Original subtitles

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[GASPS]

Copy that, 4.

Percell bagged himself a prisoner.

All right.

Can the prisoner travel, 4? Over.

Yeah, roger, 6.

We, uh, caught him with his pants down.

Literally.

If the prisoner knows anything

and we can get him to talk,

it would save us a lot of time

humping up those NVA supply trails.

Four, secure the prisoner.

Maintain your position.

We're on our way. Six out.

Kuslits, tie his hands.

Look at this guy, doc.

[SIGHS]

How the hell do these people survive like this, you know?

Just by doing whatever they have to, man.

[♪♪♪]

[GRUNTS]

[GROANS]

Doc.

Doc!

Doc, you got to do him.

Didi.

Don't, doc.

Don't let him go.

Didi mau.

No, doc. When he gets to cover, he'll waste us.

Do him!

Come on, doc. Shoot.

Shut up.

Then give me the gun.

[YELLS]

Security.

Right, lieutenant.

[BREATHING RASPILY]

[♪♪♪]

Let's go, let's go.

All right, you got him?

Ready?

Well, there's another memorial service

brought to you in the name of communist containment.

You know it, Scarlet.

The kid was no older than my son.

Take it easy, Pop.

Makes a man want to puke.

ANDERSON: Colonel Brewster, sir, nice to see you.

Hey, Pop, take it easy!

What the hell are you doing?

What do you think they'll do to him?

What?

Pop. What do you think they'll do to him?

Stockade, court martial, Leavenworth.

Pop's bunk's gonna be empty

for a long time.

Yeah, well, speaking of bunks...

Kuslits won't be needing his anymore,

will he?

I'm sorry he's dead...

but that was not my fault.

Of course not. It's the VC prisoner's fault.

He wouldn't have been dead if you were doing your job.

You have nothing to say about this.

You were not there.

I don't kill human beings.

But he did, doc,

and he'd have killed more if we hadn't have got him.

That's what you do.

Yeah, doc, that's...

that's what I do.

I do that, doc, because I have to.

I wasn't born into it.

Neither was I, and I can't learn it.

Then you shouldn't be here.

None of us should be here.

But we are here, aren't we, doc?

Don't you understand that the only thing

that keeps any of these men alive

are the men that are watching their backs?

Okay.

[SIGHS]

Then what should I have done?

I'll tell you what you should've done, doc.

When they drafted you, you should have gone to jail.

Absolutely not.

I am here to make a contribution.

No.

This was the easy way out for you,

and you're here

because the Nam scared you less than prison.

I have proven I'm not a coward.

To who?

Request permission to speak freely, sir.

Granted.

Why aren't you pressing charges against Private Scarlet?

Are you, uh...

assuming command, colonel?

[SIGHS]

Lieutenant...

in this man's army,

I don't think I'll ever assume anything again.

I'm here because

an Army board of inquiry's been established

to investigate the massacre at Phu An.

I'm counting on your testimony.

You've got it, sir.

Along with the rest of my guys.

I hear Ruiz and Taylor

have been missing for three weeks.

How did you manage to, uh...

pull off a board of inquiry, sir?

Lieutenant Goldman,

colonels don't "manage to pull off" anything.

[CHUCKLES]

I bug the hell out of Congress.

I've got a powerful friend in the Pentagon.

I know where some skeletons are buried.

So you're the enemy?

In a nutshell,

the Army would like this to disappear

as quietly and as quickly as possible.

And what happens when it's all over?

They find a nice...

[CHUCKLES] tiny office with no windows all for me.

Well, colonel, we can always use you back here.

Goldman...

if we kill every single Vietnamese,

we still ain't gonna win the war.

It's time for a different agenda.

We've got to get these body bags off this chopper

and haul them over to Grave Registration.

Well, why in the hell are we out here?

Following orders, Griner.

That's what we do.

This ain't no detail to be on

after you lose a man.

It's like we're being punished.

Stick a sock in it, Griner.

We got work to do.

Why'd LT put us out here?

These are American soldiers, Griner.

Somebody's got to start them on their way home.

Aw, hell.

