Original subtitles

Hello, Lewis. You're late.

Did you see the German bombers?

London must have really caught it last night.

We got a letter from our old char.

They got our house a few days ago.

All right. Come on.

The stirrup cup will pass

from hand to hand.

To a good hunt.

Ready! About turn!

Michael.

One, two, three, four, five,

six, seven, eight, nine, ten!

Hurry up, Willy! Quickly!

There he goes! He's heading toward the graveyard.

Head him off.

Faster, faster!

Come on, you lot! I'm gonna be first!

Watch out!

The cat ran over the cliff. You nearly went the same way.

Thank you for shouting. I wasn't shouting at you.

I was trying to stop the cat.

Stupid ox!

Can you see it?

Probably swept out to sea.

I guess he's bought it.

School's starting.

It's the end of the season, anyway.

Bad luck on the cat, though.

Damn the cat!

Good God! When men are being killed every second,

we haven't got tears to shed for a cat.

You did well, John.

We'll move off in twos at 30-second intervals.

Rendezvous school.

Willy and John go off first.

Go!

If anyone asks where you've been,

you were out collecting caterpillars for the form zoo.

Better hurry or we'll be late.

We'll be late.

After the freedom of summer holidays,

I know how difficult it can be

to confine oneself to the routine of schoolwork.

But as we start this new term

in this, the fourth autumn of the war,

I want to stress that none of you have time to waste...

It's cockney Craig. And the slum kids.

Well, it seems I must start the term by reminding some boys

that this assembly begins at 9:00, prompt.

What's that smell, Michael?

- Manure. - -at this time,

but I suspect others have already done that.

Could you move forward a bit, Chettle?

I think I'm gonna be sick.

Shut your face, Craig.

But first, on behalf of you all, I want to welcome Mr. Stein,

the new master who is joining us this term.

Thank you very much, headmaster.

Well, I would like only to say

how pleased I am to be here in Hollesley

and how I look forward to getting to know all of you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Stein.

Herr Stein, he means. Ruddy Nazi!

Major Burton will now tell you about some important changes

in the Cadet Corps program for this section of the school.

Right. Sit at ease.

Now men, what I'm about to say

will mean less time for games.

But I don't need to tell you

that the Cadet Corps is preparation

for the biggest game of all.

New orders.

The Corps will drill three times a week instead of once.

Next month, you'll be going to the range at Cryde,

where you will be taught to fire the .303 rifle.

Next week, you'll be issued full uniform.

Remember whose uniform it is. Keep it clean.

Keep it tidy.

You can always tell a good soldier by his appearance.

And England needs good soldiers.

Right. That's all.

Vicar.

Let us begin the new term with hymn number 623.

♪ Praise my soul The king of heaven ♪

♪ To his feet Thy tribute bring ♪

♪ Ransomed, healed Restored, forgiven ♪

♪ Who like me His praise should sing ♪

♪ Praise him, praise him Praise him, praise him ♪

♪ Praise the everlasting king ♪

I'll get you for this.

Curlew? I shall want to see Curlew after assembly.

The rest of you are dismissed.

- Don't worry. It'll only be six. - Bad luck!

Come here, Curlew.

Well...

we don't seem to have started the term very well,

do we, uh, James?

John, sir.

He's one of the boys from London.

You know, I always imagined him to be

a little less a heathen than the other members of his form,

though that isn't saying very much.

Come here, Matthew.

This is Matthew Stein, Curlew.

I'm placing him in your form.

I want you to see that he knows where to go and when.

Show him the ropes, understand? Yes, headmaster.

And if he gets into any trouble, Curlew,

I'll come down on you like a ton of bricks. Is that clear?

Yes. Yes, what?

Yes, headmaster.

Come with me, Stein, will you?

I'll see you at the end of the day, hm?

My name is Mark, really, not Matthew.

The director does not know our forenames very well.

I am glad the director asked you to show me around.

I'm not.

If we have to fight...

I think I can beat you.

...which I trust you will find interesting and enlightening.

Oh, good morning. Good morning.

I must apologise for arriving so early.

As I was saying, gentlemen,

the various subjects we hope to touch upon...

No, no, no. Come up here. Come up here to the desk.

Well, Mr. Curlew? And where have you been?

And who is this gentleman you've brought with you?

Stein, sir. Stein, eh?

What, the son of our new colleague from Europe?

We are honoured.

