Original subtitles

DOWNING: Simon!

-My parcel's arrived. -No, your damn parcel hasn't arrived.

But Fergus in the kitchen did pass the word

that Jerry's searching the British quarters

some time this morning, all right?

Phil? Search.

Scramble. Search.

MAN: What?

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

I thought they were going to search the British quarters.

Fergus didn't say anything about this.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

-What have you got on you? -My compass. You?

Passport.

-Any picture in it? -Not yet.

Give it to me.

You make the fuss.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

You've no right to open those.

They've already been okayed by the German censor.

Recognise that?

That's the official German censor's stamp, right there.

According to the Geneva Convention,

any letters passed by the censor become the absolute private property

of those to whom they've been addressed.

Go ahead, open that string.

You'll be breaking the Geneva Convention if you do.

Look, do I have to spell it out for you?

Censorship is not a matter of interpretation.

Those letters are now my own personal private property.

I'm going to ask to see your British Officer

to tell your Kommandant about this.

Brent bungled it. He lost his nerve.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Attention please. Medical inspection.

You should stand at attention in the presence of a senior officer.

Get off your clothes.

Take off your shirt.

Dress.

I want it noted on this officer's record,

the prisoner is listless and un-soldierly.

You can make another note on the prisoner's record.

The prisoner is hungry.

Silence, please. Attention!

(CLICKS HEELS)

All right, so what is the plan?

Well, as an American,

Phil is the only one in Colditz with a functioning embassy in Berlin.

Well, go on.

Well, apparently, Americans can still travel freely around Germany.

Phil's had a letter from a friend in New York.

A newspaperman. He was in Berlin a couple of months ago.

Provided that they have the right papers.

Now, what we need is another passport, a press card and a good suit.

You've still got to get out of the castle.

Well, we know that.

But what is unique about this plan is

that he doesn't have to cross any borders.

All he has to do is to get as far as the American Embassy in Berlin.

But wait a minute.

Didn't you forfeit your American citizenship when you joined the RAF?

Technically, yeah.

I think the precise phrase is ''a presumption of loss of citizenship'',

but only a presumption.

I know one of the Second Secretaries at the embassy in Berlin.

I think... I think I can get them to send me to the United States.

Your own people are hardly likely to hand you over to the Nazis.

That depends politically where they're at.

There'd be a hell of a stink in the American papers if they did.

Yeah. See, the first thing I'd do is get to Bill Shirer,

if he's still broadcasting from Berlin.

That's the one thing that the Germans are still sensitive about.

American public opinion.

You could do something about American public opinion if you got there.

-It might make all the difference. -Maybe.

What we need is a plan to get Phil out of here.

Now, I know he's not on the list. But what do you say?

He has the best chance of anyone of making a home run.

I think it's a good idea.

It's better than good. It's damn good.

Fine. If there are any suggestions...

(MEN SHOUTING)

Halt!

(INAUDIBLE)

Stupid idiots.

Oh, they're just having some fun.

(LAUGHING)

That's despair. Don't you see it?

They all know they're never going to get out of here.

There's a rumour the German army's reached Leningrad.

Leningrad? Napoleon made it to Moscow.

That means the Germans have advanced about 1 ,000 miles in 1 0 weeks.

CARRINGTON: It'll be winter soon.

BRENT: That's over 1 0 miles a day.

CARRINGTON: The winter will help the Russians to regroup.

BRENT: Look, Germany holds Norway, Denmark, Holland, France,

Yugoslavia and Greece, most of North Africa,

and now 90% of Western Russia.

How long do you think it's going to take to dislodge them from all that?

Ten years? Twenty years?

CARRINGTON: The more countries they occupy,

the thinner they are on the ground.

BRENT: I'd say 1 0 years. And in 1 0 years we'll be 1 00 years old.

Look, once you start thinking you're going to lose, you're finished.

I don't think we're going to lose. Not in the end.

CARRINGTON: Well, two Dutchmen made it, and a Frenchman.

Not just out of here. Clear away, home runs.

And I'm going to make it, too, all the way to 52nd Street.

George,

like to lend us a hand?

Me?

We're working on Phil's run. Keep you busy.

What do you want me to do?

Like to sketch that one?

-The one with the limp. -Sure.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Come!

Yes, Herr Major.

My report for your signature, Herr Kommandant.

Again?

It is Friday, Herr Kommandant.

Ah yes, of course. Uh, please, sit down.

