Henry the Eighth I am, I am!

♪ I got married to the widow next door

♪ She'd been married seven times before ♪

Letter, Jack.

Get us another tea, Jack.

Watch it, his missus'll be after you.

Oh, Arthur, Arthur, how could you? How could you? When I love you so...

Ooh-la-la, he's jealous. He wants a kiss.

♪ He only knew two words of French

♪ That he learned in the trench They were "ooh-la-Ia" and "oui oui"

♪ They would spoon beneath the moon above

♪ It was fun to see them making love

♪ She'd say, comprenez-vous, Papa? And I'd say "Ooh-la-la! Oui oui!" ♪

Jack? What's happened, Jack?

Jack? What's happened?

- His boy. - Yeah.

Died two weeks ago. Only heard today.

Are you coming?

Got to be up at 5:00.

We're being dispatched ahead of the infantry.

Amiens is gonna be a bloody squash tonight. Half the BEF's moved in.

Have one for me.

Mr Weir.

Some of the lads were wondering if

we could have a couple of hours to go into Amiens.

It could be our last chance for a drink.

We're leaving at dawn for the front line.

Jack'll have us back by 9:00.

Go easy on the beer, Tyson. I want you sober for laying charges.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I say again, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh, come now, the management will put up with a parsimonious paucity of plaudits,

but we do insist on manners.

I'll say it again. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening!

I say, I say, I say. What's the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

I don't know, what is the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

A weasel is weasely identifiable.

- What about the stoat? - That's stoatally different.

You laughed. Didn't you laugh?

Those brass hats sell it to us like it's a busman's holiday.

"Now listen here, lads. We'll have you over by 17:00,"

"you give the Boche what-for and we'll have you back in no time, home for tea."

Only they don't bloody tell you you got to leave your lungs, your heart,

your spleen behind on the front line.

Shut up!

That's some bloody souvenir Fritz is taking home!

- What's it all bloody for, eh? - You've had enough, Jack.

What's it all bloody for, eh?

Come on, let's get you out, Firebrace.

No, no, let's raise a glass to all those already forgotten.

To Armitage, Turner, Douglas...

Come on. Come on, Firebrace.

Everyone who died, and my boy...

My beautiful, my beautiful boy.

Easy.

Here, Firebrace, take that.

Thank you, sir.

But my sleeve is good enough.

Firebrace, I heard that your boy...

I'm sorry.

He's caught you well, Jack.

Can I keep it?

- My wife, she'd like it. - Yes.

Of course, Firebrace.

- Thank you. - Sleep it off.

Watch your step, love!

What are these cuts on your hand?

The wrong chisel.

You should be more careful.

Six francs a week and all day he's making table legs and sideboards.

Gregoire put in a note with my dresses.

"Dear Mother,."

"I am in good health, but we miss you."

"It's not the same without you."

"I hope you will come back soon."

So sweet.

Do not torment yourself. It's only a letter.

It's only a letter?

Stephen doesn't understand family.

The importance of family.

That's because he has none.

Although he would never talk of it...

- Isabelle... - ...he doesn't believe in children.

- Not what I said. - In having children.

I do not believe in bringing children into a world...

For what?

...without the promise of keeping them safe.

Of being a constant.

Not everyone is left an orphan, Stephen.

You don't need to do that.

It's easy enough.

I do make her happy, don't I, Jeanne?

More than you know.

You're a good man, Stephen.

A good, good man.

There goes our last cup.

Come here.

This is for the first time we met.

This is for the last time we kissed.

This is for the next time we meet.

Isabelle!

Isabelle!

Stephen?

Jeanne.

The house...

ls Isabelle... Is she...

She is alive. Yes.

She's here? In Amiens?

Will she see me?

Stephen.

They move us to the front line tomorrow. It's the start of the big push forward.

I don't know when I'll return so...

- Please.

Isabelle is ready.

The house was hit by a shell last August.

Fortunately, the children were away.

Grégoire is now at school a few miles from here

and Lisette has been working as a governess in a family just outside of Rouen.

Please.

