All language subtitles for [English (auto-generated)]The Execution of Private Slovik (1974) - WW2 Drama with Martin Sheen

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so

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sop number 54

execution of death sentence imposed by

court martial

the place of execution will be prepared

to provide for a back wall made of

absorbent material

for which the prisoner will be placed

an upright post will be placed in front

of the back wall

and will be used to support the prisoner

if necessary

well they don't miss a trick do they

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if while the condemned is being prepared

for or march 2 the place of execution

collapse has taken place or resemblance

a suitable backboard and strap shall be

attached

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what did he do around here before the

war uh coal mining town a slug smoke old

town any i don't know no somebody told

me detroit

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carrier from army headquarters i got

delivered here for major filming all

right so i have to come in by foot

courier's here sir

send him in

sergeant bowen sir how do you sergeant

are these the sops yes sir

i uh had to call headquarters for some

advanced specifics but i'll still need

these

all right that'll be all sergeant yes

sir

sergeant yes sir

is there much talk about this among the

men yes sir

uh

[Music]

well how do they feel about it

well i guess they figure he's got it

coming sir

thank you sergeant

uh you'll do soldier step over here

this man is more or less the same size

and height as the prisoner

now it might help if you think of the

heart as a circle it's a semi-round

organ and it's found in the

area of the lower third of the

breastbone in other words here not up

here some people think but here right

here

sir uh maybe it would help if they

pinned a piece of paper over the

prisoner's heart i mean it would give us

a target name for well it's a bit

theatrical don't you think

you're all expert marksmen so you

shouldn't have any difficulty

just go for a grouping at this specific

area

any other questions

then that completes the medical

orientation thank you soldier

i believe the chaplain has a few words

to say i'll see all of you in the

morning

that's hardly necessary under the

circumstances

excuse me son

i think some of you gentlemen may know

me

i'm father stafford

now i've been assigned to this uh

same as you

my main job is to be with a prisoner but

i thought maybe until he

arrives at uh

some of you boys might want to talk

hmm

no huh

that's funny i don't think i've ever met

12 soldiers before didn't have something

to say

well sir i guess

if you want to know the truth

all of us feel pretty bad about this

yeah that's uh only natural sir

i mean i

i tried to get out of it

i went to my ceo and asked if there was

some way i could be relieved he said not

unless you want to take his place

well no you've seen combat

so it can't be the idea of killing a man

is it no sir

but i don't have much stomach for

shooting one of our own

he's a deserter

there's lots of deserters nobody ever

shot one before

at least not in this war

any catholics here

and he was catholic

how about you soldier any problems

well i've been half tempted to aim a

little high

you know maybe kind of miss

but i guess i probably won't

i'll do what i'm told

but i'm not going to like it

the point isn't it

nobody

is asking you to like it huh

but you're going to do as you're told

how you're all going to perform to the

best of your ability i know you will

and boys none of us made this decision

but we're the men who are

ordered to carry it out

because

a higher authority

has accepted the moral responsibility

i'll say mass for the prisoner out grant

him absolution

and you'll execute him

when you get out there

when you fire

remember he's already in god's hands and

you've got nothing to be ashamed of

right here

i'm not going to miss i'll tell you that

he didn't give a damn how many of us got

the hell shot out of us so why should we

care about him

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i was here before uh remember uh have

you acquired the uh cloth

post

[Applause]

good

boom

i want you to make uh

the in um

a hood

hood

for the face

put la visage

it must be ready by this evening

comprehensive

[Applause]

no

no holes for the eyes

[ __ ] swab

when the hood has been adjusted and

signaled given that the prisoner's in

final readiness the firing squad will be

formed facing the prisoner and not less

than 20 paces from him the members of

the firing squad will be armed with

regulation rifles each of which will

have been loaded and the pieces locked

one of the rifles will contain a blank

round and the identity of this piece

will not be disclosed each of the

remaining rifles will contain one round

of service ammunition

the officer charged with the execution

of the sentence will take over the

firing squad in command

one squad two ready three aim for fire

at the command fire each member of the

firing squad will discharge his piece

point blank at the prisoner's heart if

in the opinion of the medical officers

the prisoner has not sustained a mortal

wound the rifles will be reloaded and

the procedure will be repeated until

there is inflicted a mortal wound from

which extinction of life

is immediately imminent

by command of general eisenhower

all right

we'll have a dry run

are the pieces unloaded lieutenant yes

sir

all right here we go

squad

in hut

foot

arms

squad

ready

aim

fire

order

arms

daddy

any questions

all right

now you know what's required of you

just make sure that your aim is good

make one shot do the job

and don't mess it up

all right lieutenant take over squat ten

hut

[Applause]

right

face

right shoulder

arms

come left

march

[Applause]

call left

march

[Applause]

did you have a talk on them

they'll be fine they're good boys any

word on when he's getting here

ali's due tonight they already left

paris but there's a

no in the mountains they could be held

up

had a bunch of letters from his wife

hope he has time to read them

yeah

what is this thing

that's a collapse board

collapse lord

well the man is a condemned coward

father he may not be able to walk out

here under his own steam they'd carry

them huh

if they have to look father i don't like

it either but it has to be done

well

i bought some coffee

now you tell me we'll be bunking

together tonight

probably won't get much sleeping done

so we should get to know each other

pretty well

like herod and pilate

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that's two coffees and some sandwiches

yo what about you eddie you want

something no thanks you sure we'll

probably get some warm soup inside no

it's okay i'm not hungry thanks anyway

okay damn snow

i probably won't get there until morning

yeah

if we're lucky

you guys mind if i stretch my life

i guess it don't matter gotta keep the

cuffs on though yeah sure

ready

stay inside eh i will

boy what's he want to go and freeze his

butt out for

so it catch it cold

doesn't much matter does it

come on boy

come on

come here phil come on come on come on

over here come on come on

come on

is it cool huh

that's a good one

okay filming

can you guys do me a favor

well what's that eddie

let me start running

what do you mean

i just take off you know

we'd have to shoot you

i

at know i get it over with

can eddie they got a big show planned

for you tomorrow

well what difference does it make if

it's now or tomorrow

sorry eddie you know we can't

what's going on

all right he's just getting some air

come on we gotta get going

well he was weak as dishwater

but he was a friendly good-hearted kid

we had him at the michigan state

reformatory for three years until he was

paroled in 1942

never had a boy i liked more

he'd had a few scrapes with the law

minor stuff mostly

but he wasn't resentful i mean he didn't

hate anybody

and as for the army

that was no problem

he was automatically 4f like all our

boys

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you take care of yourself eddie yes sir

