Original subtitles

♪

Through the mirror of my mind, time after time,

I see reflections of you and me.

Reflections of the way life used to be.

Reflections of the love you took from me.

As I peer through the window of lost time,

looking over my yesterday,

and all the love I gave away.

All the love that I've wasted,

all the tears that I've tasted,

all the pain.

Through the hollow of my tears,

I see a dream that's lost from the hurt

that you have caused.

And when I turn,

it seems like everything I see

reflects the love that used to be.

Reflections of the way life used to be.

Reflections of the love you took from me.

Reflections of the way life used to be.

Oh, Beckett.

Oh!

What's up?

Beckett!

It's freezing in here.

Well, never cover me up.

Come on, I was just checking you in.

I don't like to be covered up.

Okay.

What are you doing in here this hour?

I'm waiting for him.

You didn't know he was coming.

Yes, I did.

They're always coming.

So, where are you from?

Beckett, he's dead.

I know.

Can I get you boys anything else?

Can you please turn that down?

Please, down.

Thanks.

Um, any more food?

It stinks.

Oh, okay.

So, uh, something else.

Um, we can do something.

Please.

It stinks.

I want my sounds.

Let him listen to his sounds.

We can, uh...

Come on.

We should turn on some other sounds.

Yeah!

That's boogie then!

Uh, I don't know how.

Hey, we'll teach you.

First move like this.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Do the jerk.

You gotta do it in four moves like this.

One, two, uh, yeah.

You got it.

That's it.

Make it work.

Where's the ketchup?

All right!

Whoo!

Love it!

Yeah!

Whoo!

Come on!

Yeah, all right!

Whoo!

Dance party!

Yeah!

Whoo!

What do you want him to do?

Walk around with a smile on his face all day long?

Nobody does that.

Except Kim.

Beckett is Beckett.

Yes, but he's acting very strange.

Beckett is strange.

That's why I like him.

Oh, so you think it's okay for him to be sleeping in the GRU.

My, glad I fly over this stuff.

Sleeping?

With corpses.

I'm telling you, Beckett needs some emergency cheering up.

I'm on it.

How?

Trust me.

Great idea.

What?

Trust me.

As in, let's take a walk on the beach.

Nothing will happen.

Trust me.

What if I want something to happen?

Trust me.

Thought you'd never ask.

Too bad.

I've got war duty.

Hi.

Can I get you a drink?

No.

Not while I'm on the job.

What job is that?

Listen, you can tell me.

Is the barmaid clean?

Clean?

Yeah, you know.

Arden? LBJ all the way?

Or is she, uh...

commie?

Kim is a...

fine person.

Is that why you're here?

Yes and no.

You know what they say about bad apples.

No.

Well, it's true.

No.

Hi, Cherry.

Sorry I haven't written.

It used to seem so important to get everything down on paper

so I'd remember.

Now I don't want to.

Every day we go out,

every night we get shelled.

I'm with all new guys now.

I don't want to know their names to know them.

Why, get to know somebody who's just gonna get wasted?

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we all just stopped

but I can't wonder too long.

Thanks for the photo of us in the old motorcycle.

I'd almost forgotten.

Rick.

Heard of a dude named Phil Moorcross?

Maybe.

How do you know him?

How?

Yeah, how do you know him?

I was with him.

You were with him when he deserted?

Well, then that makes you a deserter, doesn't it?

Now, wait a minute, sir.

Take it easy. Take it easy, kid.

You pass.

What's going on here?

Ah, Captain McMurphy.

Lieutenant.

Who are you?

Consider me yet another light at the end of this marvelous tunnel.

Right.

Captain Light at the end of the tunnel.

Nice uniform.

Criminal investigations special assignment.

Is that good enough?

Not crazy about your style.

You crazy about deserters?

Yeah.

Not a lot of deserters in here.

Yeah, but this boy here knows one.

Phil Moorcross.

Very dangerous character.

He froze during a firefight and ran.

Maybe he was scared.

You ever get scared during an amputation?

