Original subtitles

The latest tanks, planes and artillery

are loaded on transports to be shipped to the Libian desert

where they will disembark at the coastal fortress of Tobruk.

Tobruk.

Impregnable stronghold of allied resistance in North Africa

from which Allied troops throw down the gauntlet

to Hitler's crack Africa Corps.

And now our boys are over there.

They're keen to gain combat experience in desert conditions

side by side with their British comrades against the Nazi war machine.

And they're looking forward to wiping the smile off General Rommel's face.

(EXPLOSIONS)

Waco, let's go. I got it.

Come on.

This is U.S. Tank attachment Unit 5.

Repeat message U.S. Tank attachment Unit 5.

Repeat, over to you. Over.

Sarge!

Get up, come on. Get up, come on.

I don't understand. Do we go south?

Yes. All points east, west and north are under enemy control.

Come on, get in here. Damn it.

Shit!

Down.

Come on.

Okay. Okay. But what's the order?

Good luck to you, yeah?

Get the hell out of there.

Why didn't you say so in the first place?

See Cairo, they said.

Get a tan.

See how this baby works in the sand, they said.

Hey, Sarge. We're in trouble.

Yeah? What is that? A wild guess?

General retreat ordered.

Points east, west and north under enemy control.

We're boxed in.

We still go south, don't we, Jimmy?

Come on down here and give us a hand.

What are we going to do if we can't get this cement mixer rolling?

Hey, what did I tell you about that cement mixer stuff?

Lay off that.

-She's sensitive. -Give me a screw driver.

Put that stuff up there. You got it?

-What's south? -Nothing.

-It can't be just nothing? -Rocks, sand. Nothing.

South is all we've got. That's what south is.

(EXPLOSION)

Well, if they keep that up, they're liable to hit us.

Is she going to get us out of here, Joe?

She's a lady now.

You've got to treat her like a lady.

Get up there and give it a try.

Cement mixer?

-Yeah. Yeah. -I'll tell you...

No woman ever sounded as sweet...

as this baby is going to sound when she gets roaring.

All right, Jimmy, give her a try.

-Damn it. -Oh, come on, Jimmy. Come on, Jimmy.

Come on, Jimmy!

He's not feeding her right.

-What? -He never took a woman out to dinner?

Come on, Waco, hold onto this.

Keep those contracts plugged till I try.

Hey.

She's dead, Joe.

She's not dead. Get out of here.

Get out of there.

Come on, baby. Come on.

Come on, little doll. Come on, honey.

Come on. Get us out of here.

Come on. Come on, Lulubelle.

Come on, sweetheart, you can do it.

Lulubelle, come on. Don't let me down now.

Lulubelle, come on do it for Joe.

Waco, come on let's go.

Waco, get down here.

-He's hurt, Joe. -Are you going to make it?

Yeah, I'm going to be all right.

-What happened? -She bit me, Joe.

Yeah, well some women are like that, kid.

All right. Let's get out of here.

Let's see what this is about.

Let's go.

-Jimmy, stay on the radio. -Sure.

Sergeant Gunn, Untied States Army Tank Attachment.

Captain Halliday, Royal Army Medical Corp.

Where's the rest of your unit, Sergeant?

Well, you're looking at it.

He got hurt.

Anyone around here to help him out?

Yes, of course, I can. Come here, private.

Thank you, sir.

Well, looks like we're not the only ones who took a beating.

I had 42 wounded.

By the time the Stukas were finished with us, I had 42 dead.

I guess a red cross doesn't mean anything anymore, huh?

That's a nasty cut.

-How did it happen? -Lulubelle bit me, sir.

-Lulubelle? -That's the tank, sir.

-What's your problem? -Problem?

Cigarette?

Here help yourself.

Merci. American cigarette.

-I don't see for a long time. -Pass them around.

I'm afraid that's the best I can do, Private.

How you doing, Waco?

I'll be all right, Sarge.

You know we could use all the water you can spare.

(CHUCKLES)

Well,

I'm afraid you're out of luck, Sergeant.

Our entire supply was destroyed.

All we have left is what is in our canteens.

Are these men under your command, sir?

Stragglers like yourselves.

-Trying to rejoin their outfits. -It's too late for that.

There's been a general retreat order.

Haven't you got a radio?

Had one, Sergeant.

That gun fire doesn't sound like a retreat to me.

Those are German guns, mopping up.

We're cutting south.

We figure we can link up with another outfit

and make a stand.

South?

South is like the Quattara Depression, Sergeant.

It's the worst piece of desert in Libya.

So how far do you think you're going to get in that tin can?

That's my tank, Private.

She's a good tank.

And right now she's the only ticket you've got out of here.

Well, I haven't considered retreat, Sergeant, so...

See, you're new to the desert.

We've been here for a while.

It's much better to dig in and wait for reinforcement.

Reinforcements?

What are you crazy? We just got our ass kicked.

I'm sorry, sir.

But, you've been cut off, and south is the only way out.

Well, I say dig in, sir.

It's better than running scared in a tin coffin.

Good luck.

First, we ain't running.

We're obeying orders. Second, she's not made of tin.

Third, she's no one's coffin.

She's the M 3 air cooled Lee.

She can cross 200 miles of desert

as easy as you can take a stroll in Picadilly Circus.