i will

a lot of opportunity out there nowadays

half the menard war you shouldn't have

any trouble moving up i'll be fine sir

you just report to your parole board

find yourself a good woman

stay away from bad company don't worry

sir i will

only one out of four of our boys makes

it it's not the best odds

but i think you've got a good chance i

think so sir

got a way to get home yes sir my sister

come up there oh well goodbye sir

good-bye

uh mr anhert uh

do you mind if i write to you let you

know how i'm getting on

i'd like that

okay i will

you do me a favor yes sir

don't come back

i won't

goodbye

after he died

they tell me they found my name on him

in a notebook

strange in a way

well i'm not going to criticize the

united states for shooting them

when you've got a big war to win you

don't have time to give too much

consideration to one weak little man

but i could have told them this

i could have said

you can take eddie slovik and teach him

how to march instead

and you can hand him a gun

and you can march him right up to the

battle line and make him dig a hole but

when it gets dark

and that first shell goes off over his

head he's either going to freeze right

there in the bottom of that hole

or else he's gonna jump out and run

and there's nothing you can do to

prevent it

the first time i saw him he was wearing

a new gray suit

he was with his sister

good morning morning margaret

well this must be eddie

uh

eddie

this is antoinette visniewski

it's nice to meet you how do you do

your sister talks about you all the time

mr

cirelli won't you sit down

margaret

did you have any trouble with the car it

worked perfectly that's wonderful

uh

i guess i should tell you how grateful i

am for riding the parole board and

trying to get me this job oh it's

nothing really yeah you didn't even know

me

you already took a chance well if anyone

regrets it i'm afraid it'll be you

50 cents an hour isn't very much

and you'll earn every penny

joe cirelli how you do sir eddie slovak

antoinette here thinks i'm a tight man

with a buck but if you work hard i just

might give you a raise

you got any objection to digging ditches

no sir i'll do anything

good plumbing's a dirty business but

there's money in it

so when can you

start you want me to sir

well now's as good a time as any come on

upstairs i'll get you some overalls

you're the bookkeeper can we afford to

uh give this young man an advance on his

salary i'll juggle a few figures he

thinks he runs the place trouble is she

does

come on

oh sorry

thank you

vices

he told me that he fell in love the

first time he saw me

it's funny but i think i knew it

eddie made himself so handy that he got

raises every two or three weeks he went

from 50 cents an hour to a dollar five

with time and a half for overtime

but he wasn't much for working late he

told me that it interfered with his

courting

[Music]

okay thank you

here you go

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how did you get in trouble

well i was uh helping out in this drug

store in detroit

and uh

i

just took home some gum and candy and

stuff

and uh

i used to

pocket some change every now and then

if i get set up for embezzlement

bottoms up

a lot

from six months to ten years

no i mean money well

the amount in the complaint was 59.60

how old were you

17.

candy gum and cigarettes how's it

becoming better

and you served a year

nine months

buyers were smart you know

as soon as i got out i started hanging

around with the guys and

one night um

we all got bearded up and

i always stole the car

just to go for a ride

anyway we

just get it on some ice and smashed into

a building

i wasn't driving or anything but

i turned myself

in this time i got three years

but that's it i swear that's it

most i have a drink of these anymore

it's just two

why

well

in my neighborhood

you did what your friends did

everybody was quitting school so i quit

school

everybody's father was out of work

you know

the depression and all

and uh

there's just never enough money

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and

now well you

you know mr anhart at the reformatory

told me

yeah he said uh

i find myself a job

and a good woman

so far i got the job

[Music]

i'm really having a swell time me too

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see when i was

three years old i had to get operated on

because i was born bull legged

oh

yeah

and the way they do it is they have to

break your legs in four different places

and

then they straighten them out

although i was only three i don't

remember it but i still have pain even

now you know here

oh thanks when i was in jail i used to

work in the furniture shop

and uh

i used to take the alcohol and rub it on

my legs to kill the pain and

everybody thought i was using it to get

drunk

[Laughter]

how did you hurt your leg

oh i was born with one like shorter than

them

i don't care

and then when i was 12 i had imprototype

paralysis well

was it said yeah

you folks pay this off uh-huh

would you believe it i've never been in

the house was owned by the people who

lived there

do you want to come in

no

maybe next time though

uh

well it was really nice eddie thank you

good night good night

hey

oh thanks

you want to go to the movies again

tomorrow night the show's gonna change

oh i already have a day i'm gonna marry

you

what i'm gonna marry you

has she agreed to this

um no sir not yet but she will

eddie look at the facts

she's older than you are she's better

educated she makes more money

i know i'm just getting started you got

nothing in common

is that the basis for a good marriage

i don't know sir

but

i just really love her

eddie i'm your parole officer it's my

job to keep you clean

now i'm sure she's a perfectly nice lady

maybe too nice

you both live different lives but that's

what i mean sir

i want to live her life from now on

she's real good for me why don't you let

it ride for a while

think it over

i'm sorry sir

i've already made up my mind

all right

but i have to meet her okay

and she has to be willing to let us

investigate our background right

then you'll both be hearing from us by

mail as well thanks a lot sir

eddie whoa

aren't you putting a card before the

horse

sir we may say yes but what about the

lady oh don't worry she'll go along she

just doesn't know yet

[Applause]

edward donald slowly yes ma'am

[Applause]

you've served two sentences in the

michigan state reformatory yes ma'am

then why are you here you know you've

been classified for it

we just wanted to make sure

it's standard procedure when a man has a

record

can that

change i'd say it's very unlikely

thank you yes thanks for your time

[Applause]

didn't i tell you

so what do you say well i guess it's

official sure it is they don't want me i

get all the time in the world

i can get a better job and save some

money but see it doesn't mean anything

if i just do it for myself

i want it to be for us now look eddie we

don't have to rush into into oh i'm

sorry there are so many practical

considerations i need you

i really do

you can make me into something special

you better marry me everybody else is

going overseas i'll be the only guy left

okay i have one more

[Music]

a little more smile

we were married on a saturday

the church was our savior of golgotha in

detroit

and then everybody came to my parents

house

i must have been delirious but i paid

700

for the bridal gown unveil it's a nice

smile now everybody here we go

here we go a nice smile thank you

[Applause]

it was a polish wedding and it lasted

for days

we decided to hire help so that all of

us could be free for the dancing and

mingling with the guests

i wanted it to be the best time eddie

ever had he could forget about prison

and

digging ditches and start thinking of

himself as a married man with friends

and responsibilities

[Music]

