Original subtitles

'In 1944, 3,000 years after Homer's time,

'Crete was fighting another Homeric battle -

'this time against the occupying Germans.

'Fighting at her side was handful of fellow islanders

'from the British Isles.

'Nobody outside Greece knows what the Cretans went through

'in those years following the German invasion.

'It was a nightmare of horrors,

'most of it caused by their kindness to Allied stragglers.

'Sheltering them, feeding them,

'looking after them as after their own children.

'Out of this comradeship

'grew the famous Cretan section of Force 133,

'watching and waiting in the mountains,

'planning sabotage and sending reports

'from secret radio stations.

'Like hungry wolves, they looked down on their quarry below.

'And when one of them came down into the valleys,

'it spelt trouble for the Germans.'

HORN HONKS

MAN SPEAKS GREEK

MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

WOMAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

Yassas. PASSENGER: Yassou. Yassou.

MAN SINGS

HORN HONKS

HORN HONKS

HORN HONKS

SIREN BLASTS REPEATEDLY

DOG BARKS

FOLK MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO

Dyo kafedes. BOTH SPEAK GREEK

WAITER SHOUTS IN GREEK

Yassas, Philedem.

Yassas, Niko.

Knossos.

Palace of King Minos.

Might make a good hideout.

The Villa Ariadne?

MARCHING FEET

MARCHING INTENSIFIES

MARCHING FADES

Why come to Knossos?

Many Germans here.

Commander-in-Chief lives at the Villa Ariadne.

That's why.

So...

You kill him? No.

Kidnap him.

Impossible.

Utterly.

Kidnap him from the villa?

What do you think?

Very difficult.

Electrified fence, many sentries, many dogs.

Cut the wire, drug the dogs, kill the sentries.

All possible...

but you'll never get him away alive.

We're going to bring him back alive to Cairo.

HE SPEAKS GREEK

Po-po-po!

A wonderful plan!

That's what I thought.

Make them look absolute fools.

That's the idea.

But you'll never snatch him from the villa.

It'll have to be done on the open road,

between here and his headquarters at Archanes.

I'll think about it.

Let's go into town.

I want to see the dentist.

BELL TOLLS

CHILDREN SHOUT

Come inside, quickly!

I sent Adir to warn you.

He must have missed you.

This house is being watched.

Is it? I've brought you some potatoes.

Been humping them around all morning.

Thank you.

They saw you come in!

Good! I can do with a couple of German MP uniforms,

it's just what I want.

This is no time for joking, my friend!

Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work on him.

Why me? I'm terrified of dentists, you know that I am.

What about you? Don't be a fool.

I've got my identity card, I speak fluent Greek,

no German can tell my accent.

They have a Greek policeman with them. HE could!

Promise me it won't hurt because I can't bear being hurt.

If you touch a nerve... Oh, sit down!

None of this was in the original plans at all.

VOICES AND FOOTSTEPS

You'd better give me one of those gags to keep my mouth open.

On the instrument table. Oh, here?

That's it.

Oh!

Aufmachen!

BANGING ON DOOR Aufmachen! Militarpolizei!

Haus durchsuchen! Aus dem Weg!

MAN SPEAKS GREEK

Bringen Sie die Griechen 'rein!

Kennen Sie diesen Mann?

Das ist Niko Akoumianakis.

THEY SPEAK IN GREEK

Und wer is dieser andere Kerl da?

THEY SPEAK GREEK

Was sagt er? Sein Vetter.

So... sein Vetter.

Urgh!

Kontrollieren Sie die Ausweise! Jawohl!

Ihre Papiere! Ihre Papiere.

Das scheint in Ordnung zu sein.

Der andere. Der andere!

THEY SPEAK GREEK

Was sagt er? Im Jackett.

Gut.

Ausweise!

Papiere!

DRILL WHIRRS

Halt!

Weg!

Aufstehen!

Sie sind ein verfluchter Spion!

Achtung! HE YELLS IN GERMAN

GUNSHOT

What's the Greek for "chloroform"?

"Chloroform".

HE GRUNTS

Luckily, the chap I've got coming from Cairo's just the right size

for this uniform.

Aft to head together.

Light, sir.

Better get the boat down, number one. Aye, sir.

MEN CHAT IN GREEK

THEY SPEAK GREEK

MAN SPEAKS GREEK

Hello.

I say, hello. You must be Moss.

I'm Sandy.

You don't know me, but I know all about you.

Paddy'll be along in a minute. How do you do?

Sandy? Oh, I've got a message for you from a namesake of yours,

Sandy Rendell, he's in Cairo just now.

