Original subtitles

Hello? Hello.

Yes. Speaking.

No, I...

Oh, yes, yes.

Look, could I call you right back? I...

No, it's not that...

It's just not a convenient...

No.

Yes, I understand, but...

All right.

No, no, no, that's all right.

Do you have the address?

Yes, that's right.

Yeah, I'll be here.

Yes, me too. Bye.

Heh-heh. I mean it.

If I saw you on the street, I'd say, "I know that man."

You have a better memory than I have.

Well, almost 40 years. Thirty-nine years.

You're entitled.

Hey, this is nice.

You're sure I can't get you...? No, no, it's all right.

Well... Hoss Hostrup.

They still call you that?

They still call you Ski?

Nowadays mostly Dr. Barsky.

I liked Ski. Doctor.

I'm a college president.

No fooling?

You haven't done too bad.

What do you do, Carl?

I'm a businessman.

What kind of business?

It's a conglomerate. AGR.

Oh, that's the big leagues.

The Hoss Hostrup I remember.

There was just no way he wasn't gonna knock 'em dead.

Yeah.

You still fly? Not in years.

You were one of the best.

They were gods.

Oh, say, did you ever get my letter?

About the reunion? No.

I know a whole lot of them were never delivered.

I got the addresses from the Air Force.

You can imagine how old they are. Here.

England? Yeah. The old base.

The 323rd Bombardment Squadron.

Oh, see, you could do me a tremendous favor.

You remember a guy, he was in your crew for a while.

Jiggs Quealy?

My God. Is he still alive? I don't know.

He was a tough kid.

The latest address I got for him was right here in Chicago.

So if you could find him and get him to come...

Jiggs Quealy. Mm-hmm.

Listen, I gotta run.

I'll see you in England, right?

Well, I don't know. I-I'm pretty busy.

I'll have to think about it. Aw, don't think about it.

Come, hmm? We need you.

Watch out for the pilot.

Keep your eye on him.

I've got 109 at 3 o'clock.

I see him. I'm on him.

Fighters, 10 o'clock.

Hit! Hit! Yeah, I see him.

Ed! Ed!

Ed! Ed!

Ed, are you all right?

How old are you?

Are you, uh...?

You looking for somebody?

Quealy?

Quealy?

What do you want him for?

Hello, Jiggs.

Couple more eggs?

No. Thanks.

I don't like eggs.

I wouldn't say no to a chaser.

How the hell'd you find me?

I've been trying to remember.

You were still over there, weren't you?

When I got rotated home?

Hoss Hostrup.

Son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch.

Yeah, I was there till...

Shit.

I was on four...

maybe three, four crews after yours.

I think it was the second one we ditched in the Channel.

I got out.

Me and the bombardier. The two of us got out.

From what I remember, a nice kind of guy too.

I think he got killed.

Hey, you gotta hear this.

One crew, I tangled with the copilot, huh?

He stuck me in the guardhouse.

Two whole weeks I didn't have to fly.

I know. That was my copilot.

Yours?

Yeah. Hey, right. Yeah, I remember.

Oh, shit, that was a good crew. A good crew.

The whole group's having a reunion.

I mean, how come you come looking for me?

Do you remember a gunner named Nat Barsky?

I think he was with Ed Taylor's crew.

I guess he's sort of putting this thing together.

What thing? The reunion.

You know, the group? Oh.

Look, if you had to...

Do you suppose you could lay off that?

For a few days?

Who the hell you think you are?

You know, you're 100 percent right.

Jiggs...take care of yourself.

Whatever's left, he'll use up. Right.

Hey, where are you going?

I mean, what? What did I say? Nothing.

Come on, I wanna show you something.

Come on, I wanna show you something.

What? Come on.

Oh, here. Here it is.

Take a look inside.

Come on, Hoss. Come on. It won't hurt you.

Open it up.

Yes. I remember your Silver Star.

How would you like to go to England?

Didn't I tell you you'd love it?

The best thing in the world for you.

Clawing gold out of the Klondike.

Hell on the fingernails.

Okay, let's see all of it.

Look okay? Okay?

Jiggs, we're on our way!

Carl?

Carl?

What? Why, what's the matter?

You was a hundred miles away.

England.

Carl...

can I ask you something? Sure.

You know, like a favor? Sure.

All those guys, coming back and everything...

You know, guys like you, Barsky...

I mean, like...

you know, you're all gonna be kind of looking at each other.

"Hey, how're you doing?"

"Me, hey, I'm in oil, you know."

"There's Louie. Stocks and bonds."

"Jimmy? Yeah, he's here."

"He's doing great. He owns a couple airlines."

Don't worry about it.

Yeah, I mean...

it ain't gonna make no difference to nobody

I mean, if...

nobody knows I'm a rummy, huh?

There'll be some drinking.

Hey, tea.

If I go crazy, maybe a coke.

As far as I'm concerned, you're an independent contractor.

Custodial services.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Whoever heard of a guy like you?

I mean, it's not like we were buddies or something.

You was an officer, I was a dogface.

I was only in your outfit for a while.

I mean...

you've got to be...

We fought a war together, didn't we?

You won a medal of my crew, didn't you?

Thank you very much!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You know what it was we said about them, don't you?

What would that be?

Oversexed, overpaid, and over here.