Stein, eh? Yes, sir.

Well, go and sit down over there, both of you.

As I was saying, gentlemen,

this term we have each other both for Latin and for history,

though I don't know what I have done to deserve such punishment.

Who's your German friend?

In history, we shall begin with the War of the Roses.

And in Latin we shall be studying De Bello Gallico,

the Gallic Wars of Julius Caesar,

quite a military enterprise.

Please, sir. Yes, Craig, what is it?

I want to change my place, sir.

Very well.

Ahem, yes. We shall be studying

the Gallic Wars of Julius Caesar.

Excuse me, sir. Hmm?

I'd like to change my seat too. Oh, all right.

Now, the book we shall be using is...

Oh, dear, dear, dear, what is it called?

No, no, no, that can't be it.

Come on.

We're waiting for you, Curlew.

- Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. - Here it is.

Well, now that you all seem

to have settled down comfortably, gentlemen,

we might as well proceed with the program of the term's work.

Here is the news, and this is Frank Phillips reading it.

During the night, our bombers hit industrial targets

in Liège and Arnhem,

while the enemy was over London

and northeast England.

The Air Ministry reported 17 German planes destroyed...

Are all German Nazis? Hmm?

The new master at school, he's a German.

Well, I don't suppose he's a Nazi, John.

His son is in my form.

The headmaster told us to...

In the battle for Stalingrad,

the Russians still hold the enemy

southwest of the city. Stalingrad.

In New Guinea, heavy fighting

is going on in... New Guinea.

Can I do that, please? Casualties on both sides

have been heavy, and there appears to be...

What we need is somebody who knows something about tactics.

Few more regulars. Too many civilians running this war.

Change out of your school clothes, John.

Can't I do it after maps?

Now. Tea's nearly ready.

Better do as your mother says, John.

You were out very early again this morning.

Yes, Mom.

What do you find to do at that hour?

Collecting caterpillars for the form zoo.

Do you have to go out before breakfast?

Caterpillars only come out before breakfast.

He was out before 6 again this morning.

Hm? Well, you might

turn off the radio when I'm talking to you.

I don't know how you can play with those maps day after day.

...that brought the advance

of Rommel's Afrika Korps to a halt.

The Air Ministry has announced...

He's been out with that Craig gang again.

Lewis Craig's all right.

At least he's from London.

A bit on the tough side, but that won't do John any harm.

It won't be so long before John has to be a tough man,

or a dead one. He's only 13.

I'm perfectly aware of his age, dear.

In 1918, we were fighting German boys who were...

Only a year or two older than John.

He's no longer a child, and he's going to be a soldier.

I don't see what he can learn from boys like Lewis Craig.

That's enough!

I will not have him coddled as you coddled Steven.

I'm sorry, dear.

That was unfair of me.

It's having to sit around here.

If it wasn't for this leg of mine,

I'd be back in the army and doing something.

I might have a regiment by now.

Yes, I might.

You were passed over before that happened.

You ought to see some of the old codgers

they're bringing back these days. There's hope for me yet.

I suppose I do worry about him too much.

I nag him. And you too.

I can't help it.

You don't need to worry about him, dear.

He won't let us down.

Oh, John, bring the sugar from the sideboard.

There's a good boy.

Diana Aldridge is engaged to the Freeman boy.

- The Freeman boy? - I thought he was overseas.

He was home quite long enough to propose.

Good morning, John.

What are you doing here? Waiting for you.

Look, Wart only said I had to show you around school.

I thought we could ride there together.

What are you? Are you really a German?

My father and I lived in Vienna.

We are Austrian.

They're Nazis too.

I know what he is.

He's a bleeding Hitler Youth.

Does that look like a Hitler Youth?

What are you doing over here?

He's a Jew, you ox.

Are you? Yes.

My mother says the Jews own everything.

That's what Hitler says.

Why haven't you got a big beak?

I'm going swimming.

He can't join up with us, can he, Lewis?

We'll see.

Oh, for God's sake!

If he's going to blub every time a bit of seaweed hits him...

It was pretty hard.

Well, it was your fault for ducking.

It was meant for you, you clumsy ox.

I thought all Nazis were supermen.

That's why he's over here.

They probably threw him out.

Come on, race to the boat.

Wait a minute.

I think he's really hurt.

It might have hit him in the eye.

What did you bring him here for, anyway?

I didn't. He tagged along.

