"(imam chanting)" "(people chattering)" "(clerk) AII right. 2:30 tomorrow." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "Thanks, Sergeant." "Report of horse rations, Thirtieth Hussars." "RegimentaI and general files." "Now, each of these buttons represents troops." "Do you understand?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "The buttons are thickest up near the Northwest Frontier." "Oh, yes, always." "We have 300 million people to protect." "And most of the danger is there." "It's so romantic to a greenhorn like me." "KipIing and all that, you know." "Romantic?" "well, at first, yes." "A-another button to move." "41st BengaI Lancers." "Here, near the pass." "The pass?" "Does that mean" "It means nothing but maneuvers." "As col." "Stone says in his report here." "(gun firing)" "You hear that firing, hamilton?" "typical sniping fire, sir." "Yes, and Afridi muskets every one of them." "Not a shot from our detachment." "Good." "Hendrickson's a good soldier." "Rough on him, having those Afridi swine popping away at his men and not able to return fire." "well, he'II get a citation if this plan works." "plan's good enough, sir, if it were anybody but Mohammed Khan." "(sighs) He's a clever dog." "Yes, of course he is." "I ought to know." "But he's nibbling at our bait this time." "And if we can once draw him down out of those hills far enough, out into the open so that we can cut off his retreat, we've got him red-handed!" "And that's what I've been waiting for, for 15 years, hamilton." "(horse hooves clattering)" "(gun firing)" "Afridi swine." "When do we go into action, Hendrickson?" "On no account return fire." "col." "Stone's orders." "colonel's orders." "Narain Singh." "Now can we start something?" "colonel's orders, McGregor." "But the old fool couldn't have foreseen this." "I'd Iike to have you with me in a war, but for peace time, you're a bit too" "(gunshot)" "Too..." "Too impulsive." "(bullet ricocheting)" "(blows whistle)" "Machine guns!" "(speaks Hindi)" "(blows bugle)" "(soldiers chattering)" "(machine guns firing)" "(McGregor) Forward!" "(guns firing)" "(soldiers shouting)" "(guns firing)" "(gunfire continues)" "(soldiers shouting)" "Most unfortunate, the command devolved upon you." "Of course you didn't know my orders." "I did know them, sir." "Why didn't you obey them?" "You call yourself a soldier?" "That's all." "The colonel knows India, McGregor." "You don't." "You're right, I don't." "I'm just a fool Scotch-Canadian." "Came into your outfit to get action." "He's got a ramrod for a backbone." "He's a terror for drilling, but when it comes to the real thing" "McGregor, the colonel has the right to act as he thinks best and say what he pleases." "(leader) Mount!" "(man excIaiming)" "One more thing, sir." "Two replacements come in today from delhi." "Paperwork." "When we came into the regiment as boys, we didn't know that this was 9l10ths of soldiering." "No." "We thought and acted rather like McGregor." "Mmm." "What about these two replacements?" "What are they sending to us now?" "From the blues:" "Lt. Forsythe." "The blues, eh?" "well, that's a fashionable regiment." "AII spit and polish." "Who's the other one?" "From Sandhurst:" "Lt. Stone." "What?" "From Sandhurst?" "What, they're sending me a young cub, not dry behind the ears yet?" "Unseasoned?" "Straight from, fr-from military college to the Frontier?" "Oh, bless me." "Hmm, what'd you say his name was?" "donald Stone, sir." "Hmm." "And who asked you to interfere in my personal affairs?" "will you forget that you're my colonel for a moment, sir?" "Yes." "Look here, Tom." "In about two years, you'II be retired." "So you sent for my son because you feel sorry for me, is that it?" "Not at all." "The idea was to keep the name of Stone in the 41st after you're gone." "There's no room for sentimentality in the army." "hardly fair to ship him home without a trial." "(mumbling)" "still, he'II measure up to my standards, or out he goes." "Of course." "And at the first sign