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Clear deck.

Patrick Michael Williamson interview, take one.

Commander Williamson, there's a small

but growing concern in Congress

that we might be getting in over our heads in Southeast Asia.

How does this strike you?

Well, I think we ought to be here.

South Vietnamese want to establish a country

with values similar to our own.

I think we ought to help.

And what values are those?

Freedom, the right to think for yourself,

to follow your own faith.

You know, individual freedom.

Is that why you're here?

I think I've told you why I'm here.

But if you want the official reason,

you'll have to ask the civilian authorities.

They lawfully ordered me here.

On that level, I'm serving my country.

I'm here to serve my government.

They held down the eject?

I hit the tree on the way down.

You'll be all right.MASON: Ahh.

Medivac will be here.Okay, thank God.

There it is.

Christ. Get us outta here, Pat.

I gotta get out in the open.

I gotta make official contact.

Hey, he's got a broken leg.

Get him off me.

Get him off me.

Mason! Mason!

Mason!

Mason!

The legacy of colonialism.

Replacement parts from France

are very difficult to obtain, to say nothing of the expense.

That you stand when I enter is good, is proper.

Shows correctness of attitude.

Welcome to Hanoi and Hoa Lo prison.

I am Major Ngo Doc. And you are?

2210771, Lieutenant Commander Williamson,

Patrick Michael, 16th October 1930.

And where was your aircraft destroyed?

2210771, Lieutenant Commander Williamson, Patrick Michael--

Heh. Yes, yes, all well and good, commander.

You are, no doubt, trying to hide

behind the Geneva convention, n'est-ce pas?

Well, commander,

when the United States declare war upon my country,

then we will fulfill our international commitments.

But for the moment, there is no declaration of war.

And since you cannot be a prisoner of war,

you are a criminal.

I suggest you should ask for a pardon.

President Ho Chi Minh is a great man.

He will personally protect you while you are here

in Hoa Lo prison.

2210771, Lieutenant Commander Williamson,

Patrick Michael, 16th October 1930.

Our war with the French lasted for a decade.

You might be here for several years.

Think carefully, commander.

Now, where was your aircraft shot down?

2210771, Lieutenant Commander Patrick

Michael Williamson, 16th October 1930.

Recently pictured in LIFEmagazine.

Married to Sheila Powers, June 15, 1954.

Two sons, age 7 and 9.

Home is Philadelphia.

No point continuing, eh, commander?

So...

Let us try again.

Are you married?

I know what you're trying to do.

If I start telling you this,

I'll be on board your program.

Are you married, commander?

No.

It might be two or three years

before I give you another chance to cooperate.

To show correctness of attitude.

You bow!

You bow!

Okay.

You can handle this.

Won't be more than a couple of months.

We can handle this.

No eat? You bad.

Down. I said down.

Damn.

Hey, driver! Navy?

Oh, God, if there's another Yank here, we can make it.

We can make it, we can make it, God.

We can make it.

Well, commander.

How have you been these past few months?

Surviving.

Heh, yes, indeed, you have.

And I think you should deserve some reward for that.

Some of your compatriots may be joining us.

Perhaps we should allow you some contact.

Move you around from time to time.

In spite of my threat to leave you in isolation

for three years,

I offer some change after merely one.

You can therefore see, I am a very lenient man.

Lenient, hell.

I just outlasted you.

All clear.

Hi.

Welcome to the bridal suite of the Hanoi Hilton.

Williamson.

Lieutenant Commander of the Hancock.

Yeah, well-- The Hancock?

How long have you been--A year. I think.

The only one in the cellblock.

Hi, I'm Paul Kennedy.

Lieutenant JG off the Enterprise.

Earl Hubman, captain, Air Force.

Bill Oldham, Marine major.

I'd get up, but the leg's gone.

Busted in two places.

Believe it or not, I've been here the longest,

over six months, over in the Annex.

Besides you.Four for me.

And the cripple here is the new boy.

Three weeks.

A year's a long time.

Who also have you seen?No one.

I saw a message on the bath house walls.

It was signed a Navy driver.

That message and that's all.

So it's been... It's been a very long time.

I began to think that I wouldn't see anyone, and so...

Seeing you guys is...

What's your name again?

Paul Kennedy, sir.Paul Kennedy.

How are you?

And you're...?Captain Hubman.

And you're...?Bill.

Bill, how are you, Bill?

Welcome, sir. Welcome.

How long you in, Bill?

Twenty-one years in the corps.

Twenty-one years, semper fi.

Where you from?Philly.

And you?St. Louis.

Oakland.

Tell me about what's going on at home.

What have I been missing?

I'll tell you, Williamson.

For openers, they've got this 16-year-old daughter.

Brings home this kid, a boyfriend.

Now, this kid has got hair almost across his ears,

so my wife asked him, in a decent,

courteous way, she says,

"Don't you find your hair a little feminine?"

That little son of a bitch

looks at her straight in the eye and says,

"Compared to you, maybe."

So I killed him.

Heh, don't believe him.

Something wrong, commander?

Maybe.

I mean, I don't know who you guys really are.

Why you're allowed company.

It's okay sir, relax.

There's no conspiracy here, look.

Our war is over.

Once we're in here, we're as good as discharged.

And as far as being together, look, Oldham's hurt.

It's hot in here.

Give me a hand, will you?

I'm here as an afterthought.

Until three weeks ago I was in a jungle camp.

I'm not supposed to be a fighting man anymore.

I did my war in Korea, I'm a recall.

Right about now I should be taking a 503

from Grand Central to Scarsdale.

Nice place you got here.

Did a real A-1, spit and polish job.

I'm going to need an 8:00 wake-up call.

You bow.You bow.

You bow!

Never bow to you, you lousy son--

Never! God damn it!

Get your skinny little ass back here!

Voice to deep to be a V. Must be a choir.

Choir! Hey, driver!

No do! No do! You quiet!