Stein, are you all right?

Oh, for God's sake!

I'm fast.

Look.

Think he can get home without you, nanny?

He'll probably fall off the cliff.

Curlew, I'm coming down on you

like a ton of bricks.

Why'd the Wart tell you to look after Stein?

Your father isn't German, is he? Yes, he is.

That's why he fought against them in the last war.

Fall in at the double!

At the double!

Pick up your dressing, left!

Right dress!

Stein.

Watch it.

Why do we wait here?

All right. Here he comes.

What have I done to you?

Why did you hit him?

There's one thing we can never forgive, Stein,

and that's being yellow.

That boy's father's a conchie,

a conscientious objector.

One of the White Feather Brigade.

While other men do the fighting,

he has a good time in London as an air-raid warden.

Why don't you go to London and hit the father?

Now listen to me, Stein.

Who are you to tell me what to do and what not to do?

We only let you hang around because John here is one of us.

If you don't like it, why in the hell

don't you go back to where you came from?

See how they treat you there.

That was silly. Do you want to make an enemy of Lewis?

They wish they were old enough to be soldiers.

Then they could prove how brave they are by killing people

instead of roughing them up. Isn't that what you call it?

Lewis could have bashed your face in.

Sorry, John. I didn't mean to embarrass you with your friends.

Let me finally remind you

of the words of Lieutenant Murray,

who, as he fell, mortally wounded,

cried, "Forward, grenadiers!"

Not, "Help me,"

or, "Christ, have mercy,"

but, "Forward, grenadiers!"

Let us pray.

O Lord, hasten to its end

the evil that threatens us.

Reunite us with our loved ones

scattered on battlefields throughout the world.

Give us courage in the fight ahead.

And through our courage,

grant us a swift victory and a just and lasting peace.

But not for another four or five years.

Amen.

So very meaningful, vicar. Thank you.

Any news of your boy in the army? Steven, isn't it?

He's all right. Fine.

Absolutely fine.

I hope one day I'll be meeting him.

Old Brimstone was in good form today.

"Forward, grenadiers!"

Hello, Willy. Hello, Diana. Hello.

I think that's what we'll call ourselves, the Grenadiers.

Oh, Diana, you would know.

How is it that Montgomery's having so much trouble

with the Germans? I mean, now that he's got

your fiancé Lance with him in Egypt?

Oh, Lewis Craig, you're a horrible child!

That wasn't funny, Lewis. Nor very kind to my daughter.

Lance Freeman has just been wounded.

I'm sorry, Dr. Aldrich, I really am.

- Lance, wounded? - Badly?

We don't know. Must've seen a lot of action.

Is he in the hospital? How many Jerries did he get?

Where was he hit? We don't know.

But it must have been pretty serious.

Is that what your dad said?

Why else would they have bothered

to send his parents a telegram?

Lance was a hell of a good chap.

Did you hear that?

You must feel it more than most of us, eh, Willy?

Well, yes, sir. He was going to marry my sister.

Still is, I hope.

You can all come over this afternoon.

Dad's calling a friend in from the war office

to get further details.

We'll be there.

I promised Mark I'd spend the afternoon with him.

Could I bring him along?

Don't bring him to Willy's, John. Not a German.

It wouldn't look right.

No, I can see that it wouldn't.

I thought I should tell you what they said.

I'm pleased you came, John. That's all right.

Lewis and the others don't rule my life, you know.

Well, they do most of the time.

Where are we going? Just wait. You'll see.

John, it's wonderful.

Lewis discovered it.

It's our secret headquarters.

Been empty a hundred years.

I wonder who lived here. The last squire of Hollesley.

He was killed in the Charge of the Light Brigade or something.

Hey, come upstairs.

Hello!

Follow me.

Where were you before?

Before what?

Before you came to England, you ox.

Switzerland.

Why did you leave?

They did not want us there.

What did Switzerland say?

Switzerland is a country for tourists, not for refugees.

Why? Hey!

Because my father said so, you ox.

I arrived in England on my birthday.

When is your birthday?

Here you are, shampoo and set.

Ha-ha, hey!

July the 18th.

When's yours?

March the 20th.

Did you have any friends in Switzerland?

No. We never stayed in any place long enough.

Why didn't your mother come with you?

She was arrested. Arrested?

The Germans came to the house one Sunday afternoon.

My father and I were on the roof.