Didn't sell cars before the war, did you Sarge?

And...

Picadilly's in London. I'm from Gundagai.

That will do, gentlemen.

Look you can either ride with me

or you can see Berlin from inside a prison camp.

Me?

I'm going into Berlin right on top of Lulubelle there.

Now, south is the only way out and that's the way we're going.

South, until we can turn and make a stand.

Good luck, Captain. Come on, Waco.

Sergeant,

I go with you.

Why?

I like your cigarettes.

It's transport, sir, we don't have any.

-All right. Mount on top. -Merci.

All right, men. We should go with the Americans.

Get your gear, hurry up.

Jimmy, wind her up.

Is he any good, your Sergeant?

Is your Sergeant any good?

He's the best. Joe's a smart guy.

Just don't say nothing bad about the tank.

Sounds a lot like a tractor my father used to have.

Don't call it a tractor.

That's my girl. Kathy.

She got a sister?

The last thing she said to me was, "Stay out of trouble, Mike."

Is Sergeant Gunn getting us out of trouble or into trouble, Jimmy?

Yeah.

(MUTTERS)

What's the problem?

I think I cut the mixture a little thin.

Try to save on gas.

All right.

Waco, tell them they can stretch their legs.

Jimmy, get down here on the radio.

Fellows, y'all can come down now.

Frenchie.

Go up on that slope over there and keep a look out.

Oui, Sergeant.

All right. We're only going to be here for a few minutes.

Better eat something.

Drink a third of a cup of water a piece.

Be sure to measure that water in a cup.

Waco give them a mess tin.

Oh, babe, I'm starving you to death, ain't I?

Well...

I know you need gas, but not as bad as we need water.

Tobruk. That's where I'd head for.

Safety first.

This sand is a death trap.

Except we're not headed for Tobruk.

He's taking us into the bloody desert.

Well, we're not going anywhere this minute.

Listen to it. The voice of bleeding doom.

It seems to me Sergeant Gunn knows what he's doing.

Yeah, well, I grew up in the outback, son.

And the Sarge, is the new boy in the desert.

-Jimmy. -Yeah.

You get anything on that radio yet?

Nothing but static and heil Hitler.

Well, we're not getting anything on the radio

so we don't know where they're going to take a stand.

Tobruk is my bet. It's never fallen.

Will our petrol hold out?

Well, we've got enough for about a hundred and sixty miles.

What we need is water.

Hey!

I thought I told you to measure that in a cup.

Sorry. I wasn't thinking.

Waco, take their canteens and bring them to me.

You just hang on a second, Sergeant.

We've got our own officer here...

and we take our orders from him.

-A complainer, huh? -No, a soldier.

A lousy soldier. You don't take orders well at all.

Well, have you ever heard of chain of command? He out ranks you.

Sergeant Gunn is in command of the tank.

It's his job to get us through the desert safely.

So you'll take your orders from him.

I think that's only common sense.

-Thank you, sir. -However...

I shall continue to consult with you on the progress of this expedition, Sergeant.

My canteen.

Yes, sir.

Waco, pick up the canteens...

Let's move out.

(JEEPS WHIRRING)

Sergeant. Sergeant.

Sergeant. Sergeant...

What do you make of that, Sarge?

Well, I think for the first time we got somebody outnumbered.

Frenchie, send them a post card.

(GUNSHOT)

That's a British, Sudanese soldier, Sergeant...

with an Italian prisoner.

I think he's coming after us.

One of you guys give me something white to wave.

We know when we're licked.

Get up.

Move forward.

Sergeant Major Tambul, Fourth Sudanese Battalion.

Well, Tambul, you had us scared.

Well, it's true, Bimbashi.

I thought I had captured an enemy tank.

Where is the rest of your outfit, Sergeant Major?

Bir Hacheim.

A column of many machines and tanks fell upon us there.

All my men died in battle.

I escaped and captured this man to carry my pack.

You know the desert? -Yes, Sergeant.

We need water. Could you guide us to the nearest well?

Yes.

There's one caravan trail. Very old.

Very hard to find.

It's bad for tank.

-It leads to the well at Hassan-Berani. -Is there water there?

Is it possible, Sergeant?

Can you get us there, Sergeant Major?

Allah is my guide. I can only try.

Excellent. All right.

Okay, Tambul.

-You ride up front. -Yes, Sergeant.

Waco, wind this thing up.

Jimmy, throw me down a can of rations.

(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)

Excuse, I speak English. I speak good English.

Sorry, here. No room.

-If you leave me here, I'll die. -Look.

You head north and you might get lucky and join up with the Germans.

-Now, go on. -You're American, see?

My wife got cousin live in America.

-He work for the factory for the steel. -Waco, wind this thing up.

-He probably make the steel for this tank. -Get out of my way.

Out of my way.

I got a letter from my wife. I show you a photograph of my wife.

We have no time for your photographs.

We have no time for your photographs.

Jimmy, give me a half-full canteen.

Sergeant, this man is a prisoner of war, we must take him with us.

We are moving on. We are leaving. Mount up, sir.

-Kinder to put a bullet in him now. -I thought about it.

Now, look

this is more than we can afford.

Now head north.

Sergeant, I protest. You must not do this.

-I made my decision, Captain. -You can't do something this cold blooded.