Hey, don't put him back in solitary.

Fuck you!

Well, whoever just told me to go screw myself

had sure better outrank me.

Uh, who said that?CATHCART: I'm Cathcart.

Cameron Cathcart.

Air Force, colonel, full colonel.

Where are you?

Uh, sir. Where are you, sir?

Keep talking.

I'm Miles, captain, Air Force.

Captain, huh?

You just keep talking.MILES: Yes, sir.

A little discipline around here would be good, sir.

I know I could use some structure.

Uh, I'm alone.That's enough.

Captain.

I found it.

It's a hole. Back of that pipe.

About 9 o'clock. Get up on your bunk.

I'm sorry, sir. I can't, I'm in stocks.

Oh.

I got contact with a man on the other side.

He says he just got himself 60 days in irons

for trying to contact you.

Tell him congratulations on joining the ankle biters' club.

And sir, could you do me a favor?

Uh, ask him how he works the bucket in the stocks.

I'll find out.

In the meantime, hear this.

And pass it on.

The code of conduct

will apply to all American serviceman in here.

Nobody handed you a discharge when you got captured.

We will keep the faith in God and country and in one another.

We will honor military ranks

and obey the senior ranking officer at all times.

For the time being, until I hear different,

I am that SRO.

My orders are simple.

Firstly, save everything.

Collect every piece of scrap you can find.

It'll all come in handy.

Secondly, stay in contact at all times.

You must contact every arrival.

You must memorize every name.

And we will manipulate the enemy,

but we will not antagonize him needlessly.

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

No matter what they do to us, we are Americans.

If we help and support one another,

we will prevail.

No thanks, I'm growing a beard.

Beat it!

Well, maybe just a trim.No. You no good.

You tough guy. You go away.

Hey, Einstein.

What are you doing? Gassing up the gook H-bomb?

Great disguise.

No, really, you had me fooled.

I like it.

You got here just in time, sir.

We needed an SRO.

Carry on, commander.

All clear.Report out.

Kennedy, cell eight, a-okay, sir.

Williamson, cell six, first-class shape, sir.

Me and Oldham in cell seven are okay, sir.

We're fantastic over here. Never better.

Ashby in cell five. Coming along fine, sir.

Ashby? How's the arm, son?

Can you use it?

It's getting there, sir.

Before we get down to business,

two things to remember.

Firstly, you must resist any attempt

to make you act contrite.

Repeat, do not act contrite.

Secondly, Williamson?

You keep working on that transom with that nail

you found, you hear?

All right, carry on, gentlemen.

Okay, Ashby?

This time I want a straight answer.

Understand?Yes, sir.

All right. Now explain.

If Rod Steiger was on the czarist side,

why would he want to help Omar Sharif?

Because he really wants Julie Christie.

She was in love with Tom Courtenay, right?

Uh, no, sir.

Courtenay was on the train, was all.

I think it was meant to be Trotsky.

Forget that.

Colonel Cathcart, what did you mean

that Johnson's ordered a bombing pause?

Did the V respond? Will they talk?

In Korea they talked for three years

before the POWs came home. Three years.

Hubman, you're a delight.

Living with a happy, upbeat guy like you is a real delight.

You know something, if this was World War II,

I'd escape.

I get away from you and the gooks.

Colonel, could it really be that long?

Ashby, we don't have to tell you that this is not Korea.

We're not gonna be here forever.

Bombing pause or not, our people, they know we're here.

They'll never let us down.

I know, sir. It's, uh, just a little lonely, is all, sir.

I'm not used to being alone like this.

Big family, college fraternity,

the Air Force, I--

I hate being alone.

You can always pray, son.

Then you're never alone.

Find yourself a mirror.

Just a mirror.

Hey, hey! What are you doing, taking your sister to lunch?

Trying to sing here. Jesus.

Everybody's a critic around here.

"Colonel Cameron Cathcart. United States Air Force."

Huh, twice decorated Korean ace.

"Twenty kills."

Twenty kills.

You like flying, eh? You like the war?

Perhaps I should read a little bit more.

I've seen it. There's no relevance here.

But this is a highly respected publication.

Innocent enough, I suppose.

But here in Hoa Lo prison, it is your indictment.

I have no need to keep you alive.

You have not been confirmed as a prisoner.

Heh, only last Sunday,

The New York Times listed you as an MIA.

The other men know I'm here.

Who knows what they will remember in 10 or 15 years?

We had Frenchman here for longer than that.

So, American Colonel,

I am fully aware that you are attempting to maintain

American ranks and military discipline here.

You will stop immediately.

Cathcart, things might get much worse.

The ranks do exist.

Heh.We are American servicemen.

I am an American colonel.

"There are those in my government

"who dislike educated men..." Oh, such as myself,

who were schooled by the Jesuits.

They consider me, uh, ideologically unsound,

too prone to compassion for people like you.

They must see that I have helped you

to cooperate, to put your white man's arrogance aside.

Stop the silly Army games.

I will consider it an act of contrition.

The ranks do exist. We are American servicemen.

I am an American colonel.

No, Cathcart. American criminals.

Yes, criminals.

You wish to maintain discipline here?

You wish to challenge me?

Good. Acceptable.

I will pick, at random, one of your men,

and I will exert on him the same physical pain

you and your country inflict on my people with your war.

Yes, Cathcart.

You will only have yourself to blame

for his pain and his anguish.

I want you to think about that.

What the hell kind of haircut was that?

Jeez, what I wouldn't give for that suit though, heh.

Welcome to the pigsty.

Pigsty population doubles.

Young kid, Air Force flight suit,

lieutenant bars.

Welcome, Lieutenant X.

Good luck. You're gonna need it.

You might as well be dead as here.

Get away! Jesus! Aah!

Get out!

Oh, thank God, thank God.

And you too, heh. Hey, you too. Okay, okay, guys.

All right. Oh, Jesus Christ, oh.

No noise!