Thank you.

You were at Bremerhaven before you joined us, hmm?

That is correct.

And before that?

Bremerhaven was my first posting.

Hmm?

Before that, I was a simple doctor. Had no heroic ambitions.

Well, very few soldiers have.

And now?

To do my best.

Are you managing to settle down all right here in Colditz, Herr Major?.

There's no use pretending.

It is not exactly the assignment I would have chosen.

(CHUCKLING)

Well, that is true for most of us here.

The prisoners, as well as the staff.

Ah, but a doctor pretending to be a soldier, like me,

has to be twice the soldier and obey orders.

Yes, of course.

To the prisoners as well as to the staff.

And do you find them difficult? The prisoners, of course, I mean.

If you'll excuse me speaking frankly...

Please.

I find a certain quality of indiscipline among them,

especially the British.

It's not always a good thing to insist on too much outward show of discipline.

We have occupied practically the whole continent of Europe.

We cannot make the peoples of those countries like us,

but we can cause them to respect us.

I hope so.

But we must understand the meaning of respect.

Technically, the whole matter is defined in the German military code.

A man can be forced to salute and still withhold his respect.

Especially here in Colditz.

Oh, please do not misunderstand me, Herr Kommandant,

I am not insisting that the prisoners should salute me.

I'm speaking of all senior officers.

If they salute one, they must salute them all.

A prisoner cannot be allowed to decide for himself

when he will obey the army code and when he will not.

That would only lead to a state of, um,

mutiny.

My officers can always count on my support.

Thank you, Herr Kommandant.

Thank you.

Watch the door.

I've decided to use this.

Come have a look.

You see those cans?

They change them every Friday, between 4:00 and 5:00.

They take the garbage to a farm three miles south of here.

What the pigs don't eat, they use as compost.

The one thing about the Germans is they never waste anything.

Always the same two men.

There are only two men on that farm.

One of the Dutch heard them complaining about it.

This is the man we want you to change places with.

Yeah, but what are you going do with this guy?

Peter?

Tim and I will drag him into a doorway.

I think we can keep him quiet for a good half-hour or so, eh, Tim?

Right, so you take him behind the delousing shed.

Now, how long is he out of sight of the guards? Have you timed that?

Six seconds.

So, when you're taking care of him and I'm making the switch,

that'll be all right, but what about when I hit the guards at the gate?

We've thought of that. Tim? Try that on.

That's very good. Now try the cap.

It's broad daylight, you know.

Peter?

-It's good. -It's very good.

Don't forget the limp. He drags his foot.

-Which one, George? -Hmm?

Which foot? Come on, George, it's important.

-Right. -Right foot.

Now, you wait until he's emptied the last can.

By that time, he'll have passed the guard at the gate five times.

They'll hardly look at you.

One other question.

What about the other man in the truck? I'm gonna have to ride off with him.

What am I gonna do about him?

Well, it probably wouldn't fool a soldier in daylight.

But it might keep that farm worker quiet

till you're out into the country.

Next Friday, then.

(SPEAKING POLISH)

Better change now.

Next time around.

Halt!

Do you realise you can be court-martialled

for failing to salute a senior officer?

Damn it. All he had to do was salute.

Well, he can have another shot next week.

Well, how about that new German doctor?

Yeah, we met. Pompous ass.

You know what he said?

He said I was suffering from listlessness.

(LAUGHING)

Oh, that parcel from my wife, it hasn't come yet, has it?

Oh, come off it, Simon. Some fat Swiss probably scoffed it.

It's probably lying in some disused railway station covered in dust.

Hey, Simon.

-Oh, peaches! -It's for you, solitary special.

Welcome back.

-Take it easy. -Yeah, I will.

Mmm!

Wait. Wait before you take another one.

You know, it's almost worth going to solitary for that.

You know, Phil nearly got away.

Call it a dry run.

-How much longer do I have to wait? -Well, you'll only bring them up.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...

-It's for your own good. -Oh, come on, come on.

-No, later. -Well, let me hold the tin.

Yes, let him hold the tin.

You know, they say it's gonna take almost a month after the end of the war

before any of us are going to be able to eat properly again.

You ought to remember that, Phil, when you get back to the States.

Yeah, stay away from those book and author lunches.

Are you going to America?

-Yeah. -Oh, good for you.

He's going to blow the lid off this place.

Shut up!

Stop it.

You're all dreaming aloud. You're not going anywhere.

