All language subtitles for Alaska Highway

[waves crashing]

[bright orchestral music]

[machinery whirring]

- Well, another day, another dollar.

- How'd you like to take in
the follies tonight, Charlie?

- Rough spot.

- Yeah?

[yelling]

Looks like fun again.

- I hope it tastes that good.

- Hey, you guys give me a beverage.

- Hi gang.

[all speaking]

- Hey boss, give me a cup of java.

Oh boy a couple more days,
this job will be past tense.

- It suits me.

I'm fed up with these
cold mountain roads.

- Frosty, this is California.

- Yeah well, I get bigger
geese here than any place.

- In California, everything's fair.

[chuckles]

Best job we ever had was
that airport in Panama.

Gee it was nice and warm down there.

- Well hiya gang.

[everyone yelling]

- Hi Woody, can I come back with ya?

- Sure, wait til ya hear.

- Who wore the outfit for ya?

- Yeah, regular Beau Bungler.

- Gosh it's good to see you guys.
The same old face.

- There's Hank over there. Hank
Lincoln, this is my brother Steve.

- I put them on in your place
because he covers more territory.

- [chuckles] Oh yeah?
More power to you Hank.

- Glad to know you Steve,
his brother's only kidding.

- How was Washington Steve?

- Yeah, hot or cold?

- Washington was capital.

- Oh sit down, did
you get the contract?

- Don't worry, Pops
got something terrific.

- Tell me about.

- Well, I'm gonna let
him tell you about it.

He's waiting for you
down at the hotel.

Why I should bring
the whole gang down.

- I better hurry and get back.

- We'll get cleaned up as fast
as we can. Got me curious.

- So long gang, hurry up huh?

- So long Steve.

- The Hollister.

I hope the next
job's in the tropics.

I ain't been warm once
since we left Panama.

- [glass breaking]
- [laughing]

- Well, it's got all over.

- I wonder where we're going?
I hope it's some place warm.

- We'll find out in
a minute huh Woody?

- Yeah. You guys go ahead, I
gotta stop in here a minute.

Get the old man a new pipe.

- Uh oh.
- [gasps]

Wrong room.

212.

Oh, this is my room.

- Yes, Woody, this is your room.

Come on in.

[door closes]

Well have you forgotten me?

- Forget you?
Well, I should say not.

I'm surprised for a minute,
but just for a minute.

- But you don't act like it.

Aren't you glad to see me?

- Oh yes, yes, sure I am.

- Would you kiss me?

- Oh sure.

Whew.

- You never used to
kiss me like that.

- Well I do a lot of
things I didn't used to do.

[knocking]

Pardon.

- Frosty told me that you, oh--

- This is my brother Steve, Miss...

- Hey, what are you trying to do?
Introduce me to Ann Caswell?

- Sticky face.

- You big fake, you
didn't know me from Adam.

- As I live and
breathe, Sticky face.

What are you doing in my room?

- The hotel is jammed
so I thought maybe

you would double up with me for a
day or two and let Ann bunk here.

- Steve, remember when she
used to have a yen for me

and I wouldn't go for it?

She used to be
chewing on those long,

black licorice things all the time.

- Shoelaces.

- Yeah, yeah, that's it.
And you were all over sticky.

- It's funny, I don't remember that.

- Oh, you always had
your nose in a book.

I used to cry my
eyes out about Woody.

You always said he
was too old for me.

[chuckles]

- I was 16, you were six.
How's your dad?

- He's waiting for us
right now, come on,

we're holding up an
important meeting.

- Yeah, let's go.

- She's marvelous isn't she Woody?
- Marvelous.

- You know she showed
me quite a time in Washington.

Took me to all the right places.

[everyone talking]

- Well sport!
- Now here we go again!

[grunting]

You fight like you talk.
But one of these days...

I'm convinced.

You know some day, I'm
gonna teach him that trick.

You remember Blair Caswell, Woody?

- Yes. Still got the old
moxie, hasn't he?

- He certainly has.

- Good to see you again Woody.
- Nice to see you.

- What do you think of
my two roughnecks, Blair?

A couple of chips off the old block.

- Hey pop, what about this new job?

He was over there treated
like a military seaman.

- [chuckles] Wouldn't
you like to know.

All right, men,
let's get on with it.

- Ah wait'll Nick sees it,
won't even be in the league.

- Shut up you mugs.
Pop wants to talk.

- Quiet, quite!
- [gavel banging]

- As you know, Steve
and I went to Washington

after a new road contract.

While there, we ran
into Blair Caswell.

One of my oldest friends and one

of the greatest highway
engineers we have.

As far as I'm
concerned, the greatest.

Instead of getting
the job I went for,

I finished up with another
job, a much bigger one.

I want Mr. Caswell
to tell you about it.

- Gentlemen, for a great many
years now I've had a dream,

a road connecting our
country with Alaska.

It was to be the beginning
of an international highway

that would eventually link us to our
sister republics in Latin America.

- Ann, how about--

- However, on December the seventh,

an Alaskan highway suddenly became
an urgent military necessity.

A few hours after Pearl
Harbor was attacked,

we were given the go signal.

The Army Engineer Corps
has been assigned the job

of pushing this road through
on a nine month schedule.

You men have seen some
tough assignments,

but none to compare with this.

When I suggested Jack Ormsby
as the one man who could

best boss the pioneering unit
that would blaze the trail,

he didn't hesitate for one moment.

So gentlemen, I give
you back your boss.

No longer Pop Ormsby of the
Ormsby Road Building Company

but as of next week,

Major John Ormsby of
the Army Engineer Corps.

