Original subtitles

- You got orders? - Yeah.

Check in. Stay off the streets. There's no liberty.

Right.

- Where's Mitch? - He died a couple of months ago.

- What happened? - Just didn't wake up one morning.

I was a shipmate of his. Name's Baxter. Ex-chief signalman. I took over.

- Everything? - Yeah, everything.

Gimme a UB of whiskey.

- He was all right, though. - They start liberty again?

Nah. Transferrin' to a new ship. The San Pablo.

You can have my part of that. Them gunboats are nothin'.

- Well, they got engines, ain't they? - Sure.

Well, then they ain't nothin'.

- You likee me? - Oh, much like all the sailor man!

Uniform gets 'em every time.

We can't threaten them into being our friends.

- Exactly. - Then what's the point?

Now, you can hate the gunboats and what they represent, Jameson,

but you missionaries are only tolerated because we have them.

- I question that. - The Chinese'd run you out, otherwise.

They hate you and despise you. Dare you know that?

I dare love them in return, and I dare trust God rather than guns.

Yes, but when there are anti-foreign riots,

how often have you fled to the gunboat for protection?

To my shame, twice. But never again.

My name is Hamilton.

- Holman. - How do you do? This is Miss Eckert.

And Mr Jameson. As you may have gathered, Mr Jameson is a missionary. Miss Eckert, too.

- And this is Mr Outscout. - How do you do?

British.

- Where are you headed? - Uh, San Pablo. Gunboat.

Well, if I were you, I'd jump overboard while I still had time.

- Do you know anything about her? - Uh-uh.

American gunboats in central China are a painful local joke, Mr Holman.

- And the most painful is the San Pablo. - Oh, yeah?

I think she's something you chaps inherited from Spain after the Spanish-American War.

Well, I missed that one.

They don't let her on the Yangtze proper. They keep her up in some small river.

You must know her. She operates near Changsha.

- Yes. We know her. - Mr Jameson dislikes gunboats.

Whatever flag they fly. English, French, American...

Symbols of what the great powers did to this nation.

Nation? Don't be ridiculous.

It's a patchwork quilt of bandits, warlords, mobs, rape, loot and chaos.

China will be unable to put her own house in order

until she is free of your enslaving, unequal treaties.

Foreigners collecting her taxes, placed in charge of her Customs, postal system...

Foreigners enjoying immunity from her laws. Would we tolerate a Frenchman

who had committed a crime in America not to be tried in our courts?

You know Chinese justice.

Confessions by torture, corruption...

Have you seen the executioner of the warlords walk through the streets? "Oh, you."

"Ah. You!"

Well, do you think that's funny?

Well, you do it kinda funny.

Yes, those things happen. But they're trying.

Responsible Chinese leaders are trying to put their house in order.

- From the south, the Nationalist Party... - Mobs, that's all I see. Mobs that threaten us.

Confusing, isn't it? And painful.

I bequeath China and her agonies to you youngsters, with pity,

and with the hope that perhaps you can understand what's going on,

can comprehend what so many people are going to have to die for.

The good, the bad... the innocent.

- Excuse me, sir, but you're talking rot. - Conceivably.

A firm hand, that's what's needed.

That's what you're doing here.

Hey. Listen, I run the engine.

All this other is just "looksee-pidgin".

- I beg your pardon? - To make a show. Something for the officers.

I don't fool with it.

Oh, don't stop.

I can't do no more. Just butterflies and rabbits.

Is this your first trip upriver?

Yeah.

Did you understand what they were talking about last night?

- Politics. - I'd like to know more.

I'm not a missionary, I'm a teacher. And if I'm going to teach, I ought to know more.

You gonna try to teach the slopeheads?

Yeah.

I taught back home in high school. Vermont.

- Where's your home? - Well, I was born in Grover, Utah.

But my home's whatever ship I'm on.

You're an engineer, huh?

I'd have thought the engine on a large ship is more interesting than the one on a gunboat.

Too many guys tryin' to tell you how to run it.

Ah.

See, on a small ship you haven't got any of that military crap.

They, uh... They leave you alone.

I had a brother in the navy during the war.

He was a lieutenant in the reserve.

Uh-huh?

- How long have you been in the navy? - Nine years.

- And out here? - Seven.

See, most China sailors, they don't go back.

They pull their 20, 30 years and shack up with a Chinese girl, open up a bar.

I see.

I mean, I keep asking myself the same question about what I'm doing here.

I'm kinda frightened.

It may be romantic, but I wanted to be swept up by something.

One night, Mr Jameson showed coloured slides in the basement of the church.

Slides of his mission, China Light.

- How long you sign up for? - Seven years.

Well, those slopeheads could use some teaching.

I hope you're good at it. Long as you're good at something, they can't bust you down.

Like me, you know, with the engine.

The Reverend'll probably tell you that nice American girls don't talk to China sailors.

It's not your brother's navy.

I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you.

No.

Goodbye.

I can't help feeling a sort of sadness about his life.

Yes, it would be sad - if he wanted something else.

They don't. They reduce life to a very simple point, or no point at all.

As long as they obey orders, the navy takes care of them.

The way of life appeals to a certain kind of man.

Go.

- Hello. I takee. - I got it.

- I takee all gear sailor man. - OK! Takee.

- OK. - Takee!

- That guy sure likes to carry things. - Ah, it's his rice bowl.

You must be Holman, huh? We was wondering when you'd get here.

Well, Shanghai slowed me up a little bit. Had a hell of a time tryin' to find you.

Oh, we only come down to civilisation every couple of years for overhaul.

Welcome aboard the Sand Pebble. That's what we call her. We're Sand Pebbles.

- Frenchy Burgoyne. - Yeah. Hey, you got an engineerin' officer?

No, just the skipper and the exec. You'll be the senior engineering rate.

- Yeah? - Wong will show you your bunk.

I wanna look at the engine first.

All thing proper. You makee looksee, master.

Any side proper. All OK.

Hello, engine.

I'm Jake Holman.

Coffee, sailor man?

Ah. Good boy, Wong.

Through with the butter?

Welcome aboard. My name's Bronson.

- Hiya. - Hey, what's your name, buddy?

- Holman. - Stawski. Machinist's mate.

- That's Farren. Bosun's mate, second class. - Howdy.

- The redhead is Shanahan, ship's writer. - Yeah, that's me. Red Dog.

- Red Dog "bite 'em in the butt" Shanahan. - Red Dog, cut it out!

- Jennings, pharmacist's mate. - Hey, Holman.

When you meet those pigs at the Red Candle at Changsha, the doc's a man's best friend.

Right, Crosley?

Say, Holman, what was your last ship?

Flagship. Asiatic fleet.

- Harris, electrician. Navy's foulest mouth. - So don't get me started.

- What do you want for breakfast? Tell Wong. - Eggs.

- Sure. How many? - Half a dozen?

- You got 'em. Over easy, or what? - Yeah, over easy.

- Ham? - Yeah.

- OK, Wong? - OK.

The old Sand Pebble ain't much to look at, but she's sure as hell a home and a feeder.

- Yeah, she sure is, Frenchy. - Tell him all about it.

Hey, Holman. Clip-Clip here does all the shaving.

I like to do my own shavin'.

It's his rice bowl.

Don't wanna break nobody's rice bowl.

OK.

- Attaboy, Clip-Clip. - Great breakfast this morning, huh?

Let's go! Come on.

Come on, come on, come on.