Want to stop? Want to run and hide?

It's different. No one's trying to kill me.

But you still don't quit, do you?

You do what you have to do because people are counting on you.

And that's why I love you.

Oh.

I thought I was alone.

I was being quiet.

Well, I'm just closing up for lunch.

Will you talk to me a while?

Uh...

Sure.

Um...

Where are you from?

Flint, Michigan.

You know, we had a teen center.

It looks a lot like this place.

When are you going home?

I don't know.

I need some help.

What kind of help?

I'm on my way to Europe.

Europe?

I'm just sort of leaving here.

This is Vietnam. People don't sort of leave.

You're...

You're deserting.

Will you just talk to me for a while, please?

Just listen.

I'm sorry.

I am not going back there.

I can't.

I used to play army and stuff.

I used to dig foxholes in the vacant lot.

I used to pretend to shoot guys and get shot.

I loved it.

I didn't know anything.

You've got to help me.

I can't help you desert.

What would happen if we all just stopped?

I'm supposed to call the MPs.

What if I was your boyfriend?

Or your brother?

What if they just didn't want to kill anybody anymore?

It's wrong.

And besides, it's better to turn yourself in.

You'll never get away with it.

I can pull it off.

My buddy Rick did.

It's a good surf day.

I don't like the sun. It hurts my eyes.

You're becoming a vampire. You've got to get out there.

You don't mind if Mr. Beckett here joins us, do you?

First surfing lesson.

No, of course not.

You might want to take your boots off, though.

Yeah.

I'll see you guys later.

No, no, no.

No, come on. The stand will feel good on your feet.

Come on, come on.

Okay, okay, okay. Just once.

All right.

Hey, Cherry. How are you doing?

Hi.

Something wrong? You look terrible.

I do?

I meant relatively speaking, of course.

I know it's not easy,

the responsibility we have here.

These poor boys, so far from home.

We're the only link to the world they knew.

We stand for everything good.

It's an honor that we're able to help,

even in this strange war.

So remember, dear,

you're not alone,

and no matter how bad it gets,

never stop smiling.

I won't.

All right.

Yeah. On the front.

Bottom turn. Up at the top.

High five.

Boy, I tell you, you are a natural.

I gotta go. My men need me.

We haven't got to the water yet.

Water?

Beckett, come on. You just got here.

Come on.

I got two guys in this morning.

One of them in pieces, just a bunch of parts.

Beckett.

The other one had been hit by a concussion grenade,

and not a scratch on him.

But when you lifted him,

you could feel...

he'd all gone to jelly inside.

Come on. No shop talk at the beach.

Let's go out there. Let's do the real thing.

Come on. Huh? Out there?

Yeah, come on.

I can't do that.

Why not?

I don't swim.

Prick, rick, rick.

You know, he's probably signing himself right this minute

on the Riviera someplace.

Do you really think he's safe?

You know, rick, he can take care of himself.

He always could.

All he needed was a little help getting going.

And that first step,

someone understood, someone cared,

got him his papers.

What kind of papers?

A passport.

Cherry,

I know it's a lot to ask,

but I don't have anyone else to turn to.

I am alone in this.

I've got $1,500.

Do you know anyone

who might help me buy a passport?

I might.

You work in graves. Is that right, man?

Anybody in wanting to buy an I.D.?

No, sir, but you might want to ask some of the men.

That's very ironic, corporal.

I really like that.

You know, it's funny.

Do you think a deserter would like to spend a lot of time on the beach?

Like you guys.

I didn't desert him. I just came here for a break.

Yeah, of course you did.

Deserters only go to the beach at night.

Listen, uh...

You ever see any of these cats?

Cats?

John Russell Redmond, 19, Santa Clara, California.

Anthony Thomas Benedetti, 21, Haywood, Florida.

And Fillmore Lester Cross, 21, Flint, Michigan.

Sorry.

They all look alike to me.

What's shaking?

Looking for a particularly gnarly dude, man.

Well, it's not Samuel Beckett. I'll vouch for that.