[everyone cheering and clapping]

- Attaboy pop, you're a Hollister.

- I knew you'd be aboard, Woody.

- That's great, but
what happens to us?

- When I joined up, I figured
I was joining for all of us.

Steve is already signed,
he'll be a technical sergeant.

Now how about the rest
of you bow hunters?

- Major, it's for you to
commandeer and me to serve.

[chuckles]

- Well, when do we start?
- You gotta ask your wife first.

- Are you kidding?
This is the opportunity

to go where I don't
have to ask her nothing.

[laughing]

- I told you how'd they take it.

- Wait a minute, Pop.
Frosty hasn't said anything.

- Alaska? Brr.

- Here's your application blank.

Fill them out and
bring it back tomorrow.

Here's yours Woody.

- Oh thanks, dad.

I want to fight the Japs all right,

but building a highway
is not my kind of fight.

- You got it all wrong
Woody, this is important.

- Yeah, yeah, I know.

I want to sling leather
at the Japs, not mud.

- Steve, take care of the boys.

- Okay, pop.

- Come in here a minute Woody.

- Well dad.

- This this is something
I never figured on son.

- Sorry you feel bad about it.

Waiting for you to get
back so I could tell you.

Frosty and I are going
to join the Marines.

- I could have understood
Steve wanting to go back

to college for his
engineering degree, but you?

- Steve and I are
a little different.

- Sure, you were
always more like me.

You wanted to work
with me side-by-side,

but now on the biggest job of all.

But well I, I can't
believe you won't be there.

- I hate to be stubborn about
it, but that's how I feel.

- Well, that's the way it is.

- I knew you'd understand.

- Let's get back to the meeting.

[everyone talking]

- There you are pop.

- Thanks, Steve.

We'll need more bulldozes
than we figured on.

- Well you ask for anything you
need, I'll rush the recommendations.

Well, Steve, will you ask Ann to
hurry with that equipment file?

She's been gone 10 minutes.

- You bet. She probably stopped to
powder her nose, you know women.

[door opens]

- I'm sorry!

- Oh, it's just a scratch.

I had them all in
alphabetical order.

- Here I'll help you, here's an N.

Here's a Q.

Hey, you did powder
your nose, didn't you?

- Yes, what about it?

- Nothing, 'cept it's the
cutest nose I've ever seen.

- [chuckles] As if
you've seen them all.

- No but best of all, it's
got the face to go with it.

Here's an X.

Hey, we don't have any
equipment with an X.

- Yes we have, silly, excavate.

[both laugh]

- Ann, how about making
up your mind right now?

This town's loaded with preachers--

- Steve, instead of worrying
about that right now

you should be
concentrating on getting

that stubborn brother of
yours to change his mind.

- Well now wait a minute, don't
get the wrong idea about Woody.

He's the best there is.

- I'm serious. He can do a
much better job on the highway

than any other branch
of the service.

- Woody's mind's made up, I
can't do anything about it.

Never could.

- No? Maybe I can.

- There, that's got it.

- [Ann] Oh speak of the
devil in wolf's clothing.

- Hi kids, what gives?

He's still at it, hot and heavy.

- Here's your file, Dad.
- Thanks Ann.

- You guys ready to
put on the feed bag?

Better not stop now, Woody.
He'll have something sent up.

- All right.
- Not this girl.

I'm dying for one of
those nice juicy steaks

with some air that's
not all cluttered up

with bulldozers and tractors.

- What's the matter,
they getting you down?

Hey, give me that coat will ya?

- Hey, I might go for one
of those steaks myself.

You better stick with us, Steve.

These forms are gonna go
out in tonight's air mail.

- Yes, sir, major'll agree?

Don't let her near
any juke boxes, Woody.

She'll squander your last nickel.

- [Woody] Thanks
for the tip, Steve.

- Frosty, have you read the
weather forecast for tonight?

- What'd it say?

- Stormy, lowering temperature.

- It did? I better get my
heavy muffler and mittens huh?

- I wouldn't take a chance.
- I'll be right back.

- Let's hurry.
- Aren't you gonna wait for him?

- Look sticky face, we got
10 years to catch up on.

What do we want with him?

Let's take the stairs, come on.

[gentle music]

You know Ann, when I
kissed you this afternoon,

I, I really didn't know it was you.

- [chuckles] If I didn't know.

- So you see that
welcome wasn't for you.

Let's start all over again, huh?

- Behave yourself.

Steve's younger than you, but
in many ways more grown up.

- Oh, you mean as a student
or a boy with a career,

you bet your life, but of
course he hasn't got my charm.

Or has he?

- Your dad's terribly disappointed
you're not going along.

- I know he is.

Well, let's talk about something
else. You, for instance.

- Woody, they need
men like you up there.

My dad gave his entire
career for that road.

Almost gave his life.

He fell off a cliff while
back in the territory.

He'll never walk straight again.

But that didn't stop him.

- Ann if we're gonna spend
the whole evening arguing,

look some guys like to
go out and build roads.

I want to go out and fight.

There'll be plenty of fights,

with one difference.

They won't get any
headlines and medals

if that's what you're after.

- Oh, for the love of Mike,

I thought we came out
to have a good time.

Now, if you're gonna lecture
me all evening, why...

- Maybe I'm spoiling your evening?

- Maybe I am.

Oh come on, don't be a wet blanket.

- Wow, maybe I better go back.

- Oh, wait a minute, you're
like a firecracker aren't you?

The evening's only begun.

- I'm sure you can find
somebody more amusing than I.

- Oh but Ann.

- I don't want to be
anybody's wet blanket.