Move it, move it. Come on! Fall in at attention. Let's go. Hup!

Come on, come on, come on, come on! On the double!

Let's go! Fall in at attention.

Dress right!

Front! Answer to muster!

- Holman! Burgoyne! - Banks!

- Perna! Shanahan! - Ho!

- Colgate! Troys! - Here!

- Crosley! - MacDonald!

- Haythorn! - Here!

- Report! - Deck and gunnery divisions all present, sir.

Engineering and navigation all present or accounted for, sir.

- Ship's company all accounted for, sir. - Very well.

- Posts! - The clock reads eight, Captain.

Make it so.

Ten hut!

- Dismiss the ship's company. - Aye aye, sir.

All right, Chief, dismiss the men.

- Fall out and turn to. - Fall out.

Holman. Welcome aboard. I'm Wellbeck, your mustering Chief Petty Officer.

Did you look at the new man's records, Mr Bordelles? What did you think?

Well, he seems to be a first-rate engineer, sir.

- You take a good look at his service record? - Yes, sir. Nothing but 4.0 marks.

In everything except leadership. And he's had seven transfers in nine years.

It's almost time for battle drill, sir. What shall we run this morning?

- Repel boarders starboard. - Yes, sir.

All hands, repel boarders starboard!

- Repel boarders! - On the double, Holman.

You help man the hose in the waist party. I'm Chief Franks.

OK, grab this.

Waist party manned and ready, sir.

Stand back, you slope-headed slobs!

Stand back, you slobs! Stand back!

Go! Go!

Stand by on that hose!

All right. Cut her in down there.

- Secure from drill! - Secure from drill!

Secure from drill!

- You do this a lot? - Every day except Sunday.

Well, what do you do Sundays? Turn a machine gun on 'em?

Come on.

Master!

All of you. Go back to work. Go back to work.

Continue. Continue.

- You, uh... - Po-han, master.

I wanna looksee the bilge side. Take up the floor plate. Savvy?

- Me savvy. - Bilge pidgin no can do.

Today must washee port side.

- Who the hell are you? - Chien. Boss coolie. No can do bilge pidgin.

Yeah? I do bilge pidgin. Looksee pipes.

Learn pidgin all pipes. Savvy?

This ain't the Chinese Navy. Take it up.

Master! Master!

Hey, shut it off! Shut it off!

Hey! Hey!

Hey! What the hell is wrong?

- That boss coolie's gonna get his head bent. - What?

- He blew the glass on me in the bilges. - Oh, take it easy.

We always blow the glass when the watch changes.

- You do, huh? - Yeah.

He probably didn't even know you was there.

He knew.

We don't never go in the bilges. And if you want Chien's respect, stay out of 'em.

- I don't care if that slopehead respects me. - Well, you better!

- We couldn't get along without him. - Well, by God, I can get along without him.

- Who works for who around here? - Oh, it's a system they got.

If you want a bilge coolie, go through Chien. For a deck coolie, go through Pappy Tung.

The boss of all the coolies is Lop-eye Shing. He's kind of captain.

- Like Collins is with the crew. - Yeah?

- How the hell did they get this thing started? - Oh, a long time ago, before I shipped on.

The sampans'd gang around the slop chutes, and the Chinese'd fight for the garbage.

Well, that was no way, so finally the cook gave one sampan the contract. Hey, come on.

Relax, huh?

Soon, they wasn't only collectin' it, they was scrapin' and washin' dishes.

In a week, every mess cook had a Chinese helper to do all the work.

Next thing, they were sleeping in the galley passageways.

Then they was with the ship for good, in all the departments.

- Course, it ain't official. - Hey, how do they get paid?

Oh, squeeze. Little here, little there. Uncle Sam don't miss it. You got a minute?

- Yeah. - Come on. I'll show you.

They live in the old crew's quarters.

We never come in here. The Captain don't even inspect it.

Oh, come on. He's lost enough face for one day.

If you wanna hit one of them, kick him. Never touch him with your hand.

Don't get buddies with a coolie. That's trouble.

- And they do all the work? - Sure.

That leaves us free for standing topside watches and our primary duty.

Black gangs ain't supposed to stand topside watches.

- On this ship, everybody. - What is our primary duty?

- Fightin'. - Who do we fight?

Nobody. Probably never will. But, like the skipper said, we're always ready.

Look, Jake, we got it good here, huh?

I didn't come all the way from the fleet to have it good. I'm an engineer.

Look, I told you. Let Chien handle the engine. He'll keep it in shape. He knows it inside out.

Relax, huh?

Today we begin cruising to show the flag on Tungting Lake and the Hunan Rivers.

I want all honours rendered smartly.

At home in America, when today reaches them, it'll be Flag Day.

For us who wear the uniform, every day is Flag Day.

It is said there will be no more wars. We must pretend to believe that.

But when war comes, it is we who will take the first shock, and buy time with our lives.

It is we who keep the faith.

We serve the flag.

The trade we all follow is the give-and-take of death.

It is for that purpose that the people of America maintain us.

Any one of us who believes he has ajob like any other, for which he draws a money wage,

is a thief of the food he eats,

and a trespasser in the bunk in which he lies down to sleep.

Mr Bordelles, make preparations for getting underway.

- When was the last time it was overhauled? - About a month ago.

Captain?

- Yes, Holman? - Got a burnt bearing, sir.

It could tear up the crankshaft. I'd like to shut down and repair it.

Holman, as long as we move and smoke boils out of our stack,

we'll make the impression I want to make on the Chinese.

Yes, sir. It's still gonna give us trouble, sir.

It never has.

Yes, sir.

Here's a message, sir.

- Full speed ahead. - Full speed ahead.

Full speed ahead.

Tell the Captain she won't take no more turns.

Oil the cups! Oil the cups! Oil the cups!

Oil the cup. Oil. More oil.

- Holman, why aren't we up to full speed? - She won't take no more turns, sir.

We're under orders to reach Changsha on the double.

She ain't gonna make it.

We've never had to stop before.

Well, I'm just telling you.

That's right.

Tell the Captain we must stop and secure.

As soon as we get the LP at the top, we'll lock in the jacking gear. That'll hold it.

- A lot of slack in that damn thing, Jake. - There sure as hell is.

OK. Lock it in.

Two men. You and you.

Jacking gear in.

Into the pit. I order you.

- I won't go. - You are boss. You do it.

- You want to be fired? - Do it yourself.

Gimme the wrench.

My takee wrench. My takee wrench.

OK, Chien.

Hammer.

- Watch it! - The damn jacking gear gave way!

- Get Jennings down here! - Aye aye, sir!

Floor plate down. If you try and pull him out through there you'll tear him to pieces.

Frenchy...

- The drain valves open? - Yeah.

And Frenchy? Don't let no steam build up, huh?

All right. Come on. Out, out.

Come on.

Easy, easy.

Hey, Jennings, grab his hands. Easy. Easy now.

OK.

- Slow engine. - Slow engine.

Stand by all lines.

Get cleaned up. The Captain's waiting for you.

A man has been killed on this ship for the first time. I want to know why.

- A key in the jacking gearjarred out, sir. - Why?

- Vibration. - And why the vibration?

Because of the bearing knock, sir. I guess one key has been missin' for a long time.

And the other one's just being held in by rust.

Can you fix any personal responsibility for this?

- For the jacking gear, sir? - For the accident, Holman.

Without the knock in the LP, there'd be no vibration.

Chien handled the overhaul. He should have fixed it, sir.