We kept pigeons, and we were mending one of the huts.

When the Gestapo men came, my mother didn't call out to us.

I think she knew it was really my father they had come to take.

He had spoken out often in the university against the Nazis.

We did not know until we saw them push her into the car.

If my father had been alone,

he would have shouted at them,

but he only looked at me and pulled me out of sight.

Besides, what good would it do?

We waited there until it became night.

My father cried,

and I remember how surprised it made me.

I had never seen my father cry.

Someone should have shot Hitler.

I saw him once.

You saw Hitler?

He was a little man, you know,

like a clerk in a bank with a small moustache...

and his hair down the side like that.

You really saw him?

When the Germans marched into Vienna.

Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!

Do you miss London, John?

You do not talk very much.

I'm English.

I can talk enough for both of us, I suppose.

I'd like to lie in the sun and do nothing except talk to you,

until one day a man would come running through the gates

to tell us the war was over.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the war finished tomorrow

and my father and I went home,

finding my mother waiting for us?

And you could...

She's dead.

They killed her after we escaped them.

That's bad luck.

I like you, John.

I like you very much.

Can we come back another time?

Yes. Wednesday after school, if you like.

Well, look what we've got here,

two blooming lovebirds!

We seen you in the garden, you filthy bastards,

mucking about in the grass,

thinking no one was watching you.

I don't see it's any of your business.

Oh don't you, Mr. High-and-Bloody-Mighty?

I tell you what you need. You need your pants taken down

and a bucket of cold water thrown at you.

So this is the secret headquarters

Craig's been swanking about, is it?

Looks to me like a bleeding love nest.

How's the Hitler Youth getting on, eh?

How's my little friend from Berlin?

Vienna. Shut your mouth, Yiddy boy.

Come on, Mark. You'd best watch out

for his lordship, love. He's fixing to get you alone again.

Run!

You watch yourselves! One of these days we'll get you

and the rest of your gang,

and we'll beat the living daylights out of you!

What they said, we didn't do anything.

That's not it. Chettle knows about the house now.

And if Lewis finds out...

We're never supposed to go there by ourselves.

Lewis will be angry. He'll be ruddy angry.

He can't really do anything to you.

Of course he can, you ass. He can do anything he wants to.

You saw what happened to that boy the other day.

Look, John, Lewis is only another boy, just as you.

John, why are you afraid? You don't know anything.

You don't know anything about me at all.

My brother's not in Africa. He's a conscientious objector.

Don't you understand? A conchie!

In prison for being a ruddy coward!

I'm going home along the beach.

Good old Craig and the Cold Cream Guards.

The ladies' range is down the road.

- It's your little friends, Craig. - Right wheel!

Hey, Lewis, are you one too?

Left wheel!

Left wheel!

All right, mark time.

Squad, halt!

Left turn!

On the command "down," I want to see the last boy

sitting on the ground with his rifle by his side.

Wait for it! Wait for it! On your feet!

Squad, down!

Right. Well, while you await your turn to fire,

I think this would be a good opportunity

to talk to you about the reason for, uh, all this.

The first question we have to answer is:

Why is our country at war?

I will tell you.

We are fighting to defend democracy.

We are fighting to protect our way of life.

We are fighting... My mother says we're fighting

- to save the Jews. - If you wish to speak,

hold up your hand and wait.

Well, Freen? My mother says

we're fighting to save the Jews.

Well, that's, uh, partly true, of course.

The Germans haven't been treating

the Jews too well by our standards.

Then why don't they go back to their own country,

wherever that is? We're not here

to discuss the Jews, Freen.

You should know perfectly well

they have their own country in Palestine.

After all, Christ himself was a Jew.

But I thought he was the son of God.

God's probably a Jew too.

Those Jews get in everywhere, don't they, sir?

It's not funny to be blasphemous.

Now pay attention, all of you.

In a few moments, you'll be moving to the firing point.

I must stress safety.

Remember all that you've been taught.

Well, Craig, what is it now?

Is it true that all Jews are circumcised, sir?

That is an impertinent question. On your feet, everyone.

Couldn't we ask Curlew, sir? He would know.

What about that, John?

Are all Jews circumcised?

Come on, Curlew. You're the expert, I hear.

- How about it, John? - He's your friend, you know.

Come on, speak up!

I don't know anything about any bloody Jews.

Curlew! Aren't you in enough trouble already?

