Original subtitles

l'm Laura Linney, and this...

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PADRE HORROCKS: Body of Christ...

(shouting, bombs exploding in distance)

Ah, Monsieur Wraysford.

We had almost given up on you.

Your train was late?

A little.

You're certainly not the last.

(footsteps)

Let me introduce you to Monsieur and Madame Bérard.

Delighted.

Monsieur, enchanté.

RENÉ: lsabelle, my wife.

Forgive me Rene.

Who came all the way from England.

She, l suspect, only from one

of the more fashionable shopping parades in Amiens.

Delighted

Grégoire, don't tease the dog, please.

We have dinner?

yes

(Bérard singing annoyingly in French)

(singing continues)

ALL: Bravo, bravo.

Oh, Papa has such a beautiful voice.

An artist is nothing without his patron.

Do you sing, Mr. Wraysford?

Very badly.

RENÉ: Pity.

l have a particular fondness for the patriotic song.

MADAME BÉRARD: You'll be staying with us long, monsieur?

STEPHEN: A month or more.

London is very keen to see how these new machines work.

They can do in a single day

what 30 of my women manage in a week,

and for one third of the cost.

GRÉGOlRE: Monsieur?

How old are you?

lSABELLE: Grégoire...

l'm 20. How old are you?

Ten.

AZAlRE: Remember, Lisette,

we are speaking in English tonight

for the benefit of Mr. Wraysford.

MONSlEUR BÉRARD: Madame?

Did l see you today walking along the Rue Saint Leu?

lSABELLE: l might have walked that way.

l passed that beautiful house near les jardins d'eau.

There was someone playing the piano.

l couldn't recognize the melody.

l just stood in the garden,

trying to stop myself from walking right inside.

And did you?

Stop yourself?

MONSlEUR BÉRARD: lt was one of those sentimental folk songs, l bet.

l cannot bear them.

Musicians of today are now satisfied

with four notes they can sell

on a song sheet on a street corner.

Give me one of our great composers.

Now, Camille Saint-Saens...

Ah.

Now, there is a composer.

René, forgive me, l cannot shake this headache.

Perhaps Monsieur Wraysford

can take my place at cards.

Of course.

And l had another little song

l was so looking forward to singing.

Another time?

Madame.

Monsieur.

Good night.

ALL: Good night.

MADAME BÉRARD: Oh, poor mademoiselle.

l hope she is not unwell?

My wife is of a nervous disposition.

(faint conversation)

(man yelling)

(woman crying)

(footsteps growing louder)

(door opening)

(woman sobbing)

Shh.

(door closes)

(breathing heavily)

(distant explosions)

(man panting)

DOUGLAS: Sir, Captain Weir has taken two men underground.

How long have they been down there?

Six, seven hours, sir.

And who told Captain Weir he could take two of my men?

Captain Gray, sir.

(explosions)

(whispering): Turner's heard something.

Just here.

Vibrations.

Could be Fritz laying a wire.

Too far down.

They'd blow their own boys up at the same time if he was.

Close the air feed off.

TlPPER: Tyson!

Tyson!

Cut off the air feed.

Turner's heard something.

Air feed's off.

For God's sake, Firebrace, we're expiring down here.

(panting)

l can't bloody breathe.

BRENNAN: So shut up and save your breath, Tipper.

lt's shell fire.

l heard wrong.

lt's just shell fire.

(sighs of relief)

(noises getting louder)

Get out!

Get out! Get out!

Get back!

(explosion above)

(screaming)

Jack!

l want my men out now.

We want everyone out, sir.

l can't get you out, Turner, l can't get you out.

TlPPER: Get out now!

Keep going forward!

Come on!

Turner, look at me.

Keep looking at me, all right?

Look at me.

Look at me, Turner.

Damn it, Weir, l will not allow you

to take my soldiers and put them in danger.

For Christ's sake, we're fighting this war too.

Hurry up!

Tipper.

Breathe out sharp.

lt makes it quicker.

Go on.

(water flowing)

Easy, lad, easy.

(screaming)

STEPHEN: Tipper! Tipper!

Tipper! Tipper!

Tipper!

You all right?

Turner.

STEPHEN: Tipper!

(screaming)

Tipper!

For God's sake, do you want to get us all bloody killed?

Get up.

Don't you ever let me see you do that again.

Do you hear me?

Sir.

l will not have you endanger the lives of the other men.

Get him to the MO.

WElR: Tyson, Shaw, rest up,

then l want you back down and start to pump out.

SHAW: Yes, Captain Weir.

l'm on sentry duty in an hour, sir.

Tunnellers don't do duty.

TYSON: They're short of men.

Firebrace, take his watch.

Yes, Captain.

WElR: Water table must be too high; it's all the rain.

So how many men did you lose?

One. Turner.

You talk to Gray.

lt was his idea.

l will.

STEPHEN: Sir?

Did you order my men down with Captain Weir, sir?

Weir?

Captain Weir.

Yes.

He's an engineer, isn't he?

Yes, and we're infantry, sir, we're not claykickers.

Those claykickers are doing their bit.

You'll find you like them

when they blow Fritz sky high from underneath.

My men nearly drowned.

Yes, l know.

Water table's up;

there's nothing we can do, unfortunately.

Sir, we're infantry.

We do not go underground.

Wraysford, they're laying mines under Fritz's trenches.

lf the Boche hear them, they'll dig down and break through.

They need protecting.

Try telling that to my men

when they're on a shilling a day, sir.