Oh, yes, I-I know who he is. Well, what does he say?

"Yassou."

What does it mean? Oh... "Hello".

By the way, this is Johnny Houseman,

he's one of our cavemen from Mount Ida.

He's been here a year and he's going out on leave now.

I've heard a lot about you from Paddy.

Good luck. Good luck yourself.

You'll need it.

Well, I'll be off.

Oh, 'ey! Oh, er, just a minute.

What about the boots? I'm taking this pair with me.

Oh, no, you don't. Let's have them. That's a rule of ours.

Come on, let's have them.

You know there's a shortage of boots.

HE CHUCKLES A nice pair of boots.

They're the only pair of boots, I... I ever had... that fitted me.

Excuse me for a moment, will you? I...

I just have a couple of letters to post.

MEN CHATTER

Hello!

Hello.

Are you English? My name's Harry.

Are you a friend of Paddy? Yes.

Ah! Paddy great friend of me also.

GUN COCKS Hey, careful! That's loaded.

Ah, it's all right. It's wonderful.

I like a gun loaded. I don't like a gun not loaded.

How far is the nearest German post?

This way, time to smoke maybe two cigarettes,

but we don't go this way.

You see this way... time for one half cigarette.

This way not good.

We go THIS way!

Ah, Bill...

There you are.

Well, well!

Come on up.

I've done some recce and now you're here we can get on with the job.

By the way, this is Andoni, my right and left-hand-man.

This is Captain Moss.

Yassou. How do you do?

Well...

What IS the job?

I'll tell you that later. Did you bring the whisky?

A case. Good.

The golden sovereigns? They're in my pack.

They weigh like lead! Yes, they go far.

MAN: Yassou! Well, what do you think of it?

I'm in a complete daze.

I like your outfit. Oh, this?

Mm. It's rather nice.

I like them to think me a sort of Duke.

A latter-day Lord Byron.

George! Manoli!

Philedem!

THEY TALK EXCITEDLY IN GREEK Yassou.

THEY CHEER

Yassas!

How much longer? Two more cigarettes.

You've been saying that ever since midnight.

I make it 18 since we started! He means Greek cigarettes.

You mean English. BILL SIGHS

I'm beginning to learn. PHILEDEM CHUCKLES

Kastamonitsa, over there.

With luck, we'll stop there, under a roof.

HE SNIFFS

What's that smell? Hmm?

Oh... Me.

Sorry. But I-I'll get downwind of you.

You see, I haven't washed for six months.

A man of the people, that's me.

Tell me, where is this wireless station of yours?

Oh, it's about t-two nights' walk from here.

At least it was when I left my sergeant in charge.

Of course, you never know here in Crete.

The Germans are always trying to pinpoint us.

If they get wind of us, well, w-we move on.

Speaking of wind, hasn't the wind changed?

Yes, it has rather.

Sorry.

MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

ECHOING

That's the all-clear.

DOG BARKS

Local police.

OWL HOOTS

MAN WHISTLES SOFTLY: Bella!

HE SPEAKS GREEK

MAN COUGHS

There's someone in the room! Shh!

What's he up to? Wait and see.

CHEERING AND EXCITED CHATTER

HE LAUGHS

Elia!

Come and be introduced. Bill, this is Michali's sister.

Captain Bill Moss. SHE SPEAKS GREEK

How do you do? How do you do?

PRIEST SPEAKS GREEK

Captain Moss.

PRIEST SPEAKS GREEK

Bill, I'm gonna leave you for a moment.

This takes a long, long time and I've heard it all before.

THEY SPEAK GREEK

THEY PLAY A LIVELY TUNE

MAN SINGS IN GREEK

EVERYONE SINGS ALONG

WOMAN SPEAKS GREEK She wants to know if you're hungry.

Always.

SANDY TRANSLATES

THEY SPEAK GREEK

LAUGHTER

WOMAN SINGS IN GREEK

ALL SING

WOMAN SINGS IN GREEK

CHEERING

Sheep's eyeball, a great compliment.

Thank you, but I draw the line at a sheep's eyeball.

You must be mad. Greatest delicacy.

WOMAN SPEAKS GREEK

Paddy, help! Translation!

What? SHE SPEAKS GREEK

"What's your name?" Bill.

SHE SPEAKS GREEK Ah!

SHE SPEAKS GREEK

Does she know where you are tonight? I certainly hope not!

PHILEDEM CHUCKLES

WOMEN SPEAK GREEK

She says, "Don't go lose your dear little life."

I won't. WOMEN SPEAK GREEK

Steady, she's after you!

LAUGHTER AND CHEERING

MUSIC AND CHATTER FADE

HE SNORES

Bill?