It's a man's life we're talking about.

We're talking about 9 lives. Theirs.

Then ask them. See if they agree with you.

They're not going to agree with me now, Captain.

But when we run out of water, and they're dying of thirst

you think they're going to thank me for bringing an extra mouth along?

Huh? This is about survival.

Thought that's why you put me in charge, Captain.

Now, mount up.

-Sergeant. -Let go.

-Captain, please. Please. -No. No, I'm sorry.

Lousy way to go.

The Sergeant is right. Stupid war.

(PANTING)

Waco, move it.

Arivadercci.

(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)

Waco, stop.

Come on.

Come on, mate.

Come on, lad. Come on. Hurry up. Come on, lad.

Come on. Put your hand.

Hurry up.

-Sit down and shut up. -Sergeant, gracia. Gracia.

He's on board, Sergeant.

Waco, let's go.

-Bone dry. -Can't be.

Oh, well, I wasn't thirsty anyway.

Mind you, I wouldn't say no to a cold beer right now.

-Shut your cake hole, Williams. -Suppose we dig?

It's no good, Sergeant. The water, she comes, she goes.

The desert chooses when to give life.

Sergeant, we've only got two canteens of water left.

Sergeant, now might be a good time to consider turning back.

We're not done yet.

Tambul, how far is the nearest well?

The ruins of Bir-Acroma.

It is a God forsaken place, Sergeant.

70 miles south.

70 miles in the Sahara.

Well, we got to try.

If the next one's as dry as this one.

Ooh. We...

-I should think this is funny. -No I don't think this is funny at all.

I was just thinking, when I was a kid, the biggest treat I ever got...

was going to the beach

and playing in the sand.

Jimmy? You got anything in that radio yet?

Nothing but static and sauerkraut, Joe.

Nothing.

Hey lads, we got company.

And she's not one of ours. Move it.

Take cover! Come here.

Bloody hell.

He's coming back, boys.

(PANTING)

Go on. Go on. Go on.

(FIRING)

Why aren't we firing back?

I want him to think we're out of ammunition.

Here he comes. Come on, come on.

I think he'll come in lower this time.

(GUN FIRING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Look at that.

-Nice shooting, Sergeant. -Yeah.

-There's a parachute. -He's fallen out.

All right. Captain, Tambul, come with me.

Bates, you too.

Drop it. You heard me drop that gun.

Drop the gun.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

What the hell is he saying? Anybody know what he's saying?

Yes, I speak German, Sergeant.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

What's he saying?

He's offering the opportunity to surrender, Sergeant.

Oh, he is, is he?

(GUN CLICKING) Drop the God damn gun.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

-Tell him to put his hands on his head. -(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Put them up there.

Ask him if he speaks English?

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

We got the message.

Tambul, search him.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

He's objecting to Sergeant Major Tambul.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

It seems he considers Sergeant Major to be of an inferior race.

Well, he doesn't have to worry about the Sergeant Major's color.

It won't rub off on his nice, clean uniform.

Search him, Tambul, thoroughly.

Knife.

Oh, yes.

This.

Thought so.

And this, Bimbashi.

It's in English. Propaganda dropped for our troops, no doubt.

Raise the white flag and surrender your arms.

Your officers are incompetent fools.

-Our victorious armies are already celebrating... -What? What is it?

Is says they're already celebrating the fall of Tobruk. What?

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN) -What?

Tobruck? It's not possible, is it, sir?

Captain. Captain.

It's Clarkson, sir. He's been hit.

Tambul, bring him along.

-How bad is he? -Bad.

Well, we can't stay here.

If the fly boy is telling the truth

there's nothing stopping the German troops now.

They'll be coming down right over the top of us.

-I can't feel my legs. -Can he be moved?

Not until we stop the bleeding.

-Jimmy, get on that radio. -I'm on it, Sarge.

Jerry, here says Tobruck has fallen.

If Tobruk's gone, we're a bloody long way from home.

Shot cockies. That's us.

Dingo bait.

Sergeant, what about the new prisoner?

What about him? Suppose you let me have a little talk with him.

We take a walk behind the hill

and when you are ready to go, I come back alone.

Enjoy your work, huh?

I have a tender heart too, Sergeant.

But this... This is a nazi...

a mad dog and one more mouth to share the water.

I never let my tender heart get in the way of what has to be done.

This kid has got an iron cross.

He's valuable.

I'm going to hang on to him.

But I'll tell you what to do, Frenchie.

I'm going to make you responsible that this kid stays in one piece.

Yes, Sergeant.

Jimmy, what do you have on the radio?

It's confirmed, Sarge. They've got Tobruk.

They're attacking Sidi-Berani.

We're still fallen back trying to reform north of El Quattara

along the El Alamein line.

That's where they're going to make a stand.

And that puts us on the wrong side of the fence.

(CHUCKLING)

Something amuse you, Fritz?

Something I said, maybe?

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

He's says we're riff raff.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

If I see you smile again, I'm going to punch your teeth through the back of your neck.

And if I find out you're lying to me, fly boy, I'm going to give you to Frenchie there

because he likes you.

And if you don't understand a word I'm saying

then you got nothing to worry about.

Tambul, 70 miles to the next well?

That way, Sergeant.

We call it Hara-Al-Khasheb.

