"Pierre Braunberg present" "The "Marines"" "America seen by a french" "We thank general Shell, captain Meeker, instructors and recruits from camp Parris Island." "Because of them, we have been able to make this film." "This film was made to show the training of a modern army that serves to defend liberties that also permit the showing of that kind of film." "Everywhere in the world, they have the same smile, the same look, the same worried expression." "They are leaving to make their military service" "They are no longer civilians already." "They are not yet soldiers, not even rookies." "They will only be rookies in a few hours." "These ones are americans" "They will have to get across a arm of the sea" "They will be driven to Parris Island." "An island that is a barrack." "First contact with reality: the drill sergent." "His job: the war." "The war he fought, the war he teach." "In Parris Island, he became stronger by earning his stripes." "It's his duty to train new marines, shock troops of the american army." "Three months to make it happen." "These boys are all volonteers." "They came by themselves to enroll in the marine corps." "Every army on earth now have shock troops" "And these troops undergo the same kind of preparation, the same kind of training." "The american army authorised us to film this training." "Who are these boys?" "Hotheads?" "Not all." "There are among them worried teenagers, but also young sane and sporty persons." "They came from every parts of the United-States." "North and south." "From white communities and black communities." "Fat or puny, cynic or frightened, coming from all backgrounds." "Some came on impulse." "Others, after a failure." "Nevertheless, all these boys so different have something in common." "A bet" "A bet that they made with themselves." "The bet to hold on." "They are warned." "They know what lies ahead." "In Parris Island, willy-nilly, they will have to give up their personality, their character, their physical appearances" "To become men, all shaped on a same pattern." "According to standard mesurments." "In one word: marines." "The uniform is shaped for man's body." "But if it is too large or too narrow, it is the man that we ajust." "Only just equipped, they are subject to a first test." "Only a few days ago, they had habbits, tastes, preferences, whims." "They will have to give it all up." "As children, they had nicknames." "In college, they were called by their first name." "Here, they will only be personal numbers." "Numbers shouted by a sargent" "There is no more wandering." "You have to run." "Only responding a single reply." "YES SIR!" "At war, the muscular man is a calm man." "In any nation, shock troop staffs will tell you that these rigours ar not free." "That they teach war." "Why fight if we don't know how to vanquish." "At war, reflexes are more important than reflexion." "At war, the loner is killed." "That's why they have to keep close to one another." "They now have only one face." "In combat, the shy one are vulnerable." "Fear threaten even the bravest." "That is the new art of war." "The close combat." "They have to shout, not to scare, but to forget their own fear." "The position of attention is the most common one of the marines." "Wether he is drinking water or receiving his mail." "Memories are however autorized, but at specific hours." "Ten minutes per day to think about his family, or to educate himself." "Outside, it is night." "Sentinels make vigils, while maybe thinking that ninthy similar nights were nessessary to complete their transformation." "In every amy, it is the sign that annonce the event." "We put care on the apparence." "We clean." "Each one says to himself "I endured." "I won my bet." "I am marine forever."" "Tomorrow is the big day." "The day that these volunteers in front of the troops, in front of their families" "Will receive their insignia that mention, sill today, the glory of the battles of Belleau wood and Al Canal wood." "However, marines have put a problem on the american conscience." "The mothers, vigilent guides of the public opinion, have become worried." "By making these boys perfect soldiers, don't we risk, during peace time, citizens marked by a too ruthless discipline?" "In Parris Island, life goes on." "Promotions succeed to other promotions" "Other worried boys go across the arm of the sea, that separtates the continent of the barrack and the free life of the military walk."