[PERCELL SCREAMS]

How you doing, Danny?

Tay--

ANDERSON: Ruiz! I don't believe this.

Tay-- Tay-- Taylor!

[♪♪♪]

Good to see you, man!

How are you?

Percell!

I'm transferring you out of the team, doc.

After what happened yesterday,

I can't afford to have you in the unit anymore.

Now, I'm gonna try and have you assigned to a dispensary,

but we won't know until tomorrow.

I never lied to you,

and I never misrepresented myself.

You knew what you were getting from day one.

I know,

and I share some of the blame for what happened yesterday.

Blame?

If you're gonna blame someone, LT,

blame Nixon...

and Johnson, and Kennedy,

and go down through the Congress,

and the Pentagon,

and every career officer who needed a taste of real war,

and then, of course,

don't forget that great majority of sheep

that we call voters in our country

who even allow the situation!

All right, save the flow chart, doc.

They're not responsible.

Just me, huh?

Well, we all make our own decisions.

I understand why you did what you did.

I just don't happen to agree with it.

That's funny.

I agree with it.

I just...

don't understand

how it could have turned out like it did.

Do you mind an opinion?

I think that sometimes...

when ideology and reality collide,

you just can't base your decisions

on the comfortable beliefs of the past.

Then what do you possibly base them on?

Something you can live with for the rest of your life.

It's Kelman, K-E-L-M-A-N,

Michael, Specialist 4.

I understand he was brought

in the 71st Evac with battle wounds.

MAN: Kelman, Spec-4?

Yes.

Look, I want confirmation of his whereabouts.

That's gonna take some time.

Yeah, call me back.

Yes, sir.

You're closing in on 20 years, Scarlet,

so unless you want to receive your pension checks

in Leavenworth,

I suggest you learn to control yourself.

Begging the colonel's pardon,

if I remember correctly,

you'd rather kick my butt yourself

than let Leavenworth do it.

What the hell happened?

Tom...

you had two more stripes last time I saw you.

Just changed shirts is all.

The man's still the same.

That's a frightening thought.

What did you expect, Carl?

A hug?

Some respect.

That's gone.

I lost that at Old Baldy.

You don't understand what happened.

I know what happened.

We got the holy hell chewed out of us

on a damn assault that didn't mean squat,

and you were the guy out front yelling, "Charge!"

Look, man, I took it all the way up the line as far as I could.

We believed in you.

"If Captain Brewster can't do it,

it can't be done."

That's right, and I couldn't.

And a hundred good men died for nothing

on a frozen hill in Korea.

A lot of casualties from that day

have yet to be counted.

[♪♪♪]

How long were you prisoner?

Long enough.

If they gave you those same orders in this war,

would you lead us up that hill again?

No.

[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING]

WOMAN: Hey, GI!

You guys go ahead.

I'm gonna drink somewhere else.

HOCKENBURY: Danny,

something wrong with the air in here

or what?

Come on, man. Let me buy you a beer.

Hey, Hockenbury, why don't you shove off?

Man, come on,

let me drink in peace, huh?

Man, I want to party with you--

Come on, doc. Give us a break here.

Hey, look, man, um...

what do you say I go in there

and buy you a drink,

and we make up?

Okay?

No, thanks, Hockenbury.

I'm...

just not in the mood, huh?

What do you mean

you're not in the mood, man?

You're not in the mood since when?

Huh?

Doc, I am not in the mood since I got the plane over here.

I am not in the mood

since I killed my first human being.

I'm not in the mood since I was on heroin.

I walked you through that nightmare!

I held your hand!

You want to know, then, huh?

You're not in the mood since yesterday morning, right?

Yes, Hockenbury, that's it.

I am not in the mood since you froze up

and I watched a good man die for absolutely nothing!

What the hell do you know, Danny?!

What I did yesterday

took more strength, and it took more self-control

than you will ever have,

and you remember that the next time

that you squeeze off a few rounds

when you hear the bushes rustle!

All right, look, now, come on,

why don't you--? I'm not finished!

Danny!

Danny!

Listen to me!