(HEAVY WINDS)

(ENGINE RUNNING)

TAMBUL: Straight, Sergeant. Straighten out. Straighten out.

Are we lost, Joe? I've got a bad feeling.

We go to trust Tambul.

Left, Sergeant. Left.

TAMBUL: Keep left. Left.

Something ahead, Sergeant.

Bir-Acroma. It's Bir-Acroma, Sergeant.

Bir-Acroma.

(GRUNTS)

All right, boys.

Sergeant.

If Clarkson doesn't get water soon, he won't last another day.

I'm afraid the rest of us won't be far behind.

Tambul.

Yes, Sergeant.

Where is that well?

We must search for it.

But not until the storm has passed.

Tambul.

Where?

Somewhere, Sergeant, within the walls.

All right. Spread out and look for it.

Waco, stick with me.

All right, Waco.

Clear the rollers, grease these bogies.

She's got a ways to go yet.

Right, Sarge.

Sure took a beating, huh, sweetheart?

(PANTING)

(PANTING)

Bimbashi.

TAMBUL: The well.

The well.

The well.

The well.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

WACO: Sarge, he's found the well.

The well. The well.

It's the well! (MEN SHOUTING)

(MEN CELEBRATING)

Whoa! Water. Inshallah!

Keep us...

Damn.

Tambul, why don't you climb on down there.

Give him a hand.

(GRUNTS)

(SNIFFS)

(LAUGHS)

Quick.

Quick. Send down a bucket.

Quick. Something to get the water.

Quick. Something to get the water.

It's going to waste.

Tambul, use this.

Ah.

Allah be praised.

(SIGHS)

Send down buckets.

A bucket.

Waco, go to the tank, get some mess tins

-and some ropes quick. -Okay, Sarge.

(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)

(SHOUTS)

Okay.

Bring it up very slowly. Slowly.

Easy.

Careful now.

Yes.

Okay.

The real stuff.

(LAUGHS)

All right.

Three swallows for each of us.

Only three swallows.

Waco.

Take that to the kid.

Okay, Sarge.

Drink.

(MEN LAUGHING)

There's a drink for you outside, sir.

I've got one here for Mike.

-Thank you, Private. -Okay.

-You'll have to support him. -Okay.

Hey, buddy.

How you doing?

Here you go buddy.

Just a sip.

(LAUGHING)

Sweet.

Like a woman.

Thank you, Sergeant.

-Frenchie, go and get yourself a drink. -Merci.

Kathy.

(LAUGHS) Easy boy.

-Kathy. -Easy.

I love you, Kathy.

Now, you hold on to that, Mike.

You're going to be just fine.

I'm scared I'll lose you.

No, you're not going to lose nothing.

You know what? You could use a drink.

Merci.

(MAN LAUGHING)

(ALL LAUGHING)

How about another one for luck, huh?

There you go.

Waco.

Clarkson get his water?

He's dead, Sarge.

Come on, Waco.

Let's go take a look at our Lulubelle.

Waco.

Giuseppe.

Three swallows.

Gracia, Sergeant.

The boy is dead.

Yeah.

I didn't know Mike Clarkson well.

I hardly knew him at all to tell the truth.

But he seemed a good soldier to me.

And a decent chap.

And I shall like to think he didn't die for nothing.

We, his comrades

commend him under God's mercy.

The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

That all the days of my life I shall walk in righteousness.

Thou restoreth my soul.

My cup runneth over. Amen.

All right, gentlemen.

How's it coming?

Very nice, Sergeant.

Very good.

Any way you can squeeze it out a little quicker?

It takes its own time.

You cannot milk it like a cow.

How long can we afford to stay here?

Well...

L ong enough to get as much water as we can carry out of here.

(WATER TRICKLING)

(SINGING)

-All right. I want you to watch for planes up here. -Oh, look at that.

Nice breeze.

This is what the Arabs would call a beautiful morning.

Yeah, like a stroll on a park, huh, Casey?

Knightsbridge, Kensington. That was my patch, and very nice pickings they were too.

Pickings?

-What did you do, Casey? -Cat burglar.

Doing very nicely.

And then what happens?

The bleeding blitz.

And who's going to leave a diamond tiara laying around in an upstairs bedroom

when Jerry is raining bombs down all through the night?

You're kidding me?

Yeah, of course.

Alright.

Stay sharp.

Sharp as a tack.

I like it up here.

A bit of nostalgia, you know what I mean?

(BREEZE BLOWING)

Sarge...

Lullubelle is going to need more of her bogies greased.

I've got a feeling something's wrong with that engine.

All right. I'll take a look at her.

-Relieve Tambul if he needs it. -All right, Sarge.

Sargente, the tank, I can help you.

What do you know about motors?

I was mechanic in Torino. Hey, very good mechanic.

You're on the wrong side of the wall to be messing with my tank, Paison.

No, Sargente, Lulubelle she is for me too the way out.

Very good mechanic, Sergeant.

Frenchie, bring the Italian out here.

Oui, Sergeant.

(SINGING)

Why don't you let me give you a break, huh?

No, no, no. That's not necessary.

(SINGING)

How's it coming?

The water is coming down very slowly.

One never knows about these wells.

What's that song you're singing?

Song for life.

When my father sing this song, all the rain fall from the sky

and food grow everywhere across the desert.