[Applause]

[Laughter]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

left

[Applause]

ah

many many years together

[Applause]

[Music]

he promised to bring me roses

and he asked me to make him a success

i told him i would

in the papers it said that the american

army was beginning the invasion of north

africa but that was somebody else's

world

we went to the movies a lot that first

year we had a basement apartment and the

picture show was a way to get out

and that's mostly how we learned about

the war

in the newsreels wasn't very important

to us

but we had other things to worry about

hmm

eddie what are you doing

nothing go back to sleep i can't sleep i

haven't i haven't slept all night i'm

just going out for samara don't worry

it's 2 30 in the morning maybe i'll get

me a beer

i have five dollars in my pocket you

seen it you haven't said a word all day

why don't you tell me what's bothering

you nothing's bothering me that's not

true sin nothing's bothering me

and you're pregnant okay

you're gonna have a baby in six months

i'm bringing home forty dollars a week

forty dollars

a lot of people have homes other people

have money in the bank i don't know

nothing all i want is five dollars so i

can go and buy myself a beer now where's

my money did you take it what do you

mean did i take it i'll bet you did

didn't you

there was some

look at this

eddie stop eddying me will you look at

all this money you got 30 30 bucks here

boy you really take charge of the dough

don't you well you asked me to take

charge of it what am i supposed to do i

don't know what you're supposed to do

but i sure as hell know what you do dude

what what what does that mean what do i

do it means you got all the money all

the time you make all the payments i

don't even see any of it i work hard for

my share but i never see it cause you

got it socked away someplace you don't

give a damn about me you don't give a

damn about anything as long as you got

control of that

i don't i don't give a damn about you

all i care about is money is that right

money that's all i care about well

there's how much i love money right

there

fair

i'm sorry mommy

[Music]

i'm sorry

are you all right

yeah

i just get so discouraged sometimes

all i want is a house and a car is that

asking so much

just takes time eddie it just takes time

we'll get the things we want took my

parents

forever

well sometimes i wish i was back in jail

eddie oh that way you meet a guy who

could give you the things you really

need

you give me everything i needed

really

you sure you're all right

yeah i'm all right

let's go back to bed okay

[Applause]

oh

what's the matter

we've got to find the serial numbers on

these

oh

what four

so we can send them back and get new

ones

you mean they're still good mm-hmm

how do you know

i'm a bookkeeper

yeah all the time

huh

you'll paste that together and go get a

beer

[Applause]

he used to say that if only we had money

everything would be perfect

there was the rent in the car payments

and paying off the bedroom suite

but somehow or other he always managed

to buy me things little presents

jewelry sometimes or cosmetics

i lost the baby a miscarriage

but we knew that there was plenty of

time to try again

[Music]

eddie

what

oh he's already going home what are you

doing here

how does a dollar forty an hour sound

dude what dollar forty nine how does it

sound to you well it's

you talking about signed sealed and

delivered i went over to the soto plant

this morning that's why you got all

dressed up you thought i was obviously

some girl in you i don't know the last

time i saw you in a suit the time was

the day we got married

oh mommy it was great you should have

seen me i walked in the personnel

manager's office and i said sir

how would you like to have an xjl bird

working on your payroll you didn't i did

so i said sir my wife makes the best

spare ribs in sauerkraut in all of

dearborn michigan and if you want to be

invited over to our house at least two

or three times a week you better come up

with a job and for big money

you're crazy

oh mommy my head was spinning there was

a job open for a shipping clerk at a

[ __ ] 40 an hour and he actually gave it

to me

[Applause]

up and out of moving day

happy anniversary

you too

our first anniversary was very special

we just rented a new house the upstairs

of a duplex and that was the morning we

were moving in

honey

truck's coming

just always be careful taking it up will

you we still don't own this stuff yet

nothing got broke did it no

don't worry honey

i gave mortars not to scratch anything

you take care of everything up there

i'll keep an eye out down here

welcome to the neighborhood

thanks

you live around here yeah that's me

right smack across the street

george rollins hi eddie slovik that's my

wife up there her name's antoinette

yeah i've got you both on my list

what list well it's not quite as bad as

it sounds i'm the civil defense ward in

this sector oh yeah i'll be uh

pestering you about blackout curtains as

soon as you get settled in yeah sure

we'll put them up

i suppose you uh heard the radio today

no we've been kind of busy oh they're

starting to bomb the hell out of germany

oh yeah about time don't you think yeah

sure yeah nice is on his way to the

philippines

won't be long now no i'll give it about

six months

yeah i guess so okay thanks i'll get the

door

not much of a first anniversary dinner

i'm afraid it's okay

i'll take y'all for dinner tomorrow

night we'll go down the next okay

oh

i can't move

me either

my legs are asleep oh

[Music]

at least we're almost finished

[Music]

