"When Judy Benjamin was 8, she told her best friend her life's desire." ""All I want," Judy whispered, "is a big house nice clothes, a maid and a professional man for a husband."" "Today, all of Judy's dreams come true." "With this ring be thou consecrated unto me as my wife." "According to the law of Moses and faith of Israel." "According to the law of Moses and faith of Israel." "And you, Judy, say to Yale these words." "Take the ring." "This ring is a symbol that you are my husband." "This ring is a symbol that you are my husband." "And a sign of my love and devotion." "And a sign of my love and devotion." "In the presence of these witnesses you spoke words and performed the rites which unite your lives." "I therefore declare you, Yale and Judy husband and wife." "Step on it." "Mazel tov!" "PRIVATE BENJAMIN" "But I only have eyes" "For you" "Judy Goodman" "Do you have a date?" "No, I told your Uncle Phil I'd meet him to look at his lease." " You're not going to work now?" " No, I'm not going to work." "He thinks he's getting evicted." "Let me just talk to him." "Okay?" " Thanks for marrying me." " You're welcome." "Get me a Perrier with a twist?" " Arnie!" " So you did it, huh?" "I can't believe you married Goodman when you could've had me." "I could have lived with you, Arnie." "Big difference." "Judy!" "Look who I found!" "Mr. Waxman, the upholsterer." "I didn't recognize you without nails in your mouth." "I brought a little something I think you're going to love." "Mr. Waxman, you finished the ottoman!" "Yale will be thrilled." "Wait a minute!" "Is this mushroom piping?" "Looks beige-y to me, Ma." "This isn't the right color, is it?" "Ben what happened to the mushroom?" "That's as close as you're going to get to mushroom in Philadelphia." "Mr. Waxman, we've been through this a zillion times." "I told you I'm doing Yale's study in mushroom." "I'm sure you could've found a yard of mushroom fabric." "You want it, I'll get it." "This is your night!" "Wheels?" "!" "Mr. Waxman, I wanted upholstered balls." "Upholstered balls?" " Come on, Peanut." " Where're we going?" " My feet hurt." " Your feet will be fine." "I just want to talk to you." "What?" "Want a divorce already?" "Darling, I have a very bad headache." "No wonder, you've danced all night." "I'll get some Tylenol from Mom." "Sweetheart it's not a Tylenol headache." " Honey!" " Please?" " Honey, not here!" " Please, why not?" "Come on!" "Why?" "Because everybody I know is ten feet away." " They're having a good time." "Please?" " No, I'll ruin my dress." " Your dress is fine." "Come on!" " Honey, please?" "I don't want to." "Kiss me first." "I love you so much." "Hi, Yale." "Judy's always been a good girl." "Always!" "She made a mistake with the first husband." "That's ancient history." "The smartest thing she ever did was to marry you." "That's nice, Teddy." "It's very important for a father to know his daughter's going to be well taken care of." "Don't laugh!" "You'll know what I mean when your daughter gets married." "Anyway, that's number one." "Number two!" "We'll still have Sunday breakfasts?" " Of course, Daddy." " Good." "You can get the whitefish on your way over." "I want to give you two a little something from mother and me a little extra happiness." "I guess it's not carpeting for the living room." "That's for the future, not Lord and Taylor, you little jerk!" "Teddy, you're amazing!" "It's my pleasure." "Just use it in good health." "Thanks, Mom." "I'll show my mother, she'll go crazy!" "I can't believe it!" "Jude, get me a cigarette." "Coming back inside, Daddy?" "I just want to see the recap of tonight's game." "Should I wait for you here?" "Dad?" "Get me a match, doll." "Jerry, if you call her you'll screw it up." "That's my job, all right?" "No, to call her." "How long you married?" "Anything more than 15 years, you lose the house." "It's not my rule, that's just the way it is." "Keep the boat, it's a male item." "Prenups is the only way to get around this and it's too late." "Give her the microwave, it's a built-in!" "It comes with the house." "What'll you do with one oven?" "It's late now." "6:30 a.m. Monday we'll play racquetball." "We'll figure it out then." "Can you wait?" "We'll be in Jamaica 6:30 Monday." "I'll be on my honeymoon Monday." "I'll call you from Jamaica." "I don't know, from the hotel." "No, you'll be halved at worst." "You're okay." "Prenups, babe!" " That'll never happen to us." " I know." " Did this bathroom turn out gorgeous?" " This ass is gorgeous." "Come here." " What?" " Wait, honey." "Wait just one second." " Lift your back leg." " I don't have a back leg." "It's our wedding night." "It's not real romantic making love in the sink." " It's romantic making love anywhere." " I know." "I love you." " Let's go into the bedroom." " We're going into the bedroom next." "Just here." "Good, sweetie!" "Honey, good!" "You're on my hair, get off my hair." "How's that?" " Oh, honey!" " What?" " Oh, sweetie!" " What?" "I'm coming!" "Why don't we go and get in bed?" "Oh, God, full of compassion, thou who dwellest on high." "Grant perfect rest unto the soul of Yale Goodman who has departed from this world." "Lord of mercy, bring him into Thy presence and let his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life." "Amen." "I can't try to console you by saying there is any justice in this world." "Just be thankful for the friendship and tenderness you and Yale had the opportunity to share." "My philosophy of life has gotten me