No, it's not him. Black guys never desert.

Deserter, huh?

Yeah. That's my job. Reel him back in.

Now, this one here ran off after he let his sergeant get diddy-wop.

Bet he was a bad sergeant.

Time to desert's way before you get here.

I mean, you get here, it's a little late, isn't it?

What if you forget?

Forget?

What if you forget to desert before you get here?

What's the matter with these guys, anyway?

They all crossed a line. They broke a bond.

Now they can't be trusted. You see, now they'll do anything.

They'll drag anybody down who tries to help them.

Drag them straight to hell.

I thought that's where we were.

So...

It's later.

Later than you think. I gotta go to Saigon.

Oh, I hate this war.

Go, Nash, go!

I'll be back before you know it.

Why?

Hi.

Hi.

I need your advice.

The doctor is in.

It's kind of urgent.

I'll try to be brief.

I met this guy this afternoon.

Boy, when they go, they go fast.

When I first got here, you told me everything was for sale.

Did I say that?

I need to buy a passport.

It's not that simple.

Nothing's simple here, is it?

You're learning.

Too fast.

What does this joker need a passport for?

Well...

He's a soldier.

But...

He doesn't want to be one anymore.

All those years as the Virgin, and then you lose it to bad news.

Oh, I didn't. Well, he isn't. He's just a friend.

Well, not even that.

He needs help, Casey.

Cherry, even I stay away from deserters. They're losers.

He's not a coward, Casey.

He's just sick of the killing,

and he's real confused about everything, and...

I'm not into the politics of it.

Neither am I.

He's a friend of Rick's, Casey.

And he only wants to do what Rick's already done.

Oh, boy.

There goes St. Rick.

All right, here we go.

Play some cards.

Got you guys last card down and dirty.

Yeah, I'm ready for you guys now.

Booney taught me everything.

I want you to get down.

Ducks and tens. No strength, no strength.

Three queens. That's so far.

Seven eyes straight for Rumpelstiltskin.

Jacks over fives.

I made my boat.

Hmm? Play? Play?

No, wait, wait, wait a minute.

You beat me. No, man.

How did you beat me? Huh?

Oh, I'm busted.

Beckett.

Nick Murphy.

Come on, man, punch out. Buy me a drink.

No, I can't do that. Can't get away right now.

I knew you'd say that. So I came prepared.

Hey, you know what?

Lila is planning a soul night at the jet set.

Can you believe it?

I think she's probably going to need some help in a serious way.

You know, some music, a few recipes, that sort of thing.

What do you say, huh?

I'm not sure.

What's going on?

Hey, come on, you know, sometimes when things are rough, it helps to just talk.

It does? Sure.

How?

Well, for instance,

today hasn't been that great a day for me, right?

And if I just carry that around and don't get it off my shoulders,

then tomorrow I'll wake up and it'll be worse.

You know, like, Natch will still be gone,

and I'll wonder for how long.

I'll worry about him all day.

Wonder why I put him off for so long.

And that day will go by,

all the wounded men,

men I don't know,

so young, so damaged,

so much pain,

away from people who care about them,

or even know them.

And there was one man I did care about

and who I could have maybe even loved

and didn't.

Thanks for coming by him again.

You know, it really helped.

See that guy over there?

He's a C.I.D. looking for deserters.

He freaked back. I told him black guys never desert.

Is that true? How come?

They get killed first.

So, Kim, do the VC have deserters?

Some people say girls who leave home to work in bars are deserters.

This isn't really a bar, Kim.

Let's not push him in.

I know one when I see one.

You haven't deserted yet.

I find him, I get him back, and I'll be on my way.

Oh, so soon? What's the rush?

I get to town frequently.

If I find him today, he'll just have been AWOL.

You see, he's not officially a deserter yet.

Actually, I'm doing the kid a favor.

Where'd you go to law school?

I flunked out of Columbia, became an actor,

played puck in Midsummer Night, and I got drafted.

O.C.S. on a pulled string and here.