No! Stop!

No noise!

Jesus! Bastard!

Gregory, lieutenant, USAF, sir.

Who right now wishes he'd gone to law school.

God bless you, son. God bless you.

I am told you still insist

that you have some, uh, special status here.

So speak.

Speak for him.

No!

Will you not speak to save him?

It is time for you

to experience another part of our prison system,

but not until you, yourself, have visited Room 18,

and then you will disappear.

Maybe three or four years.

Soldier on, colonel!

Soldier on!You too, flyer. You too!

Williamson's the new SRO.

Me? Oh, shit.CATHCART: Good luck.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Hey, it's gonna be all right. Hey, it's gonna be fine.

It's gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine, all right?

Stay awake on me.

You stay awake, you stay alive.

There's no way I'm gonna let you die, all right? You got that?

There's no way I'm gonna let you die. Stay awake!

All right. SRO Williamson wants to know

what you did that antagonized them the most.

Nothing, ahem.

Negative. Nothing.

Come on, you stay awake on me.

He wants to know what you said.

After Room 18? Heh.

Whatever they wanted.

Why...

What's your name, soldier? What's your name, flyer?

Gregory, first lieutenant. Air Force.

I know, I know. Now listen to me.

Listen to me. Now this is an SRO order.

And you can never let them think

that you can be beaten into anything.

You lie to them, mislead them, anything,

but you never let them break you, you got that?

None of you guys broke?

Why don't you get some sleep?No, I've gotta know.

You didn't break? None of the rest of those guys broke?

No. No?

Oh, man. Oh, man. I'm so sorry.

I'm so very sorry.

I couldn't... I didn't.

I'm a short-termer. I'm not like you guys.

But I love, heh, home.

I want to go home.I know. I know.

Please! You've got--Shh!

Shut up! Just be shut up, Gregory.

He's hurt. He's hurt bad, he's hurt bad. He's hurt.

Hey!

Can't you see this man? He's hurt.

You'll be all right, man. You'll be okay.

You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, Gregory!

You're gonna be okay!

They must've been looking for a fight.

It stinks, he stinks.

They've just never been brutal like that.

Who cares about that? The man broke.

He told the V what they wanted.

Fischer? Fischer?

You. Go.

I'm... I'm Cathcart.

Cathcart, Colonel Cathcart, Air Force.

What happened?CATHCART: They broke me.

The others, the boys,

they won't be able to help it either.

Tell them. Take care of them, huh?

Fischer. Your turn will come.

All clear.

Hey, new boy, cell three. Work the transom.

I loosened that one myself.

Work the motor chips in the corner, it'll slip out.

Ugh.

Hi. Welcome to the Hanoi Hilton. Pretty nice, huh?

The food here's pretty lousy

but it's all room service, so it's, uh...

I suggest the continental cuisine.

This visual intercom is courtesy of the SRO.

The rest of us chippers.It's our version of escape.

I'm Williamson, I was a lieutenant commander,

but Oliviera, here, who just joined us,

has said I got boosted a rank the day the V got me.

Yeah, it's true, man.Really?

That means I'm senior ranking officer,

unless you outrank me.

What about Colonel Cathcart?

You saw him?You saw the colonel?

Where?

Are there no guards here?

It's siesta.

Three whacks, the gong, pause, then one.

They live by the gong here, it tells you what to do

and when to do it.

These two empty?

The one on my left has a youngster who talked

and he's been in solitary ever since.

Now how about you? Who are you?

All right.

Name's Fischer, major, 82nd Airborne.

Now attached to the Pentagon.

How did you get here?

I was here for one helicopter trip.

It malfunctioned.

We crash landed north of the DMZ.

Shh! Tell us about Cathcart.

As far as Cathcart's concerned, let me say that I saw him.

What was left of him.

What do you mean? What's left?

How was he, how were his arms?

Swollen. Very swollen. Blue with rope burns.

Gregory!

Gregory!

Look, major, I've been in here almost 2 years.

The punishment has been brutal

but it's never been life-threatening.

Until Gregory?

He must've brought it on himself.

He must have. He's just a kid.

It doesn't--Doesn't what?

Make sense.

This is the voice of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The peace loving people

of Vietnam wish to forgive all American criminals.

The people of Vietnam want you to know the truth.

Have you been wondered

why there are so little number of new American criminals?

Did you think

it is because your cohorts are winning the war? Heh.

How you are wrong.

Your own president has ordered slow down,

no more do your bombers strike at us.

You are being deserted by your own confederates in crime.

Things will get worse, fellows.

Because as we suffer your war, so will you.

They won't slow down the bombing!

Christ. We'll be here forever.

We'll never get out of here. Never!

Yes we will. We stick together. We follow orders. We'll make it.

Who cares what happens in here?

Why should I take orders from somebody

because he used to have ranking?

He still does outrank you.

I'm Lieutenant Donald Allen Gregory, U.S. Air Force.

I wish to admit my crimes

against the peace-loving peoples of Vietnam.

I have, many times, flown my aircraft

at the Vietnamese people, even enjoying the death...

I have used cluster bombs.

I have used napalm.

I am ashamed of myself

and of America and of Americans.

I plead forgiveness.

I beg President Ho to forgive my crimes.

SRO order.

If taken, resist as long as poss.

Then do the best you can.

I am Cameron Cathcart.

We are all together.

God bless us all.

I was a colonel

in the criminal Armed Forces...

Yeah, I hope he does. I hope he does.

You can bet Lyndon Johnson won't.

Shut your son of a bitch mouth.

As a senior officer

I personally ordered the execution...

Lord.

...hundreds of innocent Vietnamese women...

This is a psalm, I think. I don't know which one.

I shall lift up mine eyes unto the hills

from whence cometh my strength.

My strength cometh from the Lord

who made the heavens and the earth.

I thank Senator Fulbright for demanding the bombing pause.

I don't know the rest.

I pray for the victory of Vietnam.