through some very rough times." "Let me share it with you." "Que será será." "I got it from the song." "Judith?" "Just one thing." "If you can remember what were Yale's last words?" ""I'm coming."" "I know you don't want to hear this but you got to get right back into circulation." "When you fall off the horse, you got to climb right back on." "Aunt Kissy, please!" "Could I be alone now?" "I'm sorry." "She wants to be alone." "She wants to be alone." "She doesn't want to live in their place." "I can't blame her." " Sell everything and buy her new." " Buy her new?" "She'll live with us." " What if she doesn't want to?" " She doesn't know what she wants." "And what's she going to do now?" "Be my secretary again?" "The girl's 29 years old and trained to do nothing." "I'm 28." "Look what we got!" "I've never not belonged to somebody." "Never." "My first boyfriend was in nursery school." "I was two and he was three and since then I've been pinned, lavaliered, engaged married twice." "The first time, I was twenty." "See, I've been in this room eight days and it's really the first eight days I've ever been alone in my life." "If I'm not going to be married I don't know what I'm supposed to do with myself." "Did you happen to see that movie Unmarried Woman?" "Well, I didn't get it." "I would've been Mrs. Alan Bates so fast that guy wouldn't have known what hit him." "The thing is, and then I'll shut up I haven't done anything wrong." "And I feel like I'm being punished!" "I thought I'd be filling up my freezer and be getting this new pine sideboard that I ordered and..." "Jessica, I do hate to stop your free association, but our switchboard's flooded." "So set your phone down and turn your radio up, okay?" "Hello, Night Owl, you're on the air." "You lucked out." "I read in the Enquirer this morning that marriage causes cancer." "Philadelphia Night Owl, you're on the air." "About that Palestinian homeland." "In your Bible you'll see that the Arabs had first dibs on the West Bank." "Not tonight, Del, thanks." "Line 4, have you got advice for Jessica?" "Yes, I do." "Hi, Jessica." "My name is Jim." "First let me say how terribly sorry I am about your misfortune." "And nobody knows better than you that things can't get much worse." "It's also pretty obvious that you need guidance, security good friends and a healthy dose of self-confidence, Jessica." "What I'm saying is, I think I can help you find a new life." " Are you Jessica?" " Jim?" "Yeah, hi." "Am I late or you early?" "I'm just a few hours early." "Come on." "I should tell you, my name is really Judy." "I just didn't want anybody I knew to hear me on the radio." " Macht nichts." " What?" "It means, "It makes no difference" in German." "I was stationed over there for 26 months." "UNITED STATES ARMY RECRUITING STATION" "What does that look like to you?" "What?" "Club Med?" "It's the Fort Ord Army Base in Monterey, California." "Those look like condos." "And every soldier gets his or her own private room." "What are these, yachts?" "The Army is the best-kept secret in the world, Judy." "Looks great, but you don't know me." "I'm not the Army type." "Forget that old brown boot image of the Army." "It's the 80s Army, all the ladies love it." "All 89,000 of them." "Check out this list of jobs." "There's over 300 jobs, and only a couple of them not offered to ladies." "Trained killers, stuff like that." " How much do you earn per month now?" " Now?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "Thanks." "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking about my family and my house and all the gifts I have to return." "You shouldn't be saddled with a lot of responsibilities and decisions now." "I'm prepared to offer you $458 a month, train you in the job of your choice pay for your food, your housing, all your medical and give you a 30-day paid vacation." "I'll tell you something with your education and background you could easily land an assignment in Europe." "Europe?" "I do need to get away." "I promise, you'll be in the best physical shape you've ever been in." "It will be like 3 years at La Costa." "La Costa." "That's good!" "What if I hate it once I get there?" "Quit." "It's a job, like anything else." "I..." "State your full name." "Do solemnly swear or affirm I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic." "That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers over me according to regulations." "All right." "My name is Sergeant L.C. Ross." "And I'll be your drill sergeant for your 6 weeks basic training." "My job is to turn you lovely ladies and gentlemen into United States soldiers." "The first thing we'll do is put you through your in-processing." "While you are waiting in line for your processing, you will not, I repeat you will not be flapping your lips." "You'll be filling out these forms." "I'm going to call out your names and I want you to line up behind me." "Abbott." "Barnett." "Benjamin." "Benjamin!" " Sir." " Fall in, Benjamin." "I'm Private Winter but I think I can be of assistance in locating Private Benjamin." "Sir." " Are we at the fort?" " Yes we are." "Time to wake up now." "In a sec." "Get your ass up and out on the company street!" "I never!" "Give me 10 pushups!" "Knock them out!" "You mind if I check into my room first?" "Assume the position and hit it!" "Now!" "Up!" "Down!" "What is this, hell week?" "No, Benjamin this is the Army!" "Excuse me, sir, is green the only color these come in?" "Close it up back there, you