[♪♪♪]

Let it go.

No!

ANDERSON: Let it go, let it go.

Better just stay down, doc.

Go to hell.

[PANTING]

ANDERSON: Doc, you all right?

SCARLET: I got him, sarge.

Fine. Take care of him.

You know what I'm gonna do tomorrow?

Sure.

You're gonna go into Tan Son Nhut,

surprise Susanna,

and come back with a smile on your face.

You know what I'm gonna do

when I get outta here?

You're gonna go home,

hang out, get caught, and go to prison?

[CHUCKLES]

I'm gonna open a restaurant.

You still got heat stroke, Taylor.

What the hell do you know

about the restaurant business?

Nothing,

but nothing I can't learn.

You gotta learn business.

You gotta know food.

You gotta know people.

You don't think I can do it?

You just gotta be a lot of places

at one time, Taylor.

You mess up anywhere, you go under.

How did you become such an expert?

My uncle opened one up in the Bronx.

Lasted maybe 16 months.

We can do better than that, Ru.

We got to get the money.

Who's gonna loan us the money, Taylor?

We're veterans.

That doesn't mean anything to the bank.

For somebody who just survived

21 days in a hell hole,

you're sure talking like a quitter.

I'd have to run the kitchen.

I'd do the paperwork.

Mess with my recipes,

I'm gonna make you wash the dishes.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[CONVERSING IN VIETNAMESE]

[♪♪♪]

Shh.

Got to go, kid.

[GROANS]

It's past curfew.

VC tax collector's at the bar.

What?

You were supposed to wake me.

What do you mean, wake you?

I don't even know where we are.

Suzie's supermarket of love.

No need to thank me.

Let's just move it, okay?

[MEN LAUGHING]

Take this. I'll get us an AK.

No.

Oh.

[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

[GIGGLES]

[BOTH CONVERSING IN VIETNAMESE]

Okay, you're on your own, kid.

[PATRONS SCREAMING]

Thanks, kid. Now run like hell!

WOMAN: Looking real good.

MAN: Thank you.

Keep going.

Okay?

MAN: Can I help you, colonel?

BREWSTER: Doctor, I'm looking for a Spec-4 Kelman.

Third bed on the left, sir.

Thanks.

Specialist Kelman?

I'm not a specialist anymore.

I gave my rank back.

To whom?

The sinners.

The Army.

Leg injury.

I understand you were very lucky.

Permanent limp.

Shrapnel.

How'd you get it?

God.

God gave you the wound?

As punishment.

For Phu An?

I'm paying my debt.

How?

By limping?

You think those 43 massacred civilians

are any better off because of it?

What would you have me do?

The Army would like to hear the story

from somebody who was there, Kelman.

That's not what God wants from me.

It's a good act...

good act...

but you can stow it.

A simple "no" is sufficient.

I'm a prophet.

I am not a Judas.

They must come to the Lord

in their own time.

You know, if you'd really found God,

then you'd know that it's up to you

to help those that are less fortunate

along the path.

To do anything less is a disservice to all.

[♪♪♪]

[MOUTHING]

McKay.

Yo.

Uh-oh.

From that friendly expression,

I take it you heard.

Yeah, Colonel Stringer told me.

Well, look at it this way, Goldman.

It could be worse.

I could be giving your orders.

You're scaring me, McKay.

And look around you. This place is a ghost town.

Everyone's out on Operation Christopher

in the Phuc Vinh province.

Insertion on my command.

It's Anderson, myself and you.

Here...

here...

and here, all right?

Now, what we're looking for

is Charlie's motorized supply route.

It's based on S-2 intelligence.

Looks like the Redball Express. Yeah.

Don't fool around on me, McKay.

Viking 6, this is Viking 5.

Over.

Viking 6, this is Viking 5.

Over.

GOLDMAN: Six here. Break.

Viking 4, do you copy? Over.

ANDERSON: Four is all ears, 6. Over.

Viking 6, we got tracks.

Maybe 36-, 48-hours old. Over.

What kind of tracks, 5? Over.

Wheels, tires.