of favoritism, from you or anyone else, there'II be trouble." "(colonel) And that's an order, Maj. hamilton." "Just as you said, Major." "It's the colonel's privilege to do and say what he likes." "McGregor, you'II meet the two replacement officers this morning." "Lts." "Forsythe and Stone." "Yes, sir." "S-Stone?" "His son." "His what?" "I said, his son." "(chuckles)" "I can't imagine old Ramrod ever having been that human." "The train arrives at 10:30, Mr. McGregor." "Yes, sir." "(door closes)" "Madam, you'II marry me Tuesday the 29th." "Be at the church at 10:00." "That's an order." "Furthermore, you're improperly dressed." "Ha, Ha." "Did you want to speak to me, McGregor?" "No, sir." "(train horn tooting)" "(bells clanging)" "(people chattering)" "I hope he's a nice follow." "He won't be." "Ramrod." "I beg your pardon?" "One Stone isn't enough." "We have to have two." "(speaking Hindi)" "There he is, the younger Ramrod himself." "Everything was all right?" "Thank you, sir." "CouIdn't be anybody else." "Just as sure of himself as..." "Look at the way they jump around for him." "Look at his luggage, everything just so-so." "well, come on, Iet's get it over with." "No, I've got a little business." "You get your precious replacements." "(people chattering)" "I'm McGregor, Lancers, sent to meet you." "Oh, sort of reception committee, eh?" "It's nice to know I was expected." "The regiment's been practically breathless for a week." "Oh?" "traveling light, huh?" "(speaking Hindi)" "well, you see, I did expect to stay a little while." "That is if you don't mind too much." "It's all right with me." "Goodbye." "And thank you very much for being so kind." "Not at all." "(Stone) Your luggage and everything all taken care of?" "(Leys) Everything, thank you." "May I present Mr. McGregor, Miss Leys?" "Very happy." "How do you do?" "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "(people chattering)" "Who's she?" "I met her on the train, if you don't mind." "Bad business talking to strange people out here." "You know, this is India." "You don't know who they are, and you might" "Oh, I see." "beautiful spy meets the young Lancer officer, makes him give away important military secrets." "The Empire goes smash." "MeIodrama, my dear McGregor, melodrama." "It might not be as funny as it sounds, Mr. Stone." "I don't suppose it matters to you, but my name isn't Stone." "No?" "No, it's Forsythe." "(people chattering)" "well, then, that must be Stone there." "That's very good, you know." "That's really very good." "It's almost brilliant." "Stone?" "I'm McGregor, sent to meet you." "That's very nice of you." "Stone, meet Mister, uh..." "What did you say your name was?" "Forsythe." "Mr. Stone, Mr. Fort." "We met on the train, and the name is Forsythe." "Too hot for Forsythe." "Fort, Stone." "Stone, Fort." "Stone Fort." "And that's funny." "If you two will hold onto each other, I'II tend to your luggage." "(speaking Hindi)" "pleasant chap." "So friendly." "Isn't he?" "Just what I've always imagined a real officer on the Frontier would be like." "well, my mother kept me in the States until I made her send me to Sandhurst." "I've knocked about a bit in the States." "Scotch-Canadian, myself." "What is this I'm in?" "The Foreign Legion?" "(laughs)" "I didn't even think my father knew I was at Sandhurst, until this happened." "What?" "His sending for me to his regiment." "Oh?" "Sort of, carry on our tradition, you know?" "Naim Shah, your servant, Stone." "(speaking Hindi)" "all Hamdi, yours." "(speaking Hindi)" "The night watchman, the water carrier, the sweeper." "You can hire the rest of them later." """(snake charmer's pipe playing)" "(shouting in Hindi)" "Those things hurt my ears." "That's odd." "They sound to me like a Scotch bagpipe." "Your quarters, Stone." "(speaking Hindi)" """(snake charmer's pipe playing)" "Pretty, huh?" "And soothing." "Thought I might entertain you." "wild Scotch airs." "Remind you of home." "Your room." "Someone deeded all this junk to the South Kensington Museum?" "That junk represents the personal belongings of the man you're replacing." "killed on the border last month." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Oh, McGregor, did my..." "Uh, the colonel say anything about what time he'd see me?" "No, he didn't." "And my guess is he won't see you till durbar." "Oh." "Don't let that get you down." "The oId" " The old man's a stickler for red tape." "Durbar." "BugIes." "And that's an order." "Ramrod." "Durbar." "Oh, a-aIready?" "I'II be right with you." "I want you to help me to keep them in good condition." "You keep then shined and I'II, uh, keep them dirty." "Durbar." "Whenever you're ready, sahib." "Thanks, old colonial." "Durbar, Barrett." "Not today, old boy." "Where to now?" "Over the border." "I wish I'd taken my mother's advice and joined the church instead of the Army." "I wish I had the job." "Does the colonel think you're the only one here who talks Pushtu?" "Who knows what the colonel thinks?" "I agree with you there." "well, good luck." "Thanks, Mac." "Left wheel, turn!" "Left wheel, turn!" "(hamilton) Good head, eh?" "Yeah." "(man) How old is she, Major?" "(hamilton) places, men." "Good morning, gentlemen." "Good morning, sir." "(horse hooves clattering)" "What's this?" "(speaking Hindi)" "An Afridi Ghazi, colonel sahib." "Caught in the quarters of Capt. Norton, with this." "Anything stolen?" "He meant to kill Capt. Norton." "Said Capt. Norton slept with his feet toward Mecca." "There are trees, and we have rope." "What have you got to say?" "(speaking Hindi)" "Oh." "Take him and hang him to a tree, and then sew the dead body in the skin of a pig." "(speaking Hindi)" "(excIaiming in Pushti)" "well, that's what will happen to him if he tries it again." "You tell him that and let him go." "(HamzuIIa speaking Hindi)" "(excIaiming in Pushti)" "He doesn't seem to like pigs." "If that happened, in heaven he wouldn't get the 48 maidens allotted by AIIah." "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "Sad." "(colonel) Capt. Norton." "Yes, sir?" "Have you a compass?" "Yes, sir." "Change the direction of your bed." "Yes, sir." "Yes, that's all." "Mr. McGregor." "The two replacements?" "Mr. Forsythe, from the blues," "Mr. Stone, from Sandhurst." "From the blues, eh?" "Quite so." "well, that's a fashionable regiment." "I am afraid, Mr. Forsythe, you'II find us different." "We have a reputation as soldiers, and we're proud of it." "Mr. Stone." "You've come to us direct from Sandhurst, without previous service." "Is that correct?" "Yes, sir." "Yes." "well, you've got a great deal to Iearn." "(colonel) And I trust that you, and you, too, Mr. Forsythe, will measure up to our requirements." "That's all, gentlemen." "(all chattering)" "Crusty old..." "I'm sorry." "Is it over?" "Is that all?" "That's all." "Lt. Stone." "Yes, sir?" "The colonel forgot something." "I want you to take this to him." "Yes, sir." "What's so funny?" "You are." "(laughs)" "So the rough soldier has a heart of gold." "Never mind, it comes out in all of us." "It's the mother instinct." "Is this it, sir?" "What?" "Where did you get this?" "Mr. McGregor ordered me to give it to you, sir." "What infernal impudence!" "No, uh, not you." "Not--not--not you." "How's, uh, How" " H-How's your mother?" "Quite well, sir." "Good, good." "She always hated the army." "I--I don't understand why she ever let you go through Sandhurst." "She had to." "I've kept after her about it ever since I was so high." "Oh?" "Wanted to be a soldier, eh?" "We've always been soldiers, for generations." "Yes." "still, you're not one yet, you know?" "Yes, sir." "really, you, uh, you ought not to be here." "Uh, not on the Frontier." "But I am here, sir." "Yes, but, uh, don't try to take advantage." "Don't expect any favoritism." "I don't, sir." "I, uh, I--I--I'm glad to see you, of course, and I..." "I'm sorry that the situation makes any sort of, uh, o-of, uh, social relation impossible." "And I--I, uh..." "No, no, wait!" "W-wait." "Uh, come