meatheads." "Go!" "Pick it up!" "Pick it up!" "Close it up!" "Close up that field back there!" "Come on, move it!" "Where are the yachts?" " Excuse me, are you a reporter?" " Who, me?" "No." "I joined up, but I'm not staying." "There's been a mistake." "I'll straighten it out when the manager gets here." "Man on the floor!" "In front of your cots at attention!" "Barracks ready for inspection, Captain." "What's the matter, honey?" "Are you a crybaby?" "No, sir." "Ma'am!" "I know how all you ladies drool over this this Fonzie character but not in my outfit." "Burn it." " Your name, soldier?" " Private Winter, ma'am." "Outstanding, Winter." "Outstanding." "Ladies!" "Examine Private Winter's locker." "Learn from it." "You keep this up and we'll talk officer's candidate school." "Thank you, ma'am!" "This brassiere isn't regulation, Ross." "And neither is this face." "And you look like a clown, soldier." "Clean up your act." "Gianelli's a 308, ma'am." "So it was the Army or jail?" "After 6 weeks with me, you're going to wish you chose Attica." "Don't push me, punk." "This is the most pathetic group of trainees I have ever laid my eyes on." "My companies are the best-trained the best-disciplined soldiers on this base." "I hate to interrupt you, but could I speak to you for a sec?" "My Lord!" "Sergeant, would you look at this!" "I've seen it, ma'am." "What's your name, Princess?" "Judy." "Judy Benjamin." "I think they sent me to the wrong place." "You see, I did join the Army, but I joined a different Army." "I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms." "No, really!" "My recruiter, Jim Ballard, told me that..." "I don't care what your lousy recruiter told you, Benjamin." "I'm telling you, there is no other Army." "Wait a minute." "I don't want to have to go to your boss, okay?" "To be truthful with you, I can't sleep in a room with 20 strangers." "Oh, dear!" "Look at this place." "The Army couldn't afford drapes?" "I'll be up at the crack of dawn here." "And I have to tell you, I am frankly a little shocked." "You're shocked?" "Why?" "This place is a sty." "Look at these stains." "God knows where this has been." "And have you seen the bathroom?" "Do you think that the latrine is unsanitary?" "It's disgusting!" "There are urinals in there." "That's because this is the Army it's not a sorority house." "May I see your toothbrush?" "Please?" "Yale, how could you do this to me?" "You could eat off that floor." "Why don't you." "Reveille!" "Let's go!" "Everybody up!" "Move it!" "Everybody up!" "Everybody move!" "Everybody, Benjamin!" "You can't mean me." "I worked the night shift." "Go check out the bathroom, it's fabulous." "Alpha Company attention!" "Bravo Company, attention!" "At ease, gentlemen and ladies." "I'm your post commander." "Colonel Clay Thornbush." "Welcome to the Biloxi, Mississippi Basic Training Center." "The backbone of the U.S. Army." "You have two company commanders to lead you through basic." "Capt. Doreen Lewis, a 5-year veteran here at Fort Biloxi, of Alpha Company." "And a newcomer to the family Captain William Wooldridge, Bravo Company." "Here, we turn out the best-fed, best-trained soldiers, but it doesn't come easy." "It does not happen overnight." "You must have the strength the self-discipline, and mental stamina necessary to meet the standards of the United States Army." "The next 6 weeks will be the test." "It'll be hell but you'll be glad you did it." "Move it!" "Left, right!" "Left!" "I thought it would be a few leg lifts, a little stretching maybe a disco class, you know." "You're not real talkative, are you, Soyer?" "We run them out and we march them back." "Then about twice a week, I spring a surprise inspection on them." "That's good Army." "Keeps them on their toes." " Got one more question." " Shoot." "Are you busy Friday?" "Look out, Gianelli!" "I can't take anymore." "They've broken me." " I'm quitting." " Girl, you can't quit this Army." "I can." "The recruiter told me quit anytime I want." "Jesus, you still believe your recruiter?" "It's only for 3 years." "Company halt!" "Move it, Benjamin!" "I don't want to see you stop running unless you collapse, faint or puke!" "I have never looked worse in my life!" "Has anybody ever died from basic?" "Excuse me." "I think you took my blanket." "This is my blanket." "You gave it to me." " I don't think I did." " Maybe you just forgot." "Maybe you got brain damage." "Okay, I gave it to you." "By mistake." " I want it back, okay?" " Take it." "Where are you going?" "Home." "We're going to have to do this again real soon." "How about every Friday night?" "I'm going to set you free, Doreen." "Captain Lewis, ma'am, we've got trouble." "My hair!" "Benjamin, you are not fit to wear that uniform!" "No shit!" "What do you want from me?" "I didn't ask her to punish everybody!" "You think I like schlepping in rain all day and night?" "Just keep marching, Benjamin!" "My name is Judy!" "J-U-D-Y and I'd like somebody to call me by my name." "Hey, Judy!" "I took my life in my own hands." "I made a mistake." "I'm sorry." "I'll never do it again!" "I want to wear my sandals!" "I want to go out to lunch." "I want to be normal again." "Would you please just shut up, Benjamin!" "God!" "Never in all my born days met such a whiny candy-ass as you!" "I don't want to be in the Army!" "But we do, okay?" "We can't afford any more trouble on account of you." "I thought you and I could be friends, but you're..." " Forget it!" " What?" "I'm what?" "You're the most insensitive