Are you saying that Chien killed himself?

I'll remind you he worked under supervision.

Can't supervise an overhaul and stand deck watches at the same time, sir.

Black gang should stand their watches in the engine room, sir.

Lop-eye Shing says that you killed Chien.

You threw the engine in some mysterious way.

Now, that may be superstition, Holman, but it's very real to them.

Your resentment of Chien was well known.

The system you got on this ship is what killed him, sir.

You will immediately train a new coolie to take Chien's place. Give it your full time.

- They ain't got the brains. - They operate efficiently enough.

It's monkey see, monkey do. They don't know what happens with the engine.

- It's not necessary they should. - Let me run the engine room like I should.

- I can give you 12 knots, no breakdowns... - Holman.

I'm the one here who decides what jobs'll be done by whom.

The crew of this ship is designed just like the machinery that powers the ship.

Captains before me designed the San Pablo for a special job in the backwaters of China.

But men will not hold together like brass and steel.

We have to refit ourselves into the design every day.

That's the purpose of all we do in San Pablo.

As part of that design, you cannot do what you prefer to do, however well you do it.

You will train a new coolie and then return to your military duties.

That's all, Holman.

- Hey, come on. Over here. - Hey, Red Dog! Bring our whiskey back!

- You no wantee whiskey? - Oh, no, honey.

Not on an empty stomach, I'll tell you.

Hey, Jake.

Jake!

- How'd you make out with the Captain? - One piece whiskey.

- We ain't waltzin' no more. - What happened?

Collins says that us Sand Pebbles is like machinery, only different.

Huh?

We gotta keep changing, cos we ain't made out of brass. Think that one over.

Didn't he say nothing about Chien?

Yeah. I gotta train a new coolie.

- What? - Yeah, one of them slopeheads.

I can't do it, Frenchy. They think that engine's got ghosts in it.

- Sailor man? - I'm broke.

Hey! Mama Chunk.

- Where's the new stuff? - You all the time same Sand Pebble sailor.

What's the matter? No likee all the same girl?

What's the matter with her?

Hey! Frenchy!

- Hi, Mama. - What's the matter, no takee girl topside?

- Ah, give me time. - Oh, I think you too old a man.

Too old, huh? Too old, huh?

Wait. You new sailor! What you name?

- Holman. - Homang. Homang.

- Yeah. Homang. - Oh. Have got one piece new girl topside.

Brand new. She just now makee pretty. I suppose bye-bye she come see you?

- Well, I... - Send her over, Mama.

- Oh, oh, nice Frenchy. - Hey, Ski!

Your eyes are bigger than your...

Hey. Oh, OK.

Right over here, lovey duck. Best table in the house. Right here. Sit over here.

Clear out, you slobs. Back to your pigs.

My name is Ski.

Ski. Savvy?

What name you?

My name is Maily.

Say that again.

- My name is Maily. - Did you hear that? A Vassar girl.

- Well, hello, Maily. - Ski, I am your buddy.

- Shove off, Restorff. - Hey, Ski. Pal? Come on.

I'm sure you have your own joy junks to go to.

Come on, why don't you vamoose? Come on, you guys, beat it.

Maily, what'll you have to drink?

I should warn you, I get a commission on what I drink.

All I drink is cold tea, but you'll have to pay for whiskey.

Oh. I see. Yeah, sure.

Boy! Catch two piece whiskey.

Relax. Relax, Maily.

- I keep books for Mr Shu. - Oh.

And act as hostess. I'm very pleased to meet all of you.

Yeah.

Where'd you learn to talk English like that?

My secret.

Uh-huh.

- Where do you come from? - New Jersey.

- Oh, yes. Trenton. - Yeah, Trenton's in New Jersey.

- Where Washington crossed the Delaware. - Yeah. That was a little before my time.

As hostess, I'm supposed to divide my time among all the tables.

It's been pleasant meeting all of you, but I must go now.

Oh, no, no. Not till we take a little trip across the Delaware.

I don't go upstairs. I'm only a hostess.

- Ski, she don't love you. - Hey, Ski, go and get some air.

Mr Ski, please. Please don't!

- Ski, let her alone! - You go to hell.

Please.

Hold it, Frenchy. In case you didn't know, this girl's got duties, just like sailors.

- Oh, please. - Oh, let her go.

Now, Frenchy, stand fast! That's an order.

You know better than to mess around with another man's girl till he's through with her.

What's the matter? Wait. What's the matter?

You want to go topside her? Pay money.

- Money! - Money, money. OK.

- Come on. Topside. - Wait.

This girl first time. Must pay 200 dollar.

$200?

- I'll give you ten dollars Mexican. Come on. - 200 dollar!

- You think I'm an admiral? - That be first-time price.

- Who say so? - Victor Shu.

- $200. - Nobody's ever gonna have that much.

- $200. - I'll be damned.

- I'm still drinkin' with her. - No. She go other table now.

You can't change the house rules just like that.

- As long as I pay for her drinks, I keep her. - What's the matter? You crazy?

Come on, on the side.

Come on. Come on. All right, break it up.

All right, break it up. Go back to your pigs.

Wait. Wait. You like talk to pretty girl?

Yeah, sure, Mama.

- Why don't you grab a table? - Yeah.

Come on. Let's sit down.

- What's your name? - Frenchy.

- And yours? - Jake Holman.

- Mine is Maily. - How do you do?

Ooh!

- Thank you very much for helping me. - Oh, it was nothing.

- Where are you from, Mr Holman? - Utah.

- Oh, Salt Lake City. - Uh-huh.

- I'm from Philadelphia. - Yes, Liberty Bell.

- Uh-huh. - Is Utah nice?

Oh, for some people.

Well, I guess I'd better get back to ship.

- Huh? - Yeah. Thanks, buddy.

- So long. - There's a guy who knows when to leave.

Where'd you learn to speak English this good, Maily?

My secret.

Oh.

Why $200? Is there something special about $200?

Yeah, I know. Your secret, huh?

Well, what happens when Shu gets his $200?

I go to Hankow, to Shanghai.

I am free!

I wish I had $200.

Oh, I mean... I mean, just to give you.

You would do that?

Yeah, sure.

Look... I'll get it.

Time's up. Next table. You gotta work fast here, boy.

My name's Farren. I don't come from nowhere and I don't wanna talk geography.

- Anybody wanna shoot a little crap? - You won't get 200 bucks from me, lover boy.

Next week, Frenchy. Next week.

Hey. Come here.

You, uh... you likee be boss?

All same, like Chien?

Like same who?

Chien. Number one engine coolie.

Him all die.

Yeah, him all die. And that's too bad.

But I wantee new boss, savvy? Teachee all pidgin.

Oh. Engine side not proper?

No, no, the engine's OK. I'll teach you how to run it right. Come here.

Now, the valve.

Huh?

Belong same.

- Valve. - Wowel.

Valve.

Wowel.

- Wowel. - Yeah?

OK. Wowel.

Now, main steam stop valve.

May stim stop wowel.

Where?

You find.

No, no.

No, not proper wowel.

May stim stop wowel.

- May stim stop wowel? - Yeah.

- May stim stop wowel? - Main steam stop valve.

But I don't know.

You, me, can do.

Jake.

OK.

OK. If you go that way, then we're going reverse. OK?

Huh?

The generator. Makes juice for the lights.

See?

OK.

This is the boiler. Inside belongs live steam. Savvy?

Strong steam.