Stand up straight, all of you!

When I say "move,"

I want to see the last boy on the firing point.

Move!

Hello, John.

Ooh, what a fug.

Ah, the stars.

There's something worth the study.

A compass can go wrong, God knows,

but never the stars.

John, what have you been up to at school?

I've just had a letter from your headmaster.

He says you've been a bad influence on this boy, Stein.

Something about an unfortunate relationship

between the two of you.

What does he mean by that?

I don't know.

Well, he certainly doesn't make himself clear.

I don't see Mark Stein anymore.

Well, perhaps it's just as well.

He probably doesn't want to see me, either.

I said a horrible thing to him.

Well?

You'll be off to Deanbridge next summer.

Father? Mm-hm?

The boys at school are angry with me

because Mark's my friend.

Does it matter? I mean, what other people think?

Wait there, John.

I'll be back in a minute.

Answer it, John, would you, please?

Why should he, just because you're too lazy

to get out of your chair?

Yes?

Yes, he's here.

It's for you.

Hello?

Captain Curlew here.

Oh, yes.

What's that?

Oh. Well, wonderful!

Yes, you must be very proud.

Who wouldn't be?

Yes, yes. Well, thank you.

Yes, we'll be along.

Dr. Aldrich wants us all to go round to the Red Lion.

What, now? Apparently.

They're celebrating the fact that Lance Freeman

has been awarded the Victoria Cross.

He's been in the army barely a year.

Well, there's nothing wrong with that.

I never said there was.

At least Lance has won something more

than the campaign ribbons

handed out to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

Can't miss an opportunity

for throwing that up against me, can you?

A wonder you didn't wait till we'd got to the pub.

Then you could have done it in front of everyone.

Come on, boys. You know you're not supposed to be in here.

What's all this then?

Celebration. Lance Freeman's won the VC.

Best cadet I ever had.

Who would've thought that young Lance had it in him?

I suppose you'll get married as soon as he comes home.

They say he took a Jerry post

all by hisself. Is that so?

I told you it'd be all over afore Christmas.

Lance Freeman's won the VC.

What was the officer doing, then?

Sitting in the bottom of his bloody trench,

I shouldn't wonder.

Ladies and gentlemen!

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder

if I could have your attention for a moment.

I think the time has come for us all to drink a toast.

To Lance Freeman! To Lance Freeman, of course.

But let us also drink to my daughter, Diana.

Hear, hear.

A hero's girl if ever there was one.

To Lance and Diana.

To Lance and Diana.

And while you're all still more or less sober...

...I have some further news for you

which I know will give you pleasure:

Lance is already in this country...

Don't ask me how he managed it.

...and on Wednesday of next week,

will be arriving at Hollesley Station

on the 9:50 from Norwich.

As a matter of fact, I can tell you how,

if you'd like to know. It seems he's over here

to make a tour up and down the country of schools,

talking to the boys in the OTC

or whatever it is they call it. Army Cadet Corps, please.

Boy Scouts!

Ah, such a long time since I was playing soldiers at school.

However, as I say, Lance will be arriving next Wednesday,

and I know we can count on you...

Attention!

Curlew, forward march!

Cadet John Curlew,

for conspicuous gallantry in action,

His Majesty's Government has asked me to bestow upon you

this highest award, the Victoria Cross.

- Hip-hip... - Hooray!

- Hip-hip... - Hooray!

- Hip-hip... - Hooray!

♪ ...a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow ♪

♪ For he's a jolly good fellow ♪

♪ And so say all of us ♪

Curlew. Captain Curlew.

Yes, doctor?

I'm relying on you to help with the parade.

Parade? We want to give Lance

a royal welcome at the station.

I've arranged the band from Leiston.

The school will be sending the cadets.

What about heading a detachment from the British Legion,

being an ex-regular and all that?

Well, I'd be happy to help in any way I can, of course.

Thank you very much.

You'd think he'd won the VC, all that pomp and ceremony.

Can we go home now?

Don't you think we ought to pay our respects

to Mr. and Mrs. Freeman first?

From the way he's carrying on,

you'd hardly know they were here.

Ah, Mr. Freeman. Please don't get up.

We just wanted to offer our congratulations.

How very proud you must be.

We're just so grateful to have Lance safely back.

And with the VC. It really is a very great honour.

That's right. But when you think of the boys

that won't be coming back,

it doesn't seem so very important, does it?