person I've ever met." "That is so untrue!" "I never go to someone's home empty-handed!" "People love me!" "Platoon, halt!" "Fall out!" "To the day room on the double!" "They didn't tell me it was you." "Hi, Mom." "Hi, Daddy." "Sit down, Judy." "I was going to call, but I wasn't feeling very good." "Eight days." "Our daughter disappears for eight days without a single word." "We thought you were kidnapped." "The FBI was looking for you when some stranger calls telling us how fine you are and that you'd enlisted in the Army." "We tried to figure out why." "Personally, I think you've gone temporarily insane." "That's what we told everyone." "We said that you had a collapse and that you were in a mental home." "People think I'm in a mental home?" "What should we say?" "That you're in an Army barracks in Mississippi with a bunch of..." " What?" " I don't know what!" "That's why I don't like it." "How could you do this to your parents?" "Haven't we done enough for you?" "Given you everything you wanted?" "Did I get you a car on your sixteenth birthday?" "Did I get you into college?" "Did I bail you out of your first marriage to that schmuck?" "Did I?" "Relax." "I am relaxed!" "Why are you punishing us?" "Maybe you hate us." "I don't hate you, I love you." "You know your Aunt Kissy is living with us now." "Why?" "Because you mother's had a nervous breakdown, that's why!" "You were never a smart girl." "We're all going to stop pretending now." "You are obviously incapable of making your own decisions." "Starting tomorrow, I do not let you out of my sight." "I don't care how much you cry." "The Benjamins!" "Captain Lewis." "It is so good to meet you in person." "Thank you." "Captain Lewis said we could take you home, darling." "I'm sorry that things just didn't work out here for Judy." "She's a hard worker." "She's very... popular with all the other girls." "We are sad to see her go." "If you sign here on the dotted line, you're as good as home, young lady." "Right there." "Here, darling." "Here you are." "Come on, take it." "No, thanks." "Think I'll stay." "Mom." "Daddy." "All right, knock it off!" "Break it!" "Let's go!" "Welcome to the Biloxi War Games, the Super Bowl of Basic Training." "Simulated combat will test your skills and courage." "Captain Wooldridge will lead the red team." "Captain Lewis the blue team." "I will be observing the exercises from the air." "Good luck." "And fight proud!" "Fight proud!" "Thompson, Hike Katz, Byron Richter!" "Your objective is to capture and blow up Red Team's communication center." "Beware, mine-fields are out there." "Most of them are inert but some are ert." "Take off!" "Private Winter!" "You'll serve as Captain Lewis' aide-de-camp." "Sir." "Yes, sir!" "Team "C"!" "Gianelli, Glass Moe, Benjamin Soyer!" "Your objective is to guard this area here." "Excuse me, Drill Sergeant, what is that area?" "That's the swamp." "Swamp?" "Take off!" "If you can't read that map, why don't you just say it?" "You're supposed to be the point man!" "Benj pointed me in the wrong direction!" " What am I, Magellan?" " What are we going to guard, algae?" "Let's just go straight north." " We came from the north!" " Let's go south." "Wait!" "Relax." "If we can't get back by tomorrow they'll send a search plane." "We have enough bodies to spell "help"?" "Let's go." "The first time I ever did it was on an overnight hike with my Bible class." "We're talking Laemil Lefebvre, my preacher's son." "I'd never done nothing in my life before." "Nothing!" "And he just climbed right smack-dab in the middle of my sleeping bag, and I was scared." "Not to mention the fact that his daddy, the preacher was right over there, just about ten feet away." "How was it?" "Quiet but very nice." "Very nice!" "I had an orgasm once." "But I was alone." "I guess you must have been alone." "Once when I was with my first husband, I got to this place that was kind of nice and tingly." "I don't know if it was official." "I mean, I don't know if this was an official orgasm, you know." "But I counted it as one for five years." "How many times have you been married?" "Twice." "The first time for six weeks and the second time for six hours." "Six hours?" "My husband had a heart attack and died." "What?" "!" "My husband had a heart attack and died on our wedding night." "While we were making love." "Holy shit!" "Jesus, Benjamin!" "I don't get it." "What do you do after a thing like that?" "Join the Army." "We're lost." "We've passed that same alligator 7 times." "I bet the war games are over by now." " Lewis is going to just kill us!" " There's a plane!" "I bet that's headed back to base." "Let's follow it." "I hope it's not Delta to Miami." "Look, it's the Red Army headquarters." "Quiet!" "Great." " You owe me $6.95." " You got it!" "Hey, blood, how you doing?" "All right, looking good!" " What's happening, girl?" " What can I tell you?" "You're my prisoner of war, that's what's happening!" " I ain't your nothing." "Get that..." " I mean what I say!" "Drop it!" "No, you drop it." "I said, drop it!" " Where's Captain Wooldridge?" " In the tent interrogating a P.O.W." "Get the keys to the truck." "Come on." " Oh, shit!" " Don't worry." " I'll hot-wire it." " You know how?" "That's my former career." "Excellent!" "What?" "Freeze!" "Private Winter!" "Well, lookee here!" " Look what we got." " Listen, Captain Lewis..." "She sent me out to find you guys and I got captured." "He promised me he'd put in a good word with Captain Lewis." "And I really don't