Look, he's got a perfectly good chance.

He's had a good chance. And I...

I loused it up.

Ah, forget it. That was just a rehearsal.

No, it wasn't.

-I'll make it this time. -No.

What do you mean, no? I'll make it.

That new doctor, the German, he's changed the routine.

It wasn't sanitary leaving those cans there.

They don't collect from the courtyard any more.

Why didn't he tell us that before?

Who knows?

Poor old George.

You know what Napoleon always used to ask a general

before giving him a new command?

No.

''Are you lucky?''

I used to think I was lucky.

Over, under, through,

climb, tunnel, bluff,

the only three ways of getting out of here.

You know, there's one more.

Get the Germans to escort you out.

You know, there's a rumour that the Swiss Medical Commissioner's

due to pay us another visit next month.

I'll bet Bismarck started that rumour.

Yeah, but if I could just get him to...

To escort me to the Dresden military hospital...

You'd have to be dead to the world for that one.

Well, the doctor did say I was suffering from listlessness.

That creep.

You know that he's threatening to court-martial

anyone who doesn't salute him?

Is he?

Is he, really?

They send you to Leipzig for a court-martial.

Yeah, by train.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

There he comes.

Please. Please continue.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Good for Pat.

He didn't even notice.

You know, it seems I was right, Herr Kommandant.

Yes?

The general order you issued, they...

They are learning discipline

and respect for the German uniform.

I wonder when we shall reach Leningrad.

Even the British, with one or two exceptions,

and of exceptions, one can always make example.

Simon... Oh, sorry, you're... You're busy.

-No. What is it? -Oh, no, it's nothing. It can wait.

No, no, no, go on.

Well, I don't know how to say this,

but I've got to break the news to you that the parcels have just arrived

and yours is...

Oh, no.

...waiting for you in the parcel office.

You sod!

(LAUGHING)

Halt!

Arrest this officer.

Repeated refusal to salute a superior officer.

Deliberate and persistent insult to the German uniform.

Pat.

-Sir? -I'm sorry, Pat, not now.

I've got to talk to you, sir.

Yes, later. I've got to go see the Kommandant.

I know.

There's some question about Carter being court-martialled.

Do you know what for?

That's what I want to talk to you about, sir.

Well, don't worry about it. I'm going to fight it.

Well, before you see the Kommandant,

I think there's something you should understand.

What is it Pat?

What do you know about German military law?

According to the German military code,

which is equivalent in your army to King's Regulations,

which applies to all prisoners-of-war held by German armed forces,

refusal to obey an order from a senior officer

is a court-martial offence.

I protest most strongly.

Will that be all, Colonel?

I take it that my protest will be noted?

Of course.

There is one other thing, Kommandant.

Under British military law,

an officer to be court-martialled is entitled

not only to a defending counsel,

but to a brother officer as a character witness.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

I've disinfected the bucket, sir.

Now, there'll be three guards with you from the start

so it won't be easy, but if there's a chance on the train

or anywhere between here and Leipzig

for both you and Simon to make a break for it, take it.

-Understood? -Right.

Make that plain to Simon. Dick?

Where are you going?

To brush my teeth.

Good idea.

Look, I'm not...

-You needn't think I... -Never crossed my mind.

We're going to brush our teeth. Come on.

If that fails,

one of the Dutchmen who was up for court-martial last month

made this ground plan of the building.

Here's the main hall.

Now, beyond it, there's a corridor

leading to the back entrance of the building.

Now, in that corridor, there's a gents lavatory.

Now, that's where you'll make the switch.

Now, there's a guard there, but he's only a watchman, an old boy.

Now, Bauman, the civilian lawyer, will be waiting for you just here.

Yeah, what do we know about him?

Well, he was appointed prisoners' counsel by the Wehrmacht

because he speaks English.

Where did you get that information from? The Dutch?

It seems he's semi-retired, but he's not a party member.

Goes by the book.

Now, there's a guard posted outside the courtroom door, here.

Your own escort goes back to the main hall.

Okay, take me through the trial once more.

Well, the trial's straightforward.

The prosecutor leads off, calls his witnesses,

demands the usual sentence.

Bauman then makes the defence plea.

Then the military tribunal retire to consider their verdict.

Now, there'll be a lot of movement now,

people milling about preparing for the next case.

And that's when you make your move.

Yeah. But what kind of a move?

That's a decision that only you can take.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Now, wait a minute.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Do you speak English?