Say something.

Jeanne didn't warn you I was injured?

No.

We thought it safer to send the children away.

Only I was there when the shell hit the house.

As soon the Germans occupied, René was taken away.

We believe he's dead.

So you returned to him?

Not at first. But over time...

It wasn't easy, Stephen.

It wasn't an easy decision to make.

You must believe that.

She has been good to me, Jeanne.

- She hasn't left my side since... - Do you know what you did to me?

- Stephen... - You just left. Why?

I cannot...

I cannot...

Why?

You should not have come back...

- If you... - Why?

Say that you do not love me any more.

One day you will understand why I did what I did.

That it was for the best.

For whom? For whom?

You are the only woman that I have ever loved.

You were a boy.

What am I now?

Isabelle.

Jeanne.

Jeanne... Jeanne!

Stephen, I'm sorry...

- Am I a fool, Jeanne? Am I a fool? - No.

You are not.

She is not strong. You can see that, Stephen.

It will have helped her, really.

You have to know how much your visit means to her.

There is so much in her heart that she has not told you.

So much she did not say.

I know this.

Weir!

Weir, get up. We're gonna get you a woman.

- I want to go home. - Well, it's a long bloody walk.

See? She has a daughter.

Do you need a French letter?

Monsieur.

It'll always be a little quick the first time.

It's not funny.

This is your expedition. You finish it.

Isabelle.

Ah, there you are, Gray.

We'll be attacking along that line there, towards Beaumont-Hamel,

by the Somme.

Our tunnellers are gonna lay mines all along there.

They'll gonna blow a bloody great hole in that ridge.

Your men ready for it?

Oh, I should think so.

Wraysford? Our Somme expert.

You know the terrain?

Yes, sir, I do. I lived in Amiens before the war.

Lieutenant Wraysford, sir.

It's marshy all along the banks of the river, sir, rising up to Thiepval

on the one side and to Hawthorn Ridge on the other.

- We'll be in the first wave of attack? - Oh, yes, yes.

Over at dawn,

regroup, take a breather by midday.

Personally, I expect to be eating my dinner off the regimental silver

in Bapaume by the end of the day.

We'll be attacking uphill, sir.

And I imagine the German defences will be good.

They've been there a long time. Their machine guns are well dug in.

So the ground will be churned up by the shellfire

and the men will have to walk on the approach

before they even reach the German wires.

- Lieutenant Wraysford... - The area has no cover.

The men will be completely exposed and the casualties...

Our bombardment will blow every bit of the German wire

from here to Dar-es-Salaam.

If there's any Boche left alive after that

they'll be so bloody relieved they'll come out with their hands up.

Where did you find this faint heart, Gray?

I know that many of you will be relieved

that we are going to attack

because that is what you have come for.

The bombardment stops tomorrow

and you will attack.

You are going to inflict

such a defeat upon the enemy he will never recover.

His wire is cut.

His dugouts obliterated.

Mines are being laid that will blow the Hun sky-high.

Tomorrow you must strive to win,

for your families,

for your King

and for your country.

May God bless you all.

Wire cutters, sir.

There you go.

Go on.

They've given us wire cutters.

If the wire's been cut, then why have they given us wire cutters, sir?

- There's a rumour that as soon as... - Just a rumour, Byrne. It's just a rumour.

Take them just in case.

You know these Fritz, they try to repair the wire as soon as we cut it.

Sir, sir...

The men are ready, but some of them are concerned that the wire hasn't been cut.

I've reassured them it has been...

I've been down the line. There's no shell damage at all.

Christ.

They've gone off behind the bloody wire. Barely grazed it. The bloody wire's not cut.

It's a tough cockup.

Prepare your men.

And if I die here today, you take charge of the company, do you hear?

Yes, sir.

Wraysford, the bombardment stops at 7:30, then we attack.

Pass it down. Along with some rum.

You will advance at a walking pace behind the barrage.

The artillery will lay down protective fire in front of you.

When in doubt, you go forward.

When in doubt, you go forward.

Sir, the air is like solid metal.