like him." "Take the prisoners." "Attention all Red Team personnel." "The Blue Team has surrendered." "The Red Team has won." "So follow us." "Attention all Red Team personnel." "The Blue Team has surrendered." "The Red Team has won, so follow us." "Red Team captured!" "Ross, take the platoon head due west." "I'll lead the remaining troops to the east." "What now?" "Got any ideas?" "Off your asses!" "On your feet!" "Overwhelming enemy forces approaching." "Blue Team Company Commander requests permission to surrender, sir." "Do you accept surrender of Blue Team?" "No, sir." "We do not, because we are also the Blue Team, sir." "Identify yourself, soldier!" "Sir, Private Benjamin, sir!" "At ease!" "Which one of you is Private Benjamin?" "Sir, I am, sir." " Outstanding!" " Thank you, sir!" "Here's the rest of the squad." "Privates Glass, Gianelli Private Moe and Private Soyer, sir." "Where is the Red Team Commander?" "Captain Lewis, you are lucky to have troopers like this!" "Congratulations!" "Next time don't be so quick to raise the white flag." " Yes, sir." " The war games are concluded." "Troops are dismissed." "I will see you tomorrow at graduation." " Yes, sir!" " Can I offer your team a lift?" "Meet two of our Thornbirds!" "Lieutenant Gomez and Sergeant Gates." "Fabulous uniforms!" "What's a Thornbird, sir?" "An elite airborne corp." "We recruit them from the best bases in the country." "I'm damn proud of them, like I'm proud of you girls." "It's a hell of a job you did today!" "Where do you hail from?" "Philadelphia, sir." "It's the seat of our democracy!" "Thornie Two is from Philadelphia." "Thornie Two, sir?" "My wife." "After 20 years watching us crazy guys jump out of airplanes she decided she wanted to try it." "Remember, Ed?" "We took her up, almost had to shove her out!" "She had a good time, but she landed wrong." "Broke her arm in 3 places." "Lucky we didn't have to shoot her, right?" "We're approaching, sir." "I'll take her down." "You trust me, don't you?" "Oh, yes, sir!" "Then let's do it to it!" " Tell your men to hang on, Benjamin!" " Hang on, men." "Whoop-de-do!" "Inspection, ladies!" "Lady Luck!" "Don't you look at me with those baby blues." "I'm not the great Thornie." "You finally succeeded in making a fool out of me, didn't you?" "Ma'am." "Yes, ma'am." "I've got a reward for you, my little hero." "You're all going to scour every inch of this rat's nest!" "Inside and out." "I mean the bed frames, the window ledges the linoleum the toilet seats." "You understand me?" "Ma'am." "Yes, ma'am." "I can't hear you." "I can't hear you!" "Thank you." "It breaks my little old heart to have to bust up our winning team but I have been assigned to a new post." "A good post!" "Let's not keep in touch, shall we!" "Busted up, the whole team." "Busted up." "I have been assigned to a new post." "Come on." "Good post!" "That was nice." "Keep in touch, shall we?" "At ease!" "Didn't think you'd make it, did you?" "You will no longer be known as trainees." "You have earned the right to call yourselves United States soldiers, and I'm proud of each of you." "On Monday you will receive your advanced individual training assignments." "Each of you will be given a special responsibility which will play a key role in the defense of the free world." "My heartfelt congratulations and best wishes." "I almost forgot." "Dismissed till 0800 Monday morning." "Have a good one!" "Evening, ladies." "We're not interested." "Sorry." "All right, I'm uptight, okay?" "Get yourself a drink, we're going to cruise." "Judy Benjamin, this is Johnny Rourke." "And Kim..." "I forget your last name." "Osaka." "Come on, sweetheart, let's go." "What's happening, Judy?" "Bourbon, no ice." "I'm with Olivetti of Tokyo." "Johnny is my southeastern U.S. Sales manager." "He always shows me a hip time." "What time is it?" "I just took your picture, mama!" "Very hip." "Look, I've got to go back to the base." "Where's the fire?" "Come on." "This could be a big night for you." "Sincerely." "Liz?" " How are you?" " God, I'm fine." "I can't believe this!" "Listen, thanks, but I don't need the loan." "What are you doing in New Orleans?" "My dad's here on a medical conference and we all came." "Come and see them, they'll die!" "Wait a minute." "Who is that with your parents?" "A French gynecologist." "He and Dad spoke on the Lamaze panel together." " Isn't he totally gorgeous?" " Totally." "If it weren't for Jeffrey, I'd go for him myself." "Look who I found!" "My God, how are you, darling?" "Kid, you look wonderful!" "Please give me a hug." "Sit down." " Henri Tremont." " Benjamin, Judy." "Will you look at this?" "GI Judy!" "We'll call your parents." "They'll be so thrilled we saw you." "Your mother's coming along very nicely." "She gained back some of the weight." "Champagne?" "I'd love some, thank you." "Since Yale's fu..." "By the way, I can't get over you in this Army outfit." "She didn't swim because she didn't want her hair wet." "This is true." "What it's like to be a WAC?" " I'm not a WAC." " How often do you talk to your folks?" "Tell Henri how long we've known your parents." "Shall I make a long story short?" "Leo and I and Judy's parents double-dated in Atlantic City, before even any one of us was married." "It wasn't Atlantic City." "It was Asbury Park, but it's all right." "I've never been to Asbury Park in my life." "Would you like to dance?" "I'd love to dance." "The Lemishes are terrific people but 4 hours of making long stories short was driving me