Dear, I think you're forgetting the Curlews got a boy

what's still in the fighting.

I only pray it's over 'fore your youngest has to go.

"I only pray it'll all be over before your youngest has to go."

That's what my mother keeps saying too.

Should hear what my mother's always saying.

Don't worry. The war's going to be on for a long time yet.

Willy's right. Unless the Germans surrender.

They damn well better not.

Here we are then, girls, lemon with a straw.

All right, boy. You may go now.

Arthur!

He's getting too big for himself.

He needs to be brought down. All his yobs do.

We ought to do it before Lance gets back.

The sooner the better.

Hey, hey, take it easy with that stuff.

Don't wanna wet your nappies.

I'm gonna get us some beer.

What confounded cheek!

I shan't be long.

You'll be all right here, hm? Yes.

Good.

They've got no right to be here.

Willy's father invited all the masters.

I don't care. Probably one of his friends that shot Lance.

Shut up, Michael.

Don't you tell me what to do.

He's a ruddy Nazi, isn't he?

Sure, he is.

I suppose that's why they shot his mother.

Hello.

Hello, John.

John.

We're going to the cinema on Saturday.

Shall I pick you up? Yes.

I would like that. See you at 12 then.

Ah! Ah! Push on to the boats, chaps.

Don't wait for me!

Torpedo... loss!

No, "Torpedo, loose!" Torpedo, loss!

Oh, no. All wrong. I can't say it.

I think I'll wear a uniform all the time when Lance gets home.

There's the Military Cross.

It doesn't say how much.

Oh, can we buy it?

Hmm, the shop's closed.

The old chap's in there.

What would we do with it, anyway?

We can challenge Chettle and the village herbs to a fight.

After the fight, we'll decide which of us deserves the medal.

What do you say, Lewis?

Let's buy it.

What do you want? Um, that medal,

the one with the purple and white ribbon, please.

It is for sale, isn't it?

Everything's for sale, son.

It's high time we thrashed those herbs.

Come on, shell out. They're for it now.

We'll challenge them after church tomorrow.

I'll judge who gets the medal.

That leaves six of you, including Stein.

What good'll he be? He can prove he's not

what Chettle says he is.

How much is it, please? To you, soldier, 10 bob.

Couldn't cut it down a bit, could you?

No, this was brought to me

by the widow of a dear friend of mine

who was killed at Dunkirk.

Of course, I understand.

It was just that, with my shipping out and all that,

I really wanted Mother to have it.

Dad won the Cross, you know,

and, well, we lost it along with the rest.

Bombed out in London.

Well, how much can you pay, then?

Six and eight.

All right. Thank you.

Hey, soldier, what, uh...? What unit are you with?

The Hollesley Cadet Corps.

Where's Mark? He's waiting for us

at the High Street.

Hey, Chettle! Arthur Chettle!

There they are.

What do the old fools have to stand there for?

You don't own the road, then, do you, Craig?

So you might as well get out of the way

before you find yourself run over.

And if I don't?

Tomorrow. Seven of you and the seven of us,

at the manor house.

What time?

Six-thirty, before school.

At the manor house then, at 6:30.

That gives you 18 hours then, don't it,

to get some life into these wrecks of yours.

You'll need it.

Those yobs had better fight clean.

Be in the woods at 6.

You said 6:30.

Six. We'll ambush them.

They won't be expecting that.

Just think, tomorrow one of us'll have the medal.

I'm starving. Have you seen the flags on the High Street?

Ox!

Don't look so worried, John. I haven't run away from prison.

Steven arrived while we were at church.

Have you joined up, then?

Uh, not exactly. I'm going to drive an ambulance.

Well, I'm glad to see you've started growing at last.

We won't have to put him in a circus after all.

But you are with the army? Not with the army.

I'm being attached to a non-combatant unit in London.

I'm afraid your brother is still an unregenerate slacker.

Do you have to talk to John in that way?

I'm sorry, Father. No, you're not.

You take great pleasure in making a mockery

out of everything that I believe in.

Please don't argue, Father.

Let's try and have a pleasant reunion.

How many goals have you scored this season?

Eight. We don't have much chance for a game these days.

You won't argue because you know

you can never defend your position to me.

You're a conscientious evader, not a conscientious objector.

Well, at least we can agree that whatever I am,

I'm conscientious. I know how you feel about war.

My lord, I hate it too.