I am glad to again, to be a civilian.

Kiss my rosy red American ass!

Goddamn it!

...of the compassionate Vietnamese captors.

And now, good night,

with the reminder that despite your crimes,

Ho Chi Minh, the president, loves you.

Now, there's one guy that doesn't outrank me anymore.

Ah, I am also very tired, Williamson.

It is late.

I can't do it.

I ask so very little.

I'll only lie. What good is a biography full of lies?

Williamson, you are an intelligent man.

You're a family man, like myself.

Why will you not do what I ask?

My name is

Patrick Michael Williamson.

I'm from Philadelphia.

I was a professional athlete, a university professor

and part-time bank president.

My brother was a professional football player...

...who was killed in a game.

My sister was a concubine for a United States senator.

I understand...Is that me?

Ah, no, it's me.

The V blanket,

can't even hang yourself with them.

Hurts. Worse is when they untie them.

I know how to help.

You know, I thought we'd never lose a battle.

Any battle.

And I'm so ashamed.

But that means that we've gotta stick together,

you and me, and everyone who broke,

we've gotta hang in. We've gotta survive.

Because we've got to see home.

We've got to see home. Damn.

Tsk. Ahh.

Hubman.

The Vietnamese people is in whose hands lie your fate,

have no wish to keep you here.

Glad to hear that. Delighted to hear that.

However, our intelligence is not without limits.

There must be an entente.

You mean, uh, like a bargain?

Precisely.

I'm sorry but, uh, I can't do that.

Now, I have no wish to antagonize you.

But I can't.

Hubman, you have no idea

what we want to ask of you yet.

Now, Major Ngiap is a pilot.

He understands your language. Come.

Sit, Hubman.

Now, we know you were in an A-6 aircraft.

And we know this aircraft has two men.

Pilot in front and there is a backseat man.

And we have deduced that the backseat man controls the radar.

Now, Hubman, all we need to know is,

how does the radar pick targets?

You know, I can't answer, I'm sorry.

You must never gesture like that!

It is impolite to show the palms of your hands!

Now, remember that!

Such arrogance does not speak well of your sorrow.

Now, about the radar?

Oh, the, uh, A-6 radar

well, uh, you know, that's, uh,

exactly the same as the B-17.

You know, uh, the old bomber from World War II,

the flying fortress, they call it?

It's exactly the same.

Does he know that system?

Major Ngiap, uh, he say your statement

confirms the assessment of our intelligence.

Heh, a smart bunch of guys.

Hubman, this is a small beginning.

You are closer to your home now than ever before.

How you been, Bob?Hanging tough.

I've been praying for a bonus like this.

You're the first American I've touched in 19 months.

It's so lonely, I've gotta get out of here.

I gotta. I don't care if it's in a fucking box.

Bullshit. You've got to survive.

We didn't spend two years

getting every captive name to you for nothing.

You're the recording secretary of this operation.

My old man, you know,

he was always preaching that hang tough sermon.

His heroes were the Grenadier Guards.

Whole regiment.

He said when the Germans had the British pinned down

on the beaches of Dunkirk, it was a madhouse.

So when the Grenadier Guards arrived,

they lined up in parade order, band and everything.

German planes were strafing the beach.

The truth of color.

Diving planes killing men.

Men dying at attention.

The only order they heard was close ranks.

Close ranks.

They swallowed their fear

and like the whole British army lived to fight another day.

He's a tough son of a bitch, my old man.

We're always with you, Bob. Every man here.

We say your name.

God bless you.GBU.

They greet everyone like this?

No. Where you from?New Jersey.

Oh, yeah, the gooks don't see many people from New Jersey.

Baptist?Yeah.

Yeah. A Baptist from New Jersey,

that's, uh, quite an oddity around here.

Got any advice?

You hang tough as long as you can.

Every time they don't beat you, they lose.

Every time they don't break us, we win.

When they torture you,

try to concentrate on the places that don't hurt.

Torture?

This better look good on my record.

Hi, you pilots. It's late summer.

And in Iowa, the corn is as high as elephant's eye.

In Vermont, the trees are red and gold.

And you all may be here for another 10 years.

But Lyndon Johnson promises to pull out American troops

if President Ho will surrender the south to fascists.

Hey, criminals, you don't want to die here.

Our relationship is now entering a new phase.

You will be given the opportunity to atone,

to make restitution,

to show the world the righteousness of our cause.

Yes, yes. If you refuse, it will be on your head.

You push us too far and they'll bomb you.

They're guys that would bomb you

back to the Stone Age if they got the chance.

The real war is not in the Delta.

It is in the United Nations.

The Champs Elysees, at the Berkeley, California,

on the Washington Mall,

the cities of America,

and what we will not win on the battlefield,

your journalists will win for us on your very own doorstep.

And you will help by cooperating with them

and other friendly Americans

and you will do this on film.

Wendell Burke, program 21.

Vietnam resists, American bomber pilot, take one.

And who have we here?

What is this?

It's a television interview for syndication.

Will they see this at home?

Possibly. Why?

Is it that important to you?

It's important, yeah.BURKE: Why?

It's very important. We gotta get the names home.

People at home remember us, right?

Yeah, but not with any pride.

You've gotta tell them, you see.

There's lots of us here they don't know about, you see?

They're hiding us. There's more here than you know about.

According to the Vietnamese,

it's, heh, certainly true to say

that the number of American prisoners increases daily.

Are you aware that, uh, Lord Bertrand Russell

has convened a war tribunal? A war crimes tribunal?

You and your cohorts will be the defendants.

No. You've gotta tell them, you see.

You gotta tell the people at home, you see?

They can kill an MIA but they can't kill a confirmed POW--

Such is the guilt--Tell them!

Just one American, just one very lonely man,

being educated by the humane

and lenient treatment of his captors.

Cut.

It'll edit but don't bring me anymore like this.

What's wrong with you, Major Doc?