crazy." "4 hours?" "Try 28 years." "I've never danced with a soldier before." "I've never danced as a soldier before." " I kind of like it." " So do I." "Do you have a boyfriend in this Army?" "No." "Don't you get lonely?" " How'd you get to speak English so well?" " Baltimore." " Maryland?" " I went to med school at Johns Hopkins." "I just can't believe that you're in this Army." "If I knew you better, I'd show you my dog tags." "How much better?" "Let's go to my room." "I'm really attracted to you." "But I'm not ready to make love to a man I just met an hour and a half ago." "I'm sorry." "That's just the way I am." "Usually, by the time I kiss a guy, I already know his mother's maiden name." "I wish I knew you better." "I'm thirty-four and I live alone in Neuilly, on the outskirts of Paris." "I'm the only child and my father is also a doctor." "What else?" "When I'm not working I play soccer." "Let's see..." "I'm Jewish." "Now I know what I've been faking all these years." "That was your first?" "And second." "Where are you going?" " Just to get a sip of champagne." " I want to go with you." "I'm sorry." "No I'm not." "What?" "Private Benjamin." "Meeting you tonight was..." "It was just what I needed." "What you needed?" "If you're ever in Paris..." "If you're ever in Biloxi." "It was nice meeting you." "What did you get?" " MP School." " You can put your violence to good use." " Smoke and flame specialist." " What's that?" "A fireman." "I got transferred to Fort Ord, California." "You got the yachts, honey!" "You got the yachts!" " What?" " OCS." "Can you believe it?" "!" " Honey, you're going to be an officer." " There goes a beautiful friendship." "What did you get?" "I don't know." "I'm petrified." "Excuse me!" " Where's Benjamin?" " Right there." "Thornbirds?" "Me?" "They don't have women Thornbirds." "They do now." "I was a skinny fighting lad No more than seventeen" "The sorriest excuse for a man That you have ever seen" "But now I am a Thornbird And as proud as I can be" "Colonel Thornbush Made a man out of me" "Glory, glory I'll be falling through the sky" "Glory, glory I am not afraid to die" "Glory, glory I'm as proud as I can be" "Colonel Thornbush Made a man out of me" "Good morning, sir." "I'd like you to meet my wife." " Good to meet you, Mrs. Thornbush." " Good to meet you, Miss Lady Thornbird." " I've heard a lot about you." " Thank you." "I guess this is the Thorndog." "Shake, Scrabble!" "You must be nervous about the big jump tomorrow." "The Colonel says I can do it." "I guess I can." "The Colonel's motto is, "Life is a series of challenges to be met and mastered."" "I hope you catch a cloud, Benjamin." "Not a feeling like it in the world." "You're in a veil of white, not a sound except your beating heart." "It's godlike." "You must be very special." "The "Big T" is a great judge of character." "Stop gabbing and let this soldier get some chow." "Goodbye, sir." "I really appreciate your confidence in me." "I'm not going to let you down." "See you at 13,000 feet, okay?" "Oy vey!" "Go with it!" "Soar!" "You're a Thornbird!" "Come on, Benjamin, let's go!" "All right?" " You can do it!" "Trust me!" " I can't!" "I'm ashamed, but I'm afraid to die." " I'm afraid, Colonel." "I'm not brave." " Take it easy!" "I can't." "I'm afraid my chute won't open." " Calm down, Benjamin!" " What if I fall upside down?" " I could vomit in midair!" " Take it easy!" "I tried to be macho, but those guys are better at being men than I am!" "Relax, Benjamin, you don't have to jump!" " I don't?" " No!" "Take it easy, girl!" "Shape up!" "You better?" "I feel better now." "You don't have to jump." "You're a good man." "There are other ways you can serve." "Happy, darling?" " You want it!" " What are you doing?" "I can smell fear in any man and passion in any woman!" "You want it!" "My God, this isn't happening to me!" "I'm going to take you." "I'm not in the mood." "Suddenly I feel nauseous." "Come to papa." "I don't think so, sir, but thanks anyway." "My God!" "Open, please!" "At ease." "I'm glad you're back in one piece." "I apologize for yesterday's indiscretion." "An unforgivable breach of discipline." "And taste, sir." "I hope it hasn't soured you on the military." "The question is how long you'll continue as a Thornbird." "Hopefully not too long, sir." "Understood." "That's why I've put you on special assignment, transferred to another post." "A special assignment on the ground, I hope." " A job in procurement." " Procurement?" "That's purchasing." "I've cut your orders, you leave at 1500." "Greenland?" "What, penguins?" "Forget it!" "Forget it!" "I was in the first wave of the Rangers at Normandy on D-day." "In 1952 I was standing with my troops on the banks of the Yalu River, waiting." "MacArthur phoned." ""Come home, Thornie it's not our year." I am a good leader." "No, I am a great leader!" "Your ass is going to Greenland for a reason." "I won't let you shoot your mouth off, blemishing my record with innuendo." "Innuendo?" "Try rape." "How about Guam?" "My hair will frizz." "Okinawa?" "Malaria?" "Pass." "We have bases all over the world." "Dear Glass, hello from Belgium." "Sorry it's taken me so long to write, but I've been very busy." "S.H.A.P.E. Is an amazing place." "The top military headquarters in Europe." "Definitely the most exciting duty a soldier could pull." "My M. O. S. Is Purchasing Specialist the one job I've trained for all my life." "My superior is a terrific guy a Turkish officer named Lieutenant Rahmi." "But