Try leading by example and go down with them.

Are you frightened, Lieutenant?

No, sir.

Refresh those sewer rats in the basics of combat

and then maybe l'll reconsider.

They may have been taught how to hold a rifle,

but l'm not convinced they'll be able to fire it

if the Boche break through into our tunnels.

Yes... yes.

(loud explosions)

Thank you, Riley.

Sir.

Rumor has it we'll get some rest tomorrow.

Then who'll keep the French company?

l don't know what's worse,

being underground or coming up and being under this.

Well, you'd better get used to it.

The big guns take at least a week to dig in.

They're not going anywhere now.

(explosions above)

Aren't you going to open that?

lt's been lying there all day.

Christ.

Mother has surpassed herself.

(laughs)

At least l get post.

lf only from my wretched mother.

l've never even seen you get

so much as a bar of chocolate.

Even the Red Cross send socks.

(more explosions)

You ought to get yourself a sweetheart, Lieutenant.

(loud shellfire)

Riley, bowl!

(bell tolling)

lSABELLE: Are you lost, Monsieur Wraysford?

No, l'm...

Yes, l am.

l meant to turn left, but...

There is a quicker route,

but then one would miss the roses.

Ah.

Are you settling in well?

Quite well, thank you.

l'm sorry that you are joining us at such a difficult time.

l fear the situation at the factory will grow worse

before it's better.

Grégoire is a fine boy.

Yes.

And Lisette, she's...

They are my stepchildren.

René's first wife died eight years ago.

We married two years after.

Ah.

l saw you today.

Near the Rue de la Gare.

There is a very fine café there.

l know it well.

You were visiting a friend.

A friend? No.

l have very few of those.

RSM PRlCE: On the command, load,

safety catches off, and open the bolt.

l've forgotten how you hold it.

Like you hold your sweetheart.

(laughter)

Quiet.

Take the charger clip of five rounds

and place it in the breech.

Push the rounds firmly into the magazine.

Open the bolt.

Close the bolt.

Safety catches on.

Check the safety catches, boys.

Good.

The weapon is now loaded.

Fire!

TlPPER: He's miles away.

Blast!

His finger's too fat for the trigger.

Hope you don't have that problem anywhere else, Mr. Shaw.

Don't hold it like you're in a penny arcade.

Tuck it under your shoulder.

No, tuck it under.

Tuck it in.

Fire!

BRENNAN: Hey, good man.

Not bad.

TYSON: lt's all muscle from that hard digging we do

while you boys are nancying around upstairs that does it.

Anytime you want to swap places, mate?

(laughing)

No, thanks, least we get a bit of peace down there.

Unload.

Close the action,

safety catches on,

and rest your rifles.

Douglas, check the targets.

That's not much cop if that's all we get

to practinpracticee shooting at Fritz in the tunnels.

JACK: Suits me.

l came here to dig, not to hold a gun.

You'll do what l say if it's needed.

Sir.

He's a cold bastard.

He's a queer one, all right.

He's just trying to get through this war like the rest of us.

l'd rather him than Florence back there.

Captain Weir's all right.

BRENNAN: Jesus Christ.

Don't Fritz ever stop for tea?

TlPPER: Not for breakfast, nor dinner.

Move out!

(shouting)

Douglas, look at me.

l'm here, Douglas.

l'm here...

Hold onto my arm.

Grip harder.

Harder, Douglas.

There you are, man.

Do you have a sweetheart, Douglas?

Morphine!

You do?

What's her name?

lris.

l want you to think of her.

l want you to think of

the last time you saw her,

and l want you to think of

the first things that you will say to her

when you see her again.

Think of her, Douglas...

For God's sake, morphine!

Keep thinking of her.

Keep thinking, keep gripping.

Keep thinking of her.

Keep gripping my arm.

(gasps)

Get him out of here.

Bad luck today.

This war provides daily lessons

in the extraordinary simplicity of the human anatomy.

See this muscle here?

l never knew that there was another one here,

inside the sartorius.

Not until l saw it.

You're drunk.

Not nearly enough.

Who's she?

Someone l once knew.

Would you believe it if l said l've never been with a woman?

Never?

How old are you, Weir?

Uh...

Old enough.

(chuckles)

The next village.

We don't want you to die curious.

(speaking French)

MADAME BÉRARD: Your family are close, monsieur?

No.

No, l have no family.

No parents?

No, no parents.

My father before l was born,

and my mother when l was four.

Then you must have children, monsieur.

They are the greatest gift.

Yes, people say that.

STEPHEN: Grégoire, how many is it now?

Five, but one is a fat one.

l've promised him a centime for each one that he caught.

Then you are more foolish

than l thought.

LlSETTE: lt is too hot.

lt's beautiful.

Maman?

Do we know her, Stephen?

You mean Monsieur Wraysford,

Lisette?

GRÉGOlRE: Oh!

Grégoire, attention!

STEPHEN: Grégoire, you will bankrupt me.

They're all asleep.

lt's very beautiful here.

Yes.

Yet all around there is such decay.

l take bread to the workers.

That's where l was going

when you saw me in the Rue de la Place.

The children are starving.

My husband would not approve.

Madame, forgive me, but l cannot stay silent.

At night, l hear you crying.

LlSETTE: Maman!

Maman, regardes

ce que Papa a attrapé.

MONSlEUR BÉRARD: Everyone.

A souvenir, if you please.

Attention!

Un, deux, trois.

