Original subtitles

***

(pamela) hey, lucas, Stop it. Come on.

(lucas) I want a turn. Come on, you guys. We're late.

All right, come on. Sit down. (woman) the concert's About to start.

And I'm sorry, but there aren't Enough seats for parents.

Wait. We broke our necks To get here,

And we can't even Hear our kids sing?

I'm sorry. (whispers) come on.

Ugh. Ugh.

Okay, it's my fault. Oh, please.

I've had to listen to katie And lucas rehearse all week.

I just don't like That choral director. (scoffs)

Well, at least we don't have Any more community service

For a whole year.

Yeah. That is actually Something to be thankful for.

(pamela laughing)

(roxy speaks indistinctly)

Um, ladies, I think The concert's starting.

Oh, yes, yes, we know.

Escaped just in time.

I swear, if it Isn't singing children,

It's puppies to pet Or bingo cards to fill in.

No, thank you. But I'm sure your children Are adorable.

Yeah, most of the time.

Yeah, today I could have Drop-kicked them

Across the parade ground. Parade ground? You live In fort marshall then?

Yes, ma'am.

So did I, down in what Used to be called "The marsh." That's where I live.

Yeah? Yeah. I'm roxy.

Pamela. Elsie. This is virginia.

Hello.

You both lived At fort marshall?

Yes, 66 years ago. Oh!

Wow. Y'all have been Friends that long?

Well, not exactly.

We hated each other At first. That--that-- That's not true.

Liar, liar, pants on fire. She hated me.

No, I did not hate you.

I-I-I just had my doubts About you.

Oh. I'm sorry. We don't mean to argue.

No, that's okay. It's entertaining.

(chuckles)

So what was fort marshall Like back then?

Oh, well-- Don't ask her. She can't remember anything.

Would you just stop?

Oh, it does feel like it's Three or four lifetimes ago.

That's because it was.

Mm-hmm.

It was the summer of 1943.

Back then there was not a soul Who wasn't doing something

For the war effort, To contribute--

Soldiers, factory workers, Volunteers.

Now I was A newspaper reporter,

And I helped out by doing What I did best--

I covered it all for The charleston "Daily eagle."

Oh.

(swing band playing "In the mood")

Perfect. Ah! Okay, enough with The pictures, elsie.

Put the camera down. Dance a little.

I'm working.

Ah, don't kid me. You're prospecting.

Okay, so maybe I am.

What happened to that sailor You dug up last week?

Oh, I gave him The old heave-ho.

So go find me Someone handsome, loaded,

And terrified Of wedding bells.

Always the romantic.

Hey, it's a new day, Lorraine.

Oh, brother.

(elsie) the first time I laid eyes on virginia,

I swear she looked Like a movie star

Who got off At the wrong bus stop.

Look at her-- Miss hotsy-totsy.

If she stuck that nose Up any higher,

We'd be scraping it Off the ceiling.

(music continues)

Relax.

You know I'm not Good at this, worth.

Don't be shy.

Here, Let me take your wrap.

Why don't you get some coffee? I'll be right over.

(music continues)

(song ends)

(cheers and applause)

Two coffees, please. One black, one with cream.

This look like a waitress Uniform to you, sister?

S-sorry.

It's self-serve, Like an automat.

Only I bet you've never been To an automat before, have you?

Think you can figure it out?

(playing "Boogie woogie bugle boy")

Hey, sugar. You rationed?

I haven't heard that one In the last five minutes.

Let's give it a whirl. Yeah?

(music continues)

* he was a famous trumpet man From out chicago way *

* he had a boogie style That no one else could play *

* he was the top man At his craft *

Hey, whoa!

Oh! What the hell?

Sorry. It was an...

* blowin' reveille, he's The boogie woogie bugle boy... *

An accident.

Don't worry about it, red.

But your--your uniform.

I'll--I'll go-- I'll go get a rag.

Hey, what about us? You, take a powder.

You...

Don't go anywhere.

* a-toot a-toot, a-toot Diddle-ee-ada-toot *

* he blows it eight to the bar In boogie rhythm *

* he can't blow a note

* unless the bass and guitar Is playin' with him *

Could I borrow a rag?

