"Deep in the heart of the Aegean... lies the island of Navarone." "In 1943, it stood like a thorn in the Allied side." "Newly designed radar-controlled guns, set deep in the heart of the ancient rock, gave the German High Command total strategic dominance." "Air strikes and naval attacks had proven costly and ineffective." "In desperation, the Allies turned to infiltration." "On the night of September the 24th, a specially trained commando group succeeded in penetrating... the very heart of the gun complex, planted explosives at the base of the giant shell hoists, then withdrew to await rescue by ships of the Royal Navy." " Reduce speed, number one." " Aye, aye, sir." "Fire!" "Move!" "Move!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "Hut!" "Hut!" "Hut!" "Move it!" "Move it!" "Move it!" "Move it!" "Regulations state, sir, that in the absence of bacon, ham, et cetera, the acting catering officer..." "that's you, sir... shall authorize, once per week, the issue of offal." " Offal?" " Offal, sir, is the kidneys, liver, tongue, brains." "Well, I'll be damned." "Milly, how nice to see you." " Hello, sir." " What the devil are you doing here?" "Well, I've no idea." "I'm reporting to Commander Jensen." "I gather that you've been hurling yourself over the White Cliffs." " How's the leg?" " Well, it's still in the same place." "I thought they'd pensioned you off for good." "You still peddling those whizbangs of yours?" "Oh, yes." "We've got things that go boom in the night, for all occasions." "I've been working on a new type of detonator, recently." " Might be quite interesting..." " Excuse me, sir." "We can't keep Cdr." "Jensen waiting." "We'll have a quiet pint later on." "He'd like to see you too, sir." "Together." "Corporal, put that in my office, will you?" "Ah, Mallory." "Oh, take a pew." "How's the leg?" " And, uh, Miller, isn't it?" " Sir." "Hear you've been attached to Winston's toy shop." "Department of Dirty Tricks, as those Whitehall Chaps call it." "Well, they speak very well of you." "Right." "We need you chaps for something rather special." "I'm afraid it's not exactly a masterpiece, but, uh, I wonder if you can identify this fellow." " Think back to Navarone." " I'd rather not, sir." "Nicolai." "Yes." "Let you down a bit, didn't he?" "But what about him?" "Andreas' people had him shot as a traitor, didn't they?" "Yes, so we were told." "In fact, he escaped." "And he wasn't a traitor." "He was a first-class German agent... who we believe is operating now, somewhere in Yugoslavia, with the Partisans, posing as one Captain Lescovar." "Now, you both knew Nicolai." "You're the only people can make a positive identification." "So, I'd like you to go out there... and cope." "Cope, sir?" "Kill him." "Discreetly, if possible." " Ah, but, uh, I'm a civilian now, sir." " Yes, we thought about that." "So, you've been recalled to the colors, and promoted." "Staff Sergeant." "Awfully generous, sir." " Exactly how do we get there?" " We're tacking you onto Force 10." "Now, that's the code name for an operation for the Allied mission in Yugoslavia." "Excuse me, sir." "What's their objective?" "It's being treated on a need-to-know basis." "And, uh, you don't need to know." "Ah, Barnsby, come in." " Sir?" " Colonel." "Force 10 flies out tonight." " Oh, that's all right." " Taking these boys with you." " I beg your pardon, sir?" " It's a matter of transportation." "So, you've got a couple of passengers." "Just a sideshow, really." "Major Mallory, Sergeant Miller." "Lieutenant Colonel Barnsby." "Sir, my mission is all set." "It's been planned down to the last detail." "The last thing we need are a couple of passengers." "Major Mallory does have a certain amount of experience." " I wouldn't doubt it." " But we're talking about some hard traveling, sir." "We've got to move fast." "My men are all young, and in top physical shape." "They're specially trained for this mission." " I'm aware of that." " Sir, I am concerned about the safety of my command." "Now, these chaps have got a job to do, as well." "And it's up to you, to deliver them safely, to the Partisans." "And you leave for Italy at 2300 hours, and you take off for Yugoslavia, the following night." " Very well, sir." " Thank you." "That's all, gentlemen." "Well, we'll do our best... not to make a nuisance of ourselves, Colonel." "All right, enough!" "I thought we were going to an airfield." "From what I've observed of Colonel Barnsby, we might be going to Yugoslavia... by walking on water." "All right, it's right along here." "Slow down, Nolan." "Stop it." " Nolan, kill the lights." " All right, out!" "Oberstein, Reynolds, the fence." "You're gonna miss your plane unless you join us now, Major." "Remarkable way of getting on an aircraft, don't you