Looks like maybe trucks towing howitzers.

Looks like two companies

at least.

Looks like we got foot traffic

all coming from 4 Sector due southwest of here. Over.

Roger, 5. Break.

Sit-rep, 4. Over.

Squeaky clean, 6.

Nothing happening here

you couldn't tell your maiden aunt about. Over.

All right.

Viking 5, follow the trail Sierra-Whiskey.

Break.

Viking 4, adjust,

and rendezvous, one klick, November of Boston-Tiger.

Over.

Four copies. Out.

And Viking 5, roger, out.

Okay, let's move out. Let's go.

Hey, Taylor.

Hey, doc. How you doing?

Good.

Welcome home, man.

Thanks.

So, uh,

you get a clean bill from the medicos?

Close.

We got light duty for awhile.

We get to bunk in the barracks.

That's good.

That's, um...

That's, uh, Kuslits'.

He, um... He's, uh...

learning how to play it,

and Pop was all the time hiding it from him.

Them adjutant-general boys must have missed it

when they took his stuff.

You know, I, um...

I hadn't thought about...

one single other thing for three days.

It's just like my, uh...

My whole...

system of values is just...

scrambled.

You stuck to what you believed in, doc.

What if what I...?

What if what I believed in

is wrong?

You think you should have killed the guy?

No...

but maybe...

there...

are circumstances where you...

you have to...

react.

And either way, you know,

my life was gonna be screwed.

The VC prisoner is dead...

regardless.

I don't know.

Maybe if I just would've...

pulled that trigger, then...

other people would be alive.

That's why

they call it "war," man.

W-A-R, "Waste And Regret."

Three big ones across the chest.

Kid had chance zero.

Know what the kicker on this one was? Hmm.

Kuslits was killed with his own weapon.

SOLDIER: It's a cold world, man.

SOLDIER 2: Yeah, you're telling me.

Specialist-4 Ruiz, good to have you back.

Good to see you.

Thank you, sir. Good to be back.

It's good to see you, too.

Doesn't sound like it.

[CHUCKLES]

I just came back from Tan Son Nhut, sir.

I went to see a friend.

She went home.

You can't blame her

for wanting to rotate back to the States, now.

I don't, sir.

She didn't.

She cracked up.

She flipped, uh,

during, uh, surgery in the OR.

She was pretty messed up.

Had to be sedated.

And you feel...?

Helpless, sir, real helpless.

And we are.

It's tough to...

sit back

and let other people live their lives,

especially when you're an expert

at telling them what to do.

It's a tough line

to draw for yourself, soldier.

Knowing when to bleed

for somebody you care about

and knowing when to pull back.

Think there's an easy way of knowing?

Mm-mm.

Truth is, I don't have a clue.

Sometimes you just have to...

walk away, let it go.

Otherwise you become a martyr,

and you know how insufferable

they can be, huh?

Why don't you write her a letter?

Let her know there's a landmark

that, uh...

doesn't change.

Maybe then she can find a way

back on course.

Hmm?

Thanks.

Yeah.

[♪♪♪]

ANDERSON: Wow, look what we've got here.

All right, hand me the radio.

Viking 6, this is Viking 4.

Over.

Viking 6, this is Viking 4.

Over.

McKAY: Six here.

We're just outside a ville,

three, 400 meters Sierra the river.

Over.

Correction, 4, there is no ville in your area.

Over.

Yes, sir,

but beg your pardon, there is now.

Have you got any movement, 4? Over.

That's a negative, 6.

Place looks deserted to me.

All right, all teams will rendezvous

at 4's location.

Four, until that time,

keep the village under observation.

Do not enter the objective.

Remain out of sight.

Say again,

you are not to enter the objective.

Roger that, 6.

We are located

from Foxtrot-Papa-Red-Zulu

up 2-0-0...

[MEN WHISPERING IN VIETNAMESE]

GOLDMAN: It's deserted, all right.

McKAY: There aren't any animals. The pens are all empty.

We've scouted the perimeter for more than an hour, LT.

There's not a soul in there, but the tire tracks

come right through the middle of the ville.