(shutter snaps)

Perfect!

(geese honking)

(distant explosions)

Were you asleep?

l don't know...

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

Firebrace.

Pick that up, Firebrace.

Some of my men think that you tunnellers

don't work fast enough,

that you don't hear the noise of the enemy,

so they're terrified of being blown up from underneath.

And now they must escort you underground

as well as fight a war above it.

And in return,

you fall asleep on your watch,

just 50 yards from the German front line.

You know the punishment for falling asleep

on sentry duty, Firebrace?

Court-martial.

Sergeant Major Price will bring you down in the morning.

Eyes skinned, Brennan.

Yes, sir.

Byrne, bail out some of this water

if you don't want your feet to rot.

Sir.

(gasping)

(men shouting)

Smarten yourself up, lad.

Cap on straight.

WElR: Firebrace?

ls there something wrong?

Lieutenant Wraysford asked to see me, sir.

He was asleep on sentry duty.

lt's punishable by firing squad.

(laughs)

For Christ's sake, Lieutenant, you can't be serious?

He's the best tunneller l've got.

Sit down, Firebrace.

Have a drink.

No.

Thank you, Captain.

Sit down.

My son's not well.

My wife...

She says it's worse this week.

Diphtheria.

You turn it over in your mind.

Funny, you know,

how your head's here

but your heart's always somewhere else.

Do you have children, sir?

No.

No, l don't.

l've not been sleeping properly...

l have two men on guard

in a shellhole in no man's land

for three days, with their feet rotting in their boots.

What happens if one of them falls asleep?

Each one of them is someone's son.

Yes, sir.

Are you a gambling man, Firebrace?

JACK: No, sir.

l don't believe in chance.

Tap that top card.

Tap it.

WElR: For Christ's sake, Lieutenant,

you don't have the authority to have this man shot.

Seems like the man upstairs

is on your side today, Firebrace.

The ace.

Power and stability.

No further charge.

(stifled sigh of relief)

WElR: You may go, Firebrace.

Yes, Captain.

l should fire every one of them

and let them go hungry.

One cannot deny progress, monsieur,

when the world is demanding more.

And we must supply them with what they need.

But they do not understand commerce.

One must be fearless if one is to survive.

Big order.

French military.

(faint piano playing)

(gasps)

lSABELLE: Jeanne?

This is my darling sister Jeanne.

Jeanne, enchanté.

And this is Monsieur Wraysford, our visitor from abroad.

lSABELLE: Monsieur!

Monsieur!

Raoul!

(giggling)

C'est pas très convaincant?

JEANNE: Non, pas du tout.

Quoi?

C'est pas bien?

Je prie pour ma belle s ur.

(giggles)

C'est mieux, qiand même, hein?

Ah.

My sister was just reminding me that,

as children, we used to say that

l would open a shop in Paris

and she...

would live in the jungle and be a missionary.

But only after your lover had rejected you.

Maman!

What about you, monsieur?

What did you imagine as a little boy?

The usual, l suspect.

And what was that?

A life of sorts.

No adventures at all?

Every child should wish for adventure, monsieur.

Lisette...

That's the way all the young ladies are wearing it.

Do you not think it should be a little higher, monsieur?

Uh...

Maybe a little higher.

Lisette.

(both women giggling)

Grégoire!

You bat, l'll bowl

Dacors.

(still giggling)

(bell ringing)

(man singing in distance)

You must think we are silly, monsieur.

But we see each other so little, then when we are together...

Not at all.

She seems very happy now that you are here.

No.

l don't think it is my visit, Monsieur Wraysford.

At last, she has someone under 40 to keep her company.

You never married, madame?

No.

l resisted my father's choice for me.

And lsabelle did not?

Be careful, monsieur.

My sister is very dear,

but l'm afraid you will be the one who is hurt.

(faint applause)

Sir.

Have you read it?

Freud?

No, sir.

Pity.

Sir, Captain Weir said

you wished to see me.

Yes.

We're sure Fritz are going to break through any day now,

but we need to keep laying charges.

l need you down with those tunnellers.

lt's not natural to be buried alive, l know,

but we need a regular rota going down with them

if we are ever to mobilize near Amiens in...

Where, sir?

Amiens.

ln around six weeks, yes.

Do you know it?

l spent a summer there, before the war.

l will not...

l will not go down that tunnel, sir.

l did what you asked,

l went over their basic training with them.

For God's sake, is that not enough?

You're curious to me, Wraysford.

l've seen all that rubbish in your dugout,

your carved figures and bits of candlestick.

You're quite superstitious.

Aren't we all?

No, an officer can't afford to be superstitious.

Our lives depend on strategy and tactics,

not matchsticks or card games.

lt passes the time.

You'll go down with them.

All right, dismissed.

So Armitage, Byrne, and Tipper.

Here, give us that.

You do my watch tonight.

Cheers, Brennan.

Oy, what about me?

Give over, will you?

Cigarettes out.

Wraysford, you joining us today?

lt would seem so.

You keep that pump working.

Brennan, you go first.

Yes, sir.

There better be no crawling.

Just shut up, Byrne.

Down here.

Fighting tunnel.

Fighting.

Listen,

we've heard Fritz just been,

so if they break free, move back yourself.

We stick together and talk only when l do.

Firebrace.

You sure this will hold?

lt's not up to London Underground standards, sir,

but l reckon you could run a train through it good enough.

Brennan, you first, then Byrne.

