All language subtitles for 1955 The Long Gray Line

♪ The Corps

♪ The Corps

♪ The Corps

♪ We've not much longer here to stay

♪ For in a month or two

♪ We'll bid farewell to cadet grey

♪ And don the Army blue ♪

♪ To the ladies who come up in June

♪ We'll bid a fond adieu

♪ The long grey line of us stretches

♪ Through the years of the century told

♪ And the last man feels to his marrow

♪ The grip of your far-off hold

♪ Grip hands,
though it be from the shadows

♪ Whilst you swear as you did of yore

♪ Or living or dying

♪ To honour

♪ The Corps

♪ And the Corps

♪ And the Corps ♪

Good to see you, Marty.
What's this all about?

Marty says his business
is pretty urgent, Mr President.

Urgent, sir?
It... It couldn't be more urgent!

They've... They've been
counting their fingers, sir,

and they find I'm over 70.

They... They want to retire me!
After 50 years, the ungrateful...

So I got Chuck, I mean General Dotson,

to fix it for me to see you, sir.

Fifty years in the Army's
a long time, Marty.

It is, sir, and...

and then again, it isn't, sir.

It took me thirty or forty years
just to get the hang of it, you know.

And, now that everything
is goin' smooth,

it'd be throwin' away my training.

A waste of the taxpayers' money, sir.

Go ahead and smoke your pipe, Marty.

I'd hardly know you without it.

Thank you, sir.

You know, sir,

we Mahers take our own time
about gettin' old.

Oh, over 70 I may be, and...

I wear glasses
for fine print these days, and...

maybe I have put on
a pound or two here or there, but...

I tell you, sir,

I'm in better shape now than I was
that mornin' 50 years ago,

when I rode the milk train
up the Hudson,

not knowing what I was
gettin' myself into.

I... I walked up that hill,

a young lad, fresh off the boat.

Halt!
Who's there?

Martin Maher from Ireland,
Your Honour.

Advance, Martin Maher,
to be recognised.

Recognised?

How would you be recognisin' me?

I only set foot in this country
last night.

Hey, Corporal, another Mick waiter.

All right, come along, Paddy.

Martin's the name.

Maher.
M-A-H-E-R.

Roscrea, Tipperary.

First platoon, all present
and accounted for.

Second platoon, all present
and accounted for.

Third platoon, all present
and accounted for.

Fourth platoon, all present
and accounted for.

Fifth platoon, all present
and accounted for.

What is this place?

Is it maybe a prison, or...

or is it a loony house?

This is the United States
Military Academy.

Oh.

What a fine ruin it'd make.

All right, pick up your feet, Paddy.

Martin's the name!

"A" Company all present
and accounted for, sir.

"B" Company all present
and accounted for, sir.

"C" Company all present
and accounted for, sir.

Do they have to wear iron braces
to stand like that?

That's the way cadets stand.
That's part of the discipline.

You know, you could shoot off
all their noses with one bullet.

Listen, these men are being trained
to be United States Army officers.

They come here for discipline,
that's what they get.

Dismissed!

Forward, hut!

Where do they all go?

You'll see 'em all at breakfast, Paddy.
Pick up your feet!

Martin's the name!

Left turn! Hut!

Take... seats!

How's the cow, mister?

She walks, she talks,
she's full of chalk.

The lacteal fluid subtracted from
the female of the bovine species

is highly prolific
to the eighth degree, sir.

That is the situation with the cow.

- Where's my milk, mister?
- Milk for Mr Bullock, sir.

- Get some wrinkles in that chin.
- Coffee for Mr Van Ennes, sir.

What's the definition
of "leather", Mr Morrie?

Sir, the definition of "leather".
The fresh skin of an animal,

cleaned and divested of all hair,
fat and other extraneous matter,

- be immersed in a solution of tannic
acid...
- Coffee for Mr Lindsey, sir.

Chemical combination ensues,
the gelatinous tissue of the skin

is converted into
a non-putrescible subject,

- impervious to and insoluble in water.
- Coffee for Mr Pinkard, sir.

This, sir, is leather.

Come on, Paddy, please.
Come on, let's get going.

Please, now, go on.

Come on! Come on, Paddy!
Pick 'em up! Pick 'em up, now!

Maher!
That will come out of your pay!

Vegetable plates
are eleven cents each,

Cups are seven cents,
saucers are four cents,

and pie plates are nine cents,

and soup tureens
are ninety-four cents.

Five o'clock for you too.
Be back at five. Five o'clock.

Back at five.

Maher, there's nothing there for you.

Do you know that
you've been here two months,

and you owe three months' pay
for breakage?

'Tis a slave I am!

'Tis a slave I am!

Workin' meself to a shadow, and not
a brass farthing to drown my sorrows.

Maher!

Oh, come on back. Come on.

I know I'm a fool to do this,

but there's three dollars
of my own money.

You know, something you can
jingle in your pockets,

but not to get you in
much trouble, though.

Oh, thank you, Your Honour.

'Tis not every man has three dollars'
worth of kindness in his heart.

- Thank you kindly, sir. Thank you.
- You're welcome. You're welcome.

Go on. Go on with you.

Thank you kindly, sir.

Rudy Heinz!

Ah, 'tis a fine soldier you look,
all spit and polish.

When do you go on furlough?

Not before you pay me that five bucks.

- Five bucks?
- Yeah, the five bucks I lent you

to send to your
dear old father in Ireland.

'Tis a curious thing.
I don't remember it at all, at all.

Now, listen! You were cold sober
when you handed me that story.

Now, come on.
Let's have it.

Er... Rudy, I, um...

I've got terrible news for you.

You'll have to wait a few months

till I can balance me assets
with me liabilities.

Maher!

You'll work out every chip of that,

- if it takes the rest of your life!
- Me?

McDONALD: Yes, and I'm going to
attend to Corporal Heinz over there.

He'll do some time
in the guardhouse for this.

Time! Time...

Is that all you'll do to him?
Lock him in the guardhouse for a bit?

He's in the Army!
That's all I can do.

Come on, get a broom. Get this up.
Hurry up. Get it up, right now.

Hurry up, man.
Go on.

...and I will obey the orders
of the President of the United States.

I will obey the orders
of the President of the United States.

And the orders of
the officers appointed over me.

And the orders of the
officers appointed over me.

According to the rules
and articles of war.

According to the rules
and articles of war.

- Your second enlistment?
- Er... no, sir, my... my third.

This last year I've had a little
tough luck. I've been tending bar...

- You?
- Farm, sir.

You've had previous
military experience?

Yes, sir.

- Ein Jahr Gefreiter?
- Jawohl, Herr Rittmeister.

I welcome you men
into the United States Army.

It's an army with a proud record
of devotion to peace, victory in war.

Here at West Point,
you're at its very heart.

You'll be in daily contact
with the cadets of the Corps,

and your superiors will expect you to
conduct yourselves accordingly.

Questions!

Sir, I... I'd like to ask
a question about breakage.

If a man was to drop, say, a cannon...

Corporal Heinz!

Right face!

Forward. Column, right! Hut!

Ah, Captain, darlin',

we're going to be in grave trouble
if the British should suddenly...

Corporal Heinz!

All right, prisoner,
pick up your feet.

- Good evening, Mr Larson.
- Oh, are we back to "Mister" again?

By the end of the last hop,
we were Nell and Whitey.

This is another evening,
but it's still young.

Good evening, Mr O'Carberry.

- Where's Peggy?
- Isn't she here yet?

She left hours before the train.

Her father let her take
the new automobile.

Eighty miles in one of those things,
and driving at night!

She must be out of her mind!

Look, you two go on.
I'll wait here.

Go on, go on,
you'll miss the first dance.

O'Carberry, is it?

There was a man by that name
in Tipperary

once sold my father a horse.

My O'Carberrys have been away
from Ireland a long time.

Huh!

Good thing, too.

Yeah, the ones that stayed
are a bad lot.

The horse was a stolen horse.

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

Stolen from the police barracks,
all praise to Him!

♪ Good night, gentlemen ♪

- Good night, Whitey.
- Good night, Nell.

♪ Good night, gentlemen ♪

Good night, Whitey. I'll write.