What were you before the war, Tambul? Farmer?

No. No. Soldier.

Long time...20 years.

My father was a Captain and his father was a soldier.

My folks always been farmers in Texas.

Texas?

Texas is very far.

Sure seems like it right now.

-You're married Tambul? -I am.

-Me too. -Good... Good.

Good? It's sensational, but I guess it's really good for you people.

I mean, the fellows were telling me that you'll have as many as 300 wives.

The prophets tells us four wives are sufficient for a true believer.

Four? How come?

One wife...

One wife will be bored day and night.

Two wives argue all day long.

Three wives, they argue and they take sides.

But four wives are... Two and two are company for each other.

The man has food. The man has money, and the man has his rest.

(LAUGHING)

-You've got four wives? -(LAUGHING) No.

I'm afraid the woman I married would not like that very much.

You know what? Mine neither.

She's beautiful, Lulubelle.

-Yeah. She's a piece of work, ain't she? -Gracia.

Sergeant, when a machine is good

the pistons, the wheels, everything working together. It's like a...

like music, like a song? You understand?

Yeah. Make it sound like poetry.

Bull shit.

Sergeant, you can trust me to help.

Trust you? Now why would I do that?

I have a wife.

-I have a Bombina. -Yeah?

A little late to be changing sides, don't you think?

Mussolini.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

In the beginning he speaks like a thunderstorm.

(SPEAKING ITALIAN)

But now, to wind, he changed.

How you say? (SPEAKING ITALIAN)

You're watching your right hand while they're

picking your pocket with the left.

Si. Si. Bravo.

Now, win the hard way?

-It doesn't get much harder than this. -(WIND BLOWING)

I want to ride out from here on your Lulubelle.

We will.

(ENGINE REVVING)

-Say, Jimmy? -Hmm.

How do you spell Oasis?

Oh, Waco.

O-A-S-I-S.

An oasis.

Don't forget to mention the posh hotel we're staying in.

I'm not going to upset my wife, Williams.

According to this, I'm lying on some green grass

-with some palm trees waving overhead. -(CHUCKLES)

Well, I hate to tell you this, son,

but I think the local post office has been shut for sometime.

Well, I promised my wife I'd write her a letter every week if I weren't dead.

Guess what? I ain't dead.

Letter a week?

That's the least you owe them, back there.

Say, where's back there for you, Bates?

Tibberwee, Yorkshire.

It's a fine place except for some bleeding rain.

Mind you I won't say no to some English drizzle right now.

(EXHALES) I'll settle for Michigan and a little home cooking.

You could go a year without rain in Gundagai.

Then down she'd comes.

The desert drives mad.

Flowers, green stuff springing up overnight.

You'd throw a party if it rained.

Farmer were you?

Drover.

That's a cowboy to you.

Best beef in the world.

You ain't never been to Texas.

My village has the best cheese in the world.

My family make it.

The cheese maker, Frenchie.

I'd never have picked it.

We have...

Fine cows with brown faces and white neck.

The best milk...

And the cheese, the cheese mes amis.

I wish you could have such a meal.

Here you have cheese, you take your knife so.

Hmm... Here you have some bread.

Hmm... Some wine of course.

To wash the throat.

A little cheese.

A little onion.

(SPEAKING FRENCH) A little onion and some cheese.

Hmm... Some onion.

Some bread.

Hmm...

One olive, maybe.

Some more cheese...

And...

Some wine.

Lay off. You had enough.

Oui...

Oui, enough.

Cheer up, buddy. You'LL get back there one day...

No, I could never go back.

The cows...

They make no more milk.

The Nazis cut their beautiful white throats and...

Took them for meat.

My family make no more cheese.

When was this then, Frenchie?

Six months ago.

I was in the resistance. You understood resistance?

I help English airmen to escape.

The Nazi...

They take 12 hostages.

Old friends.

Javier Pouchet, who ran the store...

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Francois, the school teacher.

My friends...

They didn't talk.

And I cannot betray the man I am helping.

The Nazi...

Shoot the hostages.

I come here to kill Nazi. I have too much hate to be good to resistance.

I could never go back.

That is dead for me.

Sergeant, sergeant...

I can hear a vehicle.

Germans are coming this way.

Frenchie, keep an eye on the Italian and the German.

Bates, go down to the well and Tambul to stay there.

The rest of you take the defense positions along the wall here.

This bloody war, keeps following us about.

Not a word. Silence.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN ITALIAN)

Waco, you, and Jimmy find a spot on the left flank.

Set up a cross fire, and don't kill them all. I want prisoners.

You understand what they say?

You speak English?

When the time comes, I will tell you what to do.

(ENGINE REVVING)

There about six.

Roger that, Sergeant.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Captain Halliday.

Sergeant.

Tell them to surrender.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Drop it. Drop it. Drop it.

Drop it. Drop it.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

-(SPEAKING IN GERMAN) -None.

Hey, Sarge, they've got some land mines and some grenades.

-Do they have any water? -One can. Empty.

Like these.

Jimmy... bring me some water.

Ask them where their outfit is.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Tell them they can put their hands down.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Thirsty?

Yeah, I don't blame you.

It's a warm day.

-(SIGHS) -(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Take him out of here.

Ask him if he's thirsty.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Ask him where their outfit is?