Ed Cutler. This is my wife.

This is my wife, Mary. Hello, Mary. How are you?

Where do you check in

for this deal?

Over at the church.

Alrighty now...

I think this will start your husband off

talking about his war experiences again, Mrs. Cooper.

I hope this will get it out of his system.

Ah, but then what's he gonna talk about?

As long as it isn't the dear old 332nd.

I don't care. 323rd.

There's Ski.

My God, there's Colonel Bigard.

Yeah. Look, why don't you go ahead?

I'll go-- Come on.

You can't not talk to people you know.

I know.

You get one under your belt,

from there on, it's a piece of cake.

That ain't what I need under my belt.

Uh-uh.

Forget about that. Come on.

I wonder how many

of these fellas

think of the time they put in here

as the best of their lives.

Oh, no two ways about it.

Hey, colonel. Now you remember Carl Hostrup?

Colonel, how are you? Hoss Hostrup.

Best flyer I ever had.

You look just fine. So do you.

Hey.

That isn't Jiggs Quealy, is it?

Himself.

Colonel Bigard.

Hey.

Where the heck you've been all these years, colonel?

Looking for you, Jiggs.

I didn't do it.

Father...

don't believe anything they tell you.

I was in church the whole time.

You was there, remember? Huh?

Jiggs...

you may not have been the best soldier in the army.

Who, me? But you were the fella

that pulled the tail gunner out of Hoss's plane

when he crashed landed, on fire,

with most of the crew shot up and bailed out.

We had to get him out of the guardhouse

to give him his Silver Star.

Right, Carl? That's right.

This just wouldn't have been the same without you being here.

Thank you. Thank you, Colonel.

Hey, great to have you with us, Jiggs.

Come on.

Did you want something?

I was looking for a Mrs. Sally Grant.

Used to be Wells. Yes, that's right.

They told me at the post office that--

She's in the shop. Oh, I see.

Where would that be, back in the village?

No, in Hertford.

Maybe I'll try again later.

Should I say that you called?

No, it's all right.

I'll be going that way in a minute.

If you'd like a lift...

Yes, thank you.

Remember them Polish guys used to come into town?

Yeah, they walked like they were still behind a plough.

Yeah, you're not kidding.

Yes, sir.

Uh, I'd like a...

You got something like a lemonade or something?

Lemonade, sir? Sure, we do.

Uh, hey, mac, can you--?

I'm sorry. Hold the lemonade. I'll take a...

I'll take a scotch.

One scotch. Certainly, sir.

Ice, sir? No.

One Scotch, sir. 65 pence, please.

When I heard the Yanks were coming,

I thought, God, preserve us.

No offense, mind you.

Not much anyway.

Because I'm going to the demo on Sunday

or I'd have cleared out for the weekend.

Sorry.

Are you one of them, then? Yanks?

One of them back for the great reunion.

That's me.

Veteran. The old warrior.

We'll probably get drunk and disorderly

and make fools of ourselves, and be gone before you know it.

What's happening on Sunday?

A big demonstration against the missile bases.

I gather that's something you're interested in.

What's your connection with Sally?

She's my grandmother.

Grandmother?

How do you know her?

What? From the war?

Aw, it's pretty stupid, I guess.

She probably won't even remember me.

Gran?

Well, what are you doing here,

darling?

I brought a friend.

An old pal.

Well, what do you mean you've brought an old--?

This is kind of a dirty trick.

My God.

Is he the one?

Hello, Grandad.

We'll go dancing.

Here, you, out. Out you go.

On your feet.

You're not in America now, you know.

What do you mean? What do I mean?

I mean I want to see you through that door.

Oh, come on. Come on.

These are decent people in here.

What are you doing? Come on.

Daytona?

I've got a daughter who lives in Orlando.

You're not that old. Yes, I am that old.

Thanks, love.

Are you all right?

You've always helped me when I've been down.

I'm not down.

Bloody well right, you're not.

You're sure now?

I can go out there and tell him to buzz off.

Oh, no.

I should've told him you'd moved.

To the Fiji Islands.

Oh, Sheila.

I haven't come over all soft

just because some man I knew 100 years ago shows up.

He's not "some man."

That's right.

Without that man, I wouldn't have you.

You are all right, aren't you?

Oh, come on.

The American connection. I guess I'm it.

What's that make me then? Part Yank?

No more than you were this morning.

No more than what?

Sheila and I were just getting acquainted.

Nice to have met you.

You're leaving? Alas.

Are you going to be late? No, not particularly.

Bye. Bye-bye. Bye.

Are you really that beautiful young man?

Not at all.

Well, at some point, you knew you were pregnant.

I had a right to know.

Did you?

What would you have done?

I'd like to think that I'd have...

Even now you're not sure.

Where is she now?

She was killed.

July the 9th, 1968.

She and her husband.

Motorbike accident.

No. You couldn't tell her much. Not Susan.

You know, you couldn't say be careful to her.

Not that she had a lot of reason to listen to me.

I wasn't around that much, was I?

And God knows I wasn't.

Well, if I'm not to blame, how could you be?

I had to work for a living.

You didn't even know.

23 years old.

Bright girl.

What did she look like?

Like you, Carl.

She was too pretty for her own good.

Okay.

Sheila was 3.

I took her in.