back a moment." "You see, uh, this Frontier, it's not the same as home service." "No place for a Cub." "A man's got to be seasoned." "You've got to start from the bottom." "Learn everything, and if you don't measure up, out." "The service comes first." "Something your mother never understood." "Yes, sir." "Is that all, sir?" "What?" "Uh, uh, yes." "Y-Yes, that's all." "That's all." "I'm very glad to see..." "Poor kid." "I thought if I got them alone..." "But the old man has ice-water in his veins." "You don't know the colonel, McGregor." "Neither do you." "Mr. McGregor." "Yes, sir." "As I remarked to one of my other officers this morning, there is no place for sentimentality in the Army." "Neither sentimentality nor impertinence, Mr. McGregor." "Stone." "Interesting, the durbar, isn't it?" "I'm sorry I sent you in there." "I should have known better." "should have known how he'd treat you." "What's a son to him, compared to his blasted regiment?" "Martinet." "Ramrod." "That's what he is." "Everybody knows it." "You might as well get used to it." "That's a lie." "I'm sorry," "I can't keep my mouth shut." "That's my trouble." "Biggest fool in the Army." "I'm sorry." "That's aII-- all right, Mac." "(Forsythe) " Sure I Iove the dear silver that shines in her hair "" "" And the brow that's all furrowed "" "" and wrinkled with care "" """(humming)" "" Oh, God bless you and keep you "" "" Mother McGregor """ "Now, when a troop wheels on the move, what do the troop leaders look out for?" "Mr. Stone, I asked you a question." "Yes, sir." "(metal clanking)" "(snorting)" "Come on, come on, come on." "Come on." "Got it all that time." "AII right." "(horse whinnies)" "Bedding should be changed, Mr. Stone." "Yes, I see now, Risaldar Major." "We don't have these beastly ticks in england." "Sergeant, have this horse's shoe attended to." "(speaking Hindi)" "(McGregor) Come on!" "(all yelling)" "Give him a good walk while he cools off." "(horse neighing)" "(horse hooves clattering)" "A good man, Forsythe." "(Forsythe) Jump!" "See the way he took that jump?" "Yes, they teach them to jump in the blues." "Yes." "Yes, what?" "Oh." "Good work, Forsythe." "Thank you, sir." "Mr. McGregor, you're improperly dressed." "I'm sorry, sir." "That was a nice jump you made, Mac." "Thanks." "hello, Stone." "hello." "remarkable man, your father." "Knows a good soldier when he sees one." "Appreciates neatness, too." "well, how about a spot of scotch?" "Thanks." "I haven't finished inspection yet." "Ten minutes for their backs and five for their bellies." "That's the order of grooming." "Very touching, the lad's devotion." "Must warm the maternal cockIes of your heart." "Eh, McGregor?" "What about pulling a few pegs with me, huh?" "I'm in favor of it." "Let's go." "well, uh, how about 10 Rupees?" "Make it 20." "Ready?" "Whenever you say." "They should make those pegs smaller." "Be more sport to it, huh?" "" Oh, he flew through the air "" "" With the greatest of ease "" "" And the daring young man owes me 20 Rupees """ "(imam chanting)" "Have some tea, Stone?" "No, thanks." "(imam continues chanting)" "call it for first in the bath." "Heads." "Right." "You fellows bathe to keep cool and I bathe because I badly need it." "Every time I do this" "I remind myself of my old man." "Whiskers." "(chuckles)" "He was a crabby old cuss." "Back in alberta I had a colt once." "Lot of class and nerve." "You could tell he was no carthorse when he was a yearling." "The old man hooked him to a plow." "Took all the spirit out of him." "He broke him in, as he said he would and I never forgave him for it." "I don't think the horse ever did realize what... what the old man did to him." "So I'm the horse." "Very subtle, Mac." "What the blazes do you mean?" "I'm no two-year-oId." "I'm 21 ." "And if anybody thinks my old man's going to break my nerve" "What are you talking about?" "I wasn't thinking of you at all." "And let me tell you another thing," "I don't need a nurse." "Now you can go on