isn't the living room furniture

beautiful it's terrific

oh i just love it it's

all blonde and new

it's what we wanted isn't it mommy um

the eggs are really swell

your tongue isn't working because i

think i burned them uh-uh hello

in here margaret hi sis the door was

open and i brought the mail how do you

like the

love place

and you're all unpacked let me show you

around no sit still you both look like

you're ready to drop

some coffee fine

you gotta tell the post office about

your new address

okay

i cannot get over what you two have done

with this place you just use sugar don't

you just create a bag

and there's a front sun porch where

eddie can feed his pigeons

and in the daylight you should see the

light that floods this place oh

eddie what's wrong

but that's impossible

they told us that what is it

it's from his draft board

they've changed his classification to

one a he's to report for a fascicle for

f

wouldn't you know it

i mean wouldn't you just know that pick

a time like this

year and a half ago when i got out of

jail i didn't have nothing they wouldn't

touch me with a 10-foot pole

now when i'm a married man i got all of

this now i want me to go in the army

wouldn't you just know it

it's it's it's got to be a mistake i'll

call the draft board tomorrow i'll go

down there

mommy i'm lost without you

i think i'm going to have a lot of

trouble

army life doesn't agree with me

i just arrived in camp walters

the name of the town we are near

is mineral wells texas

you can find it on the map and you'll

see just how far i am from you

everybody has to have

17 weeks of infantry

that's what we call basic training

the fellas are all razzing me

because i write you so much

this is the third letter i have written

you today

it's the only way i can feel close to

you

i haven't got anybody to warm their feet

when i get in bed

remember darling how close we used to

sleep together

if anything happens to you i'll go awol

and that's just what i feel i'm doing

now

this army life doesn't give you time to

do anything for yourself

you have to be on the jump all the time

you know what i feel like doing don't

you

i don't have to tell you

but i'll try my best

today we were out for reveille

the band was out there too

we had to salute the flags

it was swell i wish you was here to see

it

when i think of all the times we had

together mommy

it makes me mad

i can't understand why they did this to

us

i miss your homemade cakes and pies

and i miss the fruit you always had on

the dish for me

i miss the good coffee you make and most

of all

i miss sleeping with you

now you gentlemen

are the lowest

your replacements

you'll be trained with one group

shipped with another

assigned to a replacement depot

and then you'll be led to the front one

night and told to dig in

you won't even know the names of the men

beside you now most of you don't think

you should be here

you figure you're the bottom of the

barrel

well

the heat's on

the army needs warm bodies now

and even the bottom of the barrel looks

good

and i'll tell you something

you're gonna be damn gun soldiers

you know why

because i'm gonna kick ass

from dawn to taps daylight to dark day

in and day out

we understand each other

good old sarge since it's in the rain

and tells us what a bunch of crud we are

listen to donna drafting three-year-old

midgets now hey they're not examining

eyes anymore they're just counting them

how does it feel being the bottom of the

barrel

you know something i could have beat it

oh yeah you could have kissed the doctor

huh no i ain't kidding i still had six

months probation time left so what so

one parole violation that's all i

would've took i could've got picked up

for driving without a license of being

drunk and disturbing the peace anything

that would have sent me back to the

reformatory for six months

damn you you could have beaten me

yeah i know

[Music]

so

every time i shoot my rifle

it jumps and kicks me in the cheek

my score is pretty bad

i don't think i'll make it

you don't mind if my score is bad do you

you'll still love me won't you

another bolo slovic

well i'm ready to peace downrange son

yes sir

sergeant

yes

uh

i think it's this uh damn windage thing

i i can't seem to get the hang of it

well you'll have to come back and fire

again on sunday

one way or another you're going to be a

marksman

yes sir

i finally made it honey

you know how

i cheated

i was down to see the co this morning

about a discharge

he's a pretty nice guy

but he said he couldn't do anything

until he had

three

affidavits and a red cross report

it's up to you mommy

go see them

maybe you can get me out i'm sorry mrs

slovik there's nothing we can do

but he's entitled to dependency

discharge his commanding officer told

him if he just got the right papers i'm

afraid it's not that simple

do you need more i can get more

but how many letters from doctors do you

need

i've been sick i've not been able to

work

my eyesight uh has been going on me and

it's all in there

shall i have them call you

mrs slovik excuse me i have a um

i have a history of epileptic attacks if

i could go back to work

i would

but

but how can i live on eddie's 55 dollars

a month i'm sure it's difficult for you

but this is war time and we all have to

make sacrifices

i suggest you cut down on your rent

payments

you'll have more money from the

allotment for food but then i'd i'd have

to move

perhaps that's not a bad idea

you could

sell off some of your furniture and take

a single room or else move in with your

family

or your in-laws

but what would my husband have to come

home to

you can imagine what this apartment

means to him he was in prison for five

years he's never had a home before i'm

sorry mrs slovik really but there's

nothing i can do

mr slovik

are you all right

you sure you're all right

yeah well i get so mad at you sometimes

because i know you don't tell me

everything

uh-huh

okay

well what about the draft board i tried

them and the social welfare and i even

went back to the red cross

i don't think it's going to work eddie

well there's got to be somebody we can

go to

if i don't get out soon they're going to

ship me overseas you know what'll happen

then though

i'll get killed over there and you marry

somebody else eddie don't

judge back in jail

i said i wish i was back in jack

you'll be home on furlough soon

i'll make you feel better

i promise

well i already miss you too you know

that

i love you so much

all the other guys have gone home on

furlough

i don't know why they're holding me here

maybe they're processing my discharge

i sure hope so

all i know mommy

is that ever since i was born

i've had hard luck

then i lived 15 months with my darling

wife

and was so happy with her

now they break up my happiness

and try to kill us both

and take everything we got

why don't they leave us alone

we didn't do anything to anybody

did we

eddie came home in

july we had 12 days together

eddie

come on

that's a boy that's a boy

on

come on

[Music]

there's a whole new generation of birds

how can you tell

i just can

i haven't seen any of the old ones all

morning

come on

after i go you keep feeding him okay

i hadn't worked since february so i

pawned some rings for movie tickets and

dinners

and eddie

worked a little in the plumbing shop in

order to make some money

and the rest of the time we just stayed

with each other

didn't even talk much

the next morning he left for fort meade

maryland

i never saw him again

they told me that he died under

dishonorable circumstances

[Applause]

but i didn't know till 8 years later

that they killed him

i met eddie slovick at camp kilmer

and we were both poli so i guess it was

only natural we paired off

[Music]

what the hell's going on

[Music]

hey slovic they're gonna blow us out of

the water and you're writing a letter ah

they ain't gonna hit us we're zig

zagging can you tell yeah we can tell

slovik and sucking a meter who's firing

at us well ain't much we can do about it

[Music]

i thought he was a swell guy and he

never talked about desserting

and he sure didn't ever seem to me like

somebody that was yellow eddie was

pretty much like the rest of us

he griped about being drafted but so did

a lot of guys

the only thing that worried me was

something he said one day

you know something jimmy

i don't know why i'm bothering to clean

this thing i'm never gonna fire

yeah you don't know what you're gonna do

but you watch yourself you can get in

trouble that way

we borrow a patch from

we had come from scotland and england to

omaha beach

and now we were on our way to join g

company in a little french town called l

booth

and we were finally in it now

any of us

not germans we've been strafing hell out

of the seventh army

hey why the horses maybe they're short

of gas

has anybody heard anything about g

company don't ask why not part of the

28th the ts division they took a lot of

casualties somebody at fellas told me

they had three different commanding

generals in 12 hours the hell you say i

was pretty lucky aren't we well you're

luckier than those guys yeah

so far

[Music]