Oh, I know I thought I was being noble.

It was my duty, all that.

But really, in truth...

I wanted to see if I couldn't do something right for a change.

You have a lot to be proud of.

What does she know about me?

You were a soldier. That's about all.

It sounds so...

So ordinary.

But it wasn't.

No, it wasn't.

Well, I've told you about myself.

Now, what about you?

Chicago. Businessman.

Two wives. No children.

Oh that's name, rank and serial number.

Nothing else?

It was a very organized life.

No children.

Did that just happen, or is it something you decided on?

My second wife already had some kids.

I wanted one more, mine. But she didn't.

After a while, I stopped making an issue of it.

And the first?

Am I being too nosy? No.

Oh, hell, we...couldn't.

You're asking me questions

that I'm not sure that I have answers for.

It's not important.

That means you don't give a damn.

If I didn't give a damn, I wouldn't have asked.

I didn't know that.

You were telling me about yourself.

Well, there's not much more to it.

I worked hard. I'm successful.

60 years old, I find that I'm a grandfather.

I had a child.

I have a grandchild who...

doesn't like me very much.

Oh, she's in a men-are-the-enemy phase.

Besides, you're the wicked seducer

who led me down the garden path.

Is that what I did?

I have to go.

What are you doing for dinner?

Oh, cottage cheese and an apple before my exercise class.

You don't need exercise. Oh-ho!

What about tomorrow? Well, I work tomorrow.

Saturday? Yes.

Anyway, aren't you supposed to be doing

whatever it is you do at a reunion?

Isn't that why you came here?

How about breakfast?

You're serious? I think I am.

Well, if you come at 8,

I'll give you bacon and eggs and a coffee.

Goody.

And if you're too hung over, don't worry about it.

I'll quite understand.

That's a very civilized invitation.

Only make that tea. I remember the coffee.

1-9-5-3.

Hey, lieutenant?

Hey, Hoss?

It's Joe Szyluk.

Joe!

Hey, it really is, isn't it?

Great. Yeah.

Have you seen the other guys?

I haven't seen anybody. Where are they?

They're just down there. Come on.

Willy, I'll see you in a couple of minutes.

I was kind of hoping that Kenny Donegan would be here.

Do you remember him?

That was some good crew, huh?

Come on, let's go.

Holy smokes, he's here.

Hoss!

If you're not a sight for sore eyes!

Duffy, how are you?

Well, at least you recognized me!

Hey, now who do you think this guy is?

George.

How're you doing, Hoss?

Who knows, George?

Just trying to keep her straight and level.

Say hello to the wife. Mrs. Kloss.

I sure have heard a lot about you.

You didn't believe any of it, I hope.

Why? You sounded real great.

Well, in that case, it's all true.

George always said--

He said you were the best pilot in the whole war.

So, what did he tell you about his copilot?

I believe he said you were a little reckless.

Isn't that what you said, George?

Mr. Hostrup? Oh, thank you.

You got a minute, Joe? Yeah, sure.

I'll see you all at dinner, huh?

Hey, where're you going, Hoss?

The colonel wants to ask me how to win the war.

Can you make it? It's about two blocks.

He's fine.

Maybe I ought to-- They don't want you there.

You're sore at me.

It's all my fault. I should've stuck with you.

Okay? Let's go.

Hey, you remember that guy?

What's his name?

Doerflinger? Oh, yeah. Fred Doerflinger.

Fred Doerflinger.

He had a picture of Betty Grable over his bunk.

Rita Hayworth. Whoever.

He said he met her

and she told him to look her up after the war.

Can you imagine Fred Doerflinger

and Rita Hayworth?

Rita Hayworth.

Those were the days. Shit.

Is that a fact? Best.

War and all, huh? You're goddamn right.

God, you haven't changed a bit, Quealy.

You were an asshole then too. Yeah.

Carl, how am I gonna get upstairs?

We'll walk you up. Someone'll see me.

So you tied one on. So what?

No, no, no. Say I was sick, will you?

Carl, please, don't tell them I was drunk, huh?

Just say I was sick. Okay.

It was something you ate. Bad ice.

That will be 2 pounds, plus a pence, sir.

There you go. Thank you.

That's all right.

Ah, here we go. Yes, sir.

What I remember, like yesterday,

is the feeling, the atmosphere, in the briefing room

when they told us we were going to Berlin.

That was the worst moment of my life.

Yeah.

A lot of men got killed.

And yet here we are.

Why?

What are we celebrating?

A great period in our lives.

Do you know why?

Yes, sir. Because we were--

Because we were young.

You got any family, Duff?

Yeah. Couple of kids.

One lives in the Denver area and the other one...

She kind of...

Well, the last time I heard,

she was out in California with some cult or other.

Your wife, she didn't wanna come?

No, not really.

Hey, George, you got any kids?

Three.

Seven grandchildren.

How do you think I could leave the farm?

Well, from what I read,

farming ain't that great these days.

We're going broke producing too much food

in a world of hungry people.

Mm-hmm.

Well, I was 17 years at Jones and Laughlin.

That's a steel mill.

I was foreman the last eight.

Now, July '81, they laid me off.

You know, the wife works, so that helps.

When I heard about this thing, I said,

"Look, there's no way I'm gonna get over there."