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

He says they're stragglers.

Tell him he's lying.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Ask him where his company is.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Talk.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Ask him again.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Ask him again.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

They're an advanced scouting party here to check out the well.

Part of a mechanized battalion that's crossing east across the Egyptian border.

There's no tanks, there's no artillery, but...

About 500 men who have had no water for days.

Here. You've earned it.

They were told they could get all the water they wanted here.

Sergeant Gunn.

-What? -The well, she's gone dry.

-How much do we have left? -Nine and a quarter cans.

Well, there's 500 thirsty Germans on their way here.

The well is dry at Hassan-Berani.

Is there any water within a hundred miles of that well?

Only here, Sergeant. Now this here too is dry.

Damn!

I wouldn't half mind to see the look on Jerry's face

when he dips his bucket in that well.

What?

-I said I wouldn't half mind... -Yeah, I heard, yeah.

Tell the men I want to talk to them.

Sir...

What do you think our chances are?

Well, if we get out of here as fast as we can...

We might run into one of our long range recon patrols.

We could get a warning back that the Germans are trying to outflank our troops.

Yeah...

We could do that.

Or we could stay and defend the well.

You can't be serious.

The well is drying, Captain. We know that...

But they don't know that. They need water bad...

And they'll fight for it if they have to and while they're fighting...

They ain't outflanking nobody.

Have you gone completely mad, Sergeant?

I don't know.

I put you in charge of these men

so you could get them through the desert

-to save lives, not throw them away. -Yeah...

That was us against the desert...

And now it's us against the Nazis.

Captain, thousands of our boys are trying to regroup in Elo Alamein.

If we buy them 24 hours, just 24 hours, we might make a difference.

(SIGHS)

That's an awfully big might, Sergeant.

Well, Captain...

I've been a soldier since I was 17 years old.

And I've been waiting for this moment.

And you know what?

I'm scared...

And that tells me we're in the right place at the right time.

This is still the men's lives we're talking about.

These men are soldiers, Captain.

And soldiers have they're duty?

Right.

Tell me something.

Are you going to order them to do this?

No.

I'll put it to them.

Go ahead then...

Put it to them.

Alright. I got a lot to say and not a lot of time to say it in.

We have 500 thirsty Germans on their way here desperate for water.

I'm telling their buddies to go back and tell them we got all the water they need.

Oh, I get it. It's a diversion.

While they're poking around in a dry well

it gives us a bit of time to, you know...

Get away.

No...

I ain't leaving.

Are you...

Are you, are you saying we should surrender, Sergeant?

I'm saying we stay.

We take a stand and defend the well.

-It's got no bleeding water in it. -(EXHALES)

Don't you get it? He's using the water as bait.

And he thinks this is the bloody alamo.

We can stay.

We can defend the well, and we can delay the Germans.

Well, there's one thing wrong with that picture, Sergeant.

We're here.

Here are the Germans.

And that's what happens when you put nine blokes up against five hundred.

That's right.

If you can't count, well the rest of us can.

If we don't take a stand here and defend the well and delay them

the Germans are going to come right through here...

And outflank our boys who are trying to regroup in Al Alamein.

Then a German tank is going to roll down the streets of Cairo

and Alexandria within a week.

I say we stay, take a stand defend the well.

Is this an order, sir?

If Sergeant Gunn chooses to stay and defend the well...

Then I shall be staying with him.

Look, I ain't got nobody at home waiting for me.

But I know you guys got alot to lose.

So I'm only speaking for Jimmy and me and Waco.

You guys have an option.

We've got the German half track back there.

We've got a back door.

Tell me something, Sergeant.

Reckon we've got a chance of winning?

I'd say the odds are about 100 to one.

I fancy the odds.

I'll stay.

Oh God, the bleeding war's just caught up with me.

Alright. I'm in.

I never went out the back door in my life.

And I'm not going to start now.

Besides...

I want to be around to remind you blokes that this is a very bad idea.

Tambul?

I'm a soldier, Sergeant.

All right.

We stay.

Captain...

Tell the Sergeant we're sending them back.

They need water. We need food. Fair exchange. No need to fight.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

No.

I do my duty.

I fight with honor.

I'm not one of those who killed your villagers.

Open your mouth again...

And I gut you like a fish.

Think they bought it?

They bought it?

Playing little games?

Trying to be a hero, huh?

You try it again, you'll be a dead hero.

Did you know he spoke English?

See, I find out not long time.

You kept it from us, huh?

Sergeant...

Germans coming.

If I betray him, they shoot me when they finish with you.

You just jeopardized these men's lives.

For what?

For your wife and your bambino, for your cousin in Pittsburgh?

That's bullshit.

You did it to save your pitiful ass.

Now, you've got to decide what side of the wall you fall on, Soldier.

I want to live...

Sergeant, to live.

(SIGHS)

The rest of us are staying. What about you?

I still like your cigarette.

Alright men, we have to work fast.

Casey, I want you to take that half track round the back

demount the machine gun and get it up on the roof.

Williams, there's a lot of land mines in that half track courtesy of General Rommel.

I want you and Bates to lay me a field here to keep them hopping.

With pleasure!

Captain, Frenchie, I want you to bring all the ammunition up to this front wall.

-Jimmy, Waco. -Yeah.