Have you no control over these men?

Hey, guess what, boys. Senator Fulbright told press

that you're only here killing people

because gooks are yellow.

Well, us gooks are people too. Humane and lenient people

and the world is going to see to that.

We have a surprise for you, black pirates.

What are they gonna do?

Hey, I can't take much more of this. Let's go home.

She's right. Let them kill each other.

As long as I'm free, fuck them!

Listen to me! Listen to me!

The minute you play their game,

they have control and you're nothing.

You're not one of us, you're not one of them.

And all you have is us.

One goes, we all go. No early release.

Get out of here!

I wanna be alone! Let me out of here.

I want out right now! Right now! Right now!

Hey, pilots, don't you get sleepy.

There is big happening tonight for each and every criminal.

We will keep you up all night.

This happen often?

Sir? You okay?

Yeah, heh, just thinking.

Lieutenant, I'm older than you are.

Well, heh,

quite a bit older, point of fact.

And you know I've got three daughters.

And the middle one, Lily, she's, uh, 18 now.

And she's really beautiful.

Oh, yeah?She's a bit wild, I suppose,

she's fond of loud music

but she's not exactly out of range for you

by the time you get out of here.

Look her up, will you?

Well, I'm sure you'll be the one that introduces us, sir.

No. I doubt it.

You've only been here a few weeks but listen to Hannah.

Something's up, I don't know what...

Kennedy, I don't think I can take much more of this.

Criminals, this is a proclamation

of the People's Tribunal.

"Here in Hoa Lo Prison and in our other facilities

"throughout North Vietnam,

"we, the government of the People's Republic of Vietnam

"have been your protectors and we have ensured your safety

"but you have refused to cooperate with visitors

"and journalists and you have shown no contrition.

"So tonight, we shall show the world

"how our people truly feel.

"Even now, the other blackest of criminals

"are being assembled here in the center of Hanoi.

"Tonight, criminals, you will be reunited

"so that you might confront your innocent victims.

"And all of this will occur before representatives

of the other friendly peace-loving nations."

Keep your heads up! We're Americans!

Watch it!

Ugh! God damn it!

Break away!

Come on. Lean on me.

Get up, buddy.

Thanks for helping me out back there.

I thought it was you helping me.

We're gonna let the gooks have it.

Yeah!

I fear our only common language is English,

perhaps a small saving grace of colonialism.

To the peace-loving people of the world

and to their eternal struggle for freedom.

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be here.

In fact, I would say this realignment

will change the progress of the war for you.

Perhaps. But we have been known for our patience.

There were the Japanese,

the French, now the Americans.

We are not without experience.

Of course not.

Heh-heh. Of course not.

SRO on deck.

As you were, gentlemen.

Dong chi.Comrades.

Finally we have news in which we all can rejoice.

Yes.

Rumors that release would be preceded by a change in diet

are indeed true.

Are you saying the war is over, major?

World opinion guarantees our victory

and the press predicts it.

Yes, comrades.

Since the valuable footage of the parade,

you are of no longer use to us. At least, not as a group.

Then we must meet, you and I.

To discuss the method of our release.

There can be no special cases.

We are all one here.

So if one goes, we all must go.

It behooves you to cooperate.

Particularly if you wish for letters from home.

Major Fischer will offer a homily with a scriptural basis.

When I was young...

...at religious school,

I remember a great deal was made of Abraham and Isaac.

How God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac,

his only son, his beloved child.

Abraham stood with a knife in his hand

and wrestled within himself to decide whether to believe,

to trust God.

Or to deny him.

And I suppose that most of us identified with Abraham.

Wondering how we would use free choice if that was us.

Well, since I've been in here,

I've had time to think about Isaac.

Helpless.

Tied up on an altar

and audience to what might become his own death.

And he couldn't trust in God.

He had to trust in Abraham and hope that God

would act through him.

Well,

in the end, it all worked out for Isaac and Abraham.

Just as it will for us.

Amen.

Captain Turner?

Well, all my life...

I've tried to seek light in the midst of darkness.

And I've learned that the greater the darkness,

the greater the possibility for light.

I know that all people are not kind and just.

But I am reminded by you all, every day,

that the voice of God speaks through the conscious

and decent people.

Closing prayer from Commander Williamson.

Dear Lord, we can all grow strength

from the words of a 14-year-old boy

who wrote them on a wall in Auschwitz.

"How can I believe in God when I see what is around me?

"I believe in God in the same way I believe in the sun.

"Even when it doesn't shine and in love,

even when I don't feel it."

Dear Lord, we offer you praise and thanks.

We are grateful to be together,

we are thankful that we are sound of mind,

we ask you to bestow blessings upon our loved ones,

upon our countrymen, upon America,

upon our families...

There is one more formality before you may make contact

with your home.

As you can see, the envelopes are empty.

When you cooperate, the letters will be given to you.

That is the subject of my sermon.

It concerns early release. We have no more patience.

Those of you who are willing to cooperate,

there will be freedom and a trip home.

Disassociate yourself from the blackest of criminals.

Merry Christmas, sir.

G.B. you all.

Merry Christmas, sir.

Merry Christmas.

God go with you, Bob.Merry Christmas, Pat.

God don't know you're alive, Williamson.

He don't fucking care about you.

Who wants a make on the Cuban?

No go. Too dark.

Steady, man. We're gonna get out of here,

without kissing the V's ass.

Hang tough, just like you showed me, remember? Hang tough.

I think I used up all my tough.

Cuban. Who the hell is the Cuban?

I told you, he's nobody, he's nothing.

He's Cat playing games, trying to break us.

Someone to act tough so Cat can go back

and try pumping sunshine up our asses.

Pump what up where? Where'd you get that, Miles?

No, he got it from me.

I got it from a guy who played hockey with in college.

Ugh, I knew it. I knew it, man. I knew you was part barbarian.

Hockey? Barbaric?

Never. Hockey is pure heart and grace.