under the truck take cover

get out of the truck

what the hell do we do now sorry stick

together now stick together

okay we've gotta find our outfit how are

we gonna find ourselves

come on

come on we're gonna get killed jimmy

come on let's get out of here

[Music]

come on up the hill up here come on

okay i'm okay

hey

here's some caves come on come on

eddie and me never did find g company by

midnight we ended up in some caves

and i tell you it was the worst night of

my life listening to those shells going

off and just lying there waiting for one

to hit me

i guess it really got daddy

maybe he made up his mind that night i

don't know but after that first time i

think he finally decided that what's

under fire was enough

[Music]

well somehow while it was still dark

mostly other guys moved off and found g

company

and me and slovick were the only ones

left

i guess if you go by the book

we were deserters

hey

oh it's okay we're americans

slovak

eddie eddie hey

hey

hey come on come on there's canadians

out here come

oh on you guys good to see you good to

see you we're with the 109th infantry

the 28th division we're looking for g

company we got separated under under

fire last night yeah we're from the 13th

provo yeah come on down and have some

coffee okay stop it do you want a cup of

coffee

hey hey how are you

doing

hey phoenix

the canadians kind of adopted us

we were with them for 45 days and their

job was to follow combat troops and post

notices explaining the provisions of

martial law

we helped them out with kp and found

food for them i guess we were their

mascots for a while

come on now you can do it i know you can

do it it's like a triplet it's like that

that that that

that

we were all over the place kalei balone

and then into belgium

but we weren't awol as far as we were

concerned

we kept sending letters and radiograms

to the 109th

[Applause]

okay

we'll get the sergeant major to put his

john hancock on this and we'll send it

right out you throw my name right

how many times do i have to tell you i

spell your name right well let's people

spell it a case that i can't why could i

k let me see

okay

[Applause]

not that it matters half the time i

don't think they're getting these things

yeah we'll catch up with

yeah lots of guys are separated from

their outfits besides we're helping out

here

supposed to be killing germans already

nobody's signed us to permanent kp

hey jimmy you got yesterday

oh yeah

all the letters you're at home i guess

you need all the paper you can get

what are you doing

what happy ammo

i got rid of it

[Applause]

you got what

i just got rid of him

you just got rid of it

i suppose we get pinned down you're

gonna shoot paper wads adam

i ain't gonna shoot at all

[Applause]

okay

everything was fine except for the food

it was bully beef all the time

so eddie and me being good polox well we

decided we'd make the canadian some

potato pancakes

trouble was nobody in france ever heard

of a potato grater

[Applause]

uh they probably don't have one around

here anyway back to building dog gone it

now wait a minute and they may not have

a potato grater but they sure as hell

got a coffee can uh

get a hammer nail meet me in the kitchen

get a wife hammer the nail meet me in

the kitchen remember to nail

[Music]

give me that bomb there

all right

potato grater

by the time the war is over we'll have

enough to dig here

can a man get some tea at this hour well

no sir we do have coffee though

what's that

something new for chad you're gonna love

it

oh we're gonna miss you yes

why are we going somewhere we finally

got word from your outfit

they want you to report to regimental

headquarters

wednesday

as soon as possible the report reads on

or about 7 october where to arrange your

transportation to rochroth

we've enjoyed having you with us but i'm

sure you want to get back to your own

people

yeah i guess it's about time isn't it

well we better get started on this we

want these ready for supper

eddie was going back to the war

one thing that scared him the most but

he was still worried about making those

potato pancakes for his friends

how can you shoot a guy like that

we reported to regimental headquarters

we had been carried as missing or absent

without leave on the rolls but no

charges have been filed they sent us on

over to g company

private speed deck and slovak reporting

for duty

you boys were lost for a little while

weren't you yes sir don't call me sir

son call me sergeant haven't you learned

that yet yes sergeant right this way

now let me tell you something before you

see the captain a lot of you guys think

the war is over it's not

but this outfit is just starting you

guys are green so if you listen to your

buddies you might stay around for a

while but while you're breathing we

expect you to soldier is that clear yes

sergeant

yes

those two replacements are here sir

cinnamon

private speed deck and slovak reporting

for duty sir that is

uh you minhead chow yes sir

i uh i won't give you a pep talk i'll

just say this is a good company

all we expect is you get up on the line

and kick hell out of the enemy so

everybody can go home

i'm assigning you both to the fourth

platoon the sergeant will turn you over

to your platoon leader dismissed

uh

excuse me sir

yes

uh

i have something to tell you

uh

i'm too nervous and too scared to serve

in a rifle company sir what

i'd really appreciate it if i could be

kept in a rear area

what's your name private slovak sir

eddie slovik private slovak you will

report to the fourth platoon and i'll

forget we had this conversation but i

wouldn't do a good job up there sir

i'm just too nervous

after we got pinned down all night at l

booth i don't think i can ever fire my

rifle sir

private this isn't easy for anybody

especially the soldier in the field but

i can't make exceptions or give special

treatment you know that

well

i'll run away then sir

private i'll have you place an arrest

now report to your platoon hey eddie

come on let's go uh sir

i uh we were with the canadians while

the

13th provost corps and uh

the way i look at i was supposed to be

here see so

can i be tried for being awol i don't

know i'd have to check into it

well

if i leave now would it be desertion

absolutely

well i guess that's what i'm gonna have

to do sir

private report to your platoon that's an

order

i'm sorry sir i can't

soldier you better stop your buddy he's

getting himself into serious trouble yes

captain

eddie

eddie come on back you don't want to do

this i know what i'm doing jimmy eddie

teddy come on back

that was the last time i saw him

a month later i got hit by shrapnel in

hertkin forest and they kept me in the

hospital for

almost a year

it wasn't until 1953 that i found out

what happened to him

you know i couldn't believe it

even after all that time it made me sick

for two days

i was the tail as a cook that day for

the military government attachment 112th

infantry

it was about 8 30 in the morning

anyway this guy came up in the chow line

looked at me like he spent the night

sleeping out in the fields

morning

can i have some of these eggs

that's what they're there for

thanks

[Music]