The damn thing's not on any maps.

S-2 confirms that.

That's because it doesn't exist.

Sir?

Well, look at it.

Not only are there no animals.

There's no dung.

There's no feed.

That's it. That's what's missing. The smell.

All right, sergeant, you flank left.

I'll flank right.

McKay, you go right up the middle.

Check it out hooch by hooch.

Thanks a lot.

You wanted to be here, remember?

Let's do it.

Michael?

Go away!

Go away?

You called me.

You asked me to come back.

I changed my mind.

It's too late.

What's done is done.

This is my house.

Get out!

You pervert this place with your presence.

What?

This place was built for salvation.

You come here to hide.

[♪♪♪]

I have admitted my sins

in the presence of the Lord.

You would allow pain and suffering

for the innocent

while the guilty are allowed to go free.

You are guilty

of the sin of complicity, Michael.

I'm the guilty party.

Along with the rest of your platoon, Michael.

I can't squeal on them.

You can't not squeal on them, Michael.

[♪♪♪]

Six in position. Report.

Four set.

Five set.

GOLDMAN: All right. Go, 5.

Low and slow.

ANDERSON: Left flank moving. We're out.

Percell.

Let's go.

[GEARS WHINING]

What is that, LT?

Get down!

Get down! Get down!

[RUMBLING]

Fall back!

[SOLDIERS SHOUTING]

[MACHINE GUN FIRE]

[SCREAMS]

[TANK SHELL EXPLODES]

Percell, get the LAAW rocket!

Pull back!

SOLDIER: It's at nine o'clock!

[GUNFIRE]

It's coming around!

Get back! Get down!

Heads up, heads up!

Hold it, hold it. Just wait.

Goldman, they got us pinned down!

We need some help!

Radio!

[GUNFIRE]

Fall back, fall back!

GOLDMAN: Viking 4, do you copy?

Viking 4, do you copy?

Anderson.

Anderson!

This is Viking 4. Over.

Four, there's an open trench 15 meters your November.

Do you see it? Over.

I'm gonna blind him with smoke.

Over.

I already know what you're thinking, LT.

I'm in motion.

Scotty, give me all the smoke you've got.

Ammo! I need ammo!

[GUNFIRE]

Coming your way!

[SCREAMS]

[SCREAMS]

GOLDMAN: McKay, pull back!

Go, sergeant!

[YELLS]

[MEN SCREAM]

Medic! Medic!

Why me?

[GUNFIRE]

[GROANS]

Take it to him, Pop!

[GRENADE CLUNKS]

SOLDIER: Fire in the hull!

Come on, kid. Let's didi. Come on.

[GRENADE EXPLODES]

Go, go, go!

[TANK ENGINE GROANS, THEN STOPS]

I understand you've convinced one of Beller's men

to testify at the inquiry.

He kind of convinced himself, general.

You know you're swinging your stick

at a hornet's nest.

Sometimes the truth stings, sir.

I know,

but I would hate to think

all this has been an exercise in vindication.

No, sir.

There was an egregious wrong committed.

Those responsible must be held accountable.

It is the Army way, sir.

Perhaps,

but there are times

when we can do a better job of it ourselves,

without intervention from Congress.

I do understand, general,

but this isn't one of those times

to be swept under the rug, sir.

That's all, colonel.

If I may, sir, I'd like to propose a mission.

Colonel, you do not have a command here,

you do not have a franchise,

and at the moment...

you do not have many friends.

I think the general

might be interested in my proposal.

Why's that?

I stand a greater-than-average chance

of being killed, sir.

You got to be out of your mind.

[MEN TALKING & LAUGHING]

TAYLOR: No way! No, no, no, no.

Not for sale.

No, no, no, no. Percell, look at this.

[MEN LAUGHING]

GRINER: Hey, Pop, sing us some "Red River Valley."

SCARLET: Why would I do that without being ordered to?

[MEN LAUGHING]

[MEN QUIET]

[♪♪♪]

Come on, doc. Take it easy.

SCARLET: Just leave him alone.

SCARLET: Hey, doc, come on.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]