-Yes, sir. -Get Lulubelle ready.

We're taking her on a date.

(ENGINE REVVING)

(PRAYING)

No!

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Here is a Jerry Smiser for you in case yours jams.

The splendor of Ala is with is today.

Aye!

They can have their bullets back.

(CHUCKLES)

What's up, Sarg?

GUNN:All right, doc. You think you can handle this?

(WEAPON LOADING)

It's a little different from hunting grass in Shropshire.

I'd say so.

All right. Look it just feeds in like that, right?

Shut this and you start firing.

I want you to swing in a slow arch.

Now, if it jams, don't panic just stop, clear it and start firing again.

Yes... Yes, I understand.

Have you seen much action, sir?

Not at all actually.

I've always saved lives.

Yeah.

Well, things change.

Kill as many as you can.

Yes, I'll do my best.

Frenchie, you've got a good position?

Oui!

You keep an eye on that German.

Oui, Sergeant.

(GRANADE TINKLES)

Holy shit!

Alright. Hold your fire until the first mine detonates.

You were right.

The odds are about a hundred to one.

Yeah, but they don't know about Lulubelle.

Bullets!

Here we go.

Hurry.

Hurry.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(SIGHS)

All right. Hold your fire.

Save yor ammo.

-Williams, you okay? -Yeah.

Yeah, I'm still here.

Jimmy, Waco.

We're okay, Joe.

Captain Halliday.

Right, Sergeant.

Frenchie.

Oui, Sergeant.

Tambul.

No trouble, Sergeant.

Bates.

Over here.

Casey.

Casey!

God damn it.

Oh, Casey.

You did good, Doc.

So did you, Sergeant.

You've got a victory.

Yeah.

Sergeant.

I'm an optimist, sir...

But I don't think surrender if that is what they've got in mind.

A parlay?

It seems as though they're taking it awful seriously.

Yeah, maybe.

At least they're taking us seriously, huh?

I better get out there and see what the hell they want.

If there's any translating to be done, they're going to have to do it themselves.

If it is treachery...

Well...

Then you're back in command, Captain.

Sergeant Gunn, United States Army.

Major Von Falken, Africa Corps.

You're come a long way, Sergeant.

You Americans must have a...

taste for lost causes.

Well, with all respects, Major...

I'm not the guy with a bunch of casualties lying around for the buzzards to pick.

Are you authorized to negotiate?

Where is your officer?

Well, our Captain is British, sir.

You know how the British are.

After a little action they like to wash up before tea time.

HALIDAY: Careful, Doyle. That's our entire supply.

I'd give anything to see the look on that kraut's face right now.

(SIGHS)

Water for food.

-Is that your offer? -Yeah.

Except you got a lot of thirsty boys you we didn't count on.

Private Bergman gave you a full account of our forces.

He admitted it...

Before I shot him. But it's still possible to come to an agreement, Sergeant.

What's the deal?

Surrender your arms... And you can go free...

With a much food and water as you can carry.

Well...

I don't think so.

We like it here.

Actually, we have a...

So much water that we can pull our belts a couple of notches.

Offer has changed. The water for guns.

One pint for one rifle.

One quarter for one mortar.

Water for guns.

-That's the deal. -You think this is a time for making jokes, hmm?

I'm not joking, Major.

Water for guns. Take it or leave it.

-How did you make out, Joe? -Well...

Well, they think we have so much water that we're swimming in it.

Good.

My guess is they're worse off than we thought.

They must have some men in the outer walls.

That's our first problem.

Our second problem is ammunition.

Yeah. All right, Jimmy, go tell them guys

-That we're under fire and to come in force. -Okay.

All right. Let's go.

Yeah...

Three swallows.

Don't you ever stop complaining, Williams?

No. (LAUGHING)

I haven't even started yet.

So, all the food and water we can carry out, huh?

That's what the Major said.

What did you say to the Major?

I told him we're staying because you liked it here.

I said it reminded you of home. Gundagui.

-Gundagui. -That's it.

Yeah, well, we've got the heat, the dust and the thirst.

But not the bloody Germans.

You know, mate...

Being an infantry soldier...

I've decided riding on Lulubelle isn't such a bad thing.

She's a good girl.

You might get to Berlin on that tank of yours, yet.

You think so?

Move.

Sarge, over there.

Frenchie, they're coming over the rear.

Get upstairs help the Captain. Give him a hand.

Oui, Sergeant.

Watch in front.

Jimmy, you come with me. Come on.

Captain, they are here.

(GUNFIRE)

Damn it. Get over here.

(GUNFIRE)

Son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch.

Move forward!

-Move it... -Forward!

(ALL SCREAMING)

They're coming.

(GUNFIRE)

Now, my comrades must learn there is no water here.

No... I don't let you.

I will have hung as a trader.

Leroux.

(GUNFIRE)

Sargente, the Germans are escape.

He tell them there you have no water.

(GUNFIRE)

(SIGHS IN PAIN)

-Where is he? -He is there, Sergeant.

Get him!

I'm here!

(SIGHS)

(BOTH SCREAM)

(GUNFIRE)

(SCREAMING)

(SOBBING)

(CHOKING)

(SOBBING)

(DISTANT EXPLOSION)

They're running, Sergeant. They're running.

Tambul...

(SCREAMING)

(GUNFIRE)

Run!