And my wife kicked my tail and she said, "Joe, go!

Tomorrow'll take care of itself."

Good for her.

Do you remember the cute ass...

on the daughter of that guy who owned that...

farm that was down the road from here?

That was Sally.

Sally Wells.

Sally Wells, right?

And she was one of those uniformed farm volunteers.

Sally.

Now the truth, Hoss.

The two of you were some kind of item then, right?

Did you ever get into that?

A shitpotful of guys wanted to.

The last time a guy asked me that question,

I took a poke at him.

Hey, that was Kenny Donegan.

I thought he was your closest buddy.

We were.

It was the day I shipped out.

He came over to say goodbye and...

he said, "Before you go, it's been killing me.

Did you ever get into her pants?"

Jesus, Hoss. I remember that.

You really clobbered him.

I never saw him after that.

Hell of a way to say goodbye to a friend.

I was hoping he'd be here so I could...

tell him I'm sorry.

I'll betcha he's here.

You know, Hoss, you look like a prosperous man to me.

I'm with AGR Industries. Chicago.

Big company.

Big company.

I think I've heard of them. Probably have.

They have divisions.

They make everything from fertilizer to tennis racquets.

Well, what do you do there?

I don't do anything there, Joe.

I'm kidding you.

I did.

Up until a few months ago, I was a division president.

Cushy as it comes, right?

I resigned.

At my level, they don't fire you.

They ask you for your resignation.

My wife was sensitive about it, though.

She waited a few weeks before she walked out on me.

Well, what the hell happened?

It's called arithmetic.

They were paying me $100,000 a year. Plus bonuses.

They hired two kids out of business school,

pay them 35 grand a piece... bingo!

They save themselves $30,000.

At least you have a skill.

If the industry ever picks up, I mean...

who's going to hire a 60-year-old executive?

I wouldn't.

Hi. Good morning, Mrs. Clinch.

Good morning.

Good morning, Carl.

You're out bright and early.

Well, I jogged two miles already.

I was gonna say I don't believe you,

but I'm afraid I do. Ha!

I'm gonna see if we can go visit

the old airfield and the cemetery.

Wanna drive out with me? Yeah.

Fine. I'll meet you here at 3:00.

Right.

Hi, gentlemen. Good morning. How're you doing?

Hey, I wonder what he smokes.

Hey.

You are looking better.

I feel better.

Yeah, I feel a lot better.

I'll bet you don't get fresh chives with your eggs.

After I left,

did you ever go out with a pilot named Kenny Donegan?

I didn't go out with anybody after you left.

Not for a long time.

Who's this? Who's what?

This.

Oh, well, that's Sheila,

yours truly,

and that's a friend.

Or an ex-friend.

Yours? Yes, mine.

What can I do?

Well, you can drink your juice and pour the tea.

You know, I was thinking...

if you had tried to find me...

it might not have been so simple.

I didn't want to find you.

I made my decision, and that was that.

It wasn't easy for me. No, I can imagine.

Depriving a father of his child.

Do you really think that was what I was doing?

Deliberately depriving you of your child?

Well, maybe you were just trying to make it simpler for me.

Not backing me up against a wall.

Eat your eggs.

How could you be so sure that I wouldn't have...?

Well, you knew me pretty well.

You knew how I felt about you.

Oh, stop it, Carl.

Why are you doing this? Why go into all this now?

I was 18 years old.

I had to make my decisions by myself.

And I made them.

And you want to tell me now that I did the wrong thing?

You know...

there were so many guys.

I'm still amazed that I was the one who...

Won the heart of the fair maiden?

Yes, damn it.

I thought you were a gentleman.

I was.

An officer and a gentleman, by an act of congress.

You were the most beautiful young man I ever saw.

: You were trying so hard

to pretend it wasn't happening,

and all I wanted to do was die.

That's all. Just die.

Well, you were sick but you weren't that sick.

: Oh! Oh, I was so ashamed!

A girl dresses up

in every pathetic scrap of finery she owns

and swamps herself with some tuppenny-ha'penny perfume,

and practices in front of a mirror

how to be so incredibly sophisticated

he wouldn't be able to resist her,

and then...

...then she has three gins,

and ends up with him holding her head

while she's sick in the road!

In the absolute middle-- What do you call it?

The crown of the damned road!

Oh, God, what a night!

Oh, I was sure you'd never want to see me again.

I was so sure that there wasn't another girl in the world

who looked so pretty throwing up.

It can't be that bloody funny at 9:00 in the morning.

Oh my God, look at the time.

Oh, I haven't done the dishes.

Oh, I'll do them. Oh thanks, love.

Well...

I'm sorry, but I do have to go.

Business is business.

I can't remember when I've laughed so much.

Neither can I.

Thanks for breakfast.

Anytime

you're in the neighborhood.

Best offer

I've had in a while.

Bye. Bye.

Bye, love. Bye.

Oh, Sally.

You know about the dance tonight?

Yes, I heard there was some big do.

Will you be my date?

Is that what they say in America?

I'd love to be your date.

Be nice!

Tea? No, thank you.

Can I help you clean up?

If you like.

So, what was it like then? Old times?

It was different.

I had a lot to think about last night.

How would you like to go for a ride with me this afternoon?

Where to? Why? Does it matter?

Tell you what.