think so, Milly?" "Oh, well, nothing's ever easy, is it?" "Well, it's not easy if you insist on climbing through fences, in the dark... when there's a perfectly good gate half a mile up the road." "Anything we can do to help, Colonel?" "Yeah, you can keep quiet and out of the way, Major." "I don't have a whole lot of time for explanations, Major." "But one of the many things you don't know... is that the last three Allied missions into Yugoslavia... were blown, right here in Italy." "So, this time when we fly out, we're not advertising the fact to anybody." "Holy cow." "Will you look at those guys?" "They're stealing half the field." "All right, hold it." "Wait for me." "OK, men, let's go." " Blake, take care of Rastus there." " Yes, sir." "OK, fellas, freeze." "Back off." "Come on, get back." "And you, back, back." "Bill, Eddie, fetch those other guys out of there." " What's your name, kid?" " Walter." "Walter." " What's yours?" " Well, it sure in the hell ain't Rastus." "Walter." "Good evening." "Major, move!" "You two guys officers?" "More or less, yes." " We're very much obliged to you, Sergeant." " Weaver." " Oh, Sergeant Weaver." "Yes, thank you." " US Army Medical Corps." " Hey, but sir..." " All set, Colonel." " Still stuff outside, Morse?" " Yeah." " OK, Oberstein?" " Fine." "Hey, sir!" "Where's Nolan?" "I think you can take it he won't be joining us." "OK, let's go." "You miserable son of a bitch!" "I saved your asses back there." " And then you guys go running out on me." " Hey, who is this guy?" " Get out of here!" " Don't push... don't push me!" "Look, you..." "I think it's a bit late for that now." "Look, you just shouldn't have left me there." "I saved you bums." "Well, we didn't think you'd like where we're going." "You let me worry about that, huh?" "That guy's really gonna melt into the landscape." "Yeah, them Partisans are gonna think they've been invaded by Zulus." "Well, you are one man short." "Well, Nolan can handle a chute, at least." " Can you handle a chute?" " I can learn on the job." "That's right." "You learn on the way down." "Well, I'd better go tell the Colonel we got us another passenger." "I think the Colonel's got enough on his plate for the moment, don't you?" "So sorry." "I was rather hoping we'd lost that." "Oh, you never know." "It might come in useful." " Hey, hey, what do you got in there?" " My pajamas." "Looks like high explosive pajamas to me." "But not to worry, old boy." "Been handling this stuff ever since I blew up the nursery, with my first chemistry set." "Poor old nanny." "We got company." "Where the hell are my..." "Cut two!" "Reynolds, bail out!" "Jump!" "Go!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "Come on!" "Get out!" "Come on!" "Move!" "Come on!" "Forward!" "Aufrucken." "Mallory." " I'm OK." " Seen any of the others?" "Not yet." "Get down." "Come on." " OK, Reynolds?" " Yeah." "Where's your Sergeant Miller?" "How the hell did he get here?" "You let him on the plane?" "I think he more or less invited himself." " Where'd you learn to handle a knife like that?" " Harvard University, man." "You don't call him "man." you call him "sir," and you call me "sir."" "As long as you're here, you do as you're told." "Is that understood, soldier?" "Yes, sir." "We've got to get out of here before that patrol comes back." "Lieutenant Reynolds, you take the point, with me." "Sergeant Weaver, you bring up the rear." "And everybody keep up." "All right, let's go." "Organized young gentleman, isn't he?" " Any idea where we are, Colonel?" " Not a hell of a lot, no." "But if we keep going East, we'll end up where we're supposed to." "How the hell did we manage to get stuck with those two clowns?" "I don't know, Doug." "Some idiot at British HQ." "Come along, gentlemen." "It's not teatime yet." "Do you think that young man has any idea where we are, Milly?" " No, I shouldn't think so." " Shouldn't think so either." "I'll go and try and find out." "Yes, why don't you do that?" "Excuse me, Colonel." "Do you have any idea where we are?" "Yeah, I've got a good idea where we are, Major... and how long it's gonna take us to get there, if you two can't keep up." "All right, let's move it." "You know, this is really beautiful country." "Yes, marvelous." "Rather like the Scottish Highlands." " You know Scotland?" " No." "Yes." "I've often thought that I'd rather like to settle down there, someday." "Looks like you're gonna have to change your plans." "Take it easy." "Welcome." "Captain Drazak, 17th Partisan regiment." " Good morning, Captain." " Welcome, welcome." " Thank you, Captain Drazak." "We frightened you with bandages, huh?" "Without bandages, you..." "German." "How you say?" " Flammen-werfer?" " You say flamethrower." "Ja, ja." "Flamethrower." " Hallo!" "Hallo!" " How