♪ Good night, gentlemen ♪

Giddy-up!

♪ We're going to leave... ♪

- You've been here all this time?
- I'm still waiting for Peggy.

Well, if she's half the girl
you tell me she is,

you've no cause to worry.

- This is Marty Maher. Whitey Larson.
- How do you do, sir?

If you have any trouble with horses,
drop around and see Marty.

- He's in the infantry.
- Well, naturally! He knows horses.

You don't think they'd put him
in the cavalry, do you?

Well, come on, Jim.
Five minutes to Taps.

- Good night, Marty.
- Good night, sir.

- Good night, Marty.
- Good night.

Jim!

Peggy!

Oh, Peggy, darling!

I was so worried about you.
I was afraid you had an accident.

Oh, I had to spend the whole
evening in a blacksmith shop

getting this thing fixed!

- Peggy, I love you!
- Jim!

Hey, Maher!
That cadet's off limits.

Cadet, sir?
I see no cadet, sir.

I don't think that you do, either.

I never thought
I'd live to see the day.

Ah, the time we'll have tonight!

Oh, I've had passes. You can walk
to that village in 20 minutes.

There's nothing to do.

Me friend, Jim O'Carberry,
walkin' punishment.

Hey, come on!

Corporal Heinz, permission to speak.

- Take it easy, Marty, take it easy.
- Shoot.

I'm here to tell you to your face,
you're a dirty informer!

All right, break it up!
Break it up!

Hey, the fella with the right cross,
he's good!

He's good for ten days
in the guardhouse.

...and him gettin' off scot-free!

I'll beat him to a pulp when I
get out of this, the dirty informer!

And you, tryin' to lie out of it.

Tellin' me you turned yourself in!

I'm sorry, Marty. I did report myself.

I don't believe it!

At a hop, we're on our honour
not to go off limits.

I went. I had to report it.

You mean, you do something wrong
and get away with it, nobody the wiser,

and then you have to go and tell 'em
that you broke the rules?

Well, that's it. Only it's breaking
your word that's the honour offence.

Even the Commandant
could see how it happened.

Before I knew what I was doin',

Peggy was in my arms,

and I was engaged to be married.

"Engaged to be married."

Ah, the beauty of it.

It fills my heart with joy,
locked in a dungeon though I may be.

Oh, they're letting you out today,
Marty.

Eh, what's the good?

They'd only think up some new
persecution to torment me poor soul.

Oh, you're to report
to the Master of the Sword.

Master of the Sword?

Captain Koehler.
He's a swell officer.

Master of the Sword?

All right, get in here.

I'm Captain Koehler,
Master of the Sword.

Maher, you're a rotten soldier!
No soldier at all!

Slovenly, undisciplined,
insubordinate,

bad-tempered, and full of cute tricks!

While I'm Master of the Sword,

there'll be no guardhouse rats
around my cadets.

You like to use your fists, huh?

- Yes, sir.
- All right, let's see you use 'em.

Y... you mean I, er...

I have permission to hit the Captain?

You have permission to try.
Go ahead.

I'm interested in boxing, not dancing.

I need a man, Marty.

Would you like to work for me?

Ah, that I would, Captain, darlin'.

All right.
Let's get a shower.

Good morning, Marty.

Where's Captain Koehler?

Captain Koehler.

- Oh, he's in the boxing room, ma'am.
- Thank you.

Hello, dear.

Oh, she's a perfect jewel.

Marty, take over the boxing class.

- Marty!
- Sir!

The boxing class.

Ten-hut!
At ease.

Ten-hut!
At ease.

Quiet, now.

Now, the purpose of your
instruction in boxing is threefold.

A cadet must learn to take punishment,
as well as to give it.

We're training you to be officers,

and preparing you
for positions of authority.

This being the case,
we don't pull our punches.

We'll now have a demonstration
of the value of footwork.

Mr Lummox!

Mr Lomax, sir.

Yes, well, Mr Lomax, would you
get up into the ring, please?

'Ten-tion!

Well, now,

I will now give you
the benefit of me experience.

You'll watch the position
of the hands,

and note the footwork.

Well, now,

Mr Lummox,

you now have permission
to try to hit me.

Permission to speak, sir.

Go ahead.

Is that uniform regulation?

It's me issue, sir.

'Course, the tailor took
a tuck here and there.

I always say, sir,
if a man's a soldier,

he should look like a soldier.

Sure.

- Sir, that foreign girl.
- The what?

The greenhorn with Mrs Koehler.

The one with the...
the petticoats and the shawleen.

Oh, it's Mary O'Donnell.
She's our cook. Good, too.

Is she, indeed?

Sir, you know the devil himself
finds work for idle hands to do.

Now, you know I'm not a man
to go hanging around saloons.

- What?
- No, sir. I'm sober, industrious.

- Are you all right, Marty?
- Yes, sir.

I... I was just thinking, sir,
if there was something

I could do around the house
to help Mrs Koehler. You know...

- Well, I'll ask her. Thank you.
- Not at all, sir. Anything at all.

At any time, sir. You know, carpentry.
I'm handy with the drains.

Good, fine, fine.

Thank you, sir.

Ah, you know,
this is very homey, Mary O'Donnell.

You, icin' the cake,
and me, cleanin' the drains.

Well, like I was saying,

us kids never learned our ABCs.

We learned our ZYXs, because
my father was always insistent

that we children learn
the alphabet backwards, like...

"ZYX, WVU, TSR, QPO..."

I'll wager you can't do that.

My father was a man
of very strong opinions,

as many a bloody-nosed schoolmaster
has learned to his sorrow.

A cut of fresh-baked cake,

a cup of black tea,
and a pretty girl to talk to.

A girl with a pretty voice, too.

Supposin', for all I know.

You can turn on the water now.

Did anyone ever tell you
you're a pretty thing, Mary O'Donnell,

with your red hair
and your fine big feet?

Ah, there's no girls in the world
like an Irish colleen.

Tipperary?

Donegal?

You know, when first
I laid eyes on you,

I found myself thinking,
"there's a girl!"

Look! Look how fine it runs out.

And you don't have to worry any more

about anything slipping
down the drain,

'cause I'll be only too happy
to come back at any time at all

and clean it out again.

Oh, Mary!
Turn off the water!

- Oh!
- Mary, turn it off!

You blasted idiot!
Who told you to...

Well, Marty, your nice uniform!

Sorry, ma'am, my remarks
were not meant for you.

They were meant for that
chowder-headed Mary O'Donnell.

Why, Marty Maher, I thought you two

were having such a nice visit
talking about Ireland.

Talking, did you say?
Talking?

To now, I didn't think
she could talk at all.

Oh, she's shy, Marty.

Why, she's just been telling me
what a fine workman you are.

Did she now? I wasn't sure
she even noticed I was here.

Um... she tells me there are
half a dozen things need fixing.

I was going to have a carpenter in,
but she, er...

she insists you can do it much better.

Honest, now?

Cross my heart.

In spite of the fact that
your heart seems

to be on the right side, Mrs Koehler,

I'll stop by in the morning, ma'am.

Thank you, Marty.

Well, now, this is a happy accident.

I'd no idea I'd find you here.

No idea at all.

Do you come to watch
the review every Saturday?

I said, do you come to watch
the review every Saturday?

That's my friend, Jim O'Carberry.

First Captain, he is.

I'm like a father to him.

Come June week, he'll be graduated.

They'll be married in the chapel,
him and his Peggy.

Jim and Whitey Larson have been
after me to stay for the wedding, but...

I'll not be here.

I said, I'll not be here!

Me enlistment's up next week,
Mary O'Donnell, and I'll be leavin'.

There's some things
I'd like to talk over with you.

After the parade, we could, er...

get a boat, and go
for a row on the river.

Captain Koehler'd be glad
to give me a pass,

seeing as it's the last one
I'll be askin' for.

What do you say?

Ah, would you look at that!

Sandwiches, apples and bananas.

Ah, píosín of cake!

Rudy Heinz!

- Sir, have I permission to speak?
- Go ahead, Marty.

If you got down on your hands and knees,
I wouldn't take a pass from you!