Here.

Thanks.

* he was our boogie woogie Bugle boy of company b *

Calvin.

Hey. I got off early, Thought we could go out.

Sure. I get off in a half-hour.

* ...To the bar

* he's the boogie woogie Bugle boy of company b *

(music continues)

I'll be waiting In the parking lot.

Evening, mr. D'angelo.

Evening, lois. Who was that?

That's lois collins.

She's the new cleaning woman I hired at the bar. Oh.

Dale! Hazel.

Hi! How are you?

How are you doing? Hi.

Lieutenant, This is dale d'angelo.

Runs the best roadhouse In all of charleston.

I'll make a note of it. Worth palmer. My wife virginia.

Pleasure, lieutenant. My wife hazel.

She's a w.A.S.P.

Excuse me?

A women air force Service pilot.

Hazel and dale were both Pilots before the war.

Yeah, I'd be in uniform, too,

If I hadn't come down a little Too hard in a jenny in '27. So you're 4-f?

Yeah. Yeah. Hazel's gonna Have to carry the flag

For the family now.

But I can still manage A pretty decent box step.

* I'll be seeing you

* in all the old Familiar places *

* that this heart Of mine embraces *

* all day through

* in that small café

* we'll park across the way

* the children's carousel

* the chestnut trees

* the wishing well

(indistinct conversations)

Hi.

Hey!

(speaking indistinctly)

Understand?

(men laugh) Excuse me.

You lookin' At something, boy?

That's my car.

How's someone like you Get a car like this?

(men laugh)

Please.

(chuckles)

Please what?

Get off my car.

I'd watch your mouth, boy.

He didn't mean nothing By it, mister.

Best you listen To the woman, boy.

Now let me hear you Say "Please" again.

I said it once.

You leave him alone! Virginia.

This man is a member Of our armed forces!

You treat him with respect! Really, mister, We don't want no trouble.

You ain't half bad, sweetheart. Maybe you and me could...

(grunts) Hey!

(men murmuring)

You're gonna pay for that.

He didn't mean it. He's sorry!

You all saw it. He's gonna hang!

He sucker punched me!

No. No, he didn't.

(grunts) I did.

(chuckles) You two are dead!

You take them on, You take us all on.

Come on. Forget it.

All right, Let's all just go home

And pretend this never happened.

(lowered voice) You're a damn fool.

Yes, sergeant.

(whispers) calvin...

(sobs)

(elsie) a week after That awful incident,

I ran into virginia again.

Hey! Wait up.

Okay, listen. I was a real jerk.

I figured you for one of those Upper east side dames

Who walk poodles in fur coats, That kind of thing.

I am an upper east side dame, And my mom has a poodle.

But she also led the women's Suffrage movement in manhattan.

Yeah?

Yeah, and my dad Fought in france.

So you got me all wrong, Sister. Look, what I'm tryin' To say is,

What you did the other night Took real guts.

My husband said it took A lack of brains.

Well, that, too. This isn't Exactly fifth avenue.

So I'm discovering.

Virginia.

Elsie.

So what do you say We bury the hatchet

Over a cup of mud somewhere?

And I promise I won't Point out which is the milk

And which is the sugar. Deal.

And that's how it happened,

And we became fast friends From that day on.

Wait, wait, wait. What about you and paul?

Yeah. You can't Leave us hanging.

Yeah, it sounded like you Were meant to be together.

Did you get it on? Hmm?

Roxy? What? I want to know.

Look at you.

66 years later, And you're still blushing.

I'll--I'll tell you What happened.

No, you won't. It's my story. I'll tell.

(laughing)

Paul and I continued To see each other--

"See each other"?

You were gaga From the moment you met.

Do you mind? (laughs)

For the first few weeks, It was hot and heavy.

And then out of nowhere, It--it... It cooled off.

Paul seemed to drift away...

Like he was tired Of me already.

So what did you do?

Well, I went to visit my cousin Lorraine at the shipyards

To ask her about it.

Oh!

Hey, cuz. Feelin' better?

No. He's avoiding me. I don't know why, but he is.