do you do?" "This is Maritza." "Good soldier comrade." "Zdravo." "How do you do, good soldier comrade?" "Zdravo." "Hello, blackie." "Maybe it comes off now, Maritza." "Back off, soldier." "I make big joke, but joke on me." "Good blackie." "Come." "We go." "We eat with our comrades." "We make friends and drink." "Then we fight the Germans." "Come." "Come." "We go." "Where'd you learn to punch like that?" "Harvard?" "No." "Harlem." "Colonel." "Look, I'm not trying to get anybody killed, least of all me." " But that big idiot back there started..." " Just watch yourself, soldier." " How's the leg today, Major?" " Oh, it's very much better." "Thank you, Colonel." "Good." "Good." "Well, looks like things may work out after all, huh?" "Well, perhaps Miller and I can still carry out our little sideshow." "Sorry about force 10." "And you're down to two men, aren't you?" "Of course I don't know what your mission was, but obviously, it just isn't on now, is it, Colonel?" "Looks rather like your own youngster, doesn't he?" "You really think so?" "My friends, come." "Come." "Eat." "We are Chetniks, not stinking Partisans." "We hunt Allied Commandos like wild pigs." "We work with Germans." "They're our friends." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Major Schroeder, 11th Army Corps." " How do you do, Major?" " Delighted to meet you." "We thought all these people were Partisans." "Of all the luck, eh, Barnsby?" "Sure." "Chetniks?" "Who would have believed that?" "The other three Allied missions that fell into our hands..." "Were not quite so happy about it as you appear to be." "I'm not surprised, sir." "But you see, we're not commandos." "We're deserters." "Ah, deserters." "Give them to me, Major." "We kill them now." "You see, we were in a prison camp, in Termoli." "We escaped, managed to steal a plane." "Flew here." "RAF Lancaster." "Were attacked, hit, bailed out and landed in your territory, thank God." "Fascinating." "Tell me." "Why, exactly, did you desert?" "Well, no, I'm glad you asked that." "Yes." "Well, I'm afraid that is rather a long story." "Oh, please, you must not be afraid of boring me." " You ever heard of penicillin?" " No." "No, well, I'm not surprised." "It's a new development." "It's a drug that prevents wounds from becoming infected." "It cures a whole range of infections, as a matter of fact, including some of the nastier social diseases." "Naturally, it's become one of the most sought-after items, on the black market." "Our friend here, Sergeant Weaver, of the American Medical Corps, was our supplier." "You are saying you stole these drugs from the Army, to sell to civilians?" "Uh, not just civilians, Major." "We'd sell it back to the Army." "Any Army." "Ah, ja, I see." "Ah, tell me, what has all this to do... with that, uh, suitcase that you keep looking at?" "Well, that suitcase is full of our penicillin." "Oh, indeed." "Perhaps I could see some of it?" "Certainly, Major." "Open it, Miller." "You can't do that here, sir." "You'll ruin the lot." "You know perfectly well that any contamination will destroy it." "It's got to be opened under laboratory conditions." "Besides, there's nearly half a million pounds worth of stuff in here." "I know all that, but the Major's not interested in our penicillin." "He only wants to know if we're telling the truth." "Anyway, what's the use of a half a million pounds to you out here?" "Yes, well, that's beside the point, sir, but, uh, I'm not going to open it." " Our story doesn't seem to convince you, Major." " No, it does not." "Well, that's up to you, Major." "But every word that he's told you is true." "If you don't believe it, you can check with your own intelligence people, in Italy." "They'll verify the entire story." "Oh, I shall certainly verify your story." "Every word of it." "Get in, scum!" "Cute story, Major." "Very cute." "And what happens when they open the suitcase?" "I should think we'll all get shot." "Don't you, Colonel?" "Headquarters acknowledge your signal, Herr Major." "Thank you, Bauer." "Maritza." "What do you think?" " They're lying." " What does it matter anyway?" "Kill them." "Ja, you are probably right." "Do you know what I was thinking?" "After the war, a million dollars." "You, a simple peasant girl from, where?" "I could never pronounce the name of the place you come from." "With so much money, we could..." "They're lying." "Kill them." "Out!" "Get out!" "Forward, march!" " What did I tell you?" " Well, at least we got a good night's sleep." "Good morning, gentlemen." "Our intelligence confirms your escape from Italy." "You and you, follow me, please." "Your escape from Italy is one thing." "The rest of your story is something else." "I, uh, had time to sleep on it." "So this morning, you know