Mmm?

You awake?

BILL GRUNTS

Well, I am now. I wondered.

Well, you can see we've got this island pretty well buttoned up.

Money for jam.

Tell me, how did you get my transfer through?

Pulled a lot of strings.

You've got a big job to do.

Wonderful.

Risky as hell, though.

What's the form?

Ever heard of General Kreipe?

No. A Jerry general? Mmm.

They've got 30,000 paratroops on this island.

General Kreipe's their divisional commander-in-chief.

Good luck to him.

What IS the job?

HE is.

We're going to snatch him and take him over to North Africa.

Kidnap the C-in-C?

Mmm. Just the two of us?

Mm-hm. HE CHUCKLES

Pinch me, I'm dreaming!

Mind you, the Cretans will back us up in this, too.

Yes. What about the Cretans?

They must run the most incredible risk,

and yet they all seem to... KNOCK AT DOOR

MEN SPEAK IN GREEK

PHILEDEM CHUCKLES What's up?

Zahari's been living in the town too long,

he says he can't sleep with a goat any more.

LAUGHTER He's no Cretan.

Oh, let me go, I don't mind.

It's all right. I smell myself.

Actually.

Sandy.

Pleasant dreams! SANDY CHUCKLES

Go on.

So, we've decided to do something spectacular.

Something we can do on the cheap.

Cheap?

Well, you can have me very cheap.

Who else is in on this?

Just us three at the moment, and Micky Akoumianakis.

Who's he? Our chief agent in Heraklion.

DOOR RATTLES

Sandy, I thought he couldn't stick it.

Let him in.

GOAT BLEATS

Ho-ho, it's the goat! BILL LAUGHS

THEY LAUGH

MAN SPEAKS GREEK

LAUGHTER

Well, good night.

Good night.

Come on, Micky. Don't take all day.

How do we look?

You OK. Bill OK in the dark.

You know, you look like an Englishman dressed as a German

leaning against the Ritz bar. For heaven's sake,

try and look a bit more like the master race.

Gott im Himmel... BARKS IN GERMAN

That's better. Now get him. If only I had a monocle.

These corporals don't wear monocles.

Good.

HE SIGHS

I do feel naked without my moustache.

Here comes general now!

CAR HORN HONKS

CAR HORN HONKS

Nice car. Looks like a Mercedes.

Is Mercedes. 1941 model.

Grey with brown leather, engine six cylinder, special fog lamp - yellow,

two big headlamps... Both out of line.

Adjusted. Driver was working on them this morning, early.

9:15 now.

The general leaves Villa Ariadne every morning at nine

to drive here his headquarters.

He stays till one o'clock,

then drives back to the villa for lunch.

He returns around four o'clock,

then drives back to the villa for dinner around eight thirty...

..in the dark.

Yeah.

That's the time to stick him up.

How far is it from here down to the main road?

One cigarette, maybe two.

Does he always stick to the same timetable?

More or less.

Sometimes, general plays cards after work.

Cards? Yeah, a game called Bridge.

General not very good player, but very lucky.

General a great believer in luck.

Round neck wears a little black bag with lucky gold coin in it.

Coin save general's life on Russian front.

Bullet hit coin instead of general.

Pity. THEY LAUGH

How do you know all this?

I, too, am spy.

Intelligence service!

I find out. He's a friend of the general's cook.

Pretty? Very fat.

Bill, don't be frivolous. Sorry.

Not a girl. A man.

You know, the fact that he sometimes stays longer at headquarters

is very important. If he doesn't turn up,

it may be a couple of hours before they give the alarm.

Next thing to do is to find a place to hold up the car.

We'd better recce the road.

This is a good spot. Yes.

Is that the main road?

Main bus route from Tympaki to Heraklion.

It's a pip of a place for an ambush. Here comes truck now.

Mm, he certainly slowed down at the junction.

And the general's driver is very careful.

He's bound to slow down, too. I've got it.

Grab the general's car, drive straight through Heraklion

and out the other side. It's money for jam!

Yes, this is it.

If we have Elias down that road there,

he can signal us when the general's car comes.

HORN HONKS Alarm buzzer.

Dry battery.

If I get very long wire, I can ring buzzer beside you.

I know where I can steal plenty of electrical wire.

I got plenty of wire.

Why use your own when I can steal it?

No point taking a risk. No take risk. Only take wire.

I get wire. Ah...

BOTH MUTTER IN GREEK

When me and George do something? Don't worry, your turn will come.

You and he must deal with the general and his driver. Chk!

This signalling business is very important.

If we snatch the general at night,

how's Elias gonna know that it's his car?