- Stim. - Steam.

Stim.

Live stim goes through this pipe.

Live stim goes into the feed pump.

Live stim! Make pump go vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom...

Live stim, huh?

Live stim... Live stim... Live stim.

Exhaust stim.

Condenser. Makee steam all dead.

You know, sleepy stim.

Live stim, dead stim.

Before, live stim.

Now water. Water belong dead stim.

All same dead stim.

Stim dead. Stim dead!

That's right. That's it.

Now you got it! That's right! That's the way it works!

And that's the throttle.

I'll teach you about that throttle one day.

Go ahead. Grab ahold of it.

Boo!

Nah. There ain't no ghosts in that engine.

Hey!

- Who's your new throttle man, Homang? - Out.

Ask the new throttle man if you can have some coffee. Maybe he'll let you use his cup.

Yeah. Why, you slant-eyed bastard...

Holman, you'd better watch out.

Lettin' that slopehead drink coffee down here, touch the throttle...

You watch out, Holman.

Slopehead!

Pick up your coffee cup.

Looks like you ain't runnin' this ship after all, Lop-eye.

Sir, is it wise overruling Lop-eye about the coolie?

That's not what I've done. The crew wants Po-han off the ship.

They believe Stawski about what happened in the engine room.

- You believe Holman, sir? - Not necessarily, but he makes more sense.

But Lop-eye fired Po-han. He'll lose face if Holman makes the crew change their mind.

Unlikely as that is, it might serve a purpose.

Lop-eye has a tendency to forget his place from time to time.

That's right. That's what happened, Holman.

The slopehead hit me and you jumped me before I had a chance to kill him.

- Right, Perna? - Just like that.

You're lucky I busted it up when I did. If he'd have hit ya, he woulda killed ya.

The slopehead woulda killed me?

You never... You ever see a slopehead fight?

- You guys saw a slopehead fight. - Yeah.

Holman, you're crazy. He woulda killed the Chink.

- He woulda put out your lights. - Who says so?

- I got 50 bucks that says so. - I'll take it.

- You got any more? - I'll take some of that.

Now, wait a minute. Hold it, hold it. Hold it! Hold it! Just one minute! Hold it!

Who's gonna do the fightin' here? Now, I don't go for it unless you bet me $100.

- You holdin' $100? - Yeah, I'm holdin' $100.

And I need $200 to buy myself a very special present.

$100 says he'll take you.

Oh, Maily! Maily, here I come!

Hey, hold it.

Beside the money, if Po-han wins, he stays aboard. That's my deal.

- Sure. - Well, he's not gonna win anyway.

- Bets right here. - You said $50, huh?

Hey. You got any more, Homang?

- Yeah, I got an extra $50. - Holman?

- I'll bet you $10 the slopehead don't fight. - He'll fight.

Put me down for $10.

Hey, Chief. When are we gonna start?

- Frenchy, you mustn't worry. - How the hell can you say...

- Excuse me. - If Ski gets me, then he's supposed to.

- That big ape. - It will only mean that I'm being punished.

- For what? - My secret.

Now look. You quit that "my secret" stuff.

- Who'd wanna punish you? - God.

- Who? - God!

What'd you do to him?

I...

I stole some money from American missionaries.

They found me as a baby and brought me up.

Why did you steal it?

To get away. They wanted me to be a missionary too.

I meant to go to Shanghai and earn enough money to send it back to them.

But I couldn't get there. So I came to Changsha instead and Mr Shu advanced it.

And now he must be paid. And so must God.

You're bughouse, Maily. What kind of religion do they teach you?

- Don't you worry about it. - The Chinaman can't fight.

Get me some beer.

Yeah, he's big. But he's blubber.

How can you fight and drink beer?

Ah!

Po-han. Get him in the throat, in the kidneys, in the gut. Hurt him.

Too much cold this side. Suppose cold this side, any man no can fight.

Oh, you plenty time fight Chinese man. How you no fashion fight Stawski?

- Ski no same. - Come on, boy!

Listen to me. He's gonna try to hurt you.

Forget what colour he is. You want you come back ship, you fight.

Fight!

- Give me a bell. - Let's get out here.

- Come on out here. - Let's go.

- How you doin'? - Come on! Come on, get out here.

- Ski, you look great. - Come on, come on, come on.

Now look. No kickee, no scratchee. None of that stuff, you savvy?

- Me savvy. - Me no savvy.

You!

Go on. Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Give me a bell.

OK. Let's go.

Get him, get him. Come on!

Boo!

Come on. Hit me. Come on, come on. Hit me.

What's the matter? Your man all same not fight? Huh?

Give you even money Ski don't knock him out in the first round.

Drop anchor, will you?

- Hit him! - Fight!

What do I do now, Ma?

Come on. Fight. Fight!

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Fight! Fight! Fight!

- Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! - Hit him.

All right. Break, break.

- Hi, Haythorn, how are ya? - Hit him! Hit him.

- Get up, Ski. Get up! - Get up there.

Get up, Ski!

Hit him!

- One... - He's bleeding. The guy is bleeding, Ski.

Finish him off.

- One. Two. - You got him, Ski.

- Three. - He wants his mother, Ski.

- Four. Five. - He wants his mommy.

- Nice going! - You've got him goin', boy.

Thanks for the fifty, Homang!

Now listen. He's getting tired.

You thinkee he tired hit me?

I'm tellin' you, he's runnin' out of steam.

Now, hit him, Po-han. Hit him in the guts.

Hit him. Hit him!

Pack your bags for that trip across the Delaware, baby!

Hit him.

Hammer! Hammer!

Get him, Ski!

Hit him! Hit him!

Come on, Ski, belt him!

Open his face!

Tear his head off!

Come on, Ski, get him!

Hammer!

Hammer!

This is what happens when you train on beer.

Finish him this time. You'll need your strength for the main event.

Oh, yeah! Whee!

Hammer! He's ready to go down. Hammer! Hammer!

Yeah, hammer, hammer.

Hit him in the gut. In the gut!

Kiss your money goodbye, Holman.

- Jake, if we lose fight, you lose money? - Three. Four.

- Five. Six. Seven. - Yeah. I lose money. But you lose ship.

Eight.

Come on. Fight.

One. Two.

Three. Four.

One. Two.

Three. Four.

Put him down. Put him down!

- Get him, Ski. Get him! - Hammer!

Hit the bum!

Hammer! Hammer!

- Ski! - One. Two.

- Three. - Four!

- Get up, you slob. - Get up, Ski.

One. Two. Three.

Four. Five.

Emergency recall! Everybody back to the ship on the double.

Finish the count! Six!

- Let him alone. - Eight!

- Nine! Ten! - Yahoo!

Maily! I told you he'd do it! I told you! What'd I tell you?

Me go back to ship?

You're damned right you do!

- Come on! Let's go! - What the hell's goin' on up there, Waldron?

- Who's blowin' that whistle? - On the double!

On the double! On the double, there!

- Keep moving. - Let's go!

- What's goin' on? - Let's go, let's go, let's go!

- Come on, Chief, get 'em aboard. Look alive! - Come on! Come on!

Get steam up. Stand by to cast off lines and drift if we don't get steam up fast enough.

We'll anchor in the channel. Sober the men up.

- We may have to repel boarders. - Aye aye. Chief, prepare to get underway.

Now hear this. Make all preparations for getting underway.

Holman! Get steam up to the engine on the double.

- Come on, Red Dog. - Just a moment.