i'll give you hand cleaning up if you

want

what

for i don't know who looks like you can

use some help can you

yeah i guess so

what's your name

brockmayer

i'm slobby

nice to meet you

can you do me a favor yeah

will you give this to somebody for me

hey what'd you give this to me for

you know you give it to one of the

officers you know what to do with it

look uh

sloping

why don't you tear this up and go back

to your unit

i think you better give it to somebody

you got to be crazy they'll put you in a

stockade i know

you

go get the lieutenant he's probably

signed in the morning report

on a double

i

private eddie d slovak confessed to the

desertion of the united states army

at the time of my desertion we were at

elbuf in france i came to albert as a

replacement they were shelling the town

and we were told to dig in for the night

the following morning they were showing

us again i was so scared and nervous and

trembling

that at the time the other replacements

moved out i couldn't move

i stayed there in that hole till it was

quiet and i was able to move

the next morning i turned myself over to

the canadian provo corps

after this i told my commanding officer

my story

i said if i had to go out there again

i'd run away he said there was nothing

he could do for me so i ran away again

and i'll run away again

if i have to go out there

signed private eddie d slovik asn 368

five

you slovak yes sir

sure you want us to have this

yes sir

you realize how damaging a written

confession can be

yes sir

i'll tell you what

why don't you take it back and destroy

it

no sir i can't

all right

will you read this private yes sir

allowed

yes sir

i have been told that this statement can

be held against me and that i make it of

my own free will and that i do not have

to make it

if you agree with that will you sign it

please yes sir

lieutenant i think we should both

witness this yes sir

sergeant

put this man in custody

you'll be confined to the division

stockade thank you sir

slovak was transferred to the division

stockade at rock germany that's where i

met him

it wasn't much of a prison just an old

barn but it was easy duty and i didn't

mind

slovak was just one of those kids

bucking for a court-martial so he could

stay out of the line and we had our

share of them he's a good-hearted kid do

anything i told him to

what you making sarge

swagger stick

boy i'd like to give me one of them

well hell i'd give you this one

but i don't imagine you'll be here that

long

you mean i ain't coming back here after

my trial

depends on the sentence

yeah they might send you to the stockade

in paris paris

you kidding sarge

hey i'll bet that's ronnie coming back

come on manny ronnie's back

oh i settled for 20 years right now i

i bet you would slovak

[Applause]

i don't even think i have to stay in

after war's over

maybe six months

uh six months like you lucky dog

i remember the day slovak came back

after his court-martial he wasn't so

happy he and those kids around figured

he might be stuck in jail for two or

three years

of course it never occurred to him even

after he got the sentence that he'd

actually be shot

darling

i'm in

a little trouble

please don't worry

about me

because i'm all right

please mommy

i beg you to wait for me

i'll let you know

just as soon as i know how much i get

if it's too much

then i'll ask you

to get

a divorce

i had him brought to see me

it was an unusual case and i felt i

should talk to him

you're private slovak yes sir

okay

you know who i am

no sir i'm sorry

i'm colonel leacock

division judge your advocate

yes sir

you like bird sir

yeah

me too

i'm sure you realize you're in a great

deal of trouble yes sir i know

well

part of my job is to help you if i can

we don't like to court-martial anybody

we do it only as a final resort

i understand sir

maybe we can settle this without a trial

huh

that would be nicer how

if you go back to your outfit i'll ask

the general if you'll suspend action

i'll even try to get you a transfer to

another regiment where you can make a

clean start no sir i'm not going back up

there in the front line i just can't

serve in a rifle company

why don't you at least give it a try

you hmm even been with your outfit long

enough to know what it's like

i know what it's like sir

i already said i'd be willing to take a

job away from the line quartermaster

company or something like that

but if i can't then give me my court

martial if we can transfer everybody out

of a rifle company to a warehouse or a

supply done just because they won't

fight

i know that

[Applause]

you do realize you'll get at least a dd

and a heavy sentence to confinement if

you go to trial

yes sir

you might even get a death sentence

desertion in time of war as a capital

defense

i'm afraid you're gonna make a big

mistake if you don't go back up there

and try it again

i'm sorry sir i already made up my mind

i want my court marching

okay

take him back

thanks anyways

i wasn't particularly surprised by his

attitude

i had heard too many like him say i want

my quad marshal and why shouldn't they

no american soldier had been shot for

desertion since the civil war

the question is why did he do

it i was one of the doctors who examined

him

it wasn't my job to determine his

motives but

when you probe a man's body you

sometimes wish you could enter his mind

and

i just couldn't help speculating

i think he he desperately wanted to go

back to jail

it was the the one place that had been a

safe harbor for him a refuge

it was almost a womb

and naturally there was a self-serving

calculation involved but

in the final analysis he may have been

telling the truth

a truth that the military for its own

necessary reasons was compelled to

ignore

perhaps he

he was simply unable physically and

mentally to go back under fire

in my report i said he was in good

health

the division north psychiatrist also

filed a report

a much more important one

he stated that the prisoner was sane

and responsible for his actions

the general court martial in the slovak

case was one of the shortest such

proceedings in our history the court was

convened at 10 a.m november 11 1944 and

at 11 40 a.m the verdict had been

returned and the court adjourned

i was presiding we were all staff men

not one of us was a combat officer

there was a reason for this

every available combat officer in the

28th division was under fire some felt

this would be helpful to the defendant

staff officers are likely to be more

lenient

lieutenant cramer as a law member would

you inform the accused of his rights yes

sir

private slovak

a prisoner does not salute

slovak

you have the right to challenge any

member of this court for cause

you may also exercise the right to one

preemptory challenge against any member

except the law member

you are charged with violating the 58th

article of war desertion to avoid

hazardous duty the two specifications

are elbaf and rockarat

how does the accused plead

we plead not guilty to each of the

specifications as well as the general

charge the court please prosecution will

call its first

witness we heard from the commander of g

company

from an nco who was present at the elbow

faction

from the cook

and two other officers

slovak's confession was admitted in

evidence without objection

accused understands his rights as a

witness

but has elected to remain silent

however defense requests that the law

member advise the accused of his rights

as a witness

lieutenant

private slovak

you have the legal right to one

be swan as a witness and testify on your

own behalf in which case you'll be

subject to cross-examination

to make an unsworn statement either

written or oral on which you cannot be

cross-examined three remain silent

in which case no inference of your guilt

or innocence will be drawn by the court

take your time private confer with

council

decide what you want to do

did you understand all that eddie

uh-huh

well

i will remain silent

the defense rests

we found private slovak guilty of both

specifications

as well as the charge

another secret ballot was taken for the

senate

well it's unanimous gentlemen

death

if no one objects i suggest we

stretch our legs have a cigarette and

take a second ballot

he had confessed

he'd run away from his duties as a

rifleman and he stated he would run away

again

given a division locked in bloody battle

and taking heavy casualties

i don't think we had the right to let

him get away with

death

death

gentlemen

this is something we'll have to live

with for the rest of our lives

let's take a third ballot

again the third ballot was unanimous

death

private eddie d slovic

these are the findings of this court

of specification one of the charge

guilty

of specification two of the charge

guilty

of the charge

guilty

you are hereby sentenced to be

dishonorably discharged to forfeit all

pay and allowances to you or to become

to you and to be shot to death with

musketry

this court is now adjourned

[Applause]