But if you were a German,

do you know what the Nazis would do to you?

They'd shoot me.

Then how can you say this war isn't justified?

But I think this is the most justified war that's ever been.

Then why the hell aren't you fighting in it?

It's still war, Father.

You've just admitted it's justified.

And so will the next one be. And the one after that.

The bigger the war, the better the justification.

And if we go on, finally we'll destroy ourselves.

And you know something, Father, when we finally do,

it'll be for the most justifiable reasons

we've ever thought up. Let me tell you something.

War isn't as good or as bad

as those who've never fought in one would have us believe.

Father...

I never refused service to spite you.

What other reason could there be?

Your father's a retired army officer,

not a fishmonger or an estate agent.

An army officer.

Don't you think you owe him an obligation?

You stopped thinking about Father a long time ago.

It's you I've embarrassed, Mother.

But not to worry. There's still hope.

With any luck, I can be wounded in London.

How can you be so callous?

Who made up the story that I was with the army in Egypt?

Not Father, you. He could've lived with the truth,

but you were so ashamed, you couldn't bear to tell anyone.

I don't suppose you'll want to be here

when Lance Freeman comes home.

Don't worry. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning.

But you've only just arrived.

I don't expect they'll mind if I report a day early.

If only one of you could have made me proud.

Uh, fetch the pudding, John.

It's in the oven.

I'll be back in a minute.

All right. Stand up and hook up.

When the light flashes, we go.

Go!

Go!

Go!

Go!

Go!

Go!

Go on.

Jump, John, jump!

Curlew, get out of this plane!

That is an order.

John! John! John!

John. Take it easy, John.

You've been having a bad dream. Get away from me, you coward!

You may be right. I don't know.

I want you to understand, John.

I want you to understand more than anybody.

There's a war on. How can you not want to be a soldier?

They make it sound pretty exciting, don't they?

Commandos,

a Spitfire chasing a Messerschmitt,

the band playing when you come home.

I...

I wish I could feel differently.

But I can't bring myself to kill another human being.

Why did you have to come home?

Why did you have to come home now?

Why, indeed?

Pull it up, Michael. Do you want to give us away?

Keep well down, John, won't you?

There's a good lad.

Felix, I want you over here with Mark.

Round there.

Mark, you and Felix let them go past.

Don't move until we jump 'em.

They're coming.

You'd better go over there.

They'll have to walk in single file.

When I give the signal,

each of you grab the nearest one to you,

get him on the ground and rub his face in the mud.

Let's give those yobs the thrashing of their lives.

Curlew, you ox, get down!

- Bloody hell! - Look, it's Stein.

- It's a trap! - Come on! Get 'em!

Ambush us, will you, Craig?!

- Go on, smash his face in! - Get him!

Back to the manor house!

Come on, hurry up!

Close it! Close it!

Check the back door!

It's too late. They're in.

Let's get upstairs.

It's all right. It's only Felix.

Where have you been? I had to sneak round the back.

We'd have had 'em if it hadn't been for Stein.

We'd have beaten the hell out of 'em.

I can't see them.

They're not here either.

There they are, the dirty cowards!

If you don't come out in five minutes,

we'll send girls in after you!

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard ♪

♪ You can't take your mustard ♪

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard ♪

♪ You can't take your mustard ♪

I'll kill that friend of yours.

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard ♪

♪ You can't take your mustard ♪

We'll make a break for it by the back door.

We can't. There's some of them watching the back.

Of course they are.

One of us'll have to go out this way, making a heck of a noise,

so that they all come running round to the front.

We'll give 'em a few seconds to move,

and then the rest of us can make a dash for it.

Who goes out the front?

I want a volunteer.

John ought to go. It's the least he can do.

What about you, Michael?

Looks like no one wins that medal today.

Go on.

All right, you guys,

let's get ready to beat the guts out of 'em!

Here we come, you herbs!

Grab him!

After him!

Have you had enough, Craig? Do you give up?

All right. We surrender. For now.

All right, lads. Let up on 'em.

They know their betters.

You'd best get your cripples out of here

while you've still got time.

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard Can't take your mustard ♪

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard Can't take your mustard ♪

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard ♪

♪ Can't take your mustard ♪

♪ Cowardy, cowardy custard ♪

♪ Can't take your mustard... ♪

The glass is bust.