what I did?" "Hmm?" "I opened the suitcase." "Maritza!" "And what do you think I found?" "Firewood." "Well, what do you expect?" "We buried that stuff before your Chetniks picked us up." "We're not that stupid, Schroeder." "It's the only thing we've got to bargain with." "Ja, that is what I thought you would say." "Well, I don't believe you." "I think you're lying." "You know they're lying." "Why don't you let Drazak get rid of them?" "Gently, Maritza." "I don't believe your so-called penicillin exists, but it just might." "So, I will let you go and dig it up for me." "And if we do, you'll shoot us and bury us, in the same hole." "I shall certainly shoot you, if you don't." "Well, gentlemen, the choice is yours." "What I can't figure is how the firewood got in the case." "Huh?" "Neither can I." "Don't know where we're going to find any spare penicillin around here, do you?" "Well, what are we going to do, for Christ's sake, keep walking until we reach the Adriatic?" "I don't think the iron maiden's going to let us get that far." "Halt!" "What did I tell you?" "We are three miles past the spot where you were picked up." "Well, where is this wonderful treasure?" "In your imagination?" "No, ma'am, it's not in our imagination." "I just think it's a bit further on, don't you, Colonel?" "Yes, it is." "It's... well, I mean, it's not much further than this." "It's hard to tell, though." "The whole country looks alike." "You will start digging within five minutes." "Well, what if we haven't found it in five minutes?" "Then you will be digging your graves." "Hey, Colonel." "Wait a minute now." "This looks familiar." "Isn't this our little hollow down here?" "Ah, yes." "Yes, I think it is." "Uh, I remember this, uh... this knoll over here." "Ma'am, this is it." "I think this is it." "Uh, and this knoll over here." "Right." "You see, comrade, we lined it between them..." "There you are." "There's our piles of stones." "Right." "Got to get them closer, when we use the spades." "You take the two that are closest to you, and I'll take the other one, and the broad." "I'm going to get them closer now, OK?" "Fritz!" "Fritz, come!" "It's here." " Ready?" " Right." "You can get up now." "They're dead." "I'm the one who puts firewood in people's cases... and hides their high explosives." "Don't sit there gawping." "Get out of here." "Keep moving in that direction." "Try to find Petrovitch's Partisans." "Now, go." "Excuse me, good comrade soldier, but, exactly what story are you going to tell Schroeder about all this?" "You took us by surprise." "You got away." "Here." "Hit me." "Did you expect me to go back there with my hair combed?" "Hit me." "Well, all right." "I'm sorry." "Harder!" "Come on, Colonel." "I hope that man Schroeder believes that girl's story." "Yeah, if he doesn't believe her, he'd better think twice about calling her a liar." "What about Miller and Reynolds?" "What about them, Colonel?" "Yes." "I suppose they..." "Let's move it." "Do you have the feeling we're being followed?" "Yeah, about the last ten minutes." "Next time, you can play the corpse." "Yeah, you seem pretty good with that thing, though." "Could have been luck." " Germans?" " Yes, or Drazak, I suppose." "Partisans, thank God." "Good morning." "Good morning." "What's the matter with him?" " We've been looking for you people." " Be quiet." "You will make your report to Major Petrovitch." " I think we've run into bad company, Colonel." " Yeah?" " Yes, the leader." " What about him?" " Afraid I know him." "Nicolai." " Who the hell is Nicolai?" "It's Nicolai Lescovar, the man I was sent to kill." "Dam." "If it's the one I think it is, I know where we are." "So do I. Right in it." " Do you think he's recognized you?" " Yes, I think so." " Lieutenant Colonel Barnsby, United States Rangers." " Major Mallory, sir." "You got away from the Germans." " How?" " We escaped." "Captain Lescovar has his doubts about that." "If you escaped, why were the Germans not pursuing you?" "We observed you for five miles, before we picked you up." "Well, then, you should've observed... that we killed those two Chetniks, that were following us." " The men with the bandaged faces." " Exactly." "Hardly a cause for congratulation." "Those two men were Partisans." "Comrades of ours, whom we had infiltrated into the Chetnik camp." "So now, all links with our agent there are broken, thanks to you." "I'm sorry." "The fact remains however, sir, that we're Allied Officers." "There's no reason we should be treated this way." "I'm here in command of Force 10." "I insist that we be allowed to contact the Allied mission at Marshall Tito's headquarters." "I'm sure London informed you." "We are informed of many things, by London." "Very few of them ever seem to materialize." "However, you