Well, does he or doesn't he?

I don't know. It's possible.

Yeah, well, we've got about an hour,

plus any stops, to run up a score.

You know what? This reminds me of a baseball game I once saw.

It was the big one, the World Series.

Everything was all tied up.

Joe DiMaggio came up to bat and there was a man on third.

Third?

Yeah, third base. Like your rounders.

Think he knows what we're talking about?

Third, that's the base before home base, right?

Right.

See, the important thing is,

when you only need one run to win the game,

you sacrifice another batter.

-He bunts the ball... -Bunts?

He hits the ball in a certain way, so the other team can grab it.

But when they do, the man from third makes it safely to home,

scoring one run and winning the game.

It's a beautiful sacrifice. That's what Joe did.

Okay. I'll do the bunting.

Our coach wouldn't buy that.

Why?

You always sacrifice for the fastest man.

Well, not this time.

You've got the...

You've got the autograph book with your picture in it.

It'll impress the right people.

He hasn't a clue what we're talking about.

You know, maybe DiMaggio was wrong.

Maybe he should have gone for the home run.

Home run?

Yeah, home run. First, second, third and home.

Maybe he should have gone for the home run.

Two runs, instead of one. Get it?

Yeah, but if you can win the game by one run for certain, why chance it?

I mean, if Joe DiMaggio hadn't managed to hit a home run,

they'd have lost the whole game, right?

Since when did you become an expert on baseball?

Yeah, well, it's all a question of odds, isn't it?

Well, I can tell you one thing.

The Yankees hardly ever lost a pennant.

Yeah, but look where they're placed this year.

Oh, let's wait.

We can always pay baseball in Leipzig.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

You go here.

Your coat and hat.

Flight Lieutenant Carrington? I'm Dr Bauman, at your service.

-How do you do? -Dr Bauman.

The case will be called in a few minutes.

In the meantime, perhaps we can talk,

discuss the line of defence I intend to take.

It will give me a chance to practise my English.

Now, you understand, the trial will be conducted in English,

but, from the point of view of the court,

Flight Lieutenant Carter will be under German military discipline.

Your German military code?

Exactly.

The regulations are very similar to your own.

Napoleon copied most of it from the British,

and the Prussians copied it from the French.

We inherited it from the Prussians.

I didn't know that.

I have made a few notes on the rules governing saluting.

Now, these regulations, saluting a superior officer

do not normally apply when off-duty.

That is when a superior or junior officer

is in civilian or casual clothes.

And you're going to argue that Flight Lieutenant Carter

was off-duty at the time?

Yes, he was in casual clothing.

It would have been an act of disrespect to his own service, the Royal Air Force,

to salute when not properly dressed.

That's great.

Of course, it is only a technicality. It is a fine point.

But the German law is very exact.

Now, ah... Three minutes. Yes, we must go.

No. A moment.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

As a doctor, I visited the prisoner in his cell.

The prisoner failed to stand at attention when I spoke to him.

Did you make any charges against the accused at that time?

No.

In view of the fact that the prisoner was already under punishment,

I wanted to be lenient.

In spite of that, the next time you encountered him,

he refused to salute you?

Yes. On three occasions.

What was his attitude?

Oh...

Insulting.

What form did these insults take?

As soon as he saw me approaching,

he adopted an insolent, defiant manner.

He kept his hands in his pockets.

-Deliberately? -Yes.

What was the attitude of the other prisoners at Colditz?

They became increasingly contemptuous,

disobedient towards my authority as a German officer.

The accused was the ringleader of what was, in effect, a tacit rebellion

against the German military command at Colditz?

In effect, yes. Yes, that is true.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Herr Prasident, I will not take up

any more of the court's time than I can help.

We are not concerned, in this case, with the technicality

of whether a British officer failed to salute a senior German officer or not.

We are concerned with something simpler, much more important than that.

The accused was ordered to perform a certain action

under the German military code.

He was shown the greatest leniency.

He was given another chance.

In fact, he was given three more chances to obey.

He continued to refuse.

It is evident that he knew exactly what he was doing.

His refusal was deliberate.

Under any military code in the world,

such a refusal constitutes a clear act of mutiny.

There is no need for me to advise the court any further.

In the name of the German Reich and the Wehrmacht,

I demand that the accused be given the mandatory sentence, death.

(CLICKS HEELS)

Dr Bauman?