You do not stop. You keep your eyes on the enemy line.

Hawthorne Ridge.

It's ten minutes too early.

That will warn them we're going to attack.

Not yet!

Forward!

Forward!

Just a few lines in answer to your letter, which I received yesterday.

Don't worry. I'm not frightened of what's waiting for me.

We are gonna attack and we can't wait to let Fritz have it.

I love you, Gloria. Always have, always will.

And tomorrow we will know if we will see each other again.

Keep the line, man, keep the line!

Can we do this?

Hold the line!

- Sir? - Hold the fucking line!

We are going to attack tomorrow.

Everything is absolutely thumbs up, Mary, and bright and trusting to the best of luck.

They haven't cut the fucking wire!

I've not been the best husband in the world,

and if I never told you, my dearest Bridey, I write it now...

I have enclosed a little badge of my regiment for Dolly's birthday.

Kiss her for me and tell her I love her more than life itself

and I'll see her soon enough.

Stretchers at the ready, lads!

Jack... How can we just watch?

Come on, Arthur, we've gotta help.

My.... My boys.

My... My poor boys.

Dear Margaret, thank you for your letter.

My words cannot say how sad I am.

He was our boy. He was the light of our life.

I think about him when I lie down at night

and imagine he's in my arms.

Dear Isabelle,

I am writing this because you are the only woman I have ever loved,

and I fear that I may never see you again.

I hope one day to understand what has passed between us.

But pray for me, Isabelle.

Pray that I return and that we shall meet again.

Stephen.

Please...

Please...

Please.

Please help.

Shoot me.

Please.

Shoot me.

Get down! Get down!

You made it, sir.

The battalion are regrouping in the woods.

Sillitoe.

Simpson.

- Small. - Sir.

Smallwood.

Tipper.

Tipton.

Topping.

- Trainer. - Sir.

Tulley.

We lost Tyson when the ridge blew.

- Unwin. - Sir.

Wakefield.

It's all right. The guns have stopped.

- Walker. - Half of England gone.

- My God. - Wall.

What have we done?

Walter.

Ward.

West.

White.

Williams.

Wilkinson.

When in doubt, go forward.

Go forward.

When in doubt, go forward.

When in doubt, go forward.

No.

Please, Firebrace, stay there.

Someone's gonna meet his sweetheart.

Good luck to him.

I'd pay good money for a night with mine.

What, is she charging now?

Stand to, lads.

Firebrace.

Sir.

You've got your work cutout.

Yeah, haven't we just? You're looking smart, sir.

A day's leave.

Enjoy it while you can, sir.

Give Amiens one for me.

What?

I am sorry. I am late.

No, please.

Thank you.

Thank you for seeing me.

Tea? Would you like tea?

Please.

They say it's nearly over.

Any day now you'll advance and you'll be free to resume your life.

I can't remember my life. I don't think I'd know where to look.

How is Isabelle?

She is dead, Stephen.

Her heart and lungs were weakened by her injuries.

I was by her side,

she died peacefully.

I am sorry.

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that, Stephen.

But I thought you should know.

Damn it.

Ask Riley to do that. He does all mine.

Riley never matches the wool.

Do my cards for me, eh?

Patrol quarter to the hour, sir.

So?

Weir, I fix it.

I cheat. I make the whole thing up.

Shut up, Wraysford.

Coming through!

His name will be added to a proud list.

Proud?

Do you really believe that?

Any day now we'll be advancing into Germany.

And when this is all over

we'll put up some God-awful monument with four words chiselled underneath.

"Final advance and pursuit."

There must be one of those words you like the sound of.

Final.

- Come in.

Sir.

Mr Weir's replacement hasn't arrived yet.

So I was wondering who might accompany us tonight?

- I thought the digging had stopped. - We still have to maintain it.

Extend the listening post, which is all well and good.

Some of the boys thought they heard what sounded like enemy work going on above.

All right.

My wife...

She loves Chaplin.

Take these, then.

I'm sure Weir would want you to have something.

The boys, they asked for you, sir.

They call you our lucky talisman, sir.