are right." "I was informed of your mission." "Personally, I doubt if it was ever a practical one, but now that you are here, without equipment, the question is academic." "And you, Major, you came here as, uh, an observer, perhaps." "No, sir." "I was charged with a mission of my own." "It's confidential." "Ah, confidential." "Mm." "Sometimes, I get the impression... that London looks on this theater of operations... as a convenient place for conducting, what they call, "war games."" "May I speak to you personally, sir?" " You are speaking to me personally." " I mean alone." "No." "The People's Army does not conduct military business in secret." "Very well, sir." "I was sent here to identify a German agent, code name Nicolai." "We are reliably informed that he has infiltrated the People's Resistance Army... and is now known... as Captain Lescovar." "And having identified this man, what were your further orders?" "I was to eliminate him, sir." "Eliminate." "Don't you mean, kill?" "Yes, sir." "I do mean, kill." "Do you hear that, Lescovar?" "The gentlemen from London want us to shoot you." "I'm sorry, Major." "I must admit, you are, indeed, partly right." "There was an agent named Nicolai, operating somewhere South of here... and also calling himself Lescovar." "But he was identified many months ago, and eliminated." "The British were informed." "But London were very specific, sir." "Yes, they frequently are specific, and, just as frequently, wrong." "Lieutenant Marko, see that these gentlemen give you a full report... on their activities in the Chetnik camp." "A specific report." "Well, Captain, I guess we owe you a bit of an apology, don't we?" "Well, it happens." "We all get badly briefed, sometimes." "I wish we'd been briefed about the men with the bandages." "Replaced them with a couple of your own, huh?" "That's a good trick." "They were messengers to our agent at, uh, Schroeder's headquarters." "Is your agent small, dark, pretty, beautiful gray eyes, and shoots from the hip?" " You mean Maritza?" " Yes." "She took a big chance for us." "She isn't Petrovitch's daughter for nothing." "We hold this end of the bridge." "Over there, the Germans are preparing for their final attack." "We have been ordered to prevent them crossing, at all costs." "What, exactly, do they have over there?" "Three divisions." "Perhaps more." "We hold a brigade here." "Soon, they'll bring up tanks, then..." "Why haven't you blown the bridge, already?" "We have tried, several times." "Each time, we lost valuable men." "Major Petrovitch has decided it is impractical." "Well, he's wrong about that, Captain." "There's no bridge, in the world, that can't be blown." "That's what Force 10 was here to prove." "I told you before." "You have no men, you have no equipment." "Look, I can radio London for more equipment." "All you have to do is get me an airstrip operational." "Oh, call London, prepare an airstrip, for a plane that may never arrive." " Have you anything else to suggest?" " Yes." "Give me 20 of your men, and I can blow that bridge to hell." "You mean you can blow 20 of my men to hell... for nothing!" "That bridge is indestructible." "Excuse me, sir." "You don't need 20 men." "You need Miller." " Miller?" " He's an expert with explosives, sir." "He's probably the best in England." "Ah, this Miller is in England?" " No, sir." "Prisoner, in the Chetnik camp." " Then he's already dead." "Not necessarily, Major." "I refuse to mount a full-scale operation, just to find out, Colonel." "I need every single man I've got here, now." "Sir, we don't need to mount a full-scale operation." "Just give us two men." "These Officers are from headquarters." "They're here to interrogate you." "You reported five prisoners, Major." "Ja." "Two of them tried to escape." "They were shot." "Major Schroeder is in the armory." "And I have told you before, this area is out of bounds to all of you people, except Captain Drazak." "Now kindly remove yourselves, immediately." "And if you can read, which I doubt, take a look at standing orders." " There." "You have made me burn the milk." " Sorry." "Let it burn." "Open up." "Prisoners for Major Schroeder." "You see, my colleague does not believe you are deserters." " The prisoners, sir." " What prisoners?" "I thought you said these men had been shot." "Right, gentlemen." "Shall we go?" "No!" "This is not correct." "Quick." "Miller!" "Bring him." "Open it." "Go." "Marko." "Partisan witch!" "Always so kind, to the men with burns." "But they have no burns." "The three Germans with the prisoners have escaped." "All shot in the back, with machine pistols." "You killed them." "Good." "Get me the hat." "Open!" "Open up!" "Open!" "Open!" "Milly!" "Weaver, don't just stand there, gawking like an idiot." "Let's