- Yeah but Ann, sit down like a
nice little girl and eat your steak.

- I'm not hungry.

- Oh but please, you gotta eat
your steak to keep your strength.

- Will you let me go?

- Oh Ann, please.

- Let me go.

- She means it.

[crowd talking]

- Hi kid.

- Hello Woody.
- Hello Woody!

- Hi Woody how's it going?

[everyone talking at once]

- You guys oughta be going with us.

- Get him.

While you guys are
up there freezin',

Woody and me is gonna be
on some tropical island

surrounded with nothing
but moonlight and sarongs.

- If you run into Dorothy,
get me her autograph.

- Oh, think you're funny, huh?

Just for that, I'm gonna give
Shorty my electric blanket.

I won't need it no more.

- Gee thanks.

How does it function?

- It's full of coils.

- Goils?

- Not goils, coils.

- Where?

- You press the button, then
you turn up the thermostat

as hot as you want it.

- Say, that's very
practical, thanks.

- Oh, here's the battery
that goes with it.

- You'll need a ground
crew with that blanket.

- [Announcer] Train 22 San
Francisco, Portland, Seattle leaving...

- That's us.

- Well see you goons
when this is over.

[overlapping chatter]

- Get me a Jap!
- Me too!

So long fellas, take good
care of that blanket, Shorty.

- So long Steve.
- So long Frosty.

- Gee pop, I wish you
was goin' with us.

- Good luck here Frosty.

- Excuse me, I gotta
make a purchase.

- Wish you'd change your mind Woody.

- Pop will be mighty proud
of you up there Steve.

- So long.
- So long fella.

- You better get the
men aboard Steve.

- Yes sir.

- Well Squirt.

- Better look out for
those squaws up there Pop.

They'll flock around that uniform.

- Don't you worry about
me, take care of yourself.

- Goodbye son.
- Goodbye sir.

- Well, goodbye Mr. Caswell.

- Goodbye Woody.
- I'll be with you in a minute dad.

- All right dear.

- I want to apologize for
the other night, Woody.

- Sorry we didn't get to
know each other better.

- I guess we're going
in opposite directions.

- I'm afraid so.

- Goodbye then.

- Bye.

Ann.

- [Announcer] All aboard!

- Hey Woody, Woody, look what
I picked up at the news stand.

Just the thing for
where we're going huh?

♪ Sweet malarky ♪

♪ Heavenly power ♪

Hangnails.

- Come on.

[upbeat music]

[train whistle blowing]

[upbeat music continues]

[engine humming]

- Well, Nelson Major, from
there on she's your baby.

- Are you warm enough there Ann?

- All except the tip of my nose.

[laughs]

What are you laughing at?

- Frosty, I hope he brought
his tropical island,

he'd freeze to death up here.

[laughs]

[engine humming]

- Take it easy,
they'll soon be here.

- I'm one big hunk of ice.

- Relax, slap yourself.

- My hands will break off.

I should never have let
you talk me into it.

Coming way up here to the world's
ice house just for a girl.

- Whatever gave you that idea?
We came up here to build a road.

- Hm, wait till I see that Shorty.

I'll take that electric
blanket back so quick

he'll get pneumonia.

- Eskimo giver.

Here they come now.

- We'll give 'em a real welcome!

[overlapping chatter]

- Come on guys, this is it.

- [Man] Name of this river?

[men yelling and laughing]

- Hiya there tenderfoot.

That's it lift your
skirt, nice and ladylike.

- Look that's bloomin'
belly dancin'.

[laughs]

- Wise guys huh?

Very funny, how would you
like a punch in the nose?

[horn honking]

- [Woody] Hey sticky face!

- Hi Steve.
- Woody!

Greetings major,
welcome to Fort Nelson.

- Woody.
- We joined up.

- How did you get here?

- Flew, trains make me sea sick.
Can I give you a lift?

- Woody, put me down!
- In all that mud?

- No.
- Well all right.

- So you changed your mind.

- Yep, right after you left.

You were right about the
road, that's what I knew best.

One more giggle out of you and
I'll drop you right in this goo.

There you are.

- I can't tell you how
I feel about this son.

I am going down right
now and tell that general

to cut that schedule in half.

[upbeat music]

- [Announcer] It was
only the beginning.

As their brothers in arms
battled on South Pacific islands

in China and Africa, these
men fought the wilderness

inch by inch, foot by
foot, mile by mile.

They cut the Alcan highway
northward 1600 miles to go.

If the Japs came, the
road had to be ready.

[engine humming]

- If the battalion
working from Alaska south

is doing as well as we are,
we'll beat the deadline.

- Yes, that fella helped us a lot.

I'm glad you came up today.

Come on, I wanted to
show you something.

We've reached black rock.

- That's gonna take
some cutting around.

- Cutting around nothing,
that would eat up a week.

We're gonna blast five days
right off the schedule.

[engine humming]

[suspenseful music]

- Think they'll make it?

- Don't worry about them, they
got to know how born into them.

- Yeah, sure is haphazard.

One slip, one of them cats go
off and we pick up the particles.

[suspenseful music]

[door slams]

[engine roaring]

[horn honking]

- At ease Frosty.

- [Ann] Are Woody and
Steve doing the dynamiting?

- [Blair] They're all right,
they know what they're doing.

[suspenseful music]

- [Woody] Just taking a cap, Steve.

- [Steve] Okay.

[grunts]

Steve!

- [Steve] Hey!
That's a long way down.

- I'm not worried about going down,

I'm worried about what would
happen to the dynamite.

Can't mistake.

[suspenseful music]

[grunts]

Woody! Woody!