Oh, elsie, you're all wet. Paul's crazy about you.

They're in intensive training, That's all.

He could at least stop by. Maybe I scared him off.

What, you mean the way you, Uh, put him in a headlock

Every time he shows up?

That was a joke, cuz. Joke.

Did you ever think maybe He's just trying to spare you?

Spare me what, happiness?

Worrying, staying attached To somebody who's not around.

Warren says the boys could be Gone more than two years.

Well, all right then. Two can play that game.

Yeah. Plenty of fish in the sea.

I can go back to the old elsie. Yeah.

It's been a nice Couple of months, paul,

But hit the road, Toodle-oo and so long.

Elsie?

How--

How did you--

Virginia told me You were here.

Technically, I'm a.W.O.L. Right now,

So this has gotta be quick.

I need to talk to you In private.

No.

If this is the big kiss off, You can do it right here.

Elsie-- No, just say it.

(machines whirring)

Elsie...

You'd make me the happiest guy In the world if you'd marry me.

Well, go on! Say something!

(cries) yeah.

(virginia) as if you Were going to say no?

Oh, hush. It was very romantic.

I'll say.

Yeah, I'm gettin' all misty. So what happened next?

The boys were shipping out. There was no time to wait.

We planned the wedding For that weekend.

But first we gave you A party on the beach,

Just we girls. I forgot about that!

And you brought your camera. Yes! Yes! Yes, I did!

(virginia) pinup girls were All the rage back then.

We decided if our boys Were going to be

Pinning anybody Up on their walls,

It was going to be us, Not betty grable.

Ready?

Smile.

(camera shutter clicks)

Great. Perfect.

(woman) yay! Hey, virginia.

(elsie) perfect. Show off those curves.

(woman) ooh! (woman) ooh!

Nice. (all laugh)

All right, hazel, come on.

(camera shutter clicks, Women laugh)

Ready? (click)

Okay. Big salute.

(click) And there she is.

Okay, almost married lady, You're next. Now you just press this button Right here, all right?

Put a lid on it. I know how to take a picture. That button.

Don't touch anything else. Okay. Okay.

(camera shutter clicks) We didn't know it till years Later, but on that same day,

Another conversation was Taking place on another beach.

***

Come on, calvin, What's the matter?

I heard from my cousin In canada.

He got a tool and die factory Up there,

Said there's a job for me If I want it after the war.

Canada? Mm.

That's not our country. What, like this is?

Calvin washington,

You wear the uniform of The united states army.

So I can drive boxes Of paper clips

From one end of post To another?

So I can walk with my girl On a colored-only beach?

They won't let us fight, Lois.

Like our blood Ain't as red as theirs.

Things will get better. Hmm.

They will. President roosevelt's Gonna make things better.

(laughs) what can he do?

Plenty.

Wasn't all that long ago

Colored folks were sold off Like cattle

Just a few miles From where we're standing.

I love you, calvin,

But if you let this anger Eat you up,

It is gonna destroy you... And us.

And I'm not gonna stand by And watch that happen.

Hey.

Wait up.

So blacks and whites Couldn't even walk

On the same beach together?

Yeah, we forget how different Things really were back then.

Oh, yes, they were.

Okay.

So where did you get married?

Little church in town.

My cousin lorraine was The only actual family there,

But by that time, I felt like I had a new family--

Worth and virginia And dale and hazel.

(virginia) we had the reception At dale's roadhouse--

Beer and boiled shrimp

And lemon cake.

(elsie laughs)

(glenn miller's "String of pearls" playing)

Hey, come on. Cheer up.

It's a wedding.

I can't help it.

We've never Been apart before.

When this war is over, We will never be apart again.

Promise me You're coming home.

We're all coming home.

(warren) it's time. Toast! (clinking bottle)

Toast! Toast!

Come on. Come on.

Well...

I've never been Much of a talker,

But...

I want to toast my wife.

Wow. That sounds strange.

And it only gets stranger, So get used to it.

(all chuckling)

We, um, we didn't ask For this fight,

But here it is.

And we're gonna win it,

Because we got to...

Because we know What we're fighting for.

To my wife...