Well, this is the last review
you'll see, Marty.

Aren't you gonna stay for the finish?

You are leaving next week, aren't you?

Sir, the way certain matters stand now,
I wouldn't think of leaving.

I'm on my way right now to re-enlist.

♪ October winds lament

♪ Around the Castle of Dromore

♪ But peace is in her lofty halls

♪ Mo páiste veg asthore

♪ Though autumn leaves may droop and die

♪ A bud of spring... ♪

Is that you with the terrible
bronchitis, Mary O'Donnell?

Now you'll sit still, my girl,
and listen to what I have to say.

You're too empty-headed to see it,

but I've had the whole
afternoon to think it out,

and you're the victim
of a devilish plot.

Captain Koehler,
that beady-eyed horse thief,

him and his friends from Milwaukee
have got it all cooked up,

and the end will be yourself in the arms
of that knuckle-headed Corporal Heinz.

But I'll not have it!
I'm giving you your last chance.

I'll have just two words out of you,
my girl, and it'll be "yes" or "no".

- Now, what do you say to that?
- I say "yes".

And none of your beatin' aro...

- What's that you say?
- I said "yes".

You said "yes"?

The first word ever I hear
out of you, and it's "yes".

Why would you never talk
to me all the time

I was working my hands
to the bone just to be near you?

And why would you never even
give me a hint

before I went and got in
for another enlistment?

Captain Koehler told me not to.

Oh, he did, did he?

He said you were that full of arguments,
that we'd only fight if I talked to you.

And that'd be the end of that!

Full of arguments.

A sweeter man than me
you'll never find.

And when did you ever hear me utter
a
cross word, you addlepated
flibbertigibbet?

There you go, Martin Maher!

And before you've even
as much as kissed me!

Before I've...

Mary, er...

there's something you've got to know.

What with one thing and another,

I've not been able
to lay by much money.

Ah, we'll make out fine, Martin.

The... that we will.

We'll save our money till
we can go back to Tipperary

and buy McGinnerty's pub.

Back to the old country?

Where else?

With me old father,
and me young brother Dinny.

Ah, they'll be that proud of
me fine, healthy wife.

Ah, but...

things are cruel hard
in Ireland now, Martin.

Well, things are cruel hard
for the poor everywhere, Mary.

But not for them as owns a pub
in a hard-drinkin' locality.

Martin, I'm happy here.

This is a fine, proud place.

Just bein' here,
just bein' the littlest part of it,

my heart's lifted up.

I tell you what.
I'll help you save the money,

and you can bring your father
and your brother out here.

Here? Himself?
The old man?

Him that's lived free all his life?

Bring him here to West Point,
among the regulations and...

It hasn't done you any harm,
Martin Maher.

Captain Koehler says that
you're a better man for it.

Braggin' about it, is he?

Oh, you know the new married quarters
over by the parade ground?

Well, he's arranged for us
to have one of the houses.

The truth?

You mean, with the electric lights?

- And the hot-and-cold, and the...
- Yeah.

How is it that he's fixin' quarters
for us before I even...

Why, that Koehler!

Of all the underhanded, connivin'...

He and his wife put you up to this,
and there's the proof!

Is it sorry you are already,
Martin Maher?

It's sorry I'll never be,
Mary O'Donnell.

Ah, good evening to you,
Mary O'Donnell.

Woman of the house.

I've been goin' over the account
with that thievin' bank,

- and there's $300 missing.
- Oh, Martin!

Oh, wait a minute!

I've matters of importance
to talk over with you, madam.

Forty-three dollars and twenty-six cents
is all they say we've got,

and butter wouldn't melt
in their mouths.

It was all your idea
puttin' the money in the bank.

If we'd left it
behind that loose brick...

Martin, I drew out the $300 myself.

- Ah, did you now?
- I did.

The money I was puttin' by
for our passage to Ireland?

I did.

Oh. Well, did you buy
some diamonds, maybe, or a...

or a grand piano?

That money...

Dadyo.

Dadyo!

Sure 'tis a thing out of my dreams
to look upon the...

face of my beloved father again.

Since the day I turned my back
on the green hills of Ireland,

and crossed the wild wide sea,
I've prayed for this thing.

And now to see you here
in me own house!

Ah, blessed is the day
that brings you here.

And blessed is the good woman
that I married,

with her scrimping and her scrubbing,
and putting away the money.

Will you have the decency
to stop eatin'

while I'm offering you the welcome?

Go ahead, boy, go ahead.

Dinny!

'Tis a grown man you are.

And 'tis proud I am
to have you for a brother,

with yourself that grand-lookin'.

Corporal stripes they are, Dinny.
He's just after been promoted.

- Corporal, huh?
- Yeah.

I was just thinking meself,
maybe I ought to join up too, huh?

- That's with your permission, sir.
- That you will not.

You know what this here means?

Four years of my life in the
ash can for each one of these. Tah!

No, it's off to New York
in the morning for you, bucko,

to learn a trade.

A good bricklayer!

A bad bricklayer.
Any bricklayer at all

makes more than they pay my boss,

and him a great leader of men.

A grand officer
like Major Koehler, USA.

Oh, I had a talk with him today.

Oh, you did, did you?

And what did you have to talk about
with that beady-eyed horse thief?

Well, you might as well
face up to it, Martin Maher,

but there's not a cadet in the Corps

- that can't kick the stuffin' out of
you.
- Ha!

It's that black-hearted Major tipped
them off to a few of my weak points.

- So he's takin' you off the boxin'.
- What?

We wants you to have more time
for the football and the baseball.

- That's my pipe, Dinny.
- Oh, and a fine pipe it is, too.

And he thinks you'd make
a grand instructor for the swimmin'.

Instructor for the swimmin'?

Me, that can't swim a kick.

Swim?

Why, the black-hearted...

I'll no...

Be quiet.

Martin, shut up.

Shut up!

Do you have the Irish,
woman of the house?

I have.

Then 'tis for you to say the words.

Kneel.

Martin!

Céad míle fáilte romhaimh
is beannacht Dé oraibh

ar do céad cuairt go dtig m'fhir céile

a athair, agus a dheartháir fós.

And may God bless this house
that shelters us,

and may He bless this grand country
that offers us hope.

Amen.

Swimming.

You be careful, Major.
You be careful, Major, darlin'.

Now, repeat your instructions.

In swimming, there are
four things to master:

confidence, timing,
relaxation and breathing.

The breaststroke is the best...

Repeat your instructions!

In swimming there are
four things to master:

confidence, timing, relax...

Oh!

Marty, repeat your instructions!

How can I swim in all this water,
Major, darlin'?

Repeat your instructions!

In swimming, there
are four things to master:

confi...

Now then, in swimming
there are four things to master:

confidence, timing, relaxation...

and breathing.

The breaststroke is best

for swimmin' with a pack
and rifle on your back.

We execute the breaststroke
by the numbers.

- You tired, mister?
- No, sir.

All right, then. You're first.

Hey, come back here!

Come up out of there!

Just a minute, mister.
What kind of swimmin' was that?

- Australian crawl.
- Oh, was it now?

And are you maybe an Australian?

- Well, it's the fastest stroke there
is.
- So I've been told.

Shall I get you a pack and a rifle

and see how fast you'll swim
with them on your back?

You'll swim
the breaststroke here, boyo.

Well, I was just showing you
I don't need swimming lessons.

So I can be excused.

Excused, is it?
You'll not be excused.

We'll need you for the swimming team.

With your permission,
I'll talk to Major Koehler.

Well, you've not my permission.

You'll not be wasting the Major's time.
I'm tellin' you.

I'm sorry, sir!

Go easy, Marty.
Sundstrom's had enough trouble.

And askin' for more.
Flaunting the authority I hold over him!

Marty, he's way behind in his studies.

Ah, take it easy, Marty.
He plays football...

- How many of youse are left?
- Five.

Well, half of youse get in the water.

- Hey, Marty...
- Keep rubbing it, my
boyo, keep rubbing it.

Corporal, I told you
I'll talk to Major Koehler.

Well, I'll save you time
and tell you what he'll say.

Sports here are a part
of your trainin'.