get this truck moving." " Is she OK?" " Well, we'll drive as carefully as we can." "Hey, you!" "I don't like the way you talk." " You what?" " I said, I don't like the way you talk to me." "And this truck doesn't move till somebody tells me what the hell's going on." " Now, look, you." " You big-time officers have shafted me twice." "You tried to dump me in Italy." "You ran out on me, back there, with the krauts." "You expect me to drive you around like some goddamn tom chauffeur." "Nobody tells me anything." "You don't even tell me what the hell's going on here." "I don't believe this." "Excuse me, uh, Sergeant Weaver, but is your trouble that you want to be part of the team?" "I don't want to be a part of any lousy team, Major." "I want equal consideration." "I don't think you're going to get equal consideration from those people there, do you?" "I don't care if they're the US Cavalry." "Nobody moves until somebody tells me what you're planning to do." " We're going to blow up a bridge." " A bridge?" "Who's bridge?" "Not me, buddy." "I'm blowin' up nothin'." "We are going to help the Partisans blow up a bridge." "And then, if we're very lucky, we can all go home." " Is that a fact?" " That's the general idea." " That's why we came back for Miller, here." " Yeah, Miller." "You didn't give a mother hunch about me, did you?" "You came back for Miller, but you didn't come back for me, did you?" "No." "We didn't." "That's the first straight answer you've given me." "I think the Major's got a point, Colonel." "They do look kind of mean, don't they?" "Well, don't just stand there gaping like an idiot, Weaver!" "Get in and drive the truck!" "All right." "We'll have to do this another way." "Get away from the truck!" "Wait for my signal." "Useful little insect, isn't he?" "Keep an eye on him, Marko." "Miller, you are an incurable showoff." "Don't knock it, Major." "Don't knock it." "Lescovar's confirmed my signals got through to London." " Do you like that chap?" " Who's that?" "Lescovar?" "Yeah." "I haven't thought anything about him." " He does his job, I suppose." " Yes, he does, doesn't he?" "All right, Sergeant." "What do you think?" "Pretty straightforward, isn't it?" "Well, no, not exactly." "Fact, not by a long shot." "I'd say you were flogging a dead horse, old man." " What are you trying to tell me, Sergeant?" " Take a look." "Are you kidding?" "I know every inch of that bridge." "Oh, yeah?" "Ah, well, in that case, you'll have noticed how it's built into the living rock." "And how those main pilings are not just fitted concrete... but 20 feet thick, and twice as deep." "That's not forgetting that the spans..." "I told you, London's dropping the same stuff we had before." "I know what you're getting..." "bags of equipment." " But it's not gonna be enough, you know." " What do you mean, "not enough"?" "You might bend it a little, burn the paint, here and there." "But nothing that would seriously inconvenience the jerries." "Look, our experts have been studying that bridge for weeks, and they say it'll blow." "I don't know where you learned your job, but I'm talking about the best construction engineers in the business." "Yes." "Well, they're probably experts, at building things, whereas I'm an expert at blowing them up." "And you can take it from me, that one would need a good eight hours... to make a decent job of that bridge." " Eight hours?" " Assuming, of course, that jerry's kind enough to leave us in peace." "And maybe provide a few working lights." " Miller." " You've seen those searchlights, have you?" " Miller." " Sir?" "I think you've made your technical point." "Many thanks, sir." "Well, if I weren't absolutely sure of my facts, sir," "I wouldn't be telling you this now." "And you do understand, sir, I'm not exaggerating?" "Miller, what would happen to the bridge, if that central arch... was suddenly hit by several million tons of water?" " Water?" " Water?" "I think we've been talking about the wrong target." " Remember that dam we passed, just up around the bend?" " Dam?" "What kind of a dam?" "Where is it?" " Two and a half miles upriver." " My dear chap, why didn't you say so before?" "Oh, I can do a tremendous job on a dam." "Yes." "See, with a dam, you've got your natural elements working for you." "It's like having an enormous bath." "All you've got to do is pull the plug." "Thank you." "Come along, gentlemen." "As a technician, I just thought you might be interested in that dam, Milly." " So the RAF drops the stuff and we blow the dam, right?" " Right." "Is it anything like Boulder Dam?" "Now, that baby's big, man." "I wouldn't know about that." "How often have you used this as a dropping zone?" "Never." "The Germans see to that." "We have to keep moving around." "Makes