shaving." "Have a little soap." "You need it." "(chuckles)" """(snake charmer's pipe playing)" "Do you have to do that?" "Why, Iike you, I have a softer side to my nature." "It finds its outlet in music." "See?" "The scales." "(Stone) Hey, Mac, get me a towel, will you?" """(snake charmer's pipe playing)" "Variations, one hand, Mac." "Listen, Forsythe." "This Mother Machree business has gone far enough." "Why, of course, Mac." "I'm sorry." "I didn't realize it." "well, Iet's, uh, just forget all about it." "Hm?" "Thanks." "(Stone) Hey, Mac, that soap's in my eyes." "Give me a towel, will you?" """(snake charmer's pipe playing)" """(snake charmer's pipe continues playing)" "McGregor." "Variations, two hands, Mac." """(snake charmer's pipe continues playing)" "How long are you going to..." "Keep playing." "Variations, Mr. Forsythe, with both hands." "Cobras have a softer side, too." "Finds an outlet in music." "(McGregor) Of course, if you--if you stop playing," "(McGregor laughs)" "You know, you might live a couple of hours." "I had a friend once that lived for two days." "Try it with one hand." "Mac!" "(gun firing)" "(laughs)" "allow me." "You might spill it." "For sale, cheap." "One secondhand musical instrument." "(cIattering)" "200 feet more." "plus 200 east." "elevation, 300." "elevation, 300." "Mr. McGregor." "Yes, sir?" "There's no word yet from Barrett." "We must get in touch with him." "Yes, sir." "You're familiar with the roads north east of Fort Jamrud?" "I am, sir." "Yes, good, good." "You'II cross the Frontier tonight." "Take one subaItern, one NCO, 10 men, four spare horses." "And, uh, rifles." "Not Iances." "I see, sir." "ostensibly, a hunting expedition." "What subaItern shall I take, sir?" "Mmm, any preference?" "Mr. Stone, sir." "No service experience." "Take Morgan." "(McGregor) He's on leave, sir." "well, then, take Forsythe." "Yes, sir." "Here are your orders." "And this time, obey them." "Yes, sir." """(music playing)" "Forsythe." "Huh?" "We're leaving for the border immediately." "What?" "Action?" "Can't say." "Oh." "We leave for the border?" "Uh, small expedition." "only one junior officer." "Forsythe." "Yes?" "One junior officer, so he had to choose" "I chose Forsythe." "I see." "Sir." "What do you mean by intruding like this?" "Why wasn't I chosen to go with McGregor?" "Are you questioning my orders?" "Then it was your orders." "It wasn't McGregor's choice." "It was yours." "Mr. Stone." "I came out to India to be an officer, and I've been given things to do" "I Iearned in my first year at Sandhurst." "I haven't asked any favors, and I'm not asking any now." "But if you meant to treat me this way, why did you bring me out here?" "Why did you send for me?" "I didn't send for you." "Y-you didn't?" "Oh." "Are you aware we're being shot at?" "We camp here." "This is no place to camp." "(blows whistle)" "Are you out of your mind?" "They'II rush us in the night and silt our throats." "This can't be what the colonel meant." "Easy to see how much you learned in the blues about Frontier fighting." "(screaming in Pushtu)" "(gun firing)" "No firing." "He's mine." "(gun firing)" "Rapid fire!" "(guns firing)" "You just missed my ear, Mac." "You're lucky, Barrett." "You got a cigarette?" "Yeah." "Thanks." "What shall I tell the colonel?" "Mohammed Khan, is effecting a coalition of all the tribes." "(WoodIey) But don't forget, colonel, GopaI's a friendly state." "The Emir's our friend, as who knows better than you." "Oh, of course, I've known Othman all for 20 years." "Every year or so I take the regiment up to GopaI for maneuvers and pig-sticking." "He's got the best wild pig north of the Ganges." "Ah." "But two million rounds of ammunition." "Oh, no, WoodIey." "Why, that's enough to start a smaII-sized war." "And then, who knows?" "Yes, who knows?" "But he asked for it." "And if we refused, well, he mightn't be our friend." "And so he gets it, eh?" "Yes." "McGregor, Sahib." "Oh, ask Mr. McGregor to come in." "Oh, sit down, sir, won't you?" "You