To our friends...

To the army,

And to The united states of america.

(warren) cheers. Cheers.

Cheers.

Thank you, uh... Pamela?

Yes. You're welcome.

(chuckles)

They all shipped out At the same time?

Same day.

I'd been a bride For less than a week,

Saying good-bye to my husband For who knows how long.

(chuckles)

The boys were Going to england,

Getting ready To fight the germans.

But there were Still some battles

To be won here at home.

Almost done.

Mm-hmm.

I'm sorry, mr. D'angelo. I'm here to pick up lois.

Now you stay put, calvin. I don't mind if you wait here.

In our heyday.

A week later, I set that baby nose-down

In a south dakota cornfield.

'cause of that, I gotta wait out the war.

You're not the only one Who's gotta sit this war out. What you talkin' about?

Well, they may let me Wear this uniform,

But they won't let Negroes see combat.

That doesn't make any sense.

No, sir.

We can cook and clean, Drive trucks,

But they won't let negroes fight Or eat with white soldiers.

Hell, I can't even Get a beer here.

That'll be a nickel.

Anybody saw you, they'd Run you out of town on a rail.

It's not getting any colder Just sittin' there.

(change jangles)

(cash register dings, Drawer opens and closes)

Here's to you, soldier.

(virginia) lois told me later

You could have knocked Her over with a feather.

(elsie) In the meantime,

The months were dragging on, And I was going crazy.

And then I hit on a scheme Where I could see paul again

And help the war effort.

I joined the red cross.

I wrangled myself A transfer to london.

Now paul couldn't get leave Very often, but when he did,

We made the most of it.

(glenn miller's "Serenade in blue" playing)

(rainfall)

This is gonna be My last visit for a while.

(thunder rumbling)

(rainfall)

I sort of thought You were gonna tell me that.

Paul didn't Have to tell me why.

I knew. The whole world knew.

(virginia) our boys Were the first

To parachute into normandy.

We prayed for our loved ones, But it was crazy to think

We'd all get out of That terrible war unscathed.

Strike up the band.

Stop it.

(elsie) a nazi bullet Severed warren's spine

Before his parachute Even hit the ground.

He got a desk job In the very same building

Where we all first met At that u.S.O. Dance.

What are you doing? You'll be late.

I can't do this.

What are you Talking about?

(voice breaking) I can't

Come squeaking in To work every morning,

And have people make brave faces At the cripple.

I...

President roosevelt Is in a wheelchair.

Is he a cripple?

And what about the other boys Who've been injured,

Many of them A lot worse than you? Is that supposed To make me feel better?

No. No, it's supposed To remind you

Of who you are, Warren sullivan.

The man I married Would never let anybody

Feel sorry for themselves.

He'd give them a swift kick And tell them to snap out of it.

I...

How can you live With me like this?

The same way I lived With you before...

With love and laughter

And music.

I'm not leaving you, warren,

And I'll never stop loving you.

(elsie) lorraine saved Warren's life that day

As sure as the medics Did in normandy.

(virginia) He got out and about again,

Spent a lot of time At dale's roadhouse.

I saw them all the time,

Because with elsie Gone to england,

Lorraine and hazel took me in.

"It's been rough here, Sweetheart.

"The nazis won't cooperate With the spanking

We're trying to give them." Oh!

He says he's being Promoted to captain. Oh!

Oh! Oh, that's great. Where is he? (laughs) (laughs)

Sorry, dale.

(laughs)

You know, I am gonna have to Teach you how to play chess.

Now there's a-- There's a real game.

Don't flip your wig. You just hate losin'. Yeah.

You know, I'm gettin' you Another cold one.

(clears throat)

(man speaking indistinctly On radio)

(indistinct conversations)

(man) that's a dangerous pitch To throw...

(chuckles)

Well, well, well.

Looky here. You remember me?

I remember you.

Nobody wants any trouble.

Why don't you Just get out of here?

Yeah? Who's gonna make me, Huh?

A cripple?

How's that? Is that better?

Come on. Reach me now? (laughs)

(gasps) warren!

(grunts)

Oh! Stop it! (laughs)

(lorraine) oh, honey!