the best one can say of his English is that it's better than my Turkish." "Benyameen, ka'." "Sate." "Benyameen, I need the inpoormation on the drying caruses." "Driving courses?" "Yes, sir." "I'm working on that now." "Excellent." "I want you to rye-eed it to the counsule." "Me?" "Read it to the council?" "Do want me to rye-eed it?" "Private Benyameen..." "Benjamin!" "I got a charming apartment through an ad in Stars and Stripes." "It's right over a bakery, has a hot plate, running water and all the croissants I can eat." "It's not exactly Versailles, but it's home." "For the first time in months, I feel that things are really going my way." "I finally got the nerve to pay Henri a surprise visit." "I'll let you know how it turns out." "I hope he remembers me." "My love to Moe and Gianelli." "Votre amie, Private B." "Let's see... just got into town." "And feeling kind of lonely." "No, don't say lonely." "Oh, God!" "It's a great house, but don't be impressed." "It's a hand-me-down." " Morning." " Nine o'clock?" "I haven't slept this late in 3 months." " Where are you going?" " Sunday soccer." "Merde!" "I'm late." "I have to go anyway." "Don't be ridiculous, please!" "Stay." "I want you to be here when I get back at three o'clock." "I'm going to make love to you, and I'll take you to my favorite bistro." "And we'll listen to some nice Italian jazz." "Max!" "Hello, baby!" "He's beautiful." "Sit!" "The dog is deaf." "Wait for me, please." "I could get used to you." "I paid 8,000 francs for this rug." "I'm sorry." "He gets nervous around new people." "He's not the only one." " I have to clean this up." " You go play." "I'll clean up." "No, I'll clean it." "Go play." "I adore you." "There are two bids we recommend:" "Sergio Devoto's Driving Academy which teaches evasive driving to the chauffeurs of such dignitaries as General Alexander Haig President Giscard d'Estaing, Mick Jagger..." "Excuse me, Private Benjamin I'm afraid I missed the security data on these drivers." "The security data was unavailable to me, sir." "Who's here from security?" "I am, sir." "That material is highly classified, sir." "I am certain this soldier is not cleared for that level." "Then clear her, Captain." "Is there a problem?" "No, sir." "Then we'll expect a revised report by the next council session." "Gentlemen chow time." "Good job." "Behave yourself, Judy Benjamin or I'll drum your ass out of S.H.A.P.E. So fast it'll make your head spin." "Sorry, Helga." "Who is your friend, Doreen?" "She's no fwiend... friend." "Listen, the bags are packed." "My ex-girlfriend, Claire, painted it." " What's it supposed to be, death?" " No, it's a self-portrait." "How long ago did you and this painter break up?" " 14 weeks ago, Monday." " You're still counting it in weeks?" "How come you broke up?" "Or is that too personal?" "Claire is a brilliant woman." "I even joined the Communist Party for her for a week." "Not romantic though, much too independent." "Do you know a lot of tortured artists?" "Only tortured lawyers." "Your first husband was a lawyer?" "No, Rick was a tennis pro at the El San Juan." "My therapist said that I had a neurotic need to find a father figure." "And he had a neurotic need to find a father-in-law who had a lot of money." "You know, I've been married to men I haven't felt this comfortable with." "What's the story with you and this Tremont character?" "Why are you spying on me?" " Your lover-boy's a Red!" " Don't be ridiculous!" "He was a Red for about five seconds." "Because of a woman he used to date." "Nobody stops being a Communist." "It's a terminal disease." "And I am not going to sit around with my thumb up my ass while you divulge classified information during the throes of passion." "Please!" "I can barely speak during the throes of passion." "Believe me, Henri Tremont is as much a Communist as me." "Or you!" "If Patton were alive, he would slap your face." "As you were." "Captain Lewis." "Private Benjamin has made herself vulnerable to a Red, sir." "I read the report." "It's not true, sir." "We're not blind to the fact that half of Europe is Communistic." "But here at S.H.A.P.E. They're still the enemy." "General Foley, Henri Tremont is not a Communist." "He's a gynecologist." "Captain Lewis is hung up on a technicality." "I'm sorry, but it's against regulations for you to associate with this man." "You're up for a promotion." "I'd hate to see this incident jeopardize your career." "What are you trying to tell me, sir?" "It's either him or us." " Can't you hear?" " Can't you move?" "It's Judy." "Judy who?" "Darling, how are you?" "What?" "She's getting married." "Monsieur Shiffman!" "Thank God!" "Listen, the tablecloths they're terrible." "The color, la couleur, is all wrong." "The wedding is in yellow and butterscotch." "And right now I'm looking at something entre canari et banane." "Gabby!" "Pardon, Madame!" "I get the Hoover." "Was she a good maid before she met me?" "Is it smart to fire the maid just before the wedding?" "Especially with your parents coming." "Okay, she stays until after the wedding." "You look very beautiful today." "So do you." "What did your friends say when they called?" "They're coming over on Army Transport next week." "I can't wait to see them." "It's going to be so much fun." "And Glass is learning French!" "Honey, who was that?" "It was Claire." "Claire?" "Get over this obsession with Claire." "You stood with your tongue hanging out." "I was surprised to see her." "Surprised?" "I'd call it catatonic." "You