Up on the bridge. Come on.

- Steam coming up on number two. - I'll get the steam pump.

Where are you goin'? You're boss now.

- Look sharp on those lines! - All hands are on board, Captain.

Very well.

- Cast off all lines! - Cast off all lines!

Get 'em in. Come on.

Take in gangway, on the double.

Last night, at Wanxian up the gorges of the Yangtze,

two British warships fought with the local warlord.

200 Chinese were killed, and 150 British.

The Bolsheviks are now saying that 2,000 innocent Chinese were slaughtered.

- We're up against a new strategy of lies. - I see, sir.

The students of China support a new leader, Chiang Kai-shek of the Nationalist Party.

He's leading an army north to wipe out the warlords.

- What are we to do, sir? - We have new orders, Mr Bordelles.

- Not to fire back. - Sir?

- Not to fire back. - I don't understand, sir.

Apparently, we're being blamed for everything. "The foreign devils".

Oh, it's an old trick, to unify people by getting them to hate something or someone.

Well, we're it. They all want to get rid of us.

Chiang Kai-shek peacefully, the Communists in the movement by force.

And we're supposed to grin and bear it.

Because if we fire back, we give them new propaganda to use against us,

and play into the hands of Communists, who want us to start a real war

so that Russia can come to China's rescue and in that way take her over.

It is an accident of history that we in the San Pablo are the first American armed unit

to come face to face with this new thing.

How we face it can be our great honour, or our dishonour.

I intend that it shall be our honour.

Our government has decided for now

not to treat fighting between Chiang Kai-shek and the other warlords

as just another warlord squabble.

We will treat it as an authentic civil war, in which we must remain very carefully neutral.

The United States Government has ordered the evacuation of central China.

We shall be making one last trip to Baoshan to rescue the missionaries at China Light.

Make all preparations for getting underway.

- Stop engine. - Stop engine.

Those are the China Light people, but I don't see Jameson. Where is Jameson?

He wouldn't come.

- Go to China Light and get him. - Aye aye, sir.

Shove off at once. Damned nonsense.

Left, left, left, right. Left, left and right turn.

Left, right, left, right, left, left, left, right and left turn.

Left, left, left, right, left, left, left, right, left, left and halt.

Left face.

Mr Jameson is in my custody.

- Yes? - Mr Jameson, please.

Come in. He's down the hall.

Hi.

She's a schoolteacher. I met her on a steamer comin' up from Shanghai.

- Yeah? - She's a lady.

They'd do great on the San Pablo, huh?

Collins'd have 'em standin' like that all day.

- Hello. - Hi. Thanks.

- Oh, thank you. - I'm Shirley Eckert.

- Oh. Pleased to meet you. - How do you do?

Those kids stand like that much longer, they're gonna melt.

What's all the machinery you got over there?

A lot of things we don't understand. I thought about you the minute I saw it.

- How do you like your gunboat? - It's OK.

- Do you like your teaching here? - Oh, yes. Very much.

That's to make beet sugar, and this is for electric light.

Hey, you oughta be runnin' 'em.

- Cho-jen! - How come you ain't runnin' 'em?

We don't know how. Some wealthy man from Philadelphia sent them out.

Cho-jen.

Cho-jen's the leader of the students in this district.

I want you to meet him. He's very bright.

Cho-jen, this is Mr Holman. He's an engineer.

- Hiya. - Hello.

Where's your direction manuals? Machinery like this usually has 'em.

Oh, well, I think Mr Jameson has them.

Attention! Attention! Face front!

That Cho-jen, he a Bolshevik?

Oh, no. Chiang Kai-shek is his god.

For all of them he's the hope.

How come he tied a can to the Reverend?

Mr Jameson stood trial in a Chinese court here. He's under sentence of death.

Opium was growing on a remote piece of mission property.

He didn't know, but technically he's responsible.

Why go to a Chinese court? He coulda ducked that.

He didn't want to. He's in Cho-jen's custody now.

We're going to Changsha to appeal the sentence. We're sure it'll be changed.

Then we can return to our work here.

Changsha? That's where we're goin'.

We heard you were taking the missionaries all the way down to Hankow.

Changsha.

Shirley!

The San Pablo is going to Changsha. It'll be quicker than going overland.

Cho-jen has agreed. We'll leave when you are ready.

I'll go pack.

Now, don't take too much. I'm sure we'll be returning.

Forward march!

Mr Bordelles, steam is up. We'll get underway when the motor pan's secured.

Aye aye, sir.

- Repel boarders port side, on the double. - Aye aye, sir. Repel boarders port side!

Repel boarders port side! Repel boarders port side!

Don't shoot unless attacked. Wait the word.

Wait the word!

It's the bilge coolie, Captain.

- Hold fire! - Hold fire!

- What was he doing ashore? - I send.

- Cho-jen? - They are not ours.

Let him go! He is our countryman!

- What's he saying? - "Watch what we do to the running dog."

- Who is it, sir? - It's Po-han.

Offer ransom. Speak I pay money, $100.

- No, sir. - Speak!

Release him. The American sailors will pay $100 if you let him go.

We dare you to shoot.

- What? - They dare ship to shoot.

Yes. They'd like another incident. They'd like a war. Tell them $200.

He will pay you $200. He will pay $200.

Four hundred!

- You dirty bastards! - Crosley, stand clear of that gun!

- They're killing that coolie! - Stand clear! Bronson, take over.

Hold station, Holman.

Five hundred!

$500, the Captain will pay you.

Let him go! Let him go!

Steady. Steady. Hold station, Holman.

Offer $1,000!

$1,000! $1,000!

- Get back to your station. - Do something!

- Get below, or I'll have you shot for mutiny. - Well, shoot somethin'!

Someone save me! Please shoot me!

Po-han say, somebody shoot him.

Holman! Holman!

Holman!

- Jake. - Get out.

That man this afternoon, who was he?

He was a bilge coolie I trained.

So you became a teacher too, hm?

Yeah.

That's good.

If you had killed a Chinese, there'd have been a massacre.

We'd have had to open fire, and it might have been the war the Bolsheviks want. You see?

As it is, in killing the coolie...

Although I can understand your feelings, I can't condone what you did.

However, I choose to ignore it officially, on condition you request a transfer.

You're opposed to the whole spirit aboard the San Pablo, Holman. You've disrupted morale.

You've been involved in the only two deaths this ship has ever had,

and the men consider you a Jonah.

If you won't request a transfer to keep your record clean, then I'll request it.

I'll request it, sir. You want me to keep running the engine?

Yes. It'll be some time before a replacement can get here.

That'll be all.

- Engine ahead one third. - Engine ahead one third.

- Prepare to drop anchor out here. - Aye aye, sir. Stand by the anchor.

- Stop engine. - Stop engine.

Let go the anchor.

Did you ever find out what happened to them engine manuals?

Mr Jameson says he has them.

- Hit them with the hose if they get too close. - Aye aye, sir.

- Get a fire hose up here. - Right.

The Boatmen's Union has declared a strike on your ship.

When the missionaries go ashore, send an armed escort.

- With what orders, sir? - The same orders the ship has.

Fire only to save American lives, and then only when everything else fails.

We demand that you permit us to take off the citizens of Republic of China

who you are holding against their will.

You can go to hell. Hit 'em with the hose.

Aye aye, sir. Give us the water.

Come ahead! Come ahead!

Keep it smart! Come ahead! Come ahead!

Left, right, left. Left.