A great hockey player has courage and strength

and endurance, just like a boxer.

That he moves at 50 miles an hour,

like a ballet dancer.

Ballet dancer?

Sounds very honky to me, Williamson.

That's because you've never seen a game, Turner.

I'll take you to one. And we'll go to New York,

see the Rangers.

I used to see the Rangers play all the time.

Before my old man died.

He'd take me whenever Boston came to town.

We'd grab something to eat near his office at 57th, you know?

And grab a cab.

Heh, he'd always make us wait for a checkered cab.

Never liked the little ones.

I have a friend who has great seats for the Rangers.

So we'll go, okay?

Heh, sounds great. I'll check my diary.

So who do you think the Cuban is?

Desi Arnaz?

All right, gentlemen, must be my attorney.

It's Murphy, oh, my God, it's Murphy.

We were friend, we were together on the Hancock.

You're here too?

No, I'm a veteran, man.

Oliviera. Lieutenant, Navy.

How the hell did you get here? Swim?

Ahem, uh, no, sir.

I went up on deck to watch them shell Haiphong.

I fell off the ship.

I got picked up by V fishermen.

Look, this joint's no fun.

You gotta get yourself a story, you stick with it. You got it?

Don't let them fool you. Stick with a story.

We're saying no to early release.

They'd only do it for propaganda.

A lot of pressure lately, trying to break up the group.

We figure that's because our guys are whipping their butts.

Even the food's getting better. Fresh fruit.

Might as well give it to you, as let it rot on the docks.

We've pasted Haiphong. No shipment in or out.

We gotta set this.

But things are getting better, Murph?

I hope so because the folks back home have just about had it.

Don't look for any help before the election.

Election, that's 11 months.

There's no problem, Ashby,

Murph brought us our absentee ballots, right?

Tropical heat. Too humid.

You know something?

Frank Sinatra himself uses this.

Great artist. Wonderful artist.

Hey, Latino,

I wouldn't lie to you.

Back home, they say you guys are criminals.

But you got an excuse.

You're downtrodden.

You, you're a Spanish-speaking nigger.

You know what I'm saying?

So you take a nice, early release.

Your black ass's gonna to be back on the streets

of Harlem in a week.

Go screw yourself.Heh, go screw myself?

Hey, man, I know your neighborhood. I lived up there.

110th street. Yeah. Yeah.

Heh, so there ain't nothing you can tell me about honkies.

So why is a blood like you sticking with white scum?

What difference does it make to you, man?

This ain't no Cuban war.

Hey, this here is my internationalist duty.

You understand?

Wherever we can kick Yankee ass, you'll find my people.

We're all at war with you, baby,

and my internationalist duty gives me the right

to go anywhere to hassle your ass.

Then go try Chicago.

You stupid Puerto Rican son of a bitch.

I'm offering you freedom, man.

I'm already free, man.

And scum ain't always white.

Baby. One way or the other,

you're gonna do as I tell you.

Just think of me as another white man.

You look like you got lots of experience

looking up white man's ass.

I'm telling you, you should have listened

to the chink and stop all this one go,

we all go, bullshit.

You are gonna do like I tell you, huh?

You're gonna go home like I tell you.

You're gonna separate yourself

from those white men, like I tell you.

And you're gonna stop pretending a spic

is an American, like I tell you.

You're gonna show the whole world that's a lie.

Adios, Latino.

Adios.

Aah!

I heard it. Just like the jungle camps.

Hi. Sure would like to meet you.

Oh. So, uh,

what can I do to help?

Name's Rasmussen, sir, from Iowa.

Am I happy to be here? Yes, sir.

I joined the Navy five months ago, sir.

I just fell off my ship. I fell off my ship.

They told me I was stupid but I can't be

because I'm here.

No more seasick for me, boy. No, sir.

By the way, sir, where is here?

Oh.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Hey, hey, L.B.J., how many kids did you kill today?

Hey, hey, L.B.J., how many kids did you kill today?

Hey, hey, L.B.J., how many kids did you kill today?

You know, heh, I'd like--

I'd love to strangle

of those bastards in his own long hair, you know?

Hell no, you don't know! Long-haired hippie bastards!

You're doing exactly what the gooks want, Gregory.

It doesn't matter what they yell,

no one is making them demonstrate.

You don't understand. If I wasn't stuck in here,

I probably be one of them.

Hey, tough guy.

They tell me you're SRO.

So I say to myself, I say, what is SRO?

And then man, like a beauty, it hits me,

it means, sings right out.

That's it.

Hey, you gotta learn, I'm your senior ranking officer.

Am I hurting you?

No, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it?

It most certainly is, you smartass motherfucker.

I'm gonna break you.

It'll make those other assholes wise up. Yeah.

You have a good day.

Soles. This truck behind me. Come here.

Comes once every two weeks.

We're getting out of here, buddy.

Hey, Soles.

How you're doing? Excuse me, sir. Excuse me.

Uh, my commanding officer Clark Kent told me to help

as much as possible, sir.

And so did his girlfriend, Lois Lane.

No laughing!Yeah. No laughing.

You were mean to me.

I was the best one on my ship, I was.

And we had a good ship. The USS Lollipop.

Williams has been in irons for four days.

It's going to the bricks tonight.

Want to take an early release?What else? Who's next?

I don't know but the Cuban's looking for somebody.

In the third row is Billy Zucker.

Now, in back, oh, no, Ms. Bogart was the teacher,

and in the first row there was Robert Adams

and there was, um, Mary Flora.

And next to her was, uh, Frank Young.

If we can just get someone, Miles, to cause a commotion,

we can cover the missing hole for three shifts of gongs

until you leave for the latrine.

Then we're safe till bed check.

It's four hours.

Have you considered what--

Have you considered what might happen once you go out?

She got busted in demonstration,

busted in head by fascist cop.

Oh, Mr. Fish, I would think of early release...