Woody hang on! Hang on!

[suspenseful music]

- [Woody] I can't
hold on much longer.

- [Steve] All right,
tap that amount.

All right?

- [Woody] Oh, wait a minute.

I gotta get rid of that dynamite.

If the caps hit the
rocks, it'll go off.

- Wait a minute.

Get out from under, we're
going to drop the dynamite.

Get out from under!

- All right, let it go!

- Okay.

[suspenseful music]

[dynamite blasting]

- All right, now sling
it over the other way.

Come on!

Oh Woody! All right.

Look out!

[Woody] Steve, Steve hang on.

- [Steve] Woody.
- [Woody] Hang on, wait a minute.

- All right, swing!

[suspenseful music]

- You all right Steve?

- Yeah, thanks.

- Quick blow on that ledge there.

- Okay.
- Can you make it?

- [Woody] Yeah.
- Atta boy.

- The heights up there.

It's all in a day's
work Sticky face.

Let me check Steve's
arm, I think he hurt it.

- I'm afraid I'll live.

- Just the same, you
get over to first aid.

- Yes sir.

- Took a pretty good bite
out of it at that major.

- Well, you certainly
did it the hard way.

- Frosty, that's a very
fancy band you imported.

- Ah Frosty Gimble sir,
nothing but the finest.

- How about this dance?

- Okay.

[gentle music]

Who's that?

- That's Mrs. Devon Van Cleeve,

of the Baltimore Van Cleeves.

Don't look now, her
diamonds are showing.

- Really? How revolting.

- Let's drop this.

I'm crazy about you and I have been
ever since the day at the hotel.

- Woody.

- I'll be honest with you, I didn't
change my mind about the road.

I came here because you were here.

If they'd have been building a road
in China I'd have gone there too.

Does that make any difference?

- Not in the least, Sergeant.

- I wanted to thank
you for saving me Woody

but I see you've already
received your reward.

- Steve.
- Hold on Steve.

- What for?

I should have figured
this would have happened,

you're the glamorous brother.

- Steve.

- Ann, you've got
to tell me the truth.

Am I interfering with anything
between you and Steve?

- No Woody, I never
made him any promises.

- I'll straighten him out right now.

Steve.

Look Steve, I'm
gonna level with Ann.

- I know what you're thinking.

I've probably given you a
reason for it in the past.

If I've known you felt that way.

- Don't say that.

- That's the way it is, there's
nothing can be done about it.

Let him cool off,
he'll be all right.

[exhaling]

- Frosty.

[tongue clicking]

Snagging one of my blankets eh?

- No, no, I was, I
was just awake on it.

- That's Steve's bed, remember?

- Not no more, it ain't.
He changed tents with me.

It was his idea.

He comes into my tent with
all his stuff mind you

and forces mine outside.

Wants me to change with
him and and that's all.

Gee, I wish I had my
electric blanket back.

- You mean to tell me I
haven't got that back yet?

- I hate to ask him for it.

When you give a guy
something gratuitous,

you just can't take it
back, especially when

he appreciates it like Shorty does.

[grunts]

- What's the matter Shorty,
getting a little hot?

- Nope.

[laughing]

You kill me.

- Listen Roughhouse,
if you ever turn

this blankety blank blanket up to
fever heat again, I'll murder you.

- [laughing] I turned
it up half an hour ago.

- Yeah well I didn't think it
would hurt Frosty's feelings

why I'd toss this contraption
right back in his truck.

The big gift horse.

[laughing]

- Did he say anything about me?

- No, why should he?

Anyway, you don't have
to get mixed up in it.

- I'm talking about Steve.

- Oh, I thought you meant
Shorty, about the blanket.

If you want that blanket,
why don't you go get it?

- I don't like to hurt his feelings

but I'm being too
thinned skinned about it.

He's just being patient.

- Maybe he doesn't know you want it.

- Oh no?

Every time I pass him,
I shake my geese pimples

right in his face.

He just won't take a hint.

- Then I don't get it.

- Yeah, darn him, that's just
what I'm gonna do right now.

- As you were.
- Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.

- What's happened to Steve?

- What do you mean?

- Now don't start pulling
that innocent act.

What is it between you two?

- Oh just a little
misunderstanding,

he'll get over it in the morning.

- Not from what he said, Woody.

He wants to be transferred
to a combat unit.

- What?
- He just asked me.

- If he insists, I'll have to
make out the application.

- Oh, he's crazy, I'll
go and talk to him.

- I want my blanket Shorty.

Can't do this to me.

I didn't leave it with you.

Didn't know I was coming to Alaska.

Now listen Shorty, I want--

- What's the matter with you?

- Oh, nothing sir, I feel fine.

Frosty, the blanket, the blanket.
You better get it out, get out.

- Hi Frosty.

Look ah, how about,

how about ah,

got a cigarette?

- Certainly.

[whimsical music]

- Thanks.

Listen Shorty, I come
over to ask you ah...

- What?

- Got a match?

- What's the matter with you?

Here.

- Thanks.

- No kidding, Shorty,
about that blanket.

- That blanket is a thing
of beauty and a joy forever.

It was really magnanimous of you.

- Oh well, skip it.

- Oh don't go Frosty.
Sit down and discuss a while.

- Yeah, thanks.

[soft music]

Blanket makes the
tent nice and warm.

- Yeah.

[whimsical music]

- [grunting]
- [laughing]

- I better not keep you fellas up.

- Oh, that's all right, Frosty,
we never go to bed early.

Do we Shorty?

- No.

- I better be going.

I'm a...