Left. Left, right, left.

Detail, halt.

Mr Jameson.

Miss Eckert, how nice to see you again.

Left face!

Mr Bordelles, this is Major Chin of the Nationalist Chinese Army.

- What is your mission here, Mr Bordelles? - I ask you that, Major Chin.

- This compound is American property. - It is Chinese soil.

I have authority under Chinese law to commandeer it for battalion headquarters.

You have no right to be here under arms. I will have you escorted back to your ship.

Let me warn you, Major Chin.

If your superior officers are not prepared to go to war against the United States,

they will undoubtedly disavow your actions and make amends.

Do you understand my meaning? It has happened before.

All too often before. But we've had enough of that now.

I will quote your own history to you, Mr Bordelles.

"If you mean to have a war, let it begin here."

Gentlemen, please. Mr Bordelles, we're perfectly safe here with Major Chin.

You may have your men sling arms, or you may have them lay down their arms.

You may go under escort or under full arrest. That is all the choice I will give you.

And you must make it now.

Present arms.

Sling... arms.

Turn right!

Right face.

Right and left about... turn.

Detail, forward march!

- Don't wash it. Burn it! Burn it. - Throw that out.

Nobody could wash it clean enough for me to wear.

- What the hell happened? - Shut up!

Wash this, will you?

- Will there still be liberty, sir? - I have no instructions to the contrary.

- They'll tear the town apart. - Restrict it to that place they usually go.

Aye, sir.

- Where you been? - Nobody'd rent me a room for Maily.

- You get one? - Finally. It cost me an arm and a leg though.

- What's going on? - She's been with them since I got here.

- They've got her drinking. - Did you tell her?

I ain't had a chance. Give me the dough, Frenchy.

I'll talk to Shu, have him get her away from them, huh?

Yeah.

Shu?

I got the $200 for Maily. Now, let's do it quiet.

Just pry her loose from those guys in a few minutes and bring her outside.

I got the $200.

- Outside. - I say $210.

Well, how about it, sailor?

$210?

You said the price was $200, Shu.

- And I said $210. - Butt out of this, mister.

All right, break it up, you guys.

You've got no authority over me, sailor.

He's right.

Match it.

- I'll pay $210. - $220.

- Auction! Auction! How about it, Mr Shu? - Yeah, that's a good idea.

We haven't had an auction here yet. So let's do it.

Why not?

- Wait a minute. Keep clear. - Put her up on the block.

Ladies and gentlemen! Now, just look at this merchandise.

Now, what am I bid for this clean, delicious piece of girl-flesh here?

- Come on, what am I bid? - $230.

And 40.

Boys, boys. That won't even buy one leg.

Brand-fresh new goods, untouched by human hands.

- Let's bid it up here, come on. - $250!

- $275! - More! More!

Boys! Who'll say $300 and we see it all?

All right, let's take a look at her.

- $300. - $300 I got...

- $300. Now let her go, damn you! - She ain't yours yet, buddy.

$325.

- $350! - $350, I...

Strip her. Strip her!

Strip her! Strip her! Strip her! Strip her!

$350! I said $350! Now that's it!

- Bid $400 and we strip her. - OK. $400.

Jake, come on!

Watch the steps. They're slippery. It's down this way.

- Anybody after us? - Nah.

- Oh, let me go back. - After all that?

- Please! - No. No.

Here. Here.

- Boy. If ever I get my hands on those guys... - You've got enough troubles.

What happens now?

Well, I guess I'll go back tomorrow and pay Shu the $200.

That's all she owes him.

- OK. - I'll see you.

No, hey, hey. Hang on a minute. I'll go with you.

You all right?

I'm sorry as hell about...

You'll be OK here.

I'm gonna go tomorrow and pay Shu just what you owe him.

Then I'll get you on a train to Shanghai.

Look, if I can't get you on a train right away, you could stay here, huh?

Maybe I'll... I'll drop in.

I sure as hell apologise. I don't know what to say about those guys. They...

You all right?

Let me go away. Just let me go away.

No. I want you to go to Shanghai like you want, but not just away like that.

I'll do what you want. You've bought me.

No. I didn't buy you.

Oh, sure, I'm gonna pay some money, but I'm not buying you.

I don't want it to be...

Well, I don't want it to be like that between us.

I want it to be something else.

It's got to be something else.

You'll be all right.

Please. Please don't leave me.

- Jake? - Yeah?

- I wanna marry her. - Hey! Now, wait a minute...

I don't know what I've been doing. Years with them dumb pigs...

They got a law. You can't marry no Chinese girl.

- One of them missionaries might marry us. - Well, they ain't gonna do it.

Why don't you just move in with her?

No. I don't want that.

Maybe we could get it done in Chinese?

I just know I wanna marry her.

Six dollars.

OK.

Thank you.

Sounds kinda nuts, but guys catch these birds so you'll buy one and set it free.

You know, just for the hell... For the fun of it.

- Go ahead. - It's a lovely idea.

Well, it's supposed to make you feel like when you help an old lady across the street.

Go, fella.

It does. It's ridiculous, but it makes you feel marvellous.

- What happens if you make it? - You get a wish.

Oh.

Jake, you made it! You got it! You get a wish.

What do you want?

- I don't know. - Well, there must be something.

Yeah, well. I used to want... want an engine.

Isn't the engine still important?

Well, not like it used to be.

- Why don't you take my wish? - OK.

Oh, hey. Mr Jameson said I could lend these to you.

These are the booklets for the machinery.

- OK. I'll look 'em over. - All right.

- Well, go ahead. Take your wish. - OK.

- Jake? - Huh?

- Don't you wanna know? - Know what?

Don't you wanna know what I wish for?

OK.

Well, I wished that someday you'd feel like telling me more about yourself.

Sometime.

When you feel like it.

OK.

So? Then what happened?

- You just keep pullin', don't you? - You can't just stop in the middle.

Well, why not?

Because it's about you. I'd like to know.

OK. I graduated at the head of my class.

Jake!

Um... I got kicked outta school.

- Aw... - Aw?

No, I mean it. What happened?

Well, me and this guy got in it on a class picnic.

He brought a couple of bottles of booze and he was chargin' double for drinks.

And I never liked him anyhow, so I hung one on him.

Thing was, though, I was gonna get my diploma in a couple of months.

So I went to see the principal. He was one of them soft, smiley kind of guys.

He said "If you'll sign this paper saying you brought the booze, that'll be that."

So, like a bonehead, I signed it. Then he looks at the paper and he kinda smiles.

He says "Well, I'll have to think about it."

So I guess I started swingin'.

I forgot he was wearing glasses, and I put out his eye.

So anyhow, the judge says "You got three choices: Army, navy, reform school."

Well, why did you pick the navy?

Well, ain't much water in Utah.

Jake. Wasn't there anybody to stick up for you with the judge?

My mother. She didn't count for very much around there, though.

But a good dame.

We're mixing our lives together, Maily.

We'll never be able to unmix 'em again. And we'll never want to.

I take you for what you are, and all that you are, and mix you with all of me.

And I don't hold back nothing.

When you're cold and hungry and afraid, so am I.

I'm gonna stay with you all I can, and take the best care of you I can.

And love you... till I die.

Now you say it.

I will always love you, and honour and serve you,

and stay as near to you as I can,

and do everything for you,

and live for you.

I won't have any life except our life together.

I will just love you, Frenchy, all of me, loving you for ever.

Now we're married.