[Music]

in all honesty i don't think a single

member of the court actually believed

that slovak would ever be shot

i know i didn't believe it

i had no reason to believe it i knew

what the practice had been

i thought that the sentence would be cut

down

i don't say this is what i thought

should happen

i say it is what i felt sure would

happen

and i thought that after the war ended

two or three years maybe

slovak would be a free man

december 9 1944

dear general eisenhower

i led slovic was convicted by general

court-martial

to be shot to death for desertion

i have nothing against the united states

army whatsoever

i merely wanted to transfer from the

line

i feared hazardous duty to myself

and because of my nerves

i'll admit i have some awful bad nerves

which no doubt in my mind we all have

as division judge advocate i was the

first of the legal reviewing authorities

the fbi furnished me with private

slovak's civilian criminal record

it was one of the reasons why i did not

recommend clemency

general kota commander of the 28th

division approved the sentence

i suppose i was the first to believe

he'd be shot

but if i hadn't signed if i'd let slovik

accomplish his purpose

then i don't know how i could have gone

up to the line and looked a good soldier

in the face

i assume

you have my records of my past criminal

life

after being released from jail

i was put on a two-year parole

in them two years

i got myself a good job

i have a swell wife now

and a good home too

i was with the military justice section

in paris headed by general betts the

legal authority closest to general

eisenhower

my responsibilities were to read

and review cases for legal sufficiency

there was no recommendation for clemency

in this case and none is hearing

recommended

well i guess that does it huh unless

they reverse my decision

why

do you think he deserves clemency

i don't know frank but i'll bet the

court that sentenced him assumed he

wouldn't be shot isn't that a dangerous

assumption if able-bodied soldiers know

they can avoid hazardous duty how do you

fight a war come on frank able-bodied

men have been avoiding hazardous duty

for years we haven't shot any of them

maybe it's time we started

well i suppose it makes it easier the

fact that he's a confirmed felon

he isn't

he was a petty criminal bad boy type

lots of them make good soldiers oh

figured his criminal record was working

against him how did you figure that

it wasn't even mentioned in the court

martial it's beside the point you know

about it

the other reviewing authorities all know

about it i mean his record didn't

influence me

and the others

they'll have to speak for themselves

how can i tell you how humbly sorry i am

for the sins i've committed

i beg of you deeply and sincerely

for the sake of my dear wife

and mother back home

to have mercy on me

to my knowledge i have a good record

since my marriage

and as a soldier

i'd like to continue to be a good

soldier

anxiously

awaiting your reply

which i earnestly pray is favorable god

bless you

and in your work for victory

i remain yours for victory

private eddie d slovik asn 36896415

[Music]

[Applause]

private slovak just arrived

yes sir thank you sir i'll call you back

in a few hours

yes sir

private slovic

yes sir at ease

i'm major feldman

this is chaplain stafford

your people held up in the snow yes sir

sir

all right go get some coffee thank you

sir uh you'll have to sign for the

prisoner sir all right

meantime take off those cuffs yes sir

did you uh you had the keys

maybe you left them in the truck no i

must have left them back at the stockade

i'm sorry sir i don't have the keys

no duplicates uh i guess so sir but uh

they'd be in paris

all right

somebody find a

hacksaw move it over to the right

you all right slovak yes sir

how you doing

almost got it sir

i'm sorry about this slovik

it's all right sir

[Music]

there's no reason for you men to hang

around go get some chow yes sir

sir uh

i'd really like to apologize don't

we're all pretty nervous this morning

excuse me sir

the major said you're a chaplain

that's right are you a priest

yes i am

i thought i was sent here in case you

want him well yes sir i guess i do

will you hear my

will you hear my confession

[Music]

of father

and can may i go to mass and communion

too

i'll be with you every minute of your

life

yes sir that would be swell

thanks

how much time i have

[Music]

about two hours

thank you sir

feel better

yes sir

i almost got used to

is there somewhere where uh private

slovak and i can be alone sergeant yes

sir there's a room upstairs but

are we through here

well i'm supposed to read them in

general court martial order but i

imagine you've heard him a few dozen

times already

yes sir i have all right we'll forget it

for now and you can go along with father

stafford he tells me he has some letters

for you from your wife

can i read them father sure there's

plenty of time

i was so happy that when i woke up

you know something father

what eddie what is it

this girl was the only break i ever got

in my life

but no one lost her

i just want to let us be happy

eddie i wish i could say something to

you

there would be some consolation time

i can't

think about this madison

think about that wife of yourself

that'll help

yes sir

we want you to do something for me today

huh

what's that thought

i want you to go out there and

die with courage

will you be with my father i'm going to

be right there okay then i'll be all

right

what is it

well i'm going to break it

all the guys don't get

i mean i'm allowed to sit here and talk

to you

i know i'm going to get it

i know i want to die in a few minutes

but up on the line you never know when

it's coming

and it's not

not knowing that

it gets too

i guess

that's

really what i

just couldn't take

but not knowing

how much time now for

that's a while yet

my hands are not on fire

did you uh

did you meet the fellas on the firing

squad

what are they like

i mean uh

how do they feel about it

they're under orders eddie

he'd rather be someplace else this

morning

they got a job to do and they're gonna

do the best they can

you tell him i don't hold it against him

will your father oh sure

right

and uh

would you ask him to please shoot

straight so i don't have to suffer

and father

i want you to

tell the fellows in the regiment that

eddie slovak wasn't a

card least not today

will you tell him father

you think i had a shave huh

what's this what do you think it is

firing squad

[Music]