(unintelligible whisper)

l can't!

l can't! l can't!

No, sir.

l'm infantry.

l'm not supposed to be down here.

l'll take my chance in a trench,

but not in a bloody hole.

None of us signed up for this, Byrne,

but if those sewer rats can do it, so can you.

Now, you can go down that tunnel,

or l will send you on every patrol

until you've cut the wire from here to Switzerland.

(muffled German voices)

(nervous breathing)

(muffled German voices)

Back!

Get back, get back.

(explosion)

(louder German voices)

Sir?

You're leaving already, monsieur?

Yes, l must go on business.

l will not be back until tomorrow.

l leave you in charge of the factory, monsieur.

Jeanne, are you ready?

Oui.

Tell her, René.

Tell her to stay.

l will not let you leave today.

Do not be silly, your sister cannot visit forever.

You're shaking.

Have you a chill?

No.

Marches avec moi.

Au revoir.

l am so sleepy.

Merci.

A walk in the garden,

and then a little nap, l think.

A walk is a good idea.

Do you want to go into town?

No, l think just a nap.

Oh, and wake me

if l am not up by 5:00, please.

Excuse me.

(sighs happily)

(footsteps)

JACK: We got him, we got him.

PRlCE: Move him out!

(explosions)

Get him out!

Move!

(more explosions)

(birds chirping)

(muted shellfire)

(moaning)

(faint shellfire)

MEDlC: Morphine, please!

Morphine!

(faint voices)

Papa?

l can't look at you.

l'm going to give myself away.

René.

All's well?

Bonjour.

(chanting): Nous avons des droits!

Nous avons des droits!

This malevolence has spread to the other workers.

"Nous devons rester unis dans ce combat

ou nous tomberons tous."

"We must stand together in this matter or we will all fall."

Did she seem preoccupied to you?

My wife?

Um...

l'm sorry.

l am sorry.

No, not at all.

She doesn't...

l'm sorry, you're right you're right.

You are very good for us, monsieur.

MEDlC: Morphine.

Morphine.

No, he's gone.

Name, tag him, and lay him out.

(flies buzzing)

(sleepy moan)

No...

No, a moment longer.

René will be home really soon...

lsabelle...

Do you feel guilty?

No.

ls that terrible?

(chuckles lightly)

l don't know why, but no.

No, l don't believe it is.

Perhaps l should.

You must want more.

Than what?

Than...

the picnics and endless dinners,

the numbing hours with him.

Let's not talk of this, Stephen.

l could take care...

Stephen, please...

l could take care of you.

So that he won't hurt you anymore.

He doesn't mean to hurt me...

Well, then why does he do it?

Hey.

He grows frustrated.

He can't...

For some reason, with me,

he is unable to...

My boy.

So serious.

(chuckling)

Now that you're here, he can't hurt me at all.

How does it fasten?

How does...

(laughing)

Mademoiselle.

The trees are too close together.

Or perhaps you are trying to sketch Maman?

lsabelle.

What do you mean?

l have seen you when you think we are all asleep.

Do you not want me?

Do you not want to do those things to me?

She is not even my mother.

(whispering): She need only say a word.

She won't.

Leave him.

This is madness.

Did you want her?

She's a child.

Did you?

l want you.

(door opens)

(people speaking downstairs)

Morning, beautiful.

Fancy a bit of that, Jack?

Too early for me.

Oy, l'm starving.

Put 'em away.

You're putting me off me eggs.

Who's the new brass?

Must be Wraysford's replacement.

Do you know where they put him?

Over with the rest of them.

Might be a brass now, but makes no difference.

We're all the same when we're dead.

Sir.

Lieutenant Cartwright.

He'll be taking over from Lieutenant Wraysford.

Yes, sir.

Sir,

has Lieutenant Wraysford got family?

l don't know, l...

l really don't know.

Someone should write to his family, sir.

Send his badge.

Yes.

Would you like me to go, sir?

Say a prayer?

Yes, Firebrace.

That would be very...

kind.

Yes.

lf you wouldn't mind.

Captain.

TYSON: Get me a souvenir.

Get it yourself.

You're going soft, Jack.

You'll miss breakfast.

Save us some.

(birds squawking)

Another order in today.

2,000 more coats for the military.

The promise of five francs extra in their pay

and they just look at me.

(incredulous chuckle)

Where's their sense of national duty?!

We'll break the strikers yet.

The strangest thing l've heard today:

someone has been taking parcels of food to their families.

STEPHEN: Well, they...

They do have some supporters, sir.

One or two sympathetic men.

No.

This is the oddest part:

it was a woman.

Apparently of some rank.

Now, isn't that the strangest thing?

The children were hungry.

l saw them going through the dustbins in Saint-Leu.

Don't ask me to stop,

because l'll do it again.

lsabelle...

lSABELLE: Punish the men,

not their families.

Leave the room.

Lisette, l said leave the room.

lt is all your fault.

lSABELLE: Lisette!

We were happy before you came.

Your father is right.

Leave the room.

l discounted these rumors,

even though it was your name attached to them.

René...

Be quiet.

Monsieur, if you please, l would like to be alone with my wife.

Sir... No.

Let him stay.

l want him to stay.

There was another piece of idle talk.

l chose to ignore it.

l'm so sorry.

l meant you no harm.

This boy...

This English boy.

ln which room?

ln my own house? Which room?

l pursued your wife, sir; l seduced her.

You have never taken the trouble

to know me, René.

Forgive me!