Want to put a hand on ours for luck?

I hope you have luck, and I hope it goes smooth and easy for you.

Thanks for comin'.

They seem very much in love.

- Frenchy is. - Not Maily?

Yeah, but she knows. She's not foolin' herself.

- About what? - Well, for one thing, she's Chinese.

And for another, one day he's gonna get shipped out.

- She could follow him. - Where?

What they got right now ain't no good.

Somethin' called a "block committee" is trying to kick 'em out of their rooms.

Where are they gonna go?

Just runnin' from hole to hole.

Still, I envy them.

Jake...

It ain't gonna work, Shirley.

Why?

Cos you're goin' back to China Light pretty soon, and I'm goin' back to the fleet.

Jake? Come back to China Light with us now.

You know how hard they look for deserters, Shirley?

And what happens to 'em when they catch 'em?

Well... Well, I just thought...

Knowing how you feel about the military, and that you taught Po-han...

That ain't what we're talkin' about.

Oh, it's good up there, Jake. It can be a good life.

The court's agreed to let Mr Jameson go back.

You could come as a kind of engineering missionary.

I shouldn't have suggested it.

I'm sorry.

I told you not to talk to sailors, didn't I?

Hey, look. I wonder what's the matter. They're jumpin' all over.

Hey, it's our coolies. They're jumpin' ship!

Bend off.

- Hey, what the hell happened? - Shing put opium on board, said it was ours.

- Ski, the bonehead, dumped it in the furnace. - The Captain told me to get rid of it.

- We can't run this ship without coolies. - Well, we're gonna.

Shall we try to mask the smoke with rubber, Captain?

It's too late, Mr Bordelles. It's too late.

The San Pablo is now in a state of siege here, and will be all winter.

The water level in the channel is already too low for us to leave before spring.

There will be no liberty.

No contact with the shore except a guard mail trip to the consulate once a week.

Each of you will get a chance to make this trip once.

They have singled out San Pablo for destruction,

using their new weapons of boycott and propaganda.

They expect in the end to haul down the flag in shame and disgrace.

We will not let them do that.

When the time comes, we will defend our flag with our life's blood.

They will watch us every minute.

They will gloat over every rust streak down our sides, every sign of military slackness.

They expect to destroy us. But it will only make us stronger.

That's all. Carry on.

All right, Chief. Carry on.

Ten hut! Dismissed.

The next incident, they could just as well turn on him and kill him.

Well, at least he's off our necks, sir.

Our primary mission is still to defend American lives.

Even if they are damned fools.

Pray for an early spring.

Or permission to open fire.

Frenchy, you mustn't come here any more.

- You must stay on the ship. - No.

Sometimes, when I come here, I think maybe you've gone...

They've chased you away someplace I can't find you.

- Maybe it would be better. - No, sweetie, don't say that.

I can't help it.

I'm nothing. I'm not Chinese, I'm not American.

And the child will be nothing.

He'll be ours.

Like you're mine. That's all we need.

Harris, clean up your stinkin' mess! I'm not gonna do your work.

- I won't stand any more of your watches. - Harris, lay below!

- Perna, you... - I said lay below!

Harris!

- Cut it out! Cut it out, you guys! - Let him go! Let him go!

- Get the deck aides to help you. - What's the matter with you guys?

- Isn't there enough trouble with slopeheads? - Get him down below where he belongs!

- I'm an electrician. He belongs below. - Knock it off!

And the rest of you! What are you standin' around for?

I want you to start wearing side arms. Franks, too.

When the water in the channel rises and we can get to Shanghai,

everything will be all right.

Till then, the men are not responsible. They have to be protected.

- So stay clear of them. - Aye aye, sir.

There's never been a mutiny aboard a United States ship of war.

I'm not gonna give them the slightest chance on this one.

I understand, sir.

I told him to go back to the ship to see a doctor.

But he was afraid they would lock him up.

How long has he been dead?

Last night.

You can't stay here.

I'll be all right.

You go back to your ship.

I'm all through with that.

Come up to China Light with me.

I can't.

Listen. Listen.

Frenchy'd want you to.

It's gonna be all different up there.

Nobody's gonna ask you whether you're Chinese or American,

where's your father, or anything.

It's just gonna be everybody, all together.

And you got your kid to think about.

Shirley says they grow vegetables,

and they got a milk goat.

You can't stay here. Get out. Him, too. Wake him up, white man's slut!

- The white pig is dead. - Throw her out.

Stop! What are you doing here? Come with us. Come!

Don't come back to that part of the city again.

What the hell happened?

Don't say nothin' about this on the ship, will you?

All right.

Captain! Mr Bordelles!

Captain?

- Repel boarders. - Repel boarders! All hands to stations.

Repel boarders! Repel boarders!

Hey! What the?

- Get Holman up here on the double. - Aye aye, sir.

- Captain wants to see you. - Now what's goin' on?

I don't know.

- What's this all about? - I don't know, sir.

You were ashore yesterday. What happened? Tell me. That's an order.

- I don't know anything about no murder. - He is a murderer!

He killed a Chinese woman who was carrying his child!

What is it? What's he talking about?

Frenchy's wife. Maily.

I think they killed her.

What happened?

Frenchy's dead. He got sick and he couldn't make it back.

While I was there they busted in and...

I didn't think they'd do that.

They say you killed her. That's all that's important. How do they know your name?

They must have found my hat.

Within two days this'll be an international incident.

"American Gunboat Sailor Kills Chinese Woman."

- Is the channel deep enough yet? - Well, I think we could make it, sir.

We may have to fight our way out of here.

Not for you personally, Holman.

You only matter now as a symbol of your country.

That's all.

- Secure from repel boarders. - Aye aye, sir.

We wanna talk to you. Word is, they ain't gonna let us out till they get you.

As long as you're aboard, they ain't gonna give up.

They got guns between here and Hankow. Blow us right out of the water.

You oughta turn yourself in.

Tell the Captain you'll go ashore and stand trial so we can get outta here.

- I didn't kill Maily. - Then you got no problems.

They'll let you go.

You give yourself up, Holman. You've been a Jonah since the day you come aboard.

Captain!

Looks like nationalist soldiers this time.

Repel boarders. Get Holman up to the flying bridge.

Underjust and equal law of nations,

we demand you give up murderer Holman to people's justice.

Under the just law of nations, you people are pirates. I will not parley with you.

We will!

Come and get him!

- Come and get him! - Silence on the main deck!

Homang, come down!

Homang! Come down!

- Homang, come down. Homang, come down. - Homang, come down.

Homang, come down. Homang, come down.

Homang, come down. Homang, come down. Homang, come down. Homang, come down.

Holman, if you make any effort to give yourself up...

You in the sampan there, shove off!

Shove off, or I'll fire into you.

Crosley, fire a burst into the water.

Crosley, damn you, fire a burst!

The gun is jammed, sir.

- Bronson, fire a burst! - The gun's jammed, sir.

Homang, come down! Homang, come down! Homang, come down!

Homang, come down! Homang, come down!

Homang...

Mr Bordelles, make all preparations for getting underway.

- Take her out of rifle range and anchor her. - Aye aye, sir.

Captain...

Make preparations for getting underway.

Aye aye, sir.

Here. Wear this. Come back up as soon as we secure.

Make all preparations for getting underway.

Captain?

Sir, there's an urgent message.

Nationalist troops have Nanking. They're killing American treaty people.

British and American ships have shelled the city. Marines are landing in Shanghai.