You tell me what you know.

You know what I know.

I know you know more than you think I know you know.

What?

I read eyes.

Oh, well, I guess I should have worn my dark glasses.

Yeah, you should have.

You think I'm stupid.

I have to be.

Intelligent men usually don't make me feel this way.

Yeah, you know something.

But he'd never come to you.

No, you're too... you're too savvy.

You'd look for an angle, and then you'd find one.

Or him.

I'll find him.

Yep.

It's all theater.

No.

Beckett.

No. I got too many men already.

They won't mind.

He's really tired. Tired like you get sometimes.

Beckett, listen.

If you don't let him rest with your men for a couple of hours,

he's probably gonna end up...

With them for real.

Right.

Okay.

Just don't be giving the black guys any ideas.

Came to play some poker, take some of your money.

What do you say?

No, I don't think so.

Come on, seven card.

When I jacks queens wild, you love that.

Hmm?

No, no, I don't think so.

Where you going?

I'm gonna get a jacket.

What for?

It's cold.

There's other ways of warming up.

What?

Women.

Oh, boy.

One of you is a dealer.

The other is not.

1,500.

Quality is not all that important.

Oh, really?

Time. Time is more important.

Not that important.

It is always best to negotiate alone.

3,000.

What?

You can't do that.

You said 1,500.

The price has gone up.

Well, wait, wait.

We'll pay.

Perhaps...

If you can get the money.

The key to survival here is to relax and forget about it.

That's why I'm taking you here.

There's nothing better.

All right? Let's go.

Oh, excuse me.

Beckett.

Come on, Beckett.

She's been a bad friend to you, Beckett.

What you really need is a body breathing back at you.

There, right there.

That's where your trouble's in.

She's waving at you.

And, Beckett, things I'll do for you,

your brain will be draining out your ears.

You'll never have a bad day again.

She's coming over.

You lucky stiff, you.

That's what she says.

You're in good hands.

Wave it out.

It's the antidote, man.

The cure.

Oh, cold brother,

you'd like to see my special dance for a little bit more.

Oh, brother, I love you beaucoup.

So, brother, what you thinking about now?

My men.

You my only man.

I gotta take care of them.

You are a man.

We take care of you.

Squeaky clean just for you.

Oh.

This place used to be a pagoda.

The enemies tore it down

before they became South Vietnamese.

What they put up, the French bombed.

The French built a Catholic school.

When I first came here,

Saigon was the Paris of Southeast Asia.

These wide boulevards,

huge shade trees,

great resorts,

the best beaches.

Now we've come, leveled the school,

and are building this

wonderful place.

But you know all that, don't you, Kim?

Finish cleaning up, go home.

You don't know me, but I wanted to say thank you.

I know who you are.

I guess maybe you do.

We didn't get it.

They wanted 3,000.

But I've got to get it.

I've got more money I can pay.

I don't belong here.

Let's see the money.

I can get it.

Cherry can loan it to me,

and I will pay her back as soon as I get to Europe.

My dad is a doctor.

He'll send me whatever I need.

What kind of doctor?

I was supposed to go to medical school, too.

I'm telling you, this was all just a terrible mistake,

and I can't be here anymore.

I asked you what kind of doctor your father is.

A surgeon.

A general practitioner surgeon.

You know who's going to get the worst of this, don't you?

Who you're really going to hurt.

What do you mean?

You hustled her.

You played her brother out for her.

Now I know you're not from some rich family.

Believe me, I can tell.

When they get you,

and it's clear to me they are going to,

you'd better tell them that you made her help you.

You better have some story planned.

A tighter story than my dad's doctor.

Who wants to do the right thing?

What are you telling me now?

Everything else has failed.

I mean, this is not going to look good.

Wait, it was wrong to turn him in.

Wait, I don't want to turn him in.

That's not the kind of help I wanted.

He needs papers or something.

Hold on. Think about this. What are you doing?

I'm helping a friend of Rick's.

Who says?

Well, I can tell I'm helping him.