(clicks)

Ooh! (gasps)

No! No! Dale!

(gasping) Somebody call a doctor!

You're gonna be okay, dale. Just hang on. Okay.

Hang on, okay? (voice breaks) baby.

Oh. Shh, shh, shh.

(gasping)

Dale!

Dale! Dale!

(crying)

Dale!

Dale died?

It was terrible.

I can't believe it.

That's so incredibly sad.

What--what happened to hazel?

Well, it just...

Tore her up.

I mean, the police Found the killer,

But that was Small consolation.

Hazel just, um...

Shut down.

She--she left The w.A.S.P. Service.

We couldn't believe it.

I'm not changing my mind, So don't even start.

Dale would hate To see you like this--

Throwing in the towel.

I have a business to run.

Yeah.

Dale once told me

About the, uh, mayor You took for a ride

Back in Your barnstorming days.

What mayor?

When dale and hazel First met,

They went to a small town In iowa--I forget the name--

To do their Flying exhibition.

Ottumwa.

Right. Right, right.

Anyway, um...

The mayor of ottumwa Didn't want them

Flying their airplane All over town.

Gave them some Cockamamy reason.

Yeah, he said it was bad For the cow's milk.

(chuckles) What he meant was,

Women shouldn't do That sort of thing.

That happened all the time.

So what did you do?

(exhales)

Tell her.

Oh.

I offered him A free 5-minute ride...

(chuckles)

You know, just so he could see He shouldn't worry.

Took him up and put him through Ten straight barrel rolls...

Mm-hmm.

A couple of loops

And an immelman turn Before we set down again.

He let us have our show.

Mm. Dale told me When he saw the mayor

Stagger out of the plane

And you in the cockpit Trying not to laugh...

That was the moment he fell In love with you forever.

Yeah, It was a good moment.

Wouldn't dale want you To keep after your dream?

You looked up To amelia earhart.

Someday, young women Will be looking up to you.

(sniffles) I just Miss him so much.

(exhales)

Oh. I know.

(virginia) after that...

Hazel came around,

And she decided to stay A pilot and sell the bar.

(elsie) a nice, Young couple bought it,

With the most adorable Little girl, who helped out.

(virginia) oh, yes. Uh, everybody called her...

Uh, "Dimples." That's right.

But--but what-- What was her real name?

Oh, let me think. Um...

Uh, uh, betty. The girl's name was betty.

Wait a minute. Her name was betty?

(elsie) uh-huh. (virginia) yeah.

What was the name of the bar? That's a good story.

Oh, the owner's cousin Flew missions in burma

Over something they used To call "The hump,"

And they called it that. (chuckles) The hump bar.

Oh, my god. That's my bar. We knew betty.

She was like a mother to me. Imagine that!

(laughs) "Dimples." She kept that one to herself.

(virginia) oh! (pamela and elsie laugh)

Well, of course, all of this was Before I got back from london.

Why'd you come back?

I had my reasons.

Oh, those stolen nights In london

Had paid a very big dividend.

One that kicked.

By the time I got stateside, I was so pregnant,

I'd forgotten there were Feet attached to my legs.

I couldn't see them. Paul couldn't come with me.

The boys were still In the thick of it.

We thought for sure they Would be home at christmas,

But hitler had other plans.

(man) * I'll be home For christmas *

(virginia) there was still some Good news to celebrate, though.

Black soldiers were finally Allowed to fight in combat.

Calvin was going off To war at last,

And he and lois Were getting married.

I'm so proud of you.

I can't actually believe It's really happening.

It's like I told you. Things are changing, calvin.

They really are.

Okay, but we still Have to hide out here

With the shades pulled.

One step at a time, mister.

(chuckles)

* ...Will find me

Calvin, congratulations.

Thank you, sergeant.

Let me buy you a beer. Oh, yes, sergeant.

(laughs)

(virginia) of course, In those days,

It reached the point where You stopped trusting good news

Because bad news was always Right around the corner.

(knock on door) We're closed.

(knocking)

* if only in...

(lorraine sighs) I'll take care of it.