Mark Stein, you are accused

of cowardice and desertion on the field of battle,

resulting in the exposure of our position to the enemy

and our defeat at their hands.

Does anyone speak in Stein's defence?

There's no one to speak for Stein, Lewis.

We all know what he's done.

The point is, what are we going to do about it,

apart from shooting him, of course?

He deserves to be shot, like all cowards.

Don't be so damn stupid, Michael.

If you haven't got a sensible suggestion,

for God's sake, shut up.

We've got to decide now.

Has anyone got a sensible suggestion?

We could always pretend to shoot him.

Go through the motions with real bullets,

and then when it comes to the point, fire blanks.

We haven't got any rifles and we haven't got any ammunition.

We'll all draw rifles tomorrow,

before we march in the parade for Lance.

Well, I've got some live rounds.

I stole them from the range. We still haven't got any blanks.

There's some in the box under the table in the armoury.

We'll need them by tomorrow. Won't the shots be heard?

We'll do it in the gym behind the classrooms.

The band'll be tuning up.

There'll be a lot of noise on the parade ground.

But Mark's ill. He hasn't been to school since the fight.

What makes you think he'll come tomorrow?

Are you still sticking up for him?

He's a traitor. He gets shot.

It's your job to get him here. He ran, John.

You might have had the medal if it wasn't for Mark.

But I'm his friend. That's why you have to do it.

Tomorrow morning, ten to 9, inside the gym.

Talk to him on your way home.

Mark, I wonder if you know who's here to see you.

Hello, Mark.

I'll get some tea.

It was kind of you to come, John.

That's all right.

I'm not ill, really.

I'm just afraid to go back to school.

There's no need to be afraid.

Lewis and the others won't kill you, you know.

I know that.

But they can do other things.

Come to school tomorrow morning.

They only want to punish you in fun.

It's a game, that's all.

If you don't come, we can't be friends anymore.

They will never like me.

But I will, Mark.

Will you, John?

Thank you, John.

I'm so sorry I cannot stay with you,

but I have an appointment with our headmaster.

Keep warm, my dear.

I'll be back soon.

Please, John, enjoy your tea.

What are you going to do?

You can't stay in bed until the end of term.

You've got to face the others sometime.

You ran, you know.

Is it the medal, John?

Will they give it to you if I come tomorrow?

It's only one piece of silver.

It doesn't matter.

You'll be able to see the parade from here.

It'll pass right under this window.

Heh, wait until you see Michael's face.

His cheek has got a lump...

If I am to go out tomorrow, I must start being well now.

Come on. Better hurry.

- You're late on parade. - Get in the rear rank.

Hello, John.

I'm taking Mark to see the headmaster.

Oh. Don't be late.

We're off pretty soon.

Parade, ten-hut!

By the left, quick march!

No!

Mark Stein, you have been found guilty

of cowardice in the face of the enemy

and have been condemned to death by shooting.

Have you anything to say before the sentence is carried out?

Prepare to load.

Load.

We have to hurry. Load the blanks.

Ready...

aim...

fire!

He's bluffing.

He's probably hurt.

He's got a sense of humour, anyway.

I'll get some water.

It's the blank.

Perhaps he isn't dead.

You're a good shot, a really bloody good shot!

I didn't mean it!

I didn't!

We'll have to tell somebody.

I'll go.

Shouldn't you be on parade?

Could you come quickly?

Someone's been hurt.

He's dead.

He was checking his rifle.

There must have been a live round in it.

Did any of you see it happen?

I did. He always was pretty clumsy.

It's asking for trouble,

letting a young boy like that handle a gun.

What was his name? Mark Stein.

His father's one of the masters here.

They were foreigners, from Austria or somewhere.

We shot him.

They live in Pinkney's Lane,

over the shop just off the High Street.

We killed him. We didn't mean to, but we killed him.

Go on, boy. It was an execution.

We meant to use blanks.

But we made a mistake.

An execution?

Why?

He ran from a fight.

He was afraid, that's all.

He was a coward!

That doesn't give you the right to take his life.

In war, all cowards are shot, aren't they?

But this... This isn't war.

What the hell is it, then?

If it isn't war, why are we wearing these uniforms?

Why do we spend three afternoons a week

learning the different parts of a rifle?

If they don't want us to use the bloody things,

why do they teach us how to?

Oh, lord.

We'd better go over to the station.

Come on, son.

Here he comes! It's Lance!