saw Barrett?" "Yes, sir." "He reports Mohammed Khan is trying to stir up all the border tribes, and effect a coalition of all of them." "They're listening to him as he's promised to supply them with machine guns, and two million rounds of ammunition." "Ammunition?" "Oh, that's good work." "Thank you, McGregor." "Thank Barrett, sir." "Look at here, sir, I--I know it's none of my business, but couldn't we slip out of here, a small detachment of us, anyway, on our own?" "Try to get a chance at him, kill him, and--and nip the whole business in the bud?" "Are you suggesting that I should commence hostilities without orders?" "And, uh, ahem, without reporting this to the intelligence?" "intelligence, those fools." "general staff?" "You know, sir, they'II send us anywhere but into action." "To GopaI to stick pigs for instance, Iike last summer." "An excellent suggestion." "Sir Thomas, Mr. McGregor." "Mr. McGregor, Maj. Gen. Sir Thomas WoodIey." "Chief of intelligence." "Army Headquarters." "Mr. McGregor." "col." "Stone, your regiment will leave at dawn for GopaI." "Yes, sir." "Now, get yourself a couple of hours sleep." "We leave at 6:00." "Yes, sir." "(WoodIey) Wish I couId go with you." "I always liked pig-sticking." "Pig-sticking." "well, I seem to remember feeling that way once." "He's probably right." "Hm." "But he brought our answer, Stone." "A plain two and two that makes a very plain four." "Mohammed Khan needs two million rounds of ammunition." "And the Emir of GopaI asks us for two million rounds" "Yes, yes, and it's not difficult to guess, that Mohammed Khan persuaded the Emir to ask for it." "He knows we'II have to let him have it, too." "And GopaI's not only remote, but far enough removed from the Khan's home fires, that we shouldn't be suspicious." "Very pretty, indeed." "And it becomes our very pleasant job, to see that the Emir really is the one who gets the ammunition." "That old pussy-footer gets paid for being intelligent." "I tell you, Forsythe, everything's going to smash." "What?" "Pig-sticking." "We're going to ride all around GopaI sticking toothpicks into pigs." "Sounds rather fun." "I ought to be rather good at that, don't you think?" "Hmm." "By the way, McGregor, I've got bad news for you." "Your ward needs parental control, I fear." "That is, if you can find him." "Naim Shah tells me he's been out every night since we left." "rolling home to quarters bIotto." "Tonight he's still out on a binge." "Hm." "We leave for GopaI in two hours." "Oh, without Stone, it appears." "My, what will the stern father say?" "You'd better do something about it, Mac." "The young fool." "Let old Ramrod do what he likes with his son." "It's no concern of mine." "I'm going to bed." "So am I." """(music playing)" "What are you doing here?" "The same as you are." "Looking for him." "And I wish you'd be honest with yourself, and let me know what you're really going to do." "If you'd just tell me, maybe I'd get more sleep." "Now that we are here, what would you do if you were drunk?" "How drunk?" "Pretty drunk." "I'd go looking for that music." "Come on, speed it up, Stone, or we'II all be doing stable duty." "I can take care of myself." "Come along, Casanova, these will make a new man of you." "(bugIe blowing)" "(horses neighing)" "(bugIe blowing)" "Forgot something." "I thought you might get lonesome." "Get yourself a cobra." "(bugIe blowing)" "(drums beating)" "The welcoming committee from the Emir." "(faIcon chirping)" "That's his vizier, bringing gifts for the colonel from his old pal." "(speaking Hindi)" "His Highness," "Othman all Bahadur, Emir of GopaI, bids welcome to his friends and allies of the Raj." "welcome, huzoor, thrice welcome, in the name of allah." "Convey my thanks to your master, ahem, my old friend." "Uh, m-may he live a thousand years." "His Highness orders me to express his wish, huzoor, that you may live long enough to be present at his funeral." "Uh, oh, yes, quite so." "Quite so." "He went the old man one better that time."