I'm a glad you like
that blanket Shorty.

- Nite fellas.
- [Shorty] Good night and thanks.

- Good night Frosty.

[laughing]

- Fever heat eh?

Well here's where
you get barbecued.

[laughs]

- Steve.

What's all this malarkey about
you asking for a transfer?

You're an engineer, you belong here.

- Will you quit running my life?

- I can't help it if Ann and I-

- Well I've seen you
operate around women plenty.

- What's Ann got to do with it?

- Nothing sir.

- I'll tell you pop, I
can't take it anymore.

I'm sick of being the
goat in his family.

- Steve.
- Yes, all my life.

- I'm gonna be the great engineer.

I'm gonna make the
family name famous.

I've got to keep my nose to
the grindstone, but not Woody.

No, he can tear around
and do as he pleases.

That's all right, but
when he double crosses--

[overlapping]

I can't help it if Ann and I-

- You're a liar, an
underhanded, backstabbing--

- Steve!

Ever since your mother died,
I've tried for one thing,

to bring up two boys
I could be proud of.

Well, I'm not proud of you anymore.

I'm ashamed.

- Oh pop, the only rea--
- I don't want to hear anymore.

- Squabbling like spoiled brats.

I may be a father, but I'm
also your commanding officer.

- Yes, sir.

- Tomorrow morning I
want you both on the job.

I don't want to hear any
more about transfers.

And if there's any
more of this scrubbing,

by Jupiter, I'll toss
you both in the hooscal.

- Good night.

[everyone talking]

- Choose your mate by mail
the lonely hearts way.

We introduce you, you do the rest.

Don't feel less satisfied.

- Not bad.
- [Man] Hey Frosty!

- How 'bout some stew?

- Eh, always in a hurry.

Hardly get my coat check
settled when you guys

move at 20 miles.

- What have we here?

Choose your mate by mail
the lonely hearts way.

Get a load of them specimens.

- Give me that!

- Frosty, you ain't considering
matrimony per chance?

- Why not? When this job
is over, I got me a plan.

- What do you want
to get married for

when a hot water bottle
will do the trick?

- Frosty's right, he needs
somebody to keep house for him.

- You pick one of those out yet?

- I made up my mind what my type is.

- Now here's a beauty.

I'll bet she weighs at
least 180 pounds on a hook.

- Hey, give me that.

- Hey, look at that one.
She's built like an hour glass.

- Hey Shorty, I got an idea.

Suppose you and me choose
a bride for Frosty, huh?

Now let me see, what
are you interested in?

Beauty, efficiency or temperature?

- Give me that before
I tear you apart.

- There's no need for that-

- Hurry up with the
feed bag you mother.

- I've got miles to
make before supper.

What's the matter Frosty?

- Ah them guys ain't got
no romance in their souls.

- Hey you muds, outside
and get rolling.

We've got miles to make.

[everyone talking]

- Dear lonely hearts,

I am 35

and considered nice looking.

Good looking.

Handsome.

[upbeat music]

- [Announcer] Through
muck and muskeg, blasting,

digging, slashing, these
uniformed Paul Bunyan's

wrestle with nature.

[dynamite blasting]

Now this road was just a
supply line of preparation.

At any moment that
Japs might attack,

then it would become a
lifeline of necessity.

But might as they might,
it wasn't always possible

to beat the schedule.

Eight miles a day,
eight miles a day.

- Why don't you handle it the
way the Brazilian engineers did

on their road from Rio to Natel?

Corduroy a log road so the
cats can get some pudding.

- That's all right, when we
get into the worst muskeg.

But right now it's the thick
woods that's holding us up.

- Well frankly, John, the general
thinks you can move faster.

- You know I'm pushing my men.

From early morning until after dark.

- I know that.

But the unit working
south from Alaska

is averaging two miles a
day better than we are.

- Yeah? And you also know

that this is a more
difficult kind of territory.

We can't get any more out
of the equipment, Blair.

- I know that.

Machinery won't do it all by itself.

But from what the general said,

you've got to inspire
your men to do more

than they think they can.

He's rather worried
about their morale.

- Yeah?

All right.

- Thanks for being so frank, Blair.

I'll inspire them, if I have to whip
every one of them myself.

[machines clattering]

- Hey Hank.
How about a smoke?

- Wow, be right with you.

[engine roaring]

- Hey Steve, remember when I
was telling you this morning

at breakfast about them
two pass we had down south?

- Thank you.

- You ought to seen the
work different up here.

I don't know, I guess
it must be the out-

- Sergeant Ormsby.
- Yes sir?

- What the meaning of this layoff?

- Oh just a little rest, sir.

The lead bulldozers
are moving fast enough

to keep us working.

- Get Sergeant Ormsby.
- Yes sir.

- You men come with me.
- Yes sir.

- If you can't shove
ahead fast enough to keep

the men behind you busy,
I'll have to put someone else

on the lead bulldozer.

- I'm going as fast as I can sir.

- You've got to move faster.
- Yes sir.

[engine roaring]

- Thanks for making me the fall guy.

- Well I only told him the facts,

I'm stepping on your
heels all the time.

- I suppose you also told him you
could do my job better than I can.

- Nope, that's an idea.

- Oh Steve, why don't you
grow up, quit pouting.

- You'd like to bet a month's
pay I can cover more ground

with one of those
babies than you can?

- Oh so I've gotta pin
your ears back huh?

- Yep, that's from me.

- It's a bet, you're on.

- You shouldn't be
doing this Sergeant.

- You hold the stakes, does
anybody else want in?

- [Everyone] Yeah yeah
- [talking at once].