for these and all the sins i cannot

remember i asked penance and absolution

of your father

or your penance see one rosie all right

father i will

i'll help you with all right

okay fine

i make a good act of condition

oh my god i am hardly sorry for having

offended day and now you test all my

sins because of their just punishments

but most of all because the offending

ego

was all good and deserving of all those

i finally resolved the help of thy grace

to say no more to avoiding your occasion

of sin even

good peace god bless you thank you

sergeant

sergeant's serving the mess

the lieutenant and i will load your

weapons while you're out of the room

we will be using one blank round so

there'll be a reasonable doubt in the

mind of each and every one of you as to

whether or not you participated in the

actual killing of the prisoner

any questions

wait upstairs

honestly

dominic

nominee nonsense

dominate on something

officer

thanks

what are you thinking

i don't know

wondering if i'll get the blank i guess

nothing to wonder about

what do you mean

just wait for the recoil

if it's a blank there won't be any kick

yeah

anybody fires a live round today you'll

know it

man

you can pick up your weapons now they've

all been locked but you better double

check them

b

14789 faster l 60251

[Music]

follow me to the front door sir the

officers are on the second floor

for just about three days

gentlemen may i have your attention

please i'm major fellman we'll begin in

a few minutes would you all please move

down to the courtyard would you follow

me sir

take it easy eddie

would you hold these phones no sure

try to make it easy on yourself

i'm okay

i'm just about finished

you know something

they're not shooting me for desertion

lots of guys have done that they just

need to make an example and i'm in it

because i'm an ex-con

are your wrists huh

haven't cut off the circulation ever oh

no they're fine i used to steal things

when i was a kid

that's what they're shooting me for

they're shooting me for the bread and

gum i used to steal when i was 12 years

old

we'll have to get going eddie

where's father

right here

i'm afraid i'll have to read the order

when we get outside and it's

when it's pretty damn cold

that's okay major

but would you read it fast please

let's go

can i have my rosemary

eddie

this will keep you warm

thank you hey i'm married full of grace

the lord is with you to start the home

i'm gonna bless the fruit of that one

jesus holy name of god pray for yourself

amen hail mary full of grace lord is

with you blessed are thou among women

blessed through thy womb jesus holy mary

mother of god pray first sin is not the

opera hail mary full of grace the lord

is with thee let's start though my will

bless the fruit of thy womb jesus mary

mother of god pray for us

hail mary for grace lord with you bless

our thumb and lord bless the fruit of

jesus

hail i'm here for the grace of lords

with you blessed are thomas and bless

the fruit of the womb jesus holy mary

mother of god

hail mary full of grace the lord is with

you if i start though my women will

bless the root of thy womb jesus

hail mary full of grace lords with the

blessed art thou among one blessed be

the devil in jesus holy mary mother of

god pray for sinners not the outward

death of amen

for marriage for the grace lord is

worthy of blessed art thou among women

will bless the fruit of the womb jesus

holy mary mother of god pray for our

sinners now at the hour nothing man no

miracle grace lord is with you let's

start that one we'll bless the fruit of

that one jesus holy mary mother god pray

for a sinner's name at the all right i

think no miracle agrees to lord he

blessed our time i want to bless the

truth of thy word jesus christ of god

pray for singers and have the already

amen

praise the lord

jesus christ of god pray for sinners

amen no matter

it is my duty as officer in charge to

read you the general court martial

orders

general court martial order number 27.

the action of the convening authority is

headquarters 28th infantry division

in the foregoing case of private eddie d

slovik three six eight nine six four one

five company g 109th infantry ever

borrow a rifle from a cook hmm

you

european theater of operation an article

of war 50 in one half

having been complied with will be

carried into execution on 31 january

1945 at 109th infantry area france by

command of general eisenhower

slovak do you have a statement to make

before the order directing your

execution is carried out

no sir

private slovic

your last statement to make to me as a

chaplain before your death

yes

prepare the condemn for execution

our father lord heaven

be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be

done on earth as it is in heaven give us

to stay our daddy brian if you give us

our trespasses so you hear

against us and he is not in temptation

but deliver us an evil amen hail mary

full of grace the lord is with you

blessed are those women in the blessed

fruit of thy womb jesus holy mary mother

of god pray for sinners now at the end

of our death amen hail mary full of

grace the lord is with thee blessed art

thou among us the fruit of thy womb

jesus holy mary mother god pray first

sin is not the almighty death amen hail

mary full of grace the lord is with thee

blessed art thou among the blessed fruit

of thy will jesus holy mary mother god

pray for sinners not the outright death

amen hail mary full of grace the lord is

with thee blessed are we willing to

bless the fruit of thy womb jesus holy

mary mother of god pray for us sinners

not the alpha death amen hail mary full

of grace the lord is blessed with thy

own jesus holy mary mother of god pray

for us sinners not at the hour of our

death amen hail mary full of grace the

lord is blessed through thy one jesus

only mary mother of god pray for sinners

now at the outright death amen

when you get up there

say a little prayer for me

i will find

i'll pray that you don't follow me too

soon

holy moon one of god pray for sinners

now the almighty death amen hail mary

full of grace the lord is with you

blessed are you and i must live for thy

one jesus holy mary mother of god pray

for sinners

hail mary

father

the lord is with you blessed are them

the woman and blessed the food i

remember holy mary mother of god bring

my sinners that happy squad hold on for

grace the lord is with me blessed are

the hammers the

truth of god

jesus holy mary mother of god pray for

us sinners not the awkward ethnic man

when women bless through them jesus holy

mary mother god pray for sinners now

they are

one

[Applause]

i'm

is he still alive

barely

they must have been nervous they did a

lousy job not one wound in the heart

surely fire again

i don't know by that time he'll probably

be dead

reload that's right give her another

volley do you like it so much

take it easy padre none of us is

enjoying this

[Applause]

[Applause]

be careful lieutenant let's not kill one

of our own accidentally this morning

yes sir

sorry sir

either pronounce him dead or stand back

for the second volley

the second volley won't be necessary

major but it's lovely his dad

sentence has been carried out

dismissed

[Applause]

right

[Applause]

right shoulder

ah

[Applause]

come on

[Applause]

left right

[Applause]

[Applause]

you take off his shoe so i can anoint

his wood

i can't figure him

if he was a coward

he didn't show it

eddie slovak was the bravest man here

today

[Applause]

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