I'll go with you this afternoon

if you come with me after breakfast.

Come where?

Why? Does it matter?

Morning, Lee. Morning.

So how do you like it?

Is it always this busy?

We're getting ready for the demonstration tomorrow.

Oh? And where is that? Greenham Common.

It's one of yours.

It's one of my what? One of your missile bases.

Oh? And what's the nature of this demonstration?

You're not there to show support.

I can understand that. Oh, good for you.

You're asking them not to litter up the countryside?

We're not asking them anything.

We're telling them to go home.

And take their missiles with them.

That's the idea.

You're a pacifist. I'm against war.

I'm against war.

I guess I believe in defending myself.

The way your chaps burned down

villages in Vietnam to save them.

My chaps?

Do you take personal responsibility

for everything that every Englishman does?

Anywhere? Ireland?

Or are you just against American weapons?

Against Americans?

I'm against all nuclear weapons.

Yours happen to be on my doorstep.

Well, I guess you have the right to say,

"We don't want them. Get them out of here."

Thank you.

I'm sorry, but I've got work to do.

Somebody'll be going to Fairborough in a bit.

They'll drop you.

I thought we had a date this afternoon.

I know you're busy, but I don't have much time.

I'll work until 2.

Perfect.

Why don't I call Sally and ask her to come with us?

She's working. She's all alone.

What do you care all of a sudden?

I'm sorry.

Oh, Dr. Barsky. Nathan.

This is Sheila...

I've asked her to come with us.

Sheila Sawyer.

I'm just gonna run and make a phone call.

Okay.

Thank you.

Just bring it at level.

Bring it at level.

Commandants at 10 o'clock.

There's four. Affirmative.

I'm coming round.

Over your head!

He's right behind you!

My engine's on fire. Ed Taylor! Ed Taylor!

Come on, you guys,

get out of there.

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

See that plane over there? The AT-6?

More dreams have been made and broken in that plane.

I'll tell you.

I know now why I never came back here before.

Gloomy place.

The Acropolis, the Taj Mahal,

the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

None of them was as glorious as this place

when you got back out from a mission.

Did they make the doctors fly then?

No, I was fresh out of high school.

How old are you? 19.

Oh, 19.

I had my 19th birthday right here.

Besides, I'm not that kind of a doctor.

When you first came over to the house two weeks ago,

I almost didn't recognize you.

The Ski I knew was--

Well, he was a loner and quiet.

To be honest with you,

you didn't leave much of an impression.

How come all this, you know,

college president, lecture tours--?

Well, it was there.

It was hiding. It sure was.

Well, until I went in the Army,

I'd never been out of our neighborhood.

Where I grew up, it was 100 percent Jewish.

So in the Army, I was like...

a stranger in a strange land.

I can remember towns...

Kingman, Arizona. Lubbock, Texas.

Like the old joke:

: "But ain't you ever seen

a Yankee?"

: Only it was no joke.

So I decided, "You do not open your mouth."

I'll tell you something, I never told anybody.

While we were pulling missions,

I was afraid. I mean, afraid.

Everybody was afraid.

I didn't know that.

You want to know what I was really afraid of?

Terrified.

I was afraid that, in my fear...

I'd disgrace myself.

That I'd screw up and get my crew killed.

And then they'd say, "Ahh!

What do you expect from a Jew? Heroism?"

If that's how you really felt, then you were a hero.

And you thought he was quiet?

Well, look who we have here.

Who's this?

Come on, I'll introduce you.

Hello. Hello, love.

Someone looking after the shop for you?

Yes.

Ski, you remember Sally Wells?

Uh, Sally--

Oh, I certainly do.

How are you, Sally? Ski?

Nat Barsky, 40 years on.

Oh, yes, of course.

Have you been here before? Well, you know I haven't.

Well, let me show you around. All right.

Sheila is her granddaughter. Sweet kid.

Tough.

Well, that's the chapel down there.

I expect you've seen that a lot of times.

No, never. Oh, would you like to?

Yes. Yes, I'd love to.

"Gave their lives in the service of their country

and who sleep in unknown graves."

Did you know Ray Benson?

Sure.

"Eddie Chester."

"Art Cooper."

"Kenneth A. Donegan."

Sorry.

What for?

If you can't cry for them, who can you cry for?

I'm glad you came. Me too.

An afternoon with a bunch of sentimental old men?

You don't trust sentiment.

Do I?

I...don't think I've even thought about it.

It's even more impressive this time than I remember it.

You don't like it.

It glorifies war.

I like it when you say what's on your mind.

You know, it's hard not to wonder.

Here we are, two men, I suppose it's fair to say

of reasonably solid achievement.

We've lived full lives, rich lives.

What might some of these fellows have added

if they'd been spared?

You know, given the kind of opportunities we were given?

How much human potential, do you suppose,

was buried in these graves?

"Human potential?" Does that matter?

Um, you're saying that what they might have achieved

if they'd lived isn't important.

What I'm saying is...

I don't think this is the time or the place.

No, that's all right.

If this man's death is a tragedy,

it's not because of what he might have been,

but of what he was.

He might have achieved something.

But what about him?

His Mum? His Dad? His Lover?

Do you think they cried because now he wasn't going

to be the bloody President?

I'll walk back

to the hotel, Ski, thanks.