- Stay close so you can pay
the boys off when I'm through.

The one who's ahead by
quitting time, wins.

- Fair enough?
- Right?

- And give me plenty of room.

Those trees will be
falling like confetti.

Come on.

[everyone talking]

[engine clattering]

[suspenseful music]

- Better give up, kid.

[suspenseful music]

- Hey!

[tense music]

- Come on, gotta move down there.
- Bring on a bigger hook.

- Over here.
- Hurry up, bring it over!

- Over here, bring out the hook!

Come on, what's the matter
with you fellas? Hurry it up!

- [Man] Here I'll help ya.

- What in thunder am I
gonna do with you two?

You not only smashed up
two perfectly good pieces

of equipment, but you
injured one of my best men.

Lucky you didn't kill him.

- No explanation, sir.

- You bet there isn't.

Here we are breaking
our backs trying to put

this road through and you two-

- Well accidents can
happen to anybody.

- Not to me anymore, they can't.

The general said the
morale of my men was bad.

What do you think it is now?

- It isn't you're fault, we
were just a couple of nitwits.

- I asked you for a transfer, sir.

- If that's what
you want, all right.

I can't fight the road and you both.

- I only feel it would be
better for all concerned, sir.

- I had plans for
you, big plans, but,

all right go ahead and quit.

I'll wire for your
transport tonight.

- Yes sir.

- If he goes now, he'll
never come back to us Woody.

I know that.

- I wish there was
something I could do.

- Right now, you
can leave me alone.

[everyone yelling]

- Corporal Beale.
- Yowsa.

- Private Robbins.
- Me.

- Private Gimble. Frosty Gimble.

- He's at the hospital with Hank.

- I'll take care of it,
I'll see that he gets it.

- Private Nelson.
- I'll take it.

- From the matrimony bureau.

- Baby this is gonna be delicious.

- Gilmore.

- Private Robbins.
- Me.

- Corporal Beale.

- Holy Christopher.

- No wonder she wants
to commit matrimony.

- What a pan.

- I'll bet she rides
around on a broom.

What did she say?

- The usual, Ann, 30,
look much younger.

- 30? Are you kiddin' Clementine?

Hey where's the other picture?

- Right here, hold this.

It's lucky I'm a sentimental guy,

otherwise I wouldn't have saved
this program from the follies.

[chuckles]

Ah Shorty, you remember that night?

- Do I remember?

[laughing]

- Is this gonna give
Frosty a surprise.

[laughing]

Now, we won't spring the
real one on him until later.

- That'll pay him back for
giving me that blanket.

- Yeah, come on.

- Hold everything, here he comes.

- Hello Frosty.
- Hiya.

- How's Hank?

- Busted gam, couple of ribs,
he'll pull through though.

- Those guys should
have known better.

- Yeah.
- Oh, by the way Frosty,

- here's a letter for you.

- Just a form letter, I guess.

- Wait til he sees the
form in the letter.

- Oh whoopie!

Yoo hoo, ya ha!

Yoo hoo, whoopie, oh boy!

Whoopie ha ha!
Yoo hoo, yoo hoo!

- Hey Frosty, slow
down, take it easy,

what's the matter with you, ya-

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Meet the woman I am going to marry.

[whistles]

- Simply too, too divine.
A goddess.

- What a hunka hunka.

You mean to tell me you
get something like that

from a marriage bureau?

- And you guys were
so contemptuous.

- Oh Frosty.

Let me be the first
to congratulate you.

- Thanks Roughhouse.
- Me too.

- Thanks.

- Hey, what did she have to say?

- I won't read you all.

She says here in part, I...
[mumbling]

You sound like the type of man

I have been dreaming
about all my life.

- So you better write her and
sign up the bargain immediate.

Somebody's liable
to get to her first.

- Shorty's right, that
kind of merchandise

ought to be rationed.

- Yeah, maybe you're right.

Who's got pencil and paper?

Come on and help me look for it.

- Yeah, go ahead.

- I got the table.

[engine humming]

- Major.

- Hello Blair.

- How would you like a
nice home cooked dinner

in a non-military atmosphere?

- Get all settled up in the cabin?

- Oh, Ann's been fussing
around there all day

just as though we were
gonna stay there forever.

Come on up and have dinner with us.

- Not tonight, I
don't feel up to it.

- You sound pretty low.

- Give it to me straight, Blair.

Am I too old for this job?

- Read that last part over again.

- This is a firm offer, so don't
accept no other propositions.

With all my affection,
looking forward, Frosty.

- That's good.
- Yeah.

- PS, in case you cannot cook,

well go ahead and write
it, write it, write it.

PS, in case you cannot cook, do
not worry about it because I-

- Wait a minute, wait
a minute, not so fast.

[mumbling]

Because I happen to
be a gastro-- [mumbling]

gastrocomical wizard.

- Gastrocomical? What's that?

- Gastrocomical? It's cookin'.

- With gas.
- Oh!

- That's it, that should do it.
Come on Shorty, let's blow.

Good night Frosty.

- Well happy dreams.

- Good night fellas.

Gastrocomical, with gas.

- When will we spring
the real picture on him?

- Tomorrow morning, after
he's mailed his letter.

- Hide that.

- Ann.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Your nose is red.

- Oh it's getting colder out.

- Where's the major?

- He couldn't come.

- Anything wrong?

- He wants to resign his command.

- What?
- I think I talked him out of it.

- Why would he consider
doing such a thing?

He's doing a good job.

- It's other things,
Steve's getting a transfer.

I'm taking the wire with
me to base camp tonight.

What's come between you?

- Nothing dad!