don't see me getting hung up on your old boyfriends and husbands." "Do you?" "Listen to me." "Come here." "I love you." "We're getting married in a week." "I want to have a baby with you." "You do?" "Oh, honey!" "I'd love to have a baby." "I thought I was getting too old." "A baby!" " I want us to be together always." " We will!" "It's the reality of things sometimes they don't always work out exactly as they are planned, so..." "What are you saying?" " I want you to sign this." " What is it?" "Contrat de mariage." "A letter of financial agreement." "God forbid something should happen to us." "It just helps us stay friends." "I want to be your wife, not your friend." "It's fair." "I allocated for myself what was mine before our marriage." "You cannot expect me to give you half of a house that's been in my family for centuries." "We don't need this kind of thing between us." "We'll make it." "I can't get married without it." "It's in French." "Please." "Private Benjamin?" "Did I write that?" "I'm sorry." "I'll just cross it out." "Initial it." "Where shall we go tonight?" "Regine's?" "Took Henri's car to the shop." "Made Henri's hair appointment." "Took Max to the vet." "Picked up Henri's soccer uniform." "You've got to remember that I used to be a very active person." "I was jumping out of airplanes and at S.H.A.P.E. It was like nonstop chaos." "You're not thinking about opening a store?" "No, you were right about that." "It would've been too much of a hassle to do." "It was a bad idea." "But there have to be other choices." "Do you know what I did today?" "I rearranged my closet." "For three hours." "There's definitely something wrong with that, isn't there?" " Am I making sense?" " No." "And that's what I love about you." "This is the color of hair I was talking about." "I don't know." "Maybe." "I love it." "Rita Hayworth, I swear to God!" " I wouldn't have recognized you." " You look stunning!" "Turn around, let me see the outfit." "Oh God, doll!" "Gorgeous!" "It's an absolute vision." "Her hair is the worst!" "To see you looking like your old self again, you have no idea!" "Who knows what we'd do in her place." "The important thing is, Judy's Judy again." " Truthfully, you don't miss the Army?" " What's to miss?" "$400 a month?" "The only good thing about it was that what's-her-name." "Captain Lewis?" "I hope her coat's good enough." "I had no idea it'd be so chilly." " It's November here, Kissy." " It's November everywhere, genius!" "Sit!" "I was talking to Max." "It's good to see you up." "Excuse me for interrupting." "Does this belong to anyone?" "Because I'm positive it isn't mine." "Oui, Madame." "Where did you find it?" "Where you left eet!" "May I ask what you were doing in my bed?" "!" "I was not in your bed, madame." "I make your bed." "It must have fallen." "What are you doing?" "I would like to know how this item got into my bed." "This is too much!" "Judy, give Gabrielle back the cross." "What should I think?" "She's the world's worst maid!" "Enough!" "Please!" "What's gotten into you lately?" "It's like I live with the kid from the Exorcist!" "Two weeks ago I was like a god to you!" "Now you show me no respect." "I respect you." "Accusing me of sleeping with Gabrielle!" "You think I'm so low I'd seduce a child?" "Do you?" "Honey, I'm nervous." "I'm very nervous." "And I know that once we get married everything is going to be fine." "I'm sorry." "I fly 6,000 miles to attend my daughter's wedding and the groom is playing soccer!" "Daddy, he'll be here any minute." "He probably went into overtime." "Monsieur, my son is very reliable." " He will be here shortly." " It just isn't right!" "Jean-Paul!" "Where is Henri?" "The bum never showed up for the game." "Isn't he here?" "No." "He never showed up?" "Judy, don't hate me for saying this or nothing but you really might be better-off." "Don't be ridiculous!" "I don't know how to say this, but you were starting to act a bit weird again." "What am I going to do?" "I'm a wreck." "He's back!" "You look perfect." " Where were you?" " I'm fine." "No, where were you?" "I was so scared." " You don't want to know this." " I do want to know." "I had to see Claire." "You were with Claire?" "She is in so much trouble." "You've no idea what I've been through." "There are 75 people waiting for you." "Couldn't you have phoned?" " Don't bad French artists have phones?" " She was overwrought." "Her boyfriend beat her up." "I prescribed a sedative for her to sleep." "That takes 2 minutes, you were gone 4 hours." "The place was a mess." "I hung up clothes and did dishes." "You did Claire's dishes?" "Shall I stop being nice to people because we're marrying?" "I just don't understand how you could be with Claire today." "You want to walk down the aisle with me or not?" "Not so fast." "I know this is a very awkward time to do this but I want to break up." "She's crazy again." "Listen to me." "You're having an anxiety attack." "I'll give you a shot to calm down." "No, I want to be perfectly conscious when I call a cab." "What are you doing to me?" "What is this about?" "Gabrielle?" "I slept with her one night when you were acting crazy." "We'll fire her after the wedding." "You're such a schmuck!" "Daddy Mom just fainted." "Schmuck?" "!" "When I met you, you were in the Army." "You were nothing, picking up strangers in bars!" " Now just a minute!" " She was." "I'll give you a future, a home, a name." "For once don't be stupid!" " There's Claire." " Where?" "Don't call me stupid."