If you can make a team,
you'll make it.

You'll swim, Mr Sundstrom.

And with those shoulders
you've got on you,

you'll be out for football
in the fall.

If I'm here next fall.

Ah, so you've decided
you don't like West Point, huh?

Look, I've wanted to come here
ever since I was that big.

Joined the regular army to get in.

Beat my brains out cramming for exams.

I didn't figure on the classwork here.

I can't keep up.
Not even if I work 24 hours a day.

But I won't wait to be busted out.

I'll resign, go back to the ranks.

No!

Well, now.
From the ranks, are you?

Look now, there's such a thing
as over-training, you know?

What you need, my boy,
is a change from the books,

and my wife serves a stew and hot
biscuits fit for the saints in heaven.

A few ladles of Mary O'Donnell's stew
would do your classwork a power of good.

You'll be welcome for supper
come Saturday night.

And no beans.

He's all right.

Hey, Marty...

Marty, look.

I think it's workin'. New fuzz!

Yeah, like peaches.
That's it, keep rubbin' it, boyo.

Keep rubbin' it
mornin', noon and night.

In no time at all, you'll have
hair like an elephant.

- Help!
- Hey, he can't swim!

Well now, in swimming
there are three things...

I just don't understand it,
Mr Sundstrom.

It isn't like Martin to be late.

Where the devil is Martin?
I don't know, Dadyo.

Well, now perhaps I could run down
to the saloon and...

You will not!

Keep away from me stew!

- Well, now, if you ask me...
- I am not askin' you.

You left out half the onions,

and the gravy's that thick
you could trot a mouse on it.

Oh, me buns!
They'll be destroyed.

Well, take 'em out then.

I'll not be kept waitin'
in me own house.

- Come to the table, Mr, er...
- Sundstrom.

God bless you.

- What's your name?
- Sundstrom, sir.

Oh. Well, come on.

There you are.

Ah, do you smell
Mary O'Donnell's Donegal stew?

Look who I brought you.

- Mary!
- Kitty, me love.

Just happened to meet her
on my way home.

She kept me waitin', with
her primpin' and her powder... eh?

Oh, Miss Katherine Carter.
We call her Kitty.

May I have the honour
to present Mr Sundstrom?

What's your front name, Red?

James on the roster, but...

it's been Red
ever since I can remember.

Well, good evening, Red.

Well, come on, the two of you!
Sit down there. Come on, dear.

- All right, sir.
- There you are. Sit right down there.

Thank you. Whoops.

Well, now, come on, come on!

Do we eat, or don't we eat?

Oh, er...

You're coming out to help me.
Now, come on out to the kitchen.

I made the mistake of
telling her once I was a waiter.

Never dropped a dish.

- Me idiot son!
- Oh, dear.

It's working.

Go along with you!

Now, you wouldn't believe it,
but Kitty's a college graduate.

She's teaching the youngsters
at the post school.

- Thank you, Marty.
- She's that bright.

Is that so?

When I was a lad, a girl that
cluttered up her head with education

was sure to turn out flat-chested
and with a squint.

Well!

Er... what was that thing you were going
to stay in your room and study tonight?

Ortho... graphic projection.

Ortho...

well, whatever it is, what'll you bet
Kitty's got it all at her fingertips?

Well, the worst thing about higher math
is getting over the panic.

It's not so hard once you
get confidence and relax.

How about cylindrical coordinates, or
conic sections, or parametric equations?

Well, they're not too difficult.

Well, sure, it's like, er...

swimming, for instance.

It's a... a matter
of confidence, timing,

relaxation and breathing.

- Indeed, now.
- Well, if I can help you, Red...

Well, thanks, but I don't see
how you could.

Now, now, now. You and Kitty
can both work here in the house.

Did you know I can spell
"Massachusetts"?

No!

You can start tomorrow. It's Sunday,
and you've the day to yourself.

- Well, I'm free tomorrow if you are,
Red.
- Well...

Of course he's free!

You'll need to get your books
and meet her in the morning.

I'm not a case you're going
to cure in one treatment.

I'm down in all of my subjects.
Once we start, it...

And once we start, we'll have to
keep right on. I'm not afraid.

You're sure you don't mind?

Oh, no, of course she doesn't mind.
She's only too happy to do it.

- Isn't that right?
- Right.

Well, that's settled.

Well, you'll be a grave
disappointment to me, my girl,

if this young fellow isn't up in his
marks
and out with the football squad
next fall.

Save me a piece of the cake.
Me young friend's about due.

Where do you go off to every evening?

I go walking with
this young friend of mine.

Nice young fellow, he is.

Happy for a word of advice
from me long experience.

- Who is it?
- I don't know.

Er... would you excuse us,
please, a minute?

- Certainly.
- Sure.

It's a woman!

- Well, now!
- Well, Mr Martin!

- Glad to see you again.
- And you.

You know the thing
we were talking about...?

Great Gogarty!
It's the superintendent!

Thanks be to Gogarty.

It's not a woman!

I'll never forget
that rainy day in 1913,

when, for the first time,
we played the little school

from the far, far west.

- Well, now, good day to you, General.
- Good day, Mr Morris. Sit right here.

Oh, thank you, sir.

Looks like a bad day for the Irish.

- Are you a betting man, General?
-
Well, I might make a little wager with
you.

- A dollar?
- A dollar.

Ah, Notre Dame! It's the name of
a French church, not a football team.

Hey, did you get a bet down, Marty?

Finally managed.
Twenty-five dollars, even money.

Even money?
What did you do? Find a lunatic?

My father.

Oh, sorry.

Army time-out!

Easy!

Play ball!

Set, one, two, three.

- Touchdown!
- Man hurt.

It's Chuck.

All right, man hurt!
Let's go, let's hurry!

Get in there, mister.

You all right, Chuck?
Put him right down there. Doctor?

Get in there, Buck.
That left end's weak.

There goes my chance
for All-American this year.

In the second half, the sun come out,

and with it went me fortune.

Seventy-one, sixty-nine, thirty-two...

Time!

Dorais for O'Rourke.

- Rockne for Glennon.
- All right, play ball.

Something happened
never before seen in football.

Did you see that, sir?
It's illegal.

It's a foul.
It... It... It's baseball!

It's legal, all right.

Is there something wrong?

"Forward pass."

Red, get in there and break it up.

Touchdown!

Hey, Swede!

- Rockne.
- Overton.

Rockne, Dorais, Gushurst, Pliska!

The Fightin' Irish!

Robbers! Thieves!

Football? Football? Why, you dirty
scoundrelly bunch of North of Ire...

- Good evening, Father.
- Good evening, my son.

Let this be a lesson to you, my boy.

Betting against
Holy Mother the Church.

- Ten-hut!
- At ease, men.

Well, gentlemen,

we came up against
a new kind of football today.

I'll say only this:

that I'd rather have you learn
a lesson than win a ball game.

When you become officers,
and you're in combat,

the only thing that you can expect...

is the unexpected.

Learn to deal with it.

If this game today
taught you that lesson,

then I don't care what
the final score was.

That's all, boys.
Get your showers.

Half the sports writers in New York
were in those stands today.

I don't want to read
tomorrow's papers.

Chuck, how is it with your studies?

Oh, don't worry, Marty. I can
squeak through the rest of the season.

And after this season,

after Mr Walter Camp has maybe
picked you for an All-American?

Then what?

Major Koehler said to me
the other day,

"Marty," he says,

"That Chuck Dotson's more
than a good athlete.

"He's a good man.
He'll make a fine officer."

Did I hurt you?

What you did, or what you said?

Either.

That Colonel What's'isname,

the one that teaches
military engineering,

he tells me that you'll
not get by your midyears.

And I hear you're as far down
in your other work.

You seem to talk a lot about me.

What a man's got on his mind,

he can't keep out of his mouth.

Did you come to West Point
to be a football player, Chuck,

or an officer?

It'd be fine If you could manage both,
but it's plain you can't.

You've worked me over enough, Marty.

I've made a bit of money bettin' on Army
with you out there runnin' touchdowns.

- It'll not be the same without you.
- Without me?

Major Koehler will think
none the worse of you.