- I wouldn't want to think that
my daughter wasn't playing fair.

- Daddy I'm not in love with him.

- I'm sure he thought you were.

- He took a lot of
things for granted.

Maybe there were times
in Washington when,

now that I've seen Woody,
all that's changed.

- It's Woody then.

- Yes, I knew it the
minute I saw him again.

- Oh if you'd only been honest
with Steve from the very beginning.

- I have.

He wants to quit his
job that's up to him.

Road can get along without him.

- Oh, certainly the road
can get along without him.

What about his father?

Those two boys were his whole life

and now he thinks he's
a complete failure

and right in the middle of the
biggest job he ever tackled.

Don't you see that?

- Daddy, you seem to
think it's up to me.

- I do.

- Maybe there is something I can do.

[horn honking]

- Frosty, is Woody there?

- No, sir, he didn't
come in from supper yet.

- See that he gets
that will you please?

- Yes, sir, soon as he comes in.
- Thank you.

- Oh, uh, Mr. Caswell, are
you driving back to base camp?

- That's right.
- Would you do me a favor?

- Sure.
- Mail this?

- Air mail special,
must be important.

- Mr. Caswell, that letter's
gonna change my whole life.

- In that case, I'll take particular
care to see that it gets off.

- Thanks.

- Good luck, Cassy.
- Bye.

♪ I dream of lucky
with a lost yachtie ♪

♪ Da da da de ♪

- I feel like a bridegroom already.

- Hi Frosty.
- Oh, hello, where you been?

- Out.
- Uh.

- Here's a note for ya.

Feminine penmanship too.

- See you later Frosty.
- Where you going?

- Out.
- That's where you just been.

It's after dark, regulations
say you mustn't leave camp.

- Ann wants to see me I guess.

- Oh well, we can't
blame him, can we honey?

[knocking]

- The wind wants in too.

- How are you?
- How should I be?

- A beautiful girl, you, a
thousand miles from everywhere.

So you fixed this place up.

- I think I better start a fire up.

- Oh now wait a
minute, wait a minute,

girls don't know
how to build a fire.

You put a small one on first,

then that log creates a vent.

There you are, a blazing
fire, a beautiful girl and me.

How about a little music, huh?

[soft music]

- You know you've got a smudge
in that pretty little chin of yours?

- Woody please.

- Ann, what's the matter with you?

- It's been a lot of fun,
but I think we better

stop kidding ourselves.

- Kidding?

- You and me getting involved
when we didn't mean to.

- Ann, are you leaving me?

- No, Woody.

That's why I sent for you.

[fire crackling]

- Didn't any of the things
that happened the other day

mean anything to you?

- Yes they did for a minute.

I guess that's the way I am.

- I don't understand,
things don't, don't...

- Woody, a girl can
change her mind, can't she?

- Not yet.

Look, I came 3,000
miles just to see you.

You're trying to tell me that-

- I'm sorry, that's the way it is.

- Look Ann, I put myself out
on the line for you, for keeps.

- I'm sorry I made a
mistake, it won't work out

and there's nothing else
to be said about it.

- Steve was leaving
just on account of us.

I'm glad you tipped me off in time.

Maybe I can save him from
wrecking his life, for nothing.

[suspenseful music]

Come on, let's get out of here!

We can't get out this way.

I'll let you know what
to do, now go ahead.

Shorty, take the gentlemen to
the canyon and begin backfiring.

- Yes sir, you guys follow me.

- Sergeant Hanson.
- Yes sir.

- Take another detail and
move the gasoline down.

- Yes sir.
- Get going!

The fire's moving that way.

Load all the explosives on
trucks and keep rolling away.

- Yes sir.

- Frosty, where's Woody?

- I don't know sir, I came
as soon as I heard the alarm.

He must be some place around.

- We've got one chance, down
the bottom of the canyon.

Give me that!

[suspenseful music]

You've gotta run.

All right, get going.

- Have your men wet down the tents.

- Yes sir, come on boys.

- Miss Caswell's up in the cabin.

- Well there's only one way
to get through, sir, dynamite.

May I have your permission?

- Yes.
- Thank you sir, come on Frosty!

- Turn around, drive back to camp.

- Yes sir.

[engine roaring]

[tense music]

- Corporal, tell him to
hurry up those explosives.

- Yes sir.

Hey, hurry it up!

[suspenseful music]

[yelling]

- Frosty get over there and rock
the boat and gasoline drums.

- I'm helping Steve
with the dynamite.

- You heard what I said, get over
there and help with those drums!

- That's what I thought you said.

- Hank, get into the Jeep with
him and open up that siding

so they won't jam up.

- Yes sir.
- I have it sir.

- You think you can get
through it that way?

- I think so sir, I'm
gonna try to blow a path

- right through those plains.
- You'll have to try.

- Okay.

- Gotta find out now
fellas, here we go.

[suspenseful music]

- Steve!
- Hold it.

[coughing]

- Woody.

We've got to get
you to the hospital.

- Woody you gotta come too.
- All right.

- Hey hurry that up.

[yelling]

[suspenseful music]

- [yelling]
- [suspenseful music]

- It's getting pretty hot corporal.

- All right men, let's clear out.

We have to let the rest go.
Get those-

[intense music]

[drums exploding]

- You better go in now,
he hasn't much time.

[gentle music]

- Hello Woody.

- Fellas.

- Gee Frosty, I'm sorry,
it was all my fault.

- Hey Natty, I slipped that's all.

- If it hadn't been for me,
there wouldn't have been a fire.

Made a big shot, all this
grandstanding for some girl.