sense." "You think those two guys know anything about blowing a dam?" "Oh, no." "I shouldn't think they've got a clue." "Never mind, Weaver." "We sergeants will see them through... as usual." "Right." "Ah." "Hello." "Ought you to be out and about, yet?" "It's jolly cold." "Yeah, come on in." "Take a seat." "Take it easy." "Thank you, but one thing I cannot do, just yet, is sit down." "You're not staying for the fireworks?" "Bags of panic and blue lights?" "No, I've seen too many air drops." "They don't compare to a nice, warm bed." "Would you believe it?" "Right on time." "I don't believe it." "Poor bastards." "This was no accident." "We've lost our last chance." "There is no question, we were betrayed." "Aren't we always, with Allied missions?" "Their security's a joke." "Doesn't matter." "We do our part, and what do we get?" "Twenty lives lost, and one of them..." "It's passed." "Finished." "All that matters now is that the Germans are marshaling their tanks." "They will cross the bridge, at first light, tomorrow, and there is nothing we can do to stop them." "And you four gentlemen have outstayed your... usefulness." " You will be escorted back to the Allied military mission." " Out of harm's way?" "Sir," "I could leave the Germans some very nasty surprises." "Thank you, Sergeant." "I think we have had enough surprises." "Captain Lescovar, see that these gentlemen have an escort of two men." "If those poor chaps had just half the equipment that the jerries have got," "I could've made that dam look like a Swiss cheese." "It's absolutely sickening." "Do you think the jerries will have... the gear we need in their forward supply dump?" "Sure." "Of course they would." "Lashings of HE, land mines, detonators, everything." "Absolute certainty." "Your escort, Colonel." "I think you'll find them reliable." "OK." "Thank you, Captain." "I think we're gonna need... rather more men than this, Captain." "My little Sergeant here thinks the Germans have... the necessary equipment, in their forward supply dump... so that the Colonel can blow the dam." "that means you'd have to get into the marshaling yards, at Woster." "None of you speak enough German." "You need me to help." "Thank you, Captain." " You know, I could get shot for this." " Couldn't we all?" "You look real beautiful, you know that?" "Yes." "It's all right for you." "You don't have to come with us." "We'll be back in exactly 35 minutes, all right?" " OK." " That's if the shop's open, old boy." "Pity they didn't teach you German at that orphan school of yours." "Instead of Latin?" "Perish the thought, old boy." "These any, uh, use to you?" "No." "I told you, Teller mines is what we want." "They look like dirty, great, green dinner plates." "Maybe they just haven't got any." "They have." "I wonder what happened to Barnsby and his truck." "I've been asking myself the same question." "Well, we can't just stand here, like ducks in thunder." "Over there." "The railway wagon." "Get the stuff in there till he comes." "Barnsby should have been here by now." "Where the hell is he?" "Mmm." "Beautiful." "They're just the job." " Not now, Milly!" " It's got to be done sometime." "I'd rather do it now, than in some ditch." " How long?" " Oh, about ten minutes, given peace and quiet." "These little sods can be temperamental." "The gubbins itself is harmless enough, but then, aren't we all, until detonated." "For a moment, I thought we were off." "Hey!" "Where in the hell have they gotten to?" "You maniac." "What the hell are you doing here?" "I'm going to have a look around." "See if I can find them." " There he is!" " Wait." "I'll get him." " That's Lescovar." "Where's Marko?" " Yeah." "I don't know, but 10 to 1 they're hiding in that boxcar." "Ja, ja." "Ja, ja." " Bloody hell!" " What's up now?" "Some great ape of a Sergeant..." "He sent Barnsby's truck away." "Oh, no." "Sergeant..." "Be quiet." "Listen to me." "There are two British commanders in that cattle truck, behind me." "I'm Colonel von Ingersleben, Special Field Intelligence Group." "Stand still, idiot!" "Look natural." "There is a third, an American Colonel, in the truck which you just sent away." "I want to take them all together." " What's Lescovar doing?" " He's shooting him some kind of story." "Go and assemble a squad of armed men, quickly and quietly." "And keep them out of sight." "Then, report back to me." "Understand?" "Good old Lescovar." "Best line shooter in the Balkans." "All right, you guys." "Let's... oh, man." "The sacks." "Back of the truck." "Get 'em up here, quick." " You picked a fine time to do this." " Sling out my suitcase, will you?" "Are you trying to screw up this operation?" "We're behind schedule already." " How did you get here?" " I've been through that already, Major." "Help