All you'll have to do is say to him,

"Major, I've been thinking it over.

"If I keep on with the football,
I'll be busted out.

"So I've decided to quit the team,

"and get on with
what's more important."

You'd better get dressed.
It's gettin' late.

- Chuck, how's that ankle?
- It'll hold up fine, sir.

Considerin' he won't be
strainin' it from now on.

Oh?

Major,

why do they have to be
so hard with the studies?

Marty, this is West Point.

Yes, sir.

That's what Chuck was sayin'.

That's why he's quittin' the team.

- Sir, I, er...
- I know, Chuck.

Go on, get your shower.
We'll have a cup of coffee.

Mary, come have a look!

- Dinny!
- How are you, Mary?

- It's not all yours!
- Indeed it is.

I was out seeing what it would do
on the road and, before I knew,

I landed up here.

Oh, but it's gorgeous!

Here, Mary, come,
have a runaround with us.

Oh, himself's a-waitin' for his tea.

- Is there enough for me?
- Oh, we always have plenty.

There's no telling when Martin
will bring home a platoon of cadets.

Dadyo!

Da, look who's here.

And wait till you see
his new motorcar!

- Oh, I'll get the tea ready.
- Hi, Da.

I was out for a spin in me new car,
so I thought I'd come by and...

- I saw it.
- Oh, it's a fine car.

- The power of 35 horses.
- Well, that's true, Dad.

Cost me a great deal of money, too,
even if I do say...

- Is your head cold, Dennis?
- No, sir. Oh.

Stuck it under the bed.

Is it your habit to go around
looking like a rum seller?

Why, no, sir.
But, Da, I'm a businessman now.

- My firm's doing general contracting.
We...
- Contracting what?

- Get out of me way.
- The tea's ready, Da.

And about time.

He's doing wonderful, Dinny is!

That's true, Da.
Look, my firm is expanding...

Who gave you permission to sit down?

I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry.

But it is true, Da. And there's
a place there for Marty, too.

I tell you, it's the chance
of a lifetime, Da.

- Ah, sit down.
- Thank you, sir.

I've been too long in the Army.

And what have I got to show
for the years?

There's things a man wants
his wife to have.

There's things I want my wife to have.

Why, even this furniture
is government issue.

Did you ever hear me complain, Martin?

Oh, we know that, but...

Look, Mary, Marty here can make

three to four times his sergeant's pay
the first year. And, after that...

If we stay here,
there's nothing to look forward to.

- Year after year...
- I tell you, Da,

look, there's no end to
the money a man can make.

Will you step into
the other room, girl?

So you've nothing
to look forward to, huh?

Well, I'll tell you what
you've got to look forward to!

Sometime next spring, Martin
your wife's going to bear you a child.

A child?

A child!

And why is it for you to tell me?

Has she no tongue in her head?

Sure, God bless you, Martin!

A child!

Are you sure?

- In the spring, you say?
- Yeah.

Will it be a boy or a girl?

How the devil would I know?
Get on with you.

Come on.

Yes, sir.

Ever since I first set eyes
on West Point,

ever since I first saw
the young men of the Corps...

Ah, sure, you'd have told me I was a
silly woman for talking about it, but...

if our son should be born here,

where you've worked so hard...

After the time we've waited.

After what the doctor told you,

it's enough for me that we're
having a child at all.

I'm prayin' it'll be a boy, Martin!

And who's to say, one of these days,

his name might be
in the yearbook, too?

I'll pray with you.

You're a wonderful woman,
Mary O'Donnell.

Ah, go on with you!

Oh, stop it, Red!
You're not the expectant father!

Will you sit down?

Mr Sundstrom, will you
take charge of Marty, please?

Sit on his head if you have to.

Me, the father of it all!

Come on, Marty. Confidence, timing,
relaxation and breathing.

- Nothing to it.
- This is no time for being funny, Red.

- Here you are, Marty.
- Thank you.

- You all right?
- Fine.

I'm the grandfather of a boy,
born about two minutes ago.

- Six pounds, eleven ounces, and...
- Marty!

Ah, trust you to be
the first to find out.

They make me stay here, while you...

A boy!

A boy, Dadyo!

- Well, I'll just be runnin'...
- No, no, Marty. I gave her a sedative.

She had a hard time with it, but
she's all right and the baby's fine.

You'll see them in the morning.

A boy.

Well, Marty,
you're the father of a son.

It's a great day!

Sure, I'm on me way
to becoming an ancestor.

It's been a great strain on me.

Oh, listen, Red and I
have to meet some people.

Bye-bye, papa.

Night, Marty.

Well, then,

we'll be needin' our rest,

after the great thing
we've done this day.

Have you thought
of a name for the boy?

You've all the saints to choose from.

Well, I...

I had it in mind
we'd name him after you.

With your permission, sir.

You have my permission, son.

Martin Maher the Third.

You'd better get yourself
a little rest.

I think I'll sit up a while, Da.

Well, I think I'll go upstairs
and say me beads.

God bless you, my boy.

Good night, Da.

♪ Come fill your glasses, fellows

♪ And stand up in a row

♪ To singing sentimentally

♪ We're going for to go

♪ In the Army, there's sobriety

♪ Promotion's very slow

♪ So we'll sing our reminiscences

♪ Of Marty Maher, oh

♪ Oh, Marty Maher, oh

♪ Oh, Marty Maher, oh

♪ The father of a proud cadet

♪ Is Marty Maher, oh ♪

Marty,

we all got together and picked out
a present for Martin Maher Junior.

The third.

Correction:
Martin Maher the Third.

- The class of...
- '36.

Class of 1936.

Since he's detained
elsewhere this evening, we...

we hope you'll accept
this cadet sabre for him.

May he wear it with pride,
and with credit

to his parents, and to the Corps.

Well! Well, now!

- Congratulations, Marty.
- Congratulations, Marty!

Congratulations,
Martin Maher the First!

Wouldn't you all have felt silly
if it'd been a girl?

Oh, I gave 'em me solemn promise
it'd be a boy.

- You'll find boodle in the kitchen.
- Let's have a little music.

And there's ice cream
in the box there.

Come on, the jig I was teaching.

♪ Of men we can offer a charming variety

♪ Far renowned for learning and piety

♪ Still,
I'll advance you without impropriety

♪ Father O'Flynn's
the flower of them all

♪ Here's a health to you, Father O'Flynn

♪ "Sláinte!" and
"sláinte!" and "sláinte!" again

♪ Proudest of preachers
and tenderest teacher

- ♪ And kindliest creature
-ALL: ♪ In old Donegal ♪

- Now a jig!
- Come on!

The police!

It's the doctor!

I was just saying
to myself a minute ago,

"what would the celebration
be without the doctor?"

- You'll come in and join us, sir?
- No, not right now, Marty.

Can I see you a minute?

Let's go, fellas.

♪ Come, I venture to give you me word

♪ Never the likes of his logic was heard

♪ Down from theology into mythology... ♪

Mother of God.

The poor little tiny thing.

But you said he was all right!

How...

how could he die so quick?

A baby, just a few hours old?

- I've got to get over to the hospital.
- No, Marty.

We're not gonna tell her tonight.

She'll sleep through till morning.

I'm sorry, Marty.

Hey, you're off limits!

Come on, Marty.
Let's get out of this.

Let's go, Marty.

Leave me be.

Let me alone.

You're off limits, the whole o'youse.

And we're gonna stay off limits,
until you come back with us.

Come on.

I'll take the flowers
and put them in water for you.

- Ten minutes, Marty.
- Thank you, sir.

Forgive me, Martin.

Forgive you?

Forgive you for what?

The doctor says...

that I can never have another.

Try to find it in your heart, Martin,

to accept the will of God.

Would you be movin' my bed
up to the window, Martin?

So that I can look out.

It was a cruel, hard thing, Martin,

but we're so much better off
than most.

We have so many fine boys here,

and it's almost as if...

Or would they only be putting in mind

of the son we had
for such little while?

Is that the way it is
with you, Martin Maher?

So that you wish you could
go away from here,

and never have to look at them again?

This is no time to talk about it,

me just startin' a new enlistment.

What I wish, or what I don't wish.