See you later.

Well, what do you think? What about?

That's probably more Americans than you've seen

in a short lifetime of trashing Americans.

They're all right.

But shall I tell you what I really think about them?

I think you're going to.

Even when they're remembering their dead,

they're either too insensitive or too stupid to know

the evil that's being done in their names.

Like preserving a way of life

that you and your slogan-spouting friends

find pretty damn comfortable.

I mean like getting ready to blow up the human race.

What's the matter with you people?

There's a cemetery back there full of young men,

and all you can think about is bombs.

Any problem in the world, send the troops.

Send guns. Kill somebody.

Blow us all up. I think you're all insane.

No, you don't. Because you don't think at all.

If you ever had an honest-to-God idea of your own,

you wouldn't know what to do with it.

You're all mouth, kid.

You're full of crap, is what you are.

Why don't you come?

You can come along later.

No, thank you.

Well, why not, Sheila? Why not?

Not with him there. Not with any of them.

Well, it's only a dance.

I don't know how they can have a dance

after everything today.

It'll be like dancing at a funeral.

Oh, you take everything too seriously.

Did you take the war seriously?

Yes. Of course I did, everybody did.

So seriously, you went to bed with him.

Yes, it was serious. Love is a very serious thing.

If it was love, that is.

Oh, you're too young to know.

I'm the same age as you were then.

Well, you grow up quickly in a war.

There is a war,

that's what nobody seems to realize.

The old men are still at war, don't you understand?

Anyway, the most serious thing is death.

I like the dress.

Oh God, it's awful.

No, it isn't.

Yes it is. Look at it.

Why, it's perfectly all right.

No, it's no good at all.

Well, I shan't go, that's all.

What's the matter with it?

It's all wrong. No, I'm not going.

I don't want to make a fool of myself.

Gran, what's the matter?

I'm frightened.

What are you frightened of?

Come on, let's have a look at you.

You look just like mummy.

Oh, hi. Good evening, Sally.

You look lovely. Sure does.

Sally, you know my friend Jiggs Quealy.

No, I don't think so. Oh, yeah. Hi, Sally.

Well, you remember George Kloss?

Well, I'll be darned. Pleased to see you, ma'am.

Oh, and Joe Szyluk.

Boy, you two still look great together.

That was wonderful, wonderful. Outstanding.

Before we do anything else, I know we all,

all of us who've come back,

want to thank our Fairborough friends

for their first-rate hospitality.

Somebody told me, this is going back a few weeks,

somebody told me that not everybody in this town

was real excited about us coming back here.

And I told them, I said,

"Believe me, you don't have anything to worry about.

"These guys are in bed with a glass

of warm milk by 9 o'clock."

Speak for yourself, Colonel.

At ease.

Now I would like to turn this over

to the one man, who more than any other individual,

put in all the hard work to make this reunion

such a really outstanding success.

Our own Staff Sergeant, now Doctor, Nathan Barsky.

Wow. Thank you.

Thank you all for being here.

Oh, I have a hunch that you would agree with me

that what we want to do is enjoy ourselves,

laugh a little, cry a little.

How about drink a little?

But what we don't want to do

is listen to a lot of speeches.

You said it!

I just want to say that...

over the years,

I've had the privilege of being involved

with a good many functions like this

that bring people together.

Not one, ever, has meant more to me

than this reunion has.

Now, of course, I know we're all here

to renew old friendships.

But I think that there's something more than that.

I looked it up.

Of all the air crews that were stationed here,

less than one 10th survived the war.

So that by coming here, inevitably,

we remember our comrades who died in battle.

We remember their names.

We picture their faces.

And when we do that, we do something important.

Because...

we share just a small portion of the lives we cherish,

cling to, with those very young men

who so long ago...

so long ago...

so reluctantly...

laid their lives down.

Thank you.

Freddie... Freddie Gaunt, ladies and gentlemen.

Freddie Gaunt, bringing you the sort of music

that will bring your memories back.

You young people have a good time.

I heard about your argument with Sheila this afternoon.

She keeps her guard up,

but I think I'm getting a few in.

You make it sound like a fight.

That's what it is.

Until two days ago, you didn't know she existed.

I don't see why it matters so much.

You didn't see her face.

It was as if I had hit her.

She'll get over it. She's a child.

Yeah.

She just can't resist my charm.

I know the feeling.

I could wring your neck.

God, what a waste.

Oh, Carl. Please.

It's just easier for me to blame you than to admit that...

I had it all!

I walked away from it. Away from you.

Yes. You did.

I'm sorry.

Remember me? I'm the drunk you tossed out yesterday.

"Throw the bum out." Know why I was drunk?

No, I don't, and I don't care either.

Oh, you don't care, huh? I'm an alcoholic.

You're looking at one, an alky.

It's amazing, ain't it? Amazing.

Down the hatch, pal.

Relax. Ginger ale.

You're doin' good, old buddy.

I must leave now.

We can still get a drink

at the hotel. What about it?

Oh, Sally-- Yes?

Jack and I are leaving now. Can we give you a lift?

No.

Yes. Thanks.

I won't be a minute.

They go my way.

It's been fun.

I don't want you to go.

But it's late. Do you think this is Chicago?

We're country-- Stay with me.

Don't go home tonight.

Carl... Please.