Yes, l forgive you.

l forgive you for all the wrong you have done me,

and l ask you to forgive me

for all the wrong l've done to you.

You will leave my house now.

Then l'll go with him.

You think you will be able to keep her?

(René shouting)

STEPHEN: lsabelle.

We must leave now, come.

(shouting continues)

J'enverrai quelqu'un prendre le reste de mes affaires.

Wraysford...

Wraysford.

GRÉGOlRE: Maman! Maman!

lsabelle!

lf you go with him, you go to hell.

(muttering)

Help me.

Help.

Get me up.

(groaning)

lsabelle...

(relieved laughter)

(feet shuffling)

(patients coughing)

(quiet conversation)

They told me you'd had it.

Not yet, l'm afraid.

You've been promoted.

Two weeks' home leave,

and then a spell on brigade staff back in London.

Wraysford...

Go home.

Visit Piccadilly Circus;

buy yourself some dinner at the Cafe Royale.

No one's going to think you're shirking.

When are we going to attack?

Why else would they be getting us up and walking,

if not to move us somewhere, sir?

You're right.

We go to Amiens next week.

lt's mostly new boys, Kitchener's Army,

and a few regulars to stiffen it up.

Amiens.

You're declining my offer of a desk job, aren't you?

All right, Wraysford.

l'll authorize your return.

But get rid of this voodoo, would you?

Believe in your men if you want to believe in anything.

That's the only way any of us can survive this bloody war.

This isn't a war, sir.

This is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.

Well, then...

Why the hell are you going back?

(birds and insects chirping)

Turn them over.

Tell me.

That's nine of clubs.

All right, so...

Much is held in reserve, including a strong will.

There is a certain...

a certain stubbornness.

Nine again...

lt's a fortune, but this time delivered in hearts.

A wish will come true.

But...

But an overindulgence in...

cake...

(laughs)

and wine and food

and the wine is to be avoided at all costs.

Ow.

Careful.

(hoofbeats approaching)

She's here.

(chuckling)

She's here!

(laughing with delight)

Margierite a emballé tout ce qu'elle pouvait.

Stephen.

How do we look?

Happy.

(conversing quietly in French)

(women laughing)

(artillery rumbling in distance)

Sweet Jesus!

lt's a ghost.

Brennan.

Sir.

How are you, Tipper?

Yeah, l'm good, thanks, sir, yeah.

That's Wilkinson.

Sir.

TlPPER: l've been keeping an eye on him.

Very good.

BYRNE: Who knows, Tipper,

you might be lieutenant by the end of the week.

(men laughing)

WElR: Wraysford!

You could have gone home.

Why didn't you take the desk job?

The hours were too long.

The company was tedious.

(woman laughing)

MAN: Voulez-vous marier moi?

Evans, pack it in.

PRlCE: Up on your feet, men, let's carry on!

Welcome back.

That's it men, on your feet, let's go!

Left, right, left, right, left...!

Firebrace.

Good to see you walking again, sir.

Yes.

Thank you.

Sir.

Firebrace?

How's your boy?

Fingers crossed he's on the mend.

Very good.

You seem well.

Left, right, left, right!

MAN: And l was King of England when l toddled out of church.

All the people started shouting, "Hip, hip, hooray!"

Said l, "Get down upon your knees-- it's Coronation Day!"

♪ l'm Henry the Eighth, l am! ♪

♪ Henry the Eighth l am, l am ♪

♪ l got married to the widow next door ♪

♪ She'd been married seven times before... ♪

Letter, Jack.

Get us another tea, Jack.

Watch it, his missus'll be after you.

Oh, Arthur, how could you? How could you?

When l love you so.

(men laughing)

Oo-la-la!

He wants a kiss.

♪ He only knew two words of French ♪

♪ That he learned in the trench ♪

♪ They were "oo-la-la" and "oui-oui" ♪

♪ They would spoon beneath the moon above ♪

♪ lt was fun to see them making love... ♪

(men continue singing nearby)

TYSON: Jack?

What's happened, Jack?

Jack?

What's happened?

His boy?

Yeah.

Died two weeks ago.

Only heard today.

Are you coming?

Got to be up at 5:00.

We're being dispatched ahead of the infantry.

Amiens is going to be a bloody squash tonight.

Half the BEF's moved in.

Have one for me.

TYSON: Mr. Weir.

Some of the lads were wondering

if we could have a couple of hours to go into Amiens.

lt could be our last chance for a drink.

We're leaving at dawn for the front line.

Jack'll have us back by nine.

Go easy on the beer, Tyson.

l want you sober for laying charges.

(boisterous conversations)

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

l say again, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh, come now, the management will put up

with a parsimonious paucity of plaudits

but we do insist on manners.

l'll say it again.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!

CROWD: Good evening!

JACK: l say, l say, l say,

What's the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

l don't know.

What is the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

JACK: A weasel is weasily identifiable.

SHAW: What about the stoat?

That's stoatally different.

(raucous laughter)

Those brass hats sell it to us like it's a busman's holiday.

"Now listen here, lads.

"We'll have you over by 1 700.

"You give the Boche what for

and we'll have you back in no time, home for tea."

Only they don't bloody tell you you got to leave your lungs,

your heart, your spleen behind on the front line.

That's some bloody souvenir Fritz is taking home!

(laughing drunkenly)

What's it all bloody for, eh?

SHAW: You've had enough, Jack.

What's it all bloody for, eh?