(STAMMERS) Yes, I, uh... With the court's permission,

I should like a few minutes to consult my witness.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Be brief, please.

They are pressing for the death penalty. It is a great shock.

I'll do what I can.

Herr Prasident, I should like to call Flight Lieutenant Philip Carrington

to the witness stand.

-Is his evidence relevant? -I believe it is.

Permission is granted.

Flight Lieutenant, here, please.

Flight Lieutenant, were the other British officers

aware of Flight Lieutenant Carter's negligence

in failing to salute Herr Major Starb?

Yes, they were.

Uh, did any of the other officers follow his example?

No, they didn't.

Did Flight Lieutenant Carter try to persuade you,

or any other officer, to follow his example?

Certainly not.

Herr Major Starb is new to Colditz.

Had it been customary to salute on every occasion the previous medical officers?

Never, no, sir.

Would you say Flight Lieutenant Carter deliberately failed to salute,

or was it merely negligence?

I would say that it was merely negligence.

After this incident, all the other British officers

seemed always to remember to salute Herr Major Starb?

-That's correct, sir. -Can you explain why?

They wanted to make up for Flight Lieutenant Carter.

There. Thank you.

Does the prosecution wish to question the witness?

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

You may stand down.

Herr Prasident, I submit that far from starting a mutiny,

Flight Lieutenant Carter appears to have averted one.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Speak English, please.

Uh, Herr Prasident, uh,

I'm sure the court agrees we are not concerned

whether anybody saluted Major Starb or not.

A refusal by any individual under military discipline

to obey a direct order in time of war is an act of mutiny.

The punishment for it is mandatory. Death.

There can be no exceptions,

unless the court is prepared to set aside the German military code.

Herr President,

I believe I have the right under the German military code

to make an appeal on behalf of the accused.

That is correct.

Very well. Take the witness stand. Be brief, please.

Well, as the court records will show,

Flight Lieutenant Carter was shot down

on a dangerous mission while he was over your country.

He is a combatant, an ex-combatant.

My point is that what happens with a captured enemy,

whether he lives or dies, is often decided by men who are not fighters,

but by politicians, administrators,

that sometimes whether they live or die

is left in the hands of the combatants themselves,

and when that happens, they can judge each other as men,

by their own code of war.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the officer on the President's right

is wearing the German Ritterkreuze, and the officer on the President's left

is wearing the 1 91 4-1 8 War Wounded medal.

Both, therefore, are combatants.

Equally, I just can't believe that there is a senior officer

in the German armed forces, or a senior officer in any armed forces,

that would want to see a man like Flight Lieutenant Carter

shot by a firing squad

because he failed to render an adequate salute. It's...

Without wishing to curtail the witness's evidence,

I must warn you, Flight Lieutenant Carrington,

that this court deals only in exactitudes.

The question of whether any of its members

have been in the front line bears no relation to this,

or any other case it may be called upon to try.

But, Herr President...

Flight Lieutenant, I would suggest that in the interests of your friend,

you stand down.

In view of the seriousness of the charge,

the case will be taken under consideration.

How long before they decide?

Three days, four days, a week.

(SCREAMING)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

I can only say, Herr Kommandant, I didn't foresee this...

This is no time for regrets, Herr Major.

The discipline of Colditz rests on a knife edge of understanding.

A respect between enemies.

If Flight Lieutenant Carter is sentenced to death,

the prisoners here will take it that that understanding has been broken.

But surely, discipline...

Discipline cannot be imposed by sheer force.

If I had twice as many guards...

For your own safety,

I have requested you be transferred to another post immediately.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Come.

If you would be so good, Herr Major.

I'm afraid I have no news as yet, Colonel.

Is there any hope?

One of the judges, a major in the Luftwaffe,

we have known each other for some years, I've been talking to him.

He is very impressed by some things said in Mr Carter's defence.

He is doing all he can.

And the general commanding the Dresden area?

I have also been in touch with him.

I am using all the means at my disposal, Colonel.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(KEYS RATTLING)

(KEYS RATTLING)

They'll send it all back to her, won't they?

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

The court has reached its verdict.

The court finds the accused, Flight Lieutenant Carter, guilty.

The accused is judged to have contravened the German military code

by his failure to salute a senior officer of the Wehrmacht.

The accused is cautioned that any further breach

of German military discipline will be severely punished.

Thank you, sir.

This officer is to be returned to his quarters.

Here.

Maybe we'll be luckier next time.