- Forget it pal.

Roughhouse.

- Yeah Frosty?

- My fiancee, the picture,
did it get burned up?

- No, no just scorched a little.

- Gee, I won't be ever able to
go through with my betrothal.

- Ah, sure you will.

- Don't kid me.

She deserves somebody
better than me anyway.

- No, no Frosty.

You would have made
her a swell husband.

- [Frosty] You think so Roughhouse?

- Sure.

- Woody, remember Tannenberg, Woody?

Gee and it was so nice and warm.

[gentle music]

[melancholic music]

[paper ripping]

- At ease Woody.
- Yes sir.

- Too bad about Frosty.

- Yeah.

Did the request for Steve's
transfer gone through yet?

- No, Caswell was taking the wire

to base camp last
night but he came back.

- Good, forget about it.

- You mean he's changed his mind?

- No but if I go he'll stay.

- Woody, what in the name--
- Stop it, Pop.

Steve's the one that always
wanted to be an engineer.

And you said yourself, if
he quit now he's through.

He'd be giving up a whole career.

I'm not giving up anything.

I didn't want to come
here in the first place.

I lied to you when I told
you I changed my mind.

- It was the girl.

- Yeah, that's all over
now and if I go, I,

maybe Ann and Steve
can get together.

That's all he wants.

- Well you don't have to go
because of that Woody, you can--

- It's not only that, it's Frosty.

If I could get a gun in my
hands and get into a scrap,

maybe I could forget it.

- Whatever, on a big job like
this they're always casualties.

- Frosty was no ordinary casualty.

I started that fire myself

as a direct result
of disobeying orders.

- Thanks for the lift soldier.

[engine roaring]

- Woo hoo.

- Keep your mind on
your work, Rogers.

- Yes sarge.

- Rogers!

- Okay go ahead.

- [Ann] Steve.

- Hold it.
- [Ann] Steve!

- Do you want me?

- Woody's transfer came through.

He's leaving today.

- What about it?

- We can't let him go like this.

Feeling bitter.

Steve, you may
never see him again.

Won't you at least go talk to him?

- There's nothing I can say.

Ann.

- All set, Sergeant?
- Hang on to this, will ya?

- Ready to leave eh?

- Well you won't be
needing me now that you're

getting all these new men.

- Read it.

- Japanese forces have
occupied Aleutian Islands.

Kiska, Attu, and Agattu.

Crisis demands we double
efforts in opening the highway

before scheduled time.

Certainly pouring
it on, aren't they?

- I guess there's no use
talking anymore, Woody.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye sir.

Everything will be all right
when the war's over, dad.

Give my regards to the infantry.

And write us once in a while.

- Yes, sir.

- Bye Mr. Caswell.
- Woody.

[siren blaring]

[everyone talking]

- There's a landslide sarge, top
of the mountain with the new cut.

It started a crack away, we're
trying to get machines out

before she gets completely.

- Corporal Veal.
- Yes sir.

- Bring up every
available man at once.

- Yes sir.
- Johnson, you bring up

- the ambulance, we may need her.
- Yes sir.

- I'll go back with you.
- Yes sir.

- Sergeant, you follow us.
- Yes sir.

- Good bye Woody.
- Bye sir.

- Write to me.

- [siren blaring]
- [engine starting]

- Do you have room
for another passenger?

- We certainly have.

[suspenseful music]

[rocks rumbling]

- Go on, hurry up and
get that equipment on!

Keep it moving!

[suspenseful music]

Keep those trucking moving on.
Here, you take this one.

- I'll get it chief.
- Okay Roughhouse.

Come on fellas, get a move on!

[intense music]

- Come on, give me your
arm, I'll get you out.

- No, no!

- What's the matter?
- My leg.

- Okay, wait a minute.

- Steve and Roughhouse.

Woody be careful!

- Where's Steve?

- Right there.

Never mind me, get Steve!

[suspenseful music]

- There ya, Pop.

[suspenseful music]

You get Roughhouse
out, I'll get Steve.

[dramatic music]

Drop a little.

- Let me get a fresh hold.
- Okay.

What in Jupiter?

I thought you'd be in
the infantry by now.

- Ah look at the hair on those ears.

Once an engineer always an engineer.

[tense music]

Sergeant, get him in.

- Yes, sir.

- His leg.

Get him back to camp.

- You all in one piece, kid?

- Yeah.
- Woody!

You got hurt.

- I think you mean Steve.

- She means Woody, I know that now.

Come on men, bring it up.

What do you think this is? A picnic?

Come on, we've got a job
we're trying to do here.

Come on everybody, back on the job.

[upbeat music]

- [Announcer] With the Japs
clawing at the Aleutians,

shifts were doubled.

More men, more
machines, day and night.

One unit pushing North.

Another Southward from Alaska.

A miracle of bulldogs day after day

and American know-how.

Until just six months
from the starting day.

[engine rattling]

[gentle music]

- Hey soldier, where you headed for?

- Me? I'm headed South.
- South?

- Yeah, how come you
were headed North?

- Hey, this is it,
hey gang, come here!

Steve, Shorty!

- [Everyone] What's the matter?

- He's headed South,
we're headed North.

It's open! The Alcan Highway!

[cheering]

[gentle music]

- [Announcer] A few days
later, several hundred miles

to the North, in the grip
of an Alaskan freeze,

representatives of the Canadian

and United States
governments cut the tape

and the Alcan Highway was
officially open for business.

The convoys moved northward.

Men, munitions, supplies and
a solid strengthening stream,

the engineers' job was done.

They had met the
wilderness and beaten it.

[upbeat music]