Well, there's no war. And we're not kids.

Stay with me.

Carl...

Carl...

Let's drink too much and ride a train and act crazy.

And be sick in the middle of the road?

Sure. Maybe. Why not?

I'm asking you.

But I can't just...

This is a village. I live here.

What about-- What? My house?

We'll go to London. The Savoy.

I haven't been to the Savoy in-- That's too far.

Anyway the last train went about an hour ago.

All right. We'll go to that little inn in Cambridge.

We'll take your ca-- No. We'll go in a taxi.

Only way to go, Sally, in style.

Sally, are you ready?

No ride. Thanks.

I've changed my mind.

Who would believe it?

Just like old times.

This whole thing

is incredibly romantic.

If nothing else, who has an adventure at our age?

What's incredible is that

40 years have passed.

Something happened to time.

For a while it got lost. Or confused.

Not anymore.

Do you know that I used to think about killing myself?

What happened to that beautiful young man?

He blew it. I'm sorry.

So am I.

Why am I telling you things

that I would never tell anyone else in a million years?

I don't threaten you.

So you say things.

You make it sound like it's all going to go away.

Like the sun'll come up and we'll put on our clothes

and go outside and nothing's different.

We'll have a wonderful memory.

I want to stay with you.

I want to watch Sheila become a woman.

I want to help her.

God knows I don't know how.

How does a grandfather-- Carl.

I want to make it up to her.

All I need is a little time.

There must be some way that I can--

It's not Sheila.

Sheila's all mixed up about you.

She doesn't know what to make of you.

I am the problem, though, Carl.

Well...

I guess this one's on me.

No.

No, you've given me something so precious.

No big deal.

Carl, my life's in order.

Your "life is in order"? what does that mean?

What about my life?

What's that got to do with anything anyway?

I'm not trying to change your life.

Listen to yourself.

I wanted to say those same words to you...

40 years ago...

But it's different now.

I'm different now that I'm here.

I'm asking you...

What am I asking?

What am I talking about anyway? Do you know?

Oh, it's okay.

It's okay.

One has to go all the way back to 1945

to find a time when we were united,

when our island people truly pulled together.

Well, of course it was wartime.

But it isn't simply war, is it? That unites us.

There must have been some unique quality about that war.

What it was, of course is, it was the last good war.

It's the last time we were all agreed

about a very important aspect of war,

who the enemy is.

Maybe we'll never be all together about that again.

Maybe the day of the good war is over.

Maybe in international affairs,

good and evil, right and wrong,

all over, finished, done.

One man's terrorist

is another man's freedom fighter.

But those of us who remember

1939 to 1945,

what testimony we can give to the human spirit.

Amen.

Good morning. Good morning.

You didn't find what you were looking for?

Joe, if you think I know what I'm looking for...

Well, there's not too much of that around.

You know, people who know what they're looking for.

That was fun last night. Yeah, it was a good party.

Boy, did I get wasted.

You know, I used to drink like that,

get up the next morning at 6 o'clock,

do a full day's work,

and not think a damn thing about it.

Gettin' old, Hoss.

What, do you want to live forever?

Well, sure, don't you?

Joe, how come we never kept in touch?

I mean, we just let the whole thing go. I--

Well, why would we?

If it wasn't for the war, where would two guys

like you and me ever meet?

Yeah.

Good to see you, though, Carl.

Hey, guys.

Wait for me, will you?

Get out before the plate comes around, right?

I'll tell you, over the years,

I eat so many of them church dinners,

Christmas, Thanksgiving,

I figure my heartfelt gratitude

make so many of them church folks happy,

there ain't hardly no way they can pay their debt to me.

A real benefactor, huh? In my way, in my way.

But I ain't afraid to admit

I went in there to say something today,

I don't think I said before in my whole life:

"Thank you, Lord."

Something special?

I don't know, maybe I'm a new man.

See what you done, Carl? What's going on?

I don't know, Carl.

All of a sudden it's a different ball game.

I feel real great. You know what I mean?

Kind of like, strong.

Sounds good.

Like last night?

I come right out and said it:

"I'm an alcoholic." I never done that before.

Congratulations.

I hope you mean that, Carl.

Well, by that I mean is...

I know you wasn't doin' real great,

at least 'til you saw your friend Sally,

so givin' me a helpin' hand

when I was lower than a snake's belly

made you feel like a real sport.

Well, that's all right.

I mean, there's nothin' wrong with it.

Take it any way you can get it.

That's what I say. You know what I mean?

But, Carl, if I ain't down any longer...

You see what I mean?

Yes, I do.

I do see what you mean.

Yes sir, I woke up this morning

and I laid there thinkin' "Jiggs, it ain't the same.

"New ball game.

"You're gonna get out of bed

"and look it right in the eye.

You ain't done that in 30 years."

30 years.

There goes my finest

achievement.

He'll be back on the sauce in a week.

Could we go someplace where we could talk for a minute?

Did you get enough kicks yesterday?

I don't usually talk to people like that.

Why am I any different?

If I could take it back, I would. It won't happen again.

You're right it won't, 'cause I won't let it.

Sheila, I just want to say goodbye.

It's not going to take-- Go home!

All right? Just go home! The whole bloody lot of you!

And take your Cruses with you because we don't want them!