That was the spring
the Lusitania was sunk,

and, all of a sudden,
a lot of people wanted to know

how good the trainin' was
at West Point.

What kind of officers
we were turnin' out.

They came and took a sharp look
at the class of 1915.

Charles Edward Dotson.

Chuck Dotson.
Never did make All-American,

but he was well up in his class
for graduation.

Timothy Aloysius Shannon.

Mike Shannon.
A fine river he was named after.

Vicente P Lim.

Vicente P Lim.
First cadet from the Philippine Islands.

Omar Nelson Bradley.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.

George Edward Stratemeyer.

Congratulations.

James Alward Van Fleet.

Congratulations.

Joseph Taggart McNarney.

Congratulations.

Dwight David Eisenhower.

Congratulations.

1915.

Ah, that was the class
the stars fell on.

The long grey line marched on.

The class of 1917
didn't wait for June week.

The country was at war,
and they were needed in a hurry.

Two days!

Two days.

Why sure, that's no honeymoon at all.

Oh, we'll have our honeymoon
when the war's over.

- Marty! Marty.
- Cherub.

Excuse me, Mrs Sundstrom.
Excuse me, Mary.

Marty, may I have
my first salute from you?

Second Lieutenant Overton...

sir.

- Bye, Marty.
- Bye, Cherub.

Bye, Mary.
Let's get rolling, Red.

Cherub wants to be the first
Second Lieutenant into Berlin.

I'll be back by Wednesday, dear.

May I have a salute too, Marty?

- So long, Marty.
- Good luck.

Come on, Red.
Bye-bye, Marty.

Will you stop your blabbering,
at all the boys?

Martin Maher,
will you shut your mouth?

All aboard! Next stop, Berlin.

- Bye, Mary!
- Bye, Marty!

- Bye-bye, Marty!
- Bye, Mary!

- Bye!
- Bye! Bye, Marty!

Whoo! Rah! USA, rah, rah!

USA, rah, rah! Hurrah, hurrah!

Army, rah, rah! '17, '17, '17!

Oh, there you are.
I found you at last.

I've been all over the post.

Whatever happened to my application
for transfer, Colonel, sir?

I've been meaning to talk to you
about this, Marty.

Instead of my disapproving it,
why don't you just...

tear it up?

Does the Colonel think I'm not
soldier enough for the fightin'?

You're needed here, Marty.

One of us has got to stay.
Lieutenant, my orders, please.

Yes, sir.

That does it, sir.

Thank you.

Orders.

I am to set up the training programme
in all the new camps.

Can't even wait for my replacement.

You m...

You mean there's to be a...

a new Master of the Sword?

That's right.

And he'll need you to
keep things running for him,

while you break him in.

Your place is here, Marty.

I know I can trust you
with our cadets.

It... It was
on my conscience, sir,

watchin' the young ones go off,

and me, a soldier trained.

Marty, nobody'll ever question
the courage of the Mahers.

Come here.

- Age: 42.
- And a bit more.

Height:
six feet four and a half.

- Right. that's correct.
- Weight: 200 pounds.

That's true. That's true.

- Da.
- Hmm?

Come along, Da.

Colonel Koehler wants you
to stay here and help me.

Oh.

Well, Tommy, you know where to
find me when you want me.

Sorry, Mr Maher.

God bless you, young gentlemen.

God bless you, every one.

Hi, Marty.
It's a shootin' war.

Babies.

I saw it, Martin.

Such a nice little fella.

He was too small to make
the football squad,

so he carried the water bucket.

Rudy Heinz, too.

Sergeant Major Heinz.

- Kitty, darlin'!
- Mary, dear.

- Martin, Martin, will you look who's
here!
- Marty, dear!

Oh, you look fine!

Do you have any news from Red?

- It's good to be home.
- Take Kitty's bag to the spare room.

Oh, Martin, would you put a cushion
behind Kitty's back?

- What do you hear from Red?
- Go on, now, Martin.

Tell me, now, about New York.
Did you have a nice place to stay?

Oh, Martin! Would you set
the table for the tea, please?

I want you to come in and see it.

- Oh, there's a terrible draft on
Kitty!
- No, leave the door open. I like
fresh air.

And the shawleen over here.

Put it around her knees
and make her real comfortable.

- Mary, really, I'm very fine.
- Kitty,
I'd like to ask just one question.

- What do you hear from...
- Will you put the water on for the tea?

I only have two hands, woman.
What would you like me to do first?

Get rid of that stinking pipe.
You ought to know better.

- I love the smell of his pipe.
- Now, about Red. Tell me, Kitty.

Tell me, what do you hear from him?

I had a letter from him a week ago,

and he and Cherub Overton
spent a weekend in Paris.

Can you imagine
Cherub Overton in Paris?

Oh, that baby!

Tell me, love, did you walk
all the way from the station?

- Should you be doin' that now?
- Well, of course!

Walking's good for me,
quoth the doctors.

Doctors! Ha!

New York, is that a place
to be raisin' a baby?

I'm not looking that far ahead.

Why, who knows where Red'll
be ordered when the war's over?

You know, he was stationed in Honolulu
while he was an enlisted man,

and he's hoping that
we'll be sent out there.

Just think of it, Mary.

The sun, and all those palm trees.

Now, tell me, where's himself,
old Martin?

Oh, he's workin' overtime, he is!

- Working?
- Yes.

Yes, a new
batch of horses just came in.

With Major Gillis away,
it's up to him to see

that nobody cheats the Academy.

Don't forget to get the
cookies out of the icebox, Martin.

Oh, I'll bet old Martin
was never happier.

You know, himself does
the work of two young men.

You'd think that if he stopped for a
minute the Kaiser'd have us surrounded.

Well, I'm glad I'm not
the Kaiser about now.

I've had that
Black Jack Pershing after me,

and it's a very uncomfortable feeling.

Martin, now don't forget
the cakes and the cookies,

and put on the tea.

Tea, cakes, cookies,

and me boys over there, fightin'.

What are you doin'
with me convenience?

- But, Mary, the Armistice has been
signed!
- The war's over, Mary! The
war's over!

Thanks be to God.
Take it away!

You can burn the whole house!
Get it on with you.

Oh! Oh, just a minute.

Mary, what the devil
you doin' down there?

Oh!

Take it away!

Mr Kine!

Martin!

Martin?

Oh, Martin.

Oh, Mother of God.

The finest young men in the world.

We bring 'em here,

train 'em,

teach 'em:

duty, honour, country,

then send 'em out to be killed.

I'll have no more to do with it!

Kitty and the baby.
We must go to them.

Can you get a pass, Martin?

I've got furlough time comin' up.

After that, my enlistment'll be over.

We'll go see Kitty,
and we won't come back.

That's enough
of your wild talk, Martin.

I never talked saner in my life, sir.

Dinny'll have a job for me.

I'll call him to come up
and get us in the morning.

We'll find a little place
in the city for the three of us.

I'll not go with you.

I slept me first night
in America on this post,

and I'll sleep me last night here.

And if they've got
a bit of ground in the cemetery,

I'll rest happy sleeping
at West Point forever.

I ask for your blessing, Dadyo.

You'll always have that, my boy.

Subsist. Subsist.

Ah, sure,
he's grown so big, the cuidín.

God bless you!

Oh!
He's got a grip on him, too.

Why, he's the spittin' im...

Payment in full for Red's life, Marty.

This came special delivery
from Senator Hale.

Everyone's been so kind.

It was in all the papers.

I got letters from people
I... I don't even know.

Flowers, even.

Do you know what this is, Kitty?

It's an appointment to the Academy

for "the son of
Captain James N Sundstrom,

"effective at such time
as he may be ready

"to follow in his father's
glorious footsteps."

Oh, he must be a kind
and understanding man that...

What right has he to decide
my son's life for him?

They took his father.
That's enough.

They didn't take his father, Kitty.

Red worked hard to get to the Point,

and harder to stay there.

He became what he always
wanted to be: a professional soldier.

And professional soldiers are...

are trained to die. Is that it?

No, they're trained
to do a job, Kitty.

Some die young, and some don't, but...

they all give their lives
for their country.