Who says he is a friend of Rick's?

Well, he did. He knew Rick.

Cullen, he knows all about him.

Look, I think it's fine to trust people.

It's fine to want to help people.

If you're careful. I don't think you're being careful.

This guy's lucky he found you.

I'm just not so sure that you're lucky.

Forget I asked you.

Just forget it.

Night, Beckett.

Beckett?

It's late.

You look tired.

I'm real tired.

You need rest, Beckett.

I can't sleep.

It's all around us.

What?

Everywhere.

What?

My men.

Yes.

Death is all around us.

It's closing in.

Chasing after me.

Death follows us.

And it makes a path ahead.

A path to what?

Come with me.

I'll show you.

Get behind your ears.

Look who it is.

I've been looking all over for you.

Yeah, it's not what I heard.

I heard you went into town, where the guys go.

I didn't go in.

Do I look one day old to you?

Beckett.

You want to go surfing?

Can you surf at night?

I'd like it better with the lights on, but...

Kim.

How come you never look tired?

You work all day and all night.

And you're always smiling.

Other Vietnamese girls work much harder.

I know.

My ancestors are buried here.

It looks more like a rice field than a cemetery.

It's both.

Food and death.

Holy.

Everything has its place.

A buffalo.

A tree.

A girl has to work at a bar.

Those who have died lead the way.

They know you.

They have been in pain once, too.

They have laughed once.

And still they give to you.

They give rice to you.

They talk to you?

They ask you...

to honor them.

How?

Keep them in your life.

Keep your life on the path.

How?

By doing what you do.

Don't go any further.

Why not?

The Americans have planted mines here.

I'm sorry. Did I scare you?

You didn't.

Getting a little late-night snack?

No.

Yes, for me.

Of course it's for you.

Do you mind if I talk to you?

No.

You're a nice girl.

So?

Well, that's all.

That's all?

Sure.

You know, if I was new to camp, I'd hook on to you.

Because you take time with people.

Well, just look how you're taking time with me now.

I bet back home you find the shyest person in the room

and you talk to him.

So?

I bet it never crossed your mind

that that person you were trying to help

had just as soon slit your throat to save his own neck.

He's not my...

You're putting words in my mouth.

No, no, he is.

He's making you lie.

I don't know who you're talking about.

Uh, we can talk more later.

He really seems suspicious of me.

I can't think of anyone else who can help.

What about your friend's jade?

That'd bring a good price.

How did you know Casey has jade?

Well, I saw it in her.

I was looking for you, and...

I opened the door. I saw she had some jade.

Oh.

Do you really think Rick is safe?

Absolutely.

Just like I'm gonna be.

Sunning on the Riviera?

Sure.

I hope so.

Near a great beach.

Where he can swim.

Yeah, he's a real fish.

Yeah.

Freestyle champ.

Did you ever try and race him?

Sure, but I never won.

Jim and Plaiku together, no beach there.

There's a pool.

It's a great pool, Olympic size.

My brother couldn't swim.

You lied to me.

I'm so stupid to let you lie to me.

Only about Rick.

It seemed like my only chance.

I didn't lie about myself.

I can't go back out there.

You gotta believe me.

I might have helped you anyway.

I can't help you now.

Don't.

And don't move.

And don't yell.

I thought you didn't want to hurt anyone anymore.

I don't, but I have to.

You said you didn't want to kill.

We're just gonna walk over to your friend's room.

And get the chain.

You said you wanted it to stop.

Well, I believe you.

Don't you think you've made enough mistakes?

I'm getting out of here.

You gonna take your accomplice with you?

No, it's not like that.

She didn't...

I forced her to help me.

I'm sorry.

Play something, Boonie.

If you're traveling in the North Country Fair

Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline

Remember me to the one who lives there

He once was a true love of mine

I'm wondering if he remembers me at all

Many nights he prayed

In the darkness of my night

Mist of my day

Get back here!

If you're traveling in the North Country Fair

Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline

Remember me to the one who lives there

He once was a true love of mine