You're as bad as Weir.

Always trying to get me underground with you sewer rats.

Sir.

All right, Firebrace.

Ready, sir.

Drew the short straw again, Byrne?

- I've sort of got used to it. - We'll make a tunneller out of you yet.

I might have to take you up on that.

That's if the milk round doesn't want me when this is over.

Are you sure? There's no happy housewife on the Piccadilly Line

waiting to grab your bottle, you know.

Let's play Fritz.

He's 25, married with two kids.

He's about 10 yards from the chamber giving it the once-over

because his Boche captain is too lazy and snoring in his bunk.

I say there's four of them.

They're sat on their arses twiddling their thumbs waiting for this to be over.

Let's just get this done and get out, eh?

It's probably just shellfire.

Listen again.

Footsteps going back. They've laid a charge.

Who's there?

Is there someone? Who's there?

Firebrace, sir.

I was supposed to get you out of here.

Right. What happened?

Camouflet explosion.

Won't be the only one, sir. Get out while you can. All the others are dead.

They've got us marked out, all right.

- You leave me here, sir. - No, you've got to help us get out of here.

Grip my arm, Firebrace.

Three tunnels. Shaped like a fork. You have to listen. You have to listen.

We're in the middle prong about halfway down.

It leads to the second gallery, about half a mile from the entrance.

Then there's a lateral section joins the three prongs.

You're coming with me, Firebrace.

Put your arm around my shoulder. Around me.

It's the wrong way.

You've brought us the wrong fucking way.

It's the right way.

But when the second explosion went off, it blocked the way out.

I will not die in a fucking tunnel!

Rest a while, sir.

You'll just exhaust yourself.

It is not much, but it has a sweet garden.

And it suits our needs.

Thank you for coming back with me, Stephen.

Marguerite sleeps next door.

I could not bear to let her go after Isabelle.

A drink?

I'm not used to it, but...

It smells horrible.

- Ballamor? - I remember Isabelle saying you liked it.

Mmm.

It was taken that afternoon in Saint-Rémy.

In the garden.

It is very nice, Jeanne.

It is big enough. For the three of us.

Three?

Marguerite shares a room with Françoise.

Françoise?

She left the child with me.

I was to send her on when this war was over.

Isabelle has a child?

A girl.

- How old is she? - Maman?

She is seven. Nearly seven.

Is she mine?

You had always made it clear you were not ready,

that perhaps you would never be ready for a child.

I swore to Isabelle I would never tell you, but...

Please, Stephen...

Stay.

Meet her properly.

She is strong.

And funny.

So like her mother.

And that is why she left?

I am so sorry.

Firebrace.

Yes, sir.

I loved a woman once.

Very much, you see.

And she loved me.

What else is there?

I have a daughter.

Do you, sir?

Yes.

Then you have something to live for, sir.

We've got to try and get out of here.

Firebrace.

What can you see?

Boxes of explosives, ammonal.

- How many? - Hundreds.

One box will blow a hole big enough to get us out of here.

Move the rest down to the entrance or the blast will kill us.

Do it.

Go on, be quick, sir.

Firebrace!

Firebrace!

Stay awake, Firebrace!

Good morning.

- Maman. - Good morning.

We have made breakfast.

Maman.

Françoise.

(SPEAKING FRENCH

Café, monsieur?

At least take some coffee. And perhaps some eggs?

Thank you.

Good morning.

Forgive me.

Jeanne, I can't...

I will do my best as her aunt, but it is you that she should be with.

You are her father.

Firebrace.

How do I do it?

Break a box of ammonal

and lay a trail of powder across the top.

Needs to be 100 yards at least if we're gonna be clear.

Thank you, Firebrace.

Jack.

My name's Jack.

Thank you, Jack.

I made a beautiful boy.

John.

He was the best of me.

There is nothing more, sir.

To love and be loved.

We're getting out, Jack.

There you are.

John.

John.

Fritz!

Come on!

Come on!

It is finished.

The war is finished.

There is nothing more, sir.

To love and be loved.

Maman?