They're ready when they're needed.

They set the example.

And their wives, Kitty.

Yes, their wives must
set the example, too.

I wanted little Martin
to go to the Point.

There was no time, Mary.

Not even in letters.

If I only would have known
what Red would want.

Ah, sure, you don't have to
make up your mind now, love.

Not today, or tomorrow,
or even next year.

No.

Look, I tell you what.

Mary and me'll stay over
the night in New York,

and, tomorrow morning, you come
back to the Point with us.

You pay us a nice, long visit.
You and the little fella, huh?

- You'll have to call Dinny, Marty.
- Of course.

He'll, er...
he'll drive us up.

And I'll have to ring up
that black-hearted...

Major Whitney, fillin' in
as Master of the Sword,

and see what inducement
he'll offer me to re-enlist.

Oh, baby!

With the oath I will now administer,

you will become members of the
United States Corps of Cadets.

Raise your right hand.

Repeat after me:

- I...
- I...

- Say your name.
- James N Sundstrom Junior.

Do solemnly swear that I will support

the Constitution of the United States.

Do solemnly swear that I will support

the Constitution of the United States.

And bear true allegiance
to the national government.

And bear true allegiance
to the national government.

That I will maintain and defend
the sovereignty of the United States.

That I will maintain and defend
the sovereignty of the United States.

And that I will, at all times...

And that I will, at all times...

Obey the legal orders
of my superior officers.

Obey the legal orders
of my superior officers.

And the rules and articles

governing the armies
of the United States.

And the rules and articles governing
the armies of the United States.

- Say, "I do."
- I do.

Marty?

Ah, Red, me boyo.

Mr Dumbjohn, halt!

Hmm, sloppy posture.

How is the cow, Mr Dumbjohn?

Sir, she walks, she talks,
she's full of chalk.

The lacteal fluid extracted from...

All right. Let's have
the definition of "leather", mister.

The fresh skin of an animal,
cleaned and divested

of all hair, fat,
and other extraneous material...

Mr Dumbjohn, forward, march!

Hi, Marty.

- Hi, Marty.
- Ah, gentlemen, gentlemen.

You're wasting your time
with that plebe, gentlemen.

I taught him all the tricks meself.

Just like I taught you, Mr O'Carberry,

and your father before you,
and his father before him.

And you too, Mr Shannon,

and your father, and his grandpappy,
God rest his soul.

- So long, Marty.
- Bye-bye. See you later, now.

Four proud
and happy years, those were,

watchin' young Red grow from a plebe

into a first-class man
to make your heart beat high.

Why did you have to go
and sit down again?

Ah, take your pants off, love,
and I'll press them for you again.

"Trousers", and I haven't got time.
I'm in charge of the Hop Committee.

Will you please hold still, Red?

Good night, Mom.
Good night, Mary.

Night, Marty.

Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

I've been asked to make
an announcement.

At dawn today,

Japanese aircraft...

attacked Pearl Harbor.

While there's been no official word,

it is assumed the United States

is now at war with Japan.

♪ Our fathers' God to thee

♪ Author of liberty

♪ To thee we sing

♪ Long may our land be bright

♪ With freedom's holy light

♪ Protect us by thy might

♪ Great God

♪ Our King

♪ Amen ♪

Marty.

Marty, I've gotta talk to you.

Get on with it, boyo.

It can't be as bad as all that.

On my Thanksgiving leave, Marty,

Carol and I were married.

I must have been crazy.
The whole thing was crazy.

Listen, Marty, we were
only married four days.

Then her parents had it annulled.
I'm not married now.

You broke your oath.

But an annulment. The law says
the marriage never existed.

Makes no difference.

You've the Honour Code to face up to.

How could you take your fine career

and throw it in the gutter?

You, of all the cadets
that ever lived.

Maybe because it was all
handed to me, Marty.

I didn't come to West Point
like the rest of them.

They dream about it when they're kids,

and they work, and plan,
and sweat out the appointment.

Like your own father did.

If they haven't got what it takes,
they're washed out.

The ones that get through
know what the Point means.

I guess I didn't.

Until now, huh?

Marty, this is my last year.

And now with the war, they're
sure to speed up graduation.

Once we're in combat...

It's between you
and your conscience, Red.

You'll have to decide
what's the best to do.

Better be gettin' back.

You'll be late for your formation.

Yes, love.
You're comin' right over?

Martin and I'll be waiting for you.

Fine. Bye.

What is it?
What's the matter?

It's Kitty, Martin.
She's comin' right over.

She sounds like she's worried, maybe.

You've not been tellin' her about Red?

I have not.
I have not, indeed!

But you've had me
half distracted this whole week

with the worry that you'd go
blathering it out yourself.

It's over and done with, Martin Maher.

The marriage has been annulled,
and there's no need

for anybody to be knowin'
anything about it!

Do you hear me?
It's over and done with.

I know about it, Mary,

and my heart's like a lump of lead.

I can't even look
the other cadets in the eye.

I'll not stay here, and...

and see him walk up
and take his commission.

Him that's dishonored himself.

I'll not do it, do you hear?

I'll not have it on my conscience.

I'll put in for retirement,

and I'll tell Red why.

Martin Maher, that boy
has been like me own son.

Everything that I wanted my son to be.

And if you do him any harm,

if you harm one hair
on his head, I'll...

I'll never forgive you.

- Mary.
- Hello, Mary.

Mother of God!

Red.

It took me quite a while to decide.

Then I had a long talk with Mother,

and a short talk with the Commandant,

and a few words
with the Recruiting Sergeant.

I'm very proud of him, Marty.

- You're proud of him!
- I'm a prize recruit.

A letter goes with me that says
I don't need basic training.

I'm ready to ship out.

Yes, well, this calls for
a celebration. A cup of tea, or...

If I miss my train, I'll be AWOL.

Wait just a minute.
I'll put on me clothes.

- I'll go to the station.
- There's no time, Marty.

But subsist, man, subsist!

- Goodbye, Mary.
- Wait a minute...

The Recruiting Sergeant gave me a tip.

He said the main thing in the Army
is not to start off in trouble.

Yes, but... it was
on the tip of me tongue

to give him the same
advice myself. I rem...

Goodbye, Marty.

- Hi, Marty.
- Good afternoon, good afternoon.

- VIPs, Marty.
- Oh, VIPs, is it?

Sir, the brigade is formed.

Thank you, gentlemen.

The review is about to begin,

but first I'd like you to have you
see this plaque to Colonel Koehler,

- the first Master of the Sword.
- The what?

Master of the Sword.

Established a fine tradition here.

Oh, and there is Sergeant Marty Maher,

who has done a great deal
to carry it on.

- Hello, Marty.
- Good afternoon, sir.

Now, gentlemen,
if you'll step this way,

I think the review is about to begin.

You work here, Pops?

- Aye, I do, sir.
- Did it ever occur to you,

as an American citizen with a vote,

that a place can be so
overgrown with tradition

that it loses touch with reality?

Er... how was that again, sir?

I'm talking about tradition.

Why, those same silly uniforms have
been worn for over a hundred years.

Now it's time for more realism here,
and less tradition.

Why, man, we're at war!

Our boys are dying in battle.

Pardon me, sir, but how old are you?

Why, 42.

I'm the youngest governor
in the United States.

- Ah, you don't say so, sir.
- I do.

Youngest...

Who do you think is
leadin' our men in battle?

I mean leadin' 'em?

Standin' out there under fire,
sayin', "follow me".

Where else would the West Pointers be
when there's dyin' to be done?

And who's makin' the plans,
directin' the war?

Eisenhower, let us say.

Douglas MacArthur, Joe Stilwell,

Omar Bradley and Georgie Patton.

Hah! Do you think generals
like that just happen?

They do not.

They're made.

They're made, Mr Alderman
or Tax Collector!

- They're made right here at West Point.
- What's your name?

Martin Maher, sir.

And you'll find the name in the book!

There's no use glarin' at me
like that, Colonel, darlin'.

You'd have said
the same thing yourself.

Mary?

Ma... Mary O'Donnell!

Well, what are you doin' out of bed?

What are you doin' all dressed?

I'm goin' to the parade.