Hey, man, that's all a line of bullshit.

She just talks a good line of bullshit.

It's Hanoi Hannah, don't listen to her.

Lily is okay. You understand me?

Lily is okay.It's all right.

She told me, she can take care of herself, sir.

Gregory wants your okay for escape.

What do you say, SRO?Temporary SRO.

That decision will be made when Williamson is better.

Send this out, we're gonna beat these sons of bitches.

Gregory and Soles will go over wall if all else fails.

First, we try to get Rasmussen early release.

Must get complete roster to him.

Memorize every name, must get complete roster to him.

This guy's as crazy as Miles, he's gonna get us all killed.

One go, all go.

He's talking about escape. Cuban will go ape.

Hey, heh, that rhymes, you hear that?

Semper Fi. Semper Fi.

Semper Fi.

Semper Fi.

And in the third row there, there was...

Was Sally Snyder.

Sally Snyder sat...You. You.

Ah? Ah?

You wanna rap with them, Miles?

Fuck you, faggot.Fuck me, faggot?

Hey, a tough guy. You want him, tough guy?

He ain't no good to me.

Now the world's seen me and you, we've gotta keep him alive.

But just barely. Just barely. Oh, very touching.

Touching. You're a whole different story. On your knees.

On your knees.

You can't kill Murphy. He's confirmed POW.

You're not going to be able to keep Williamson alive.

I don't give a fuck what you do to me.

Oh you don't, huh? Huh?

You're doing me a favor.

You're right, Miles. You're right.

Dying is too good, too easy for you.

Look after your buddy here.

You'll get him back on his feet,

I can count on you.

Then it's back to pigsty, where you belong, tough guy.

We showed him, huh?

Hey, air pilots.

Do you know some of you guys have been here long enough

to become citizens?

We're winning the war.

Don't you miss a McDonald's fries and a Coca-Cola?

Got reports of a new guy at Dogpatch, sir.

What do I do with the name?Keep it with you.

Anytime an MIA is confirmed POW, it's harder for V to kill them.

Sir, this is getting mighty tough. It's been 14 months.

Hey, stop your bitching, Let me hear that song again.

Yes, sir, captain.

Sir, there's 249 names,

I'm starting to go nuts with this song.

Yeah? 250. Ueyama, Terry. Lieutenant. U.S.A.F.

Ueyama? Ueyama, pajama.

Um...

Hey, Hubman,

I feel great.

Just great.

Yeah. Great.

Hi.

Hi.Hi.

What on earth are you guys doing here?

We're here to try and end the war.

What can I do to help?

We want you to try and set the record straight.

How?Apologize.

To whom?

To the women and children you bombed.

Uh, listen, the only thing that I hit was the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Now I know that there were a lot of innocent North Vietnamese,

but they sure as hell aren't carrying weapons

to the south in the middle of the night.

You believe that?

Then you believe in the war that cost you your freedom?

Don't you know that?

Are you trying to tell us something?

I'm telling you, the food stinks.

And don't swallow that crap about us

getting the same as them, not true.

They don't get the cabbage with the maggots in it

or with the human--

But who cares about food when you're being tortured?

I'm telling you, guys are getting killed down here.

You tell everyone.

We were told that you asked for an early release

of your own free will.

Yes, that's more or less true.

More or less?

Uh, I'm sorry. There is no equivocation.

I asked to go on.

Were you tortured for this request?

Uh, no.

What are your views on the war?

I hate it. I hate war. All war.

Captain, do you think our country should be in this war?

No. No, I don't. Nope. I don't.

It's all right.

You're famous now, aren't you?

I don't think that that's important.

Heh, why do you think these bastards let you in here?

They're movie fans, I can tell you that.

The fact is,

they just wanted a way to get the press all hot and bothered.

They are using you.

I think we can handle the politics of the situation.

I think we know what we're doing.

Are you hungry, captain?

Like you couldn't believe it.

I suppose you're no stranger to hunger.

Not after three years in this joint.

How do you feel about the Democratic Republic?

Democratic Republic?

Oh, heh, you mean the gooks.

Heh, you're safe with us, Eric,

there's no need to use that word.

You call me captain, lady.

I worked hard for that rank. And I use the word gook

because I can't think of anything worse

I'd use in front of you.

I'm just trying to help you, Eric.

Why don't you shove it?

I don't need help. Never from you.

You don't even know when you're being used.

So I'm sorry, but you got the wrong nigger.

This has been an amazing two days.

Obviously, you are doing everything you can.

Although some of the amended complaint about the food.

I can sympathize, none of us like to eat

when we're forced to. However, it is war.

I presume only a few of the men complained about the food?

Only Ashby, really, but he can't help it.

He's a product of his environment.

He's used to having his own way.

I don't think this is his idea of a country club.

Yes, yes.

And, as a sign of our enduring friendship

for the American people,

I will parole three prisoners to you.

That is wonderful. Thank you, merci.

Hey, black criminals, things are changing.

Your people did not have will to fight no more.

President Nixon is withdrawing 25,000 troops.

Be smart, take early release.

At this moment, insider at Hanoi,

three of your countrymen, three of your fellow prisoners,

you too can be watching

Baltimore beat Cincinnati, in World Series.

Say goodbye to the wise ones amongst you.

And you two are to be congratulated.

I'm sure Major Doc will miss you.

No doubt. But we shall do our best.

What?Take it easy, all right?

I would have ended up like all of them.

Is that what you want, huh?

Oh.

I'm supposed to die here? Is that it? Is that right?

Was I supposed to die, huh?

Am I supposed to die?!

For what? For what?

No, I have to wait for my gong.

Come on, Miles, move. Move it!

Okay. What, what, what?

You move!Let's go.

Now look, you got him upset?My fault, I suppose.

I told you move!Okay.

Okay, 10 feet to a buttress, it's under the ground.

You think you can handle it? Okay, here we go.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

You should have known better!