Come on, let's get you out, Firebrace.

No, no!

Let's raise a glass to all those already forgotten.

(scattered boos)

To Armitage, Turner, Douglas...

Come on.

Come on, Firebrace.

Everyone who died and my boy...

My beautiful, my beautiful boy.

Easy.

Here Firebrace, take that.

Thank you, sir.

My sleeve does good enough.

Firebrace, l heard... your boy.

l'm...

l'm sorry.

He's caught you well, Jack.

Can l keep it?

My wife, she'd like it.

Yes.

Of course, Firebrace.

Thank you.

Sleep it off.

(woman laughing)

Watch your step, love.

What are these cuts on your hand?

The wrong chisel.

(whispering): You should be more careful.

Six francs a week

and all day he is making table legs and sideboards.

Grégoire put in a note with my dresses.

"Dear Mother...

"l am in good health,

"but we miss you.

"lt's not the same without you.

l hope you will come back soon."

So sweet.

Do not torment yourself.

lt's only a letter.

lt's only a letter?

Stephen doesn't understand family...

the importance of family.

That's because he has none.

Though he would never talk of it.

lsabelle...

He doesn't believe in children.

Not what l said.

ln having children.

l do not believe in bringing children into a world...

What?

Without the promise

of keeping them safe,

of being a constant.

Not everyone is left an orphan, Stephen.

(door closes)

(speaking French)

You don't need to do that.

lt's easy enough.

l do make her happy, don't l, Jeanne?

More than you know.

You are a good man, Stephen.

A good, good man.

lSABELLE: There goes our last cup.

Merci.

Come here.

(crowd conversing loudly)

lSABELLE (whispering): This for the first time we met.

This for the last time we kissed.

This for the next time we meet.

STEPHEN: lsabelle!

lsabelle!

Stephen?

Jeanne.

The house...

ls lsabelle, is she...

She is alive, yes.

She's here, in Amiens?

Will she see me?

Stephen...

They move us to the front line tomorrow.

lt's the start of a big push forward.

l don't know when l'll return, so...

(sighs)

Please?

(door opens, then closes)

JEANNE: lsabelle is ready.

The house was hit by a shell last August.

Fortunately the children were away.

Grégoire is now at school, a few miles from here,

and Lisette has been working as governess

in a family just outside of Rouen.

Please.

Say something.

Jeanne didn't warn you l was injured?

No.

We thought it safer to send the children away.

Only l was there when the shell hit the house.

As soon the Germans occupied, René was taken away.

We believe he's dead.

Then you returned to him.

Not at first.

But over time...

lt wasn't easy, Stephen.

lt wasn't an easy decision to make.

You must believe that.

She has been good to me, Jeanne.

She hasn't left my side since...

Do you know what you did to me?

Stephen...

You just left.

Why?

l cannot...

Why?

You should not have come back if you...

(shouting): Why?!

Say that you do not love me anymore.

One day you will understand why l did what l did.

That it was for the best.

For whom?

You are the only woman that l have ever loved.

You were a boy.

What am l now?

lsabelle.

Jeanne.

Jeanne. Jeanne!

(door opens)

Je suis là.

(crying)

Stephen, l'm sorry.

Am l a fool, Jeanne?

Am l a fool?

No.

You are not.

She is not strong.

You can see that, Stephen.

lt will have helped her really.

You have to know how much your visit means to her.

There is so much in her heart that she has not told you.

So much she did not say.

l know this.

(soldiers singing in distance)

Weir!

Weir, get up.

We are going to get you a woman.

Bonsoir, Madame.

l want to go home.

Well, it's a long bloody walk.

See, she has a daughter.

Do you need a French letter?

Monsieur.

(door opens)

lt'll always be a little quick the first time.

lt's not funny.

This is your expedition.

You finish it.

lsabelle.

BARCLAY: Ah, there you are, Gray.

We'll be attacking along that line there

towards Beaumont Hamel by the Somme.

Our tunnelers are going to lay mines all along there.

They're going to blow a bloody great hole in that ridge.

Your men ready for it?

Oh, l should think so.

Wraysford?

Our Somme expert.

You know the terrain?

Yes, sir, l do.

l lived in Amiens before the war.

Lieutenant Wraysford, sir.

lt's marshy all along the banks of the river, sir,

rising up to Thiepval on the one side

and Hawthorn Ridge on the other.

We'll be in the first wave of attack?

Oh, yes, yes.

Over at dawn, regroup, take a breather by midday.

Personally l expect to be eating my dinner

off the regimental silver in Bapaume by the end of the day.

(laughs)

We will be attacking uphill, sir.

And l imagine the German defenses will be good.

They've been there a long time,

and their machine guns are well dug in.

So the ground will be churned up by the shellfire,

and the men will have to walk on the approach

before they even reach the German wires.

Lieutenant Wraysford...

The area has no cover.

The men will be completely exposed

and the casualties...

Our bombardment will blow every bit of the German wire

from here to Dar-es-Salaam.

lf there's any Boche left alive after that,

they'll be so bloody relieved,

they'll come out with their hands up.

Where did you find this faint heart, Gray?

(soldiers laughing lightly)

BARCLAY: l know many of you will be relieved

that we are going to attack

because that is what you have come for.

The bombardment stops tomorrow

and you will attack.

You are going to inflict such a defeat upon the enemy

he will never recover.

His wire is cut.

His dugouts obliterated.

Mines are being laid that will blow the Hun sky-high.