Are you out of your head altogether?

That walk, and the climb
back up the hill after.

- The doctors...
- Doctors!

I want to go, Martin.

But it'd be half over
before we got there.

Ara musha, cailín óg,
you'd not enjoy it.

The place is crawlin'
with governors and aldermen,

and dog-catchers and...

All right, Martin.

Tell me now. What is it
that you've been up to?

Well...

nothin' that I'm ashamed of.

Th... that youngest governor,
what's his name?

Sneerin' at the Academy, he was.

And nobody but me to tell him
what he's too blind in his eyes to see.

So I told him.

I remind you what himself
used to say. Old Martin.

"There's a time and a place
for assault and battery."

Well, I'll not take back a word.

Let him go and report me
to the Superintendent.

And he will, too. As fast as his
hands and knees'll carry him.

There. That's right.

Take off the hat, now.

What is it, Mary, darlin'?

Help me out to the porch.

But shouldn't you go back to bed?

Help me, Martin Maher.

Come along, now.

Come on.

Let me put this here.

Now, sit down.

Here we are.

Lean back, comfortable like.

I'll, er...

I'll go get your medicine, and...
and the shawleen, and...

I'll be right back.

Mary.

Mary O'Donnell.

- Hey, Merry Christmas, Marty!
- Merry Christmas, Marty!

Well, come in, Pirelli, Kennedy.

- Hope we're not barging in on you.
- Oh, that's quite all right.

- I wasn't expectin' visitors.
- It's a
business call, Marty. We're the press.

We're putting out a special
football number of the Pointer.

A review of last season,
prospects for next year.

Oh, fine, fine. Well, you'll
have to pardon the poor house.

- It isn't as spick and span...
- Hey, Marty, what's burning?

- Oh, the eggs!
- Oh, my gosh!

Oh, now, wait a minute, boys.
I can do that very well.

- Sit down, Marty. We'll handle the KP.
- Oh, but I don't need any help.

Oh!

Marty, you're gonna pick us
an all-time Army football team.

- An all-time Army football team?
- Right.

You mean, from the beginning
down till now?

- Mm-hmm.
- Sure, that'll start a donnybrook.

We'll run a front-page box:
"Marty Maher's all-time team."

Well, it's a fine way
to make eleven friends

and 10,000 enemies.

Keep out of that, Mr Pirelli.
I can do that very well.

I don't need any help.

I grew up doing this
in my old man's delicatessen.

- Where's the bread?
- Right over here.

Ah, now, if... ah, thank you.

If he were only here to argue with,
Colonel Koehler would be the...

Colonel Koehler? Who's he?

Colonel Koehler!

- Hey, Marty!
- Merry Christmas, Marty!

We're in the kitchen,
and wipe your feet.

For quarterback, now.
Charlie Daly's my man.

- D-A-L-Y?
- Merry Christmas, Marty.

Oh, Merry Christmas, Mr Dotson. Merry
Christmas, Mr Stern. What is all...?

Present for you, Marty.
From Dad in Belgium.

For me?

It's a Dotson family custom
to give presents Christmas Eve.

Well, now.

This wouldn't be one of those
booby traps, would it, Mr Dotson?

Ah, let's see.

Oh!

Look at that!

- Boy, it's a beauty.
- It sure is.

Think of him takin' time to
send me a present from Belgium,

and him with a division to command.

Well, now...

- Where was I with me selections?
- Charlie Daly.

Charlie Daly! Charley Daly's
me all-time quarterback.

Forty years, and never a man
touched him since.

Hey, how about my old man?

Mmm, that's just what I mean.
I'm treed like a toad.

Your father, Chuck Dotson, would have
made All-American, but for me.

But then, who'd be commanding
that division, hmm?

Eh, halfbacks now!

Paul Bunker,
and I'll have no arguments,

and Elmer Olliphant.

Take it down, lad.
O-L-L again I-P-H-A-N-T.

Come in, whoever you are!

And wipe your...
Hey, Pete, Joe.

And Red Cagle.
We can't leave him out!

- You got visitors, Marty.
- Big brass, Marty.

Big brass.

Big brass, you say?

Now, who could that be?
The Superintendent?

Who could it be?
Georgie Patton?

Casey Wedemeyer, perhaps.

- Merry Christmas, Marty.
- Merry Christmas, Marty.

We've come home, Marty.

What can I say,
the tears in me throat?

You look fine, buckalow.
just fine.

- Take your coat, Sergeant?
- Mrs Sundstrom?

- Thank you.
- Thank you. There's my bag.

Thank you, son.

Thank you.

Tell me...

Are you home for long, boy?

Just a convalescent leave.

Soon as my leg's fixed up,
I ship out again.

Pacific, maybe.

Professional soldier, Marty.

I've, er...

been saving these.

I wanted you to pin 'em on me, Marty.

- Captain's bars?
- Atten... tion!

Battlefield commission, Marty.

Well, I...

Sit down here
in your favourite chair, hmm?

- Oh, no, I don't...
- Stop it, Marty. Sit down.

Red'll sit down too, sure.
Come on, now, lean back there.

- You comfy now?
- Fine, thank you, Kitty. I...

- Pillow.
- Pillow!

- Come on, hurry. Whoops!
- No, I don't want a pillow.

Martin Maher, when was
the last time you ate?

Well, I had a little...

- You!
- Pirelli, ma'am.

Mr Pirelli, hit that chow line.
You, KP.

By the numbers, and on the double,
quick. Come on, everyone.

Whoops! Come on.

- No, Kitty, I don't want the shawl.
- Yes, you will do it.

- Come on in with the tree now.
- Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Put the blanket on the floor.
Oh, it's...

Wait a minute.
I don't want...

I wanted it. I haven't
had one in a long time.

The ornaments are down here,
underneath the cellar stairs,

and you'll find them in a box
called "Bushmills Irish Whiskey".

- Bring 'em right up, will you?
- Comin' through!

Come on, now, get that food down there,
'cause he needs it real badly.

Martin... whoops,
be careful of the coffee here.

Come on! Chuck, will you bring
those ornaments, please. Hurry up!

Marty, now come on.

- Put the bars down. Come on.
- Here's the ornaments. Let's go.

Here we are. That's it.

♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells

♪ Jingle all the way

♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh, hey

- ♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells... ♪
- Oh, wait a minute! Wait a minute.

♪ Come, fill your glasses, fellows

♪ And stand up in a row

♪ To singing sentimentally

♪ We're going for to go

♪ In the army, there's sobriety

♪ Promotion's very slow

♪ We'll sing a Merry Christmas

♪ To Marty Maher, oh

♪ Oh, Marty Maher, oh

♪ Oh, Marty Maher, oh

♪ We'll sing a Merry Christmas

♪ To Marty Maher, oh ♪

So, you see, sir,

it... it's been me whole life.

Everything that I treasure
in my heart, living or...

or dead,

is at West Point.

I...

I wouldn't know where else to go.

I have West Point on the phone
for you, sir.

You talk to 'em, Chuck.
Find out what the SNAFU is up there.

Yes, sir.

I've taken up a great deal
of your time, sir.

I hope I'll always
have time for old friends, Marty.

- Thank you, sir.
- Come and see me again.

Okay, Buck.
Fast as we can. See you.

Oh. Here.
I almost forgot.

Tell him to rub this in well,
mornin', noon and night.

- Did you have permission to leave the
Point?
- No, sir. I...

- Even sign out?
- Well, I was that excited...

- What are you, a recruit? You're AWOL.
- Chuck. Chuck...

I'll have to fly you back
to save that fool neck. Let's go.

It's that black-hearted
Master of the Sword,

- Director of Physical Education.
- Airfield.

Now, wait a minute! I don't...

You should know enough by this time
not to absent yourself without leave.

- Sir, I don't understand. I... I...
- Come with me.

Present...

hut!

Shoulder...

hut!

List... Listen, sir.

The... The tune they're playing.

- It's the tune...
- This is for you, Marty.

The cadets asked for it.

You're at attention, Marty.

For me, sir.

It's been a great day for Marty.

It's been a great life for Marty.

If only old Martin and Mary were here.

They are here,

and the others.

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