What's the matter with you? What's the matter with me?

Yes! Goddamn it, with the whole lot of you!

All of you!

Take a look.

The enemy.

How long has it been since you've seen him?

I mean, really seen him?

Take a good look.

Well, what do you think?

Do I look like somebody who wants to blow up the world?

She thinks I do.

Damn it, stop thinking that all Americans are goons and idiots!

There are probably as many people in my country

who don't want weapons lying around

as there are in yours. Maybe more.

I'm not saying they're right.

Maybe those weapons are keeping the peace

exactly as they say they are.

But there's one thing I do know.

You're wrong.

You're wrong when you lump together

every damned thing you don't like

and call it American.

If you know me and don't like me, fair enough.

But if you don't know me and don't like me,

that's just damned foolishness.

Come on down before you hurt yourself.

Hurt myself?

All I want you to do is to come down

and have a cup of tea, and you'll feel better.

All right? Thank you.

Come on, sit down. No, I'm fine.

All right. I have to leave.

I think you need someone to look after you.

This is where I went to school.

I don't think I minded all that much

not having a mother and father,

until the other kids found out.

Sheila, at your age,

You don't think about what...

I'm not doing this very well,

but I'm trying to explain what you...

The fact of you, your existence means to me.

I'm proud of you.

That's crazy, isn't it?

I have zero to do with who you are...

You do not have zero to do with who I am.

You're my grandfather.

I'm your flesh and blood.

I have no right to ask you for anything,

but you know the greatest thing you could do for me?

No. What?

Have lots of children.

And when they're old enough,

tell that about their American great-grandfather.

Their strange American great-grandfather.

Who stands on the furniture and gives passionate speeches.

Are you rich? Am I rich?

Well, aren't you a rich American?

I have some money. You want some?

No.

I think you're rich. Me?

You have friends, something to believe in.

You have all of English history

to give you a sense of tradition and continuity.

There is one more thing that I would like to add

to your assets.

You have a grandfather who...

He doesn't know how to show it, but...

Can you get to love somebody that fast?

So what do they call a grandfather in America?

Hell, I don't know. Gramp?

How about Gramp?

Well that sounds old, doesn't it?

"How ya doin', Gramp?"

How ya doin', Gramp?

Well, you've got things to do.

A world to save.

Don't laugh at me, it's too easy to laugh.

Besides, I've a new responsibility now.

A grandfather shows up, walks into my life.

Don't you think I might feel something about that as well?

It doesn't happen every day.

I never thought of myself as a responsibility.

You were right. I am rich.

But you have something I wish I had.

It's yours.

You can remember a time when there wasn't a bomb.

That's pretty great.

Before your war,

no one could destroy the world in 60 seconds.

Just look at this.

It's an American airbase.

The tower has a missile guidance system.

We believe they have Cruse missiles there.

They don't admit it, obviously.

It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life.

It can't defend us...

Simply makes us a target.

What a con.

I hate it.

Ever time I hear one of those things,

I get a knot in my stomach wondering if...

But it must be a wonderful feeling when you're up there.

Are you a terrific pilot?

Me?

I couldn't fly one of those things

if my life depended on it.

But you used to be great, didn't you?

For a steam airplane pilot? Not too shabby.

You can still fly, though, can't you?

Damned if I know. I'd know!

I should think that when you're sort of, you know...

down, when you're down...

if I just knew how to fly...

Well, anytime I was down, I'd just fly.

It must be like being God!

Where are you going now?

I'm late for the demonstration. I have to get back.

I'll drop you in town, though.

Drop me off at the airfield.

Why? Don't you have to leave soon?

Just drop me off at the airfield, will you.

Here?

Here's fine.

I'll see ya.

Will I? Sure.

Gramp?

You'll see me.

Now you go on. Good luck.

Where have you been?

With him. He's wonderful!

Who is? My grandfather!

I don't believe it. Okay if I have an apple?

No, it is not o-- He's a man. I know.

He's an American!

What happened last night?

We went to Cambridge.

I thought so.

You like him, don't you?

Yes, of course I do.

You know what I mean. Oh, Sheila, don't be silly.

Are you going to see him again?

No.

No, he's gone home. Or he's about to.

No, he hasn't.

He's gone flying.

How do you know? Bye.

Be careful.

Everybody, back in one hour!

One hour, please! We have a train to catch.

I can't figure where he could've got to.

Look, will you stop worrying?

Hoss is a big boy. He'll get home.

Are you kidding? Without me taking care of him?

Let's see if our hut is still there.

This is it.

Carl!

Hey. Hey, guys! It's Hoss!

He's in there! Hoss!

He's in there! Where're you goin'?

Still the best flyer I ever had.

In Greenham Common today,

thousands of women are encircling

the American Nuclear Base,

protesting against the arrival of Cruse Missiles.

The campaign for nuclear disarmament

is expecting that this will be the largest

anti-nuclear demonstration seen at this site.

The key installation

and overall defense network of NATO.

Police reports indicate this demonstration is peaceful...

and so far without incident.

CND say that this will be the first of many demonstrations

they propose to stage at this site.

Greenham Common.

Intercept, intercept!

It's him!

It's my grandfather! It's my grandfather!

Please come with us, sir.

I'll put the coffee on.

You make that tea and it's a date.