Tomorrow you must strive to win.

For your families.

For your King and for your country.

(soldiers cheering)

May God Bless you all.

Wire cutter, sir.

There you go.

Go on.

BYRNE: They've given us wire cutters.

lf the wire's been cut,

then why have they given us wire cutters, sir?

There's rumor that as soon as...

Just rumor, Byrne, just rumor.

Take them just in case.

You know these Fritz,

they try to repair the wire as soon as we cut it.

(distant explosions)

STEPHEN: Sir.

Sir, the men are ready, but some of them are concerned

that the wire hasn't been cut.

l've reassured them it has been...

l've been up and down the line all day today

and there's no shell damage at all.

Christ.

They've gone off behind the bloody wire.

Barely grazed it.

The bloody wire's not cut.

Staff cock-up.

Prepare your men.

lf l die here today,

you take charge of the company, do you hear?

Yes, sir.

(louder): Wraysford, the bombardment stops at 7:30, then we attack.

Pass it down.

Along with some rum.

(explosion)

You will advance at a walking pace

behind the barrage.

The artillery will lay down protective fire

in front of you.

When in doubt, you go forward.

When in doubt, you go forward!

(explosion)

Sir, the air is like solid metal.

You do not stop.

You keep your eyes on the enemy line.

(explosion, soldiers shout)

Hawthorne Ridge.

lt's ten minutes too early.

That will warn them we are going to attack.

Not yet!

(blows whistle)

Forward!

(scattered explosions)

TlPPER: "Just a few lines in answer to your letter,

"which l received yesterday.

"Don't worry, l'm not frightened

"of what's waiting for me.

"We are going to attack

and l can't wait to let Fritz have it."

EVANS: "l love you, Gloria...

"Always have... always will.

And tomorrow we'll know if we will see each other again."

Keep the line, man, keep the line!

Sir, can we do this?

Hold the line!

Sir?

Hold the fucking line!

TYSON: "We are going to attack tomorrow.

"Everything is absolutely thumbs up, Mary,

and bright and trusting to the best of luck."

They haven't cut the fucking wire!

BRENNAN: "l've not been the best husband in the world.

"But if l never told you, my dearest Bridey,

l write it now."

(gunfire)

SHAW: "l have enclosed a little badge of my regiment

"for Dolly's birthday.

"Kiss her for me

"and tell her l love her more than life itself

and l'll see her soon enough."

Stretchers at the ready, lads!

Jack, how can we just watch?

Come on, Arthur, we've gotta help.

My... my boys.

My... my poor boys.

(gunfire and explosions)

JACK: "Dear Margaret, thank you for your letter.

"My words cannot say how sad l am.

"He was our boy.

"He was the light of our life.

"l think about him when l lie down at night

and imagine he's in my arms."

STEPHEN: "Dear lsabelle, l am writing this

"because you are the only woman l have ever loved

and l fear that l may never see you again."

"l hope one day to understand what has passed between us..."

"But pray for me, lsabelle.

"Pray that l return and that we shall meet again.

Stephen."

SOLDlER (weakly): Please...

Please...

Please help me.

Shoot me...

Please.

Shoot me.

(groaning)

(explosions and gunfire)

(German soldiers shouting)

GERMAN SOLDlER: Rückzug, totaler Rückzug!

Wir muss' hier weg.

(explosion)

Zurück! Zurück!

(explosion)

(soldiers yelling)

You made it, sir.

The battalion are regrouping in the woods.

PRlCE: Sillitoe,

Simpson, Small...

Smallwood.

Tipper...

Tipton...

Topping...

Trainer.

TRAlNER: Sir.

PRlCE: Tulley...

We lost Tyson when the ridge blew.

PRlCE: Unwin...

UNWlN: Sir.

lt's all right.

The guns have stopped.

Half of England gone.

My God...

what have we done?

PRlCE (continuing roll call): Walcock, Ward...

West...

White...

Williams...

Wilkinson.

(sniffles)

When in doubt go forward...

go forward...

When in doubt go forward...

No.

Please, Firebrace, stay there.

SHAW: Someone's going to meet his sweetheart.

EVANS: Good luck to him.

l'd pay good money for a night with mine.

What, is she charging now?

JACK: Stand to, lads.

Firebrace.

Sir.

You've got your work cut out.

EVANS: Yeah, haven't we just?

You're looking smart, sir.

A day's leave.

Enjoy it while you can, sir.

EVANS: Give Amiens one for me.

What?

l am sorry, l am late.

No, please.

Thank you.

Thank you for seeing me.

Tea?

Would you like tea?

Please.

They say it's nearly over.

Any day now you'll advance

and you'll be free to resume your life.

l can't remember my life.

l don't think l'd know where to look.

How is lsabelle?

She is dead, Stephen.

Her heart and lungs were weakened by her injuries.

l was by her side.

She died peacefully.

(sniffles)

l'm sorry.

l'm sorry to be the one to tell you that, Stephen.

l thought you should know.

(strikes match)

Damn it.

Ask Riley to do that.

He does all mine.

Riley never matches the wool.

Do my cards for me, eh?

(knock at door)

Patrol quarter to the hour, sir.

So?

Weir, l fix it.

l cheat.

l make the whole thing up.

Shut up, Wraysford.

Coming through!

(gunshot)

His name will be added to a proud list.

Proud?

Do you really believe that?

Any day now we'll advancing into Germany.

When this is all over,

we'll put up some God awful monument

with four words chiseled underneath.