me get this stuff loaded and get it on the truck." " Right, Miller?" " Right." "All set." "Let's go." "Easy." "Hold it." "There's that man again." "I'll take care of him." "Close the door." "They are all yours, Sergeant." "Bring the squad." "All clear?" "Give them a moment to get out of sight." "That fool Marko must have given himself away." "I don't know how." "How in the hell are we going to get back across the river, huh?" "Where are we going?" "Berlin, I shouldn't wonder." "Sarajevo." "That's where the train goes." "No stops." "I'm sorry about Marko." "Thank you." "It's a risk we all take." "He was a brave man, and a good friend." "Pity he got careless." "Do you think that big Sergeant spotted him as a Partisan?" "I can't buy that." "The Sergeant wasn't that bright." "He saluted you." "You're wearing a Corporal's uniform." "That doesn't rate a salute in the German Army." "Not in anybody's Army." "Why do you think he saluted you, Lescovar?" "Perhaps he recognized my natural superiority." "Yes, perhaps." "You say this train goes to Sarajevo, no stops?" "Yeah." "But I noticed, on the map, that we pass... within a half a mile of the dam." "Strange you didn't bother to mention that." "Now, what's all this about?" "Some fool of a Sergeant salutes me, and I forget to mention that we pass near the dam." "A little while ago, you said that Marko... must have given himself away." "I don't think he gave anything away, except his life." "What did you give away, Lescovar?" "Hmm?" "You think I'm a traitor, is that it?" "I don't think." "I know." "I've always known." "I just couldn't prove it." "You're Nicolai." "You're the man who blew us, in Greece." "Thank you, Colonel." "I've done your job." "You help me do mine." "Oh, crikey." "It's lit like a Christmas tree." "Dawn's around 5:30." "That gives us an hour to get in, a half hour to set the charges, and 20 minutes to get clear." "What you need, sir, is a little diversion, isn't it?" "Now, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" "Oh, I don't know." "Try and imagine you're a dog." "Oh, for heaven's sake." "On the road, man." "On the road." "Hallelujah." "Just unroll it and string it up." "Come on, blackie." "Come on, blackie." "Come on and ask!" "Hey." "You bleed red blood, eh, blackie?" "Here." "Right here." "There we are." "You all right, old man?" "Come on." "Blow, damn it, blow." "Give 'em a chance." "They'll be here in a minute." "If they'd been caught, we'd have heard the alarm go off." "How long do we make the fuse?" "They're Germans." "They're gonna be punctual." "Usually are." "We've run out of time." "Twenty seconds?" "What do you say?" "It's your decision, Colonel." "I'm asking you." "Twenty seconds sounds about right." "Then we won't have so far to run." "Would've been nice to see that bridge go, huh?" "Yes, wouldn't it." "It's all been very interesting, though, hasn't it?" "Yes." "It didn't do a goddamn thing!" "Nothin'!" "Miller!" "That useless git!" " It didn't..." " What?" " It didn't work!" " I know it didn't work!" " Let's get out of here." " Yeah, let's get out of here." "When I catch up with that little perisher, I'll wring his useless neck!" "Nothin'!" "We've been through all this, and nothin'!" "Nothin' but..." "You can't expect an enormous volcano... with three tiny bags of explosives." "We'll have to let nature take her course." "Give it time." "It'll work." "Hold it." "If I were you, I'd get out of here, fast!" "You son of a bitch." "I told you, it's only a matter of waiting." "You cute little son of a bitch." "You did it!" "Come here!" "You did it!" "You did it!" "You did it!" "Why, you limey genius!" "I love you!" " Steady on, Weaver." "Steady on." " You did it!" "Miller, you horrible little man." "You knew that was gonna be a slow-motion explosion." "You deliberately didn't tell me, did you?" "Well, I didn't want to bore you with technical detail." "I thought it might've been a bit over your head." " What happened to you?" " He bit me, in all the excitement." "But damn it to hell, we did it, Colonel." "We did it." "Yes, we did, Sergeant." "We did." "And a merry Christmas." "Yes, gentlemen," "We did it." "But before we can start awarding ourselves Victoria Crosses... and Congressional Medals of Honor, and so on... and so forth, and such like," "I think I'd better point out that, one:" "We're now on the wrong side of the river;" "That two:" "We have no hope of rejoining the Partisans;" "And that three:" "This neck of the woods will soon be crawling... with very bad-tempered Germans;" "And four:" "I don't think... that our little genius, Sergeant Miller, there... has even got a box of matches left in his suitcase." "And so, therefore," "I think we can take it, gentlemen, that we are going to have a very long walk home."