It was our duty to escape. As prisoners of war.

War criminals! Criminals! Criminals!

War Criminals! Criminals.Major, please--

And you, since Murphy was moved,

you pretend to be senior ranking officer, huh?

Major, please, be reasonable, they're just kids.

They didn't have a chance! You got them.

We stood out in the crowd, heh.

No.

There's nothing to be accomplished

by doing anything rash, major.GREGORY: It was my fault!

There's nothing to be gained by doing any of this.

It was my idea.

So you're the leader.

You useful to us if controlled.

He's a follower. He's of no use to us!

Soles! No! Soles!

Don't. No, you're going to kill him. No!

No, you're gonna kill him!

Oh, no!

You killed him! You shit!

I will take you from your cell,

personally, to your execution.

You will...

...not see me after tomorrow.

Important message to wife and family.

I'm sorry I did this to you.

I love you as life itself.

But I would have to do it again, if necessary.

Soles' last words were, "we stood out in the crowd."

That is the apology of a man who wants only to be ordinary.

But none of the men here, and especially not Soles,

are ordinary.

They are the bravest of the brave.

People who go on,

even when deserted by friends and countrymen.

What they carry inside of them

is something very extraordinary.

It is the spirit that makes all human beings unique.

It makes them heroic.

I do not believe my death will help end the war.

It seems that people at home no longer care, anyway.

I die, not so much for love of country,

as for love of countrymen.

God bless you all.

To me, you all stand out in the crowd.

For the time being, your fate is being decided by other events.

Yes, Fischer, circumstances and things have changed matters.

Your execution is to be delayed.

I do this personally,

because I do not wish for you to think

I have relented on my anger with you.

In time, you will be informed.

The light from our lives has gone.

President Ho Chi Minh has died.

Thank you.

From all us Isaacs.

You look like hell.The Asian flu!

Hey, some break. How about that?

Let's wait and see.

What? You don't know?What?

Man, you Hilton guys are really in the dark.

Special forces raided the camp at Son Tay.

The guys were gone, but they made the point.

And, with old President Ho dead, they're gonna ease up on us.

They're putting us all together, here in Hanoi.

He's saving his bargaining chips for Paris.

Paris?What's up, Doc?

Do not assume your good fortune, Miles.

Show me respect or you will deeply regret your folly.

Easy, easy, we just want to know what's going on.

Simply, we are showing

our humane and lenient treatment.

You will all be put in one cell,

you will be forbidden to do anything until ordered.

And you?

I am being reassigned.

Your failure to take early release

was considered a significant propaganda defeat.

And you, commander,

you did what you had to do to survive, eh?

No, to win. We won.

One knows, we all know it, remember?

Tell him to fuck himself, Pat.

Atten-hut!

Right face! Forward march.

Two, one, two, one, two, three, four,

one, two, three, four,

hut, hut, hut, hut,

hut, hut, hut, hut, hut...

Where were you?

It seems kind of indecent,

sleeping in the same room as other people.

How's Fischer?

He made it through perfectly.

God, that was some speech about standing out in the crowd, huh?

Wasn't it?Heh.

You think this means real change,

like maybe we'll get mail or Red Cross?

I hope so.

Cigarette?

No, you know, I think I quit.

What the hell's the matter with you guys?

You're so goddamn uptight.MILES: You son of a bitch.

Don't tell me Hubman's doing okay.

You gonna fight this war forever?

You'd go to war with your goddamn zip code.

You're damn right I would!

What's a zip code?

Okay, look, I apologize, I'm sorry.

I know it's been hard on you old men.

Old men? Watch who you say that to.

I haven't seen a mirror for nine years.

I'm not an old man.

Do I look like an old man to you?

No. Do I look like an old man?

Huh, I don't know. My teeth as bad as yours are?

Are my teeth bad?He's an old man.

Excuse me, are you Barry Ashby?

Yeah.

I'm Charlie Cummings.

I went to Greenwich High School. You're a hero there.

An alum, heh. Hey, come over here.

Pretty crummy high school if Ashby's a hero.

Of course some students call you fascist.

Is that true? The hippies.

Not just the hippies. Most people, I guess.

Most people?Yep. By now.

People are tired of a war you're not trying to win.

Especially when things at home are so good, you know?

No, I don't know. Explain.

Are they going to put us on trial like the VC say?

Nah, I doubt it.

People are kind of into themselves now, you know,

self-awareness, sensitivity training,

consciousness-raising, you know?

What the fuck are you talking about?

Well, heh, you'll have to see it.

Maybe to live through it to understand it.

Right.Cummings, come on.

We need a fourth for hearts.

It was a real honor to meet you, sir.

A real honor.Thank you.

I gotta apologize for my hockey team,

they don't play the national anthem.

They sing "God bless America."

Why do you think they do that?Because it's hockey.

All this time, what finds its way here?

A past due notice for my Playboysubscription.

Just my luck, my Little League team

goes to the state Finals without me.

Damn, my little sister got into Harvard.

Goddamn, son-of-a-bitching-- Fucking perfect!

She waits until now! Now!

From his daughter, his wife divorced him.

Move out!You heard the man.

It's not your problem.

These guys are my ticket to law school.

At your age?What if they bomb us?

No sweat, we've improved bomb sites

since they got you, major. They don't come near this place.

You never heard of a wild shot?

No way. Matter of fact,

I'll bet the Vietnamese are sleeping in our courtyard.

Shh!

What do you think?I don't know.

If we were going home, them planes should've been here.

Just hope I'm home in time for opening day at Dodger Stadium.

Just wait until you see the pilot, lieutenant.

If he's an American,

I'll buy you a ticket to the World Series.

You guys are paranoid.

They wouldn't go through all this for nothing.

It wouldn't be the first time, pal.

Atten-hut!

Lieutenant Commander Patrick Williamson reporting

to return to the United States, sir.

Where in the world have you guys been?

We've been here all along. Where the hell have you been?