Come on, Tambul.

(INDISTINCT MUMBLING)

Come on.

(SOBBING)

(SIGHS)

(SOBBING)

He got him, Sergeant.

He got him.

Yeah, he got him.

(METAL CLINKING)

Care for a drink, Doc?

You know Tambul took very little water.

He told me to suck on pebbles.

I've been trying it.

It seems to help.

Two armies...

Both dying of thirst. Fighting over an empty well.

That don't sum it up.

(ALL SCREAMING)

Frenchie...

You were right about that Tilly. Better if he had gone down.

You hated him. The first minute you saw him.

I hate them all.

Well, it's only right.

It's a bloody shame to go about shooting your friends.

Mind you...

You find yourself thinking they ain't so different.

We have Sergeant Gunn pulling us together.

They've got that their Major of theirs out doing the same.

Where would they be without them, huh?

Oui, mes amis.

Where would they be without their commander?

Frenchie!

They're bloody officers.

-I'll get the Sergeant. -No, I'll do it.

Frenchie, you can't... Come back.

(WHISTLING)

(CONTINUES WHISTLING)

(SPEAKING IN FRENCH)

-Where is the Sergeant?

We'll make no further attempt to take the well if you provide us with water.

-Tell that to your officer. -No, no, not acceptable.

Water for arms.

One rifle for one pint.

Give up your arms.

How many of you I wonder are left?

Enough to watch you choke, Major.

What's Leroux think he's doing?

He's negotiating, sir. I couldn't stop him.

Damn it, Frenchie.

What is your answer?

I have offered you the courtesies of war.

Offered you mercy.

(SPEAKING IN FRENCH)

What we have, we keep. Try to take it if you want.

You keep?

You keep what?

Your country?

We took that easily enough.

Accept my terms...

Or I will send you to hell.

Join me.

(SPEAKING IN GERMAN)

Save it.

He was a good soldier.

I'm out of ammunition.

Here, take Frenchie's gun.

And when it's all gone,

-What do we fight with then? -Bayonets.

-Rifle butts. -Fists.

Bad time to tell you, Sergeant. Never been much good with my fists.

Well, just keep your left up.

-And pray for a miracle. -Yeah, why not?

Well, it's four of us against a battalion

and we're still alive. You don't call that a miracle?

Maybe.

All I know is we started out with mine.

Bates.

Still here, Sergeant.

Waco.

Waco.

(EXPLODING)

Put him down.

This is crazy.

The only time I've ever got hurt...

-Was when Lulubelle bit me. -She didn't mean it.

Press this down, hard. Hard.

(CHOKING)

Waco, hang in there. Come on.

Come on.

Waco, hang in there now, come on.

I've got him, Sergeant.

Hang in there.

Waco, look at me. You're going to be fine. You hear me?

Sergeant...

Bates is alone out there. You get outside and you help him.

-Come on. God damn it, Waco. Hang in there. -(DISTANT EXPLOSION)

That's an order, Sergeant.

(DISTANT EXPLOSION)

Don't you die on me, Waco.

I'll be fine, Sarge.

That's nice.

You'll be fine, you'll be fine.

How is he?

You're doing well.

(SOBBING) It's going to take more than this to kill me.

That's right.

Never say no.

(SCREAMING)

That was a close one.

They got the well.

I wonder what it feels like?

What?

Cold steel.

Well...

My guess is it's over pretty quick.

I hope someone finds this.

Well, chances are no one will ever know this happened.

If they don't find this tag, I'm missing.

If they do find it, I'm dead.

If I'm missing, nobody knows if I'm dead.

If I am dead, how will they ever know?

It's the never knowing, see Sergeant. I think about my wife...

Never knowing.

So...

I might as well be dead.

Here they come.

This is it.

Come on.

Come on. What are you waiting for?

We ain't surrendering. Get it over with.

Come on.

-Water? -Water for guns.

Oh, that's rich.

(LAUGHING)

Sure take all you want.

Drink it. Swim in it. Drink till you drown.

Go ahead. Take it.

I'll be.

The shell.

It's opened up the well.

That's water.

It's a bloody miracle.

Yeah...

Yeah, that's what it is.

Go over and pick up those guns while they're wet and stupid.

Go ahead and let them drink all they want.

I'll cover you.

(WIND BLOWING)

(CHUCKLING)

What are we going to do with them Sergeant?

Bates, that's one hell of a good question.

(WIND BLOWING)

Oh, no...

It ain't fair.

It ain't bloody fair.

Sit down!

Sit down.

Sit your asses on the ground.

Who are those guys?

They are British.

Long Range Desert Patrol.

They're ours.

Well... I'm glad about that.

(CLEARS THROAT)

You were right.

It was touch and go for a while. But our lads held at El Alamein.

I knew we'd done our bit when I heard that.

It weren't for nothing.

I guess so.

Bates, what's your first name?

Osmond.

(LAUGHING)

It's all right. You don't have to say nothing.

No, no, it's a fine name. That's a fine name.

(METAL CLINKING)

How do you plan on riding out of here...

Osmond?

I was rather counting on going out the same way I came in, Sergeant.

Mount up.

(ENGINE STARTING)

They shall not grow old

As we who are left grow old

Age shall not weary them

Nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them

Lest we forget them