Sir? Treaty people are being directed to flee to the coast for their lives.

Plan Red will be put into effect upon confirmation from Washington.

Mr Bordelles, get Franks.

Come into my cabin, all of you.

What happened this morning has not gone down on paper yet.

It is not history unless it goes down on paper.

What is going down on paper for the end of San Pablo is quite different.

Our radio communications are out of order. They're out of order.

We are therefore on our own.

Not hampered by orders from above.

At dawn we will get underway. We will proceed into the lake.

Then, instead of turning downriver to Shanghai, we will cross the lake,

and turn up the Chien River to China Light.

Our objective will be to rescue the missionaries at China Light.

After the slaughter at Nanking they will be desperate for rescue.

We will make one last, savage thrust deep into China,

and if the San Pablo dies, she dies clean.

It is my responsibility to the ship.

And to the men.

They've been put through intolerable strain.

They rate this... last chance.

Reports indicate the Chien river is blocked by a boom of junks

linked with bamboo cable and defended by militia.

We will break that boom and we will move on to rescue the people at China Light.

All right. There's the boom.

About a dozen junks, 50 to 60 feet apart, a cable from bow to bow.

- Half speed. - Half speed!

It looks like the sampans are bringing more men from shore.

- Drop armour. Call general quarters. - All hands, general quarters.

Man your battle stations.

Let's go! Let's go!

Look alive! Look alive!

Minimum crew in engine spaces. All others topside.

Aye aye, sir.

Minimum crew in the engine spaces. All others topside.

Comin' up. Stawski, take the throttle. Perna and MacDonald, handle the boilers.

The rest of you, on deck.

Bronson.

Holman! Set up a BAR position forward. You others, lend a hand.

- Aye aye, sir. - I'll get it.

From the bulkhead over.

- Battle stations manned and ready. - Very well. Run up the battle flag.

Aye aye, sir. Battle flag!

- Full speed! - Full speed.

- Holman, you lower the jack staff. - Let's go!

Here you go.

- Steer for the centre of the channel. - Steering for the centre of the channel, sir.

Prepare to concentrate fire on the centre junk.

- Have Wellbeck take the con below. - Chief, take the wheel.

I got it.

- They're within range, sir. - They'll have to fire first.

Half speed.

Half speed, sir.

- Main battery, commence firing. - Main battery, commence firing.

Ready.

Ready!

Ready.

Ready.

Sir.

- Commence firing. - Commence firing.

- Commence firing! Commence firing! - Commence firing! Commence firing!

Magazine.

- Here you go. - Ready!

How about that? The mast!

Ready.

- Captain. - Ready!

- Slow speed. - Slow speed, sir.

- Main battery, cease firing. - Cease fire.

Cease firing!

- Boarding party, take arms! - Aye aye, sir.

Boarding party, take arms! Boarding party, take arms!

Boarding party, take arms!

First wave, take boarding position.

- Take her now and lay her alongside. - Aye aye, sir.

Fix bayonets!

Prepare to grapple!

Grapple!

Boarding party, away!

Why, you dirty...

Let's go.

Aboard, second wave!

Let's go!

Down!

Come on, Holman. Come on!

Captain!

Return to the ship! Come on, Bronson. Lend a hand with the wounded.

Return to the ship!

They'll try to repair the boom. We haven't the strength to break it again.

If I'm not back by daylight, consider our mission failed. Sail without me.

- Captain, I can't do that. - That's all. That's an order.

Whom do I have for a landing party?

Well, all of them are badly cut up, sir, but it's the best we could do.

Farren will handle the boat, and Bronson and Crosley.

Holman will be the senior petty officer.

- Remember your orders. - Aye aye, sir.

- The men performed brilliantly, Mr Bordelles. - Yes, sir.

Uh, Captain?

Good luck, sir.

Lieutenant Collins, it would be much better for all of us if you go away at once.

- We have no intention of leaving. - Your lives are in danger.

- You shouldn't have come here. - Jameson, you're to come back with me.

You have five minutes to pack what you need.

Our militia of students went to fight you at the boom.

I was hoping to see them come back victorious instead of you.

- You've heard about Nanking? - Yes.

But those events have no bearing here.

You alone endanger us.

I must ask you to leave now.

My duty is to protect you.

No longer. Shirley, will you please get that paper from my desk?

We've declared ourselves stateless persons. We've sent our names to Geneva.

That's impossible.

Read this.

- Jake. - I tried to get back sooner. I couldn't.

- You staying? - Yes. What happened at the boom?

By that signed declaration we have renounced nationality itself.

Your uniform now gives you no authority over us and no responsibility for us.

- Romantic nonsense. - We've convinced most people here

that there is no connection between ourselves and the gunboats.

- Your presence only endangers us. - We're at war, Jameson. They'll kill you.

They will not.

Perhaps once this might have protected you, but not now.

Now it is shooting and killing. It's too late for such fine distinctions.

It will protect us.

This afternoon, my ship fought its way through down there at the boom.

People were killed on both sides. You will not make that a futile and meaningless battle.

We will not serve to give meaning to your heroics. Our lives have their own meaning.

- We have renounced nationality! - You were sentenced to death!

I am free, under the protection of a student.

They will not care who protects you now. Not after Nanking.

And it will not be a student militia who comes for you now, but regular troops.

Miss Eckert, they will strip you and rape you.

And this whole valley will be destroyed when our country comes to avenge your death.

Do you want that?

You don't know them.

Have you ever cared for Chinese women raped and butchered

by the warlord troops you favour with your treaties?

- In heaven's name, leave us alone! - That's enough!

Holman, help them get their things together.

No, sir.

That's an order.

You better get back to the ship, Captain. Cos they're stayin' here. And so am I.

Do you know what this is?

Desertion in the face of the enemy.

I ain't got no more enemies. Shove off, Captain.

Jameson! Jameson, sir!

Jameson, sir, sir...

Jameson, sir...

Jameson, sir...

Cho-jen was killed at the boom. Soldiers are coming to get you. You must go.

Shirley, he says Cho-jen is dead.

Oh, no.

No!

You killed him at the boom.

And now they're coming for me.

Because of you...

and your blind pride.

Damn your flag!

Damn all flags!

It's too late in the world for flags!

Lights! Get the lights.

Wait. Wait!

Listen to me.

Wait. Listen...

No!

Is there another way out of here?

A hut by the back wall has a door that leads to the open fields.

Show us.

Cover us. Come on.

Ammo.

- Which way? - The doorway over there.

Holman, take charge and get everybody back to the motor pan.

You're senior here.

I'll stay and make 'em think we're all still here. Give me the BAR.

When I think you've gotten clear, I'll follow.

You did well at the boom today.

All of you.

Wait till I open fire, then get 'em out of here.

All right, you cover the screen!

You other men take the walls!

What the hell are we waitin' for?

Fire at anything that moves!

Jake...

He's dead. Get her outta here.

- Let's all get goin'. - Somebody's gotta slow 'em up.

They'd nail us before we got to the river. If they get her, you know what they'll do to her.

- Jake, for God's sake! - Get goin'.

No! Jake!

Now go ahead. I'll be along.

Hold your fire, Bronson.

Don't shoot till you see something.

How we doin', Crosley?

Watch it, Crosley!

We're gonna get outta here, Bronson! Watch the walls.

OK, everybody out!

Time to go, Holman. Right!

Right.

I was home.

What happened?

What the hell happened?