* my

* dreams

(door closes) Beg your pardon, ma'am,

But neighbors Told me you were here.

Oh, no.

Virginia.

(crying)

(sobs)

It's not for me.

You're not...

(sobs)

No.

(crying) no!

No, that isn't true!

Elsie.

(crying) no, it can't be true!

No! No! (speaks indistinctly)

(speaking indistinctly) No! Aah! Aah!

Elsie, it's okay.

No! She's gonna have the baby!

Get her legs!

(crying) Shh. (whispers) it's okay. It's okay.

Paul. Paul.

We'll call the doctor.

(cries)

I had the baby

Later that night At the hospital.

Surrounded by everyone Who loved you...

And paul.

So paul was...

Killed at The battle of the bulge.

The war was over A few months later.

(man) all of us Gathered here today...

(elsie) I couldn't let paul Go that easily,

So virginia had an idea.

(virginia) it was A simple memorial on post.

(man speaking indistinctly)

It was a lovely dedication Out on perimeter road

Near a beautiful gazebo.

That was the last time we were All together in one place.

Calvin and lois Moved to atlanta.

He became A high school teacher,

A mentor To hundreds of kids.

It took some years, But eventually he and lois

Were able to walk Into the hump bar

Like any other citizens.

Lorraine and warren Stayed as close as ever.

Lorraine became An advocate

For disabled veterans,

Set up all sorts of programs In the area.

As for hazel... She fell in love with africa.

Became a bush pilot. Mm.

It was the old Barnstorming hazel again.

My dear worth Left the military,

But his wartime experience Shaped the rest of his life...

A great man, and a great father To our three children.

As for me,

I never did remarry.

I'd found the love Of my life.

No one else Could ever measure up.

So here I am...

An old lady with her memories

And... Hiding out From kiddie concerts

And... Bingo cards.

Well, I'm glad You skipped the concert.

Yeah.

I... I-I-I don't know What to say.

Which for her Is kind of unbelievable. (roxy chuckles)

Afternoon, ladies.

Oh! Hello.

Hi. Oh, are these the ones With extra chocolate?

Have I ever failed you yet?

(chuckles) honey, I would like you to meet

Two very nice ladies.

Roxy, pamela, This is my son paul jr.

It's an honor to meet you. My pleasure.

Yeah, I sort of feel like We already know you.

Well, I hope these Two lovely ladies

Haven't been bending Your ear all day. Oh!

Are you kidding? I could Come back tomorrow for more. (laughs)

We're done! Yeah, can we go now?

T.J., don't be rude. Can we go get pizza tonight Like you said?

Yes, yes, I think we can. Yes!

(katie) yes!

Well, I guess we gotta go.

But, um, we'd like To come visit you,

If that's okay.

Well, you know where To find us.

Enjoy your children.

They really are a comfort In old age.

(laughs)

Bye.

Bye. Bye.

(paul jr.) bye-bye. Bye.

All right, ladies.

Coming, coming.

I want this one. (chuckles) (chuckles)

Mom.

We're coming. We're coming.

(claudia joy) are you sure They said near the gazebo?

(roland) maybe they Were confused.

(pamela) trust me.

Those two ladies weren't Confused about anything.

Unless somebody dug it up, It's gotta be here.

Hey, guys, I think I found it.

(roxy) ah.

Oh, my god. There it is.

How many times have we brought Our kids to this park,

Walked past this very spot?

"In loving memory Of p.F.C. Paul thompson,

"1918-1944.

He knew what We were fighting for."

So this is where they stood--

All of 'em, right here.

Makes you realize we're not The first group of army wives

To come together In tough times. Not by a long shot.

Mm. I feel like a bit Of a jackass

Complaining about laundry And gas prices.

And this must be The tree they planted.

(chuckles)

(pamela) yeah. Will you look at that?

So how did they all meet?

It's a great story.

Yeah.

(pamela) It was a u.S.O. Dance,

And elsie was a photographer At the local paper.

(roxy) and she was there With her cousin lorraine,

Who, uh, worked for The shipbuilding factory.

Yeah, and when She met virginia,

She thought she was gonna be

One of those Stuck-up new yorkers. (all laugh)