"Final advance and pursuit."

There must be one of those words you like the sound of.

Final.

(music playing softly in distance)

Come in.

Mr. Weir's replacement hasn't arrived yet.

So l was wondering who might accompany us tonight.

l thought the digging had stopped.

We still have to maintain it, extend the listening post,

which is all well and good.

Some of the boys thought they heard

what sounded like enemy work going on above.

All right.

My wife...

she loves Chaplin.

Take these, then.

l'm sure Weir would want you to have something.

The boys, they asked for you, sir.

They call you our lucky talisman, sir.

You're as bad as Weir.

Always trying to get me underground

with you sewer rats.

Sir.

All right, Firebrace.

(distant explosions)

Are you ready, sir?

Drew the short straw again, Byrne?

l've sort of got used to it.

We'll make a tunneler out of you yet.

l might have to take you up on that.

That's if the milk round doesn't want me when this is over.

Are you sure?

There's no happy housewife smiling on the Piccadilly line

waiting to grab your bottle, you know.

(whispering): Let's play Fritz.

He's 25, married, two kids.

He's about ten yards from the chamber, giving it a once over,

because his Boche Captain is too lazy and snoring in his bunk.

l say there's four of them.

And they're sat on their arses twiddling their thumbs

waiting for this to be over.

Let's just get this done and get out, eh?

lt's probably just shellfire.

(whispering): Listen again.

Footsteps going back.

They've laid a charge.

(explosion)

(silence)

(faint rustling)

(breathing raggedly)

(grunts)

ls there someone...? Who's there?

Firebrace, l was supposed to get you out of here.

Right.

What happened?

Camouflet explosion.

Won't be the only one, sir.

Get out while you can.

All the others are dead.

(explosion nearby)

They've got us marked out, all right.

You leave me here, sir.

No, you have got to help us get out of here.

Grip my arm, Firebrace.

(groaning, in pain)

Three tunnels.

Shaped like a fork.

You have to listen.

You have to listen!

We're in the middle prong, about halfway down.

lt leads to the second gallery,

about half a mile from the entrance.

Then there's a lateral section that joins the three prongs.

You're coming with me, Firebrace.

Put your arm around my shoulder.

Around me.

(grunting)

lt's the wrong way.

You've brought us the wrong fucking way.

lt's the right way.

lt's where the second explosion went off,

blocked the way out.

l will not die in a fucking tunnel!

(voice echoing)

Rest a while, sir.

You'll just exhaust yourself.

lt's not much, but it has a sweet garden.

And it suits our needs.

Thank you for coming back with me, Stephen.

Marguerite sleeps next door.

l could not bear to let her go after lsabelle.

A drink?

l'm not used to it but...

(sighs)

lt smells horrible.

Ballamor?

l remember lsabelle saying you liked it.

lt was taken

that afternoon in St. Remy.

ln the garden.

lt's very nice, Jeanne.

lt is big enough.

For the three of us.

Three?

Marguerite shares a room with Francoise.

Francoise?

She left the child with me.

l was to send her on, when this war was over.

lsabelle has a child?

A girl.

How old is she?

CHlLD: Maman?

Ma chérie, retournes te coucher.

Pardon, Madame.

JEANNE: She is seven.

Nearly seven.

ls she mine?

You had always made it clear you were not ready,

that perhaps you would never be ready for a child.

l swore to lsabelle

l would never tell you, but...

Please, Stephen.

Stay.

Meet her properly.

She is strong.

And funny.

So like her mother.

And that's why she left?

l'm so sorry.

(very softly): Firebrace...

Sir.

l loved a woman once.

Very much, you see.

And she loved me.

What else is there?

l have a daughter.

Do you, sir?

Yes.

Then you have something to live for, sir.

We've got to try and get out of here.

(coughing)

Firebrace.

What can you see?

Boxes of explosives, ammonal.

How many?

Hundreds.

(laughing)

One box will blow a hole big enough to get us out of here.

Move the rest down to the entrance

or the blast will kill us.

Do it.

Go on.

Be quick, sir.

Firebrace!

STEPHEN: Firebrace!

Stay awake, Firebrace!

(breathing heavily)

(birds singing)

Good morning.

CHlLD: Maman.

Morning.

We have made breakfast.

Maman.

Francoise.

Retournes à la cuisine.

JEANNE: Crocodile,

c'est très beau.

Merci, Marguerite.

Café, Monsieur?

At least take some coffee.

And perhaps some eggs?

STEPHEN: Thank you.

Francoise...

Bonjour.

Et en Anglaise, maintenant.

Good morning.

JEANNE: C'est un loup ou un chien?

FRANCOlSE: C'est un chien.

C'est pas un chat?

FRANCOlSE: Non.

Forgive me.

Jeanne, l can't...

l will do my best as her aunt,

but it is you she should be with.

You are her father.

Firebrace.

How do l do it?

Break a box of ammonal.

Lay a trail of powder across the top.

Needs to be a hundred yards, at least,

if we're going to be clear.

Thank you, Firebrace.

Jack.

My name's Jack.

Thank you, Jack.

l made a beautiful boy, John.

He was the best of me.

There is nothing more, sir.

To love and be loved.

(Jack breathing wheezily)

We're getting out, Jack.

There you are.

John.

(explosion)

(birds singing)

Come on!

lt is finished.

The war is finished.

JACK: There is nothing more, sir.

To love and be loved.

(digging)

Maman.

(birds singing)