I know.

All right, come down the road and prove it. OK!

CAR HORN HONKS Car coming!

Mercedes.

The general!

THEY SHOUT IN GREEK

Psst! Psst!

CAR APPROACHES

Volkswagen.

Es ist der Generals Wagen?

Es ist der Generals Wagen? Mm?

Es ist der Generals Wagen? I'm rehearsing it for you.

Oh! Danke schon!

"Did you not hear it?

"No, twas but the wind...

"or a car rattling over the stony street.

"On with the dance. Let joy be unconfined.

"No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure..."

ENGINE APPROACHES

Es ist der Generals Wagen?

ENGINE PASSES

NSU motorcycle combination.

"No sleep till morn,

"when Youth and Pleasure meet

"To chase the glowing Hours with flying feet."

ENGINE APPROACHES

Truckload of troops.

SECOND ENGINE APPROACHES

Mercedes!

BUZZER SOUNDS TWICE

CAR HORN HONKS

Es ist der Generals Wagen?

Ja, ja. HE MUTTERS IN GERMAN

Come on!

Himmel! Herr Gott!

Hilfe!

All yours, Andoni.

All right? Money for jam.

Petrol tank's full, guv.

It was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Mwah! We'll show them!

We'll show them those son's of...

Now, now, Micky! Not in front of the children!

Verstehen Sie Deutsch? Passen Sie auf!

HE SPEAKS GREEK Stop it, Micky!

Convoy coming! We've got to get on.

THEY SPEAK GREEK

Come on, let's go.

Right.

ENGINE STARTS, GRUNTING

Sorry, handbrake.

THEY SPEAK GREEK

YELLING IN GREEK Close enough for you?

HORN HONKS Nice timing.

HORN HONKS

General Kreipe?

George, let him speak.

General Kreipe? Jawohl.

Ich bin Major Leigh Fermor, das ist Kapitan Moss -

Britische Offiziere.

Sie sind Kriegsgefangener.

Verstehen Sie? Ja, ich verstehe.

Wo ist mein Hut?

Hier.

Here comes number one.

Slow down, let him see the pin up but don't stop, whatever you do.

Get the general out of sight.

HE SHOUTS IN GERMAN

MUFFLED GRUNTING

OK, Philedem...

We're sitting on him.

First time I sit on general - very hard seat.

I sit on general's stomach - very comfortable.

Now!

He's looking after us.

He's gone back into the post. That was the first one.

Now for number two.

Same drill? Mm.

GUARD: Der general!

He's gone to telephone the general's villa.

Der general.

Villa Ariadne, Ja?

Der general? Ja, ja, gut.

Raus da! Schnell! Der general kommt!

Mach das Tor auf!

Der general!

Schnell, schnell, schnell!

MEN SHOUT IN GERMAN

Der Herr General Kreipe kommt.

Wurden die Herrn bitte verdunkeln? Ja, los, los!

GRUNTING Watch him, watch him!

Herr General!

Achtung!

YELLS COMMANDS IN GERMAN

CAR HORN HONKS

Come on, out of the way, cock.

Money for jam! BOTH CHUCKLE

Large, built-up area...

..rapidly approaching.

Heraklion...

here we come!

GUARDS CHATTER

Wow, it stiffened them.

I can't rush this.

Machen Sie das Licht an!

Whoops-a-daisy!

Der general!

GUARD: Der general!

Aufmachen!

SCREAMS IN GERMAN

Garrison cinema show.

Unless we're expected.

Hilfe! HE CHOKES

CAR HORN HONKS

CAR HORN HONKS

Ruddy motorcyclists. They're all alike!

SOLDIER: Der General! Los, los, los!

Der General kommt! Los! Los!

SOLDIER SPEAKS GERMAN

HORN HONKS Los, los, los!

Der general kommt!

Los! Los!

Which way?

Turn right.

TYRES SCREECH

Das ist eine Affenschande.

Wie ist das moglich? WOMEN CHATTER IN GERMAN

Haben Sie seine Kraftwagen?

Das wissen wir doch!

Ich geh zum Hauptquartier. Jawohl, Herr General.

Passen Sie auf, der general kommt!

Number 22.

And that's the last!

SIREN WAILS

ALL: E viva!

Up the rebels!

Long live crime!

Long live everybody! Long live Philedem!

Thank you! Long live the captain!

Thank you! Long live the Cretans!

Zito i kriti!

THEY SHOUT IN GREEK

Long live my bottom that is sitting on the General!

LAUGHTER

Long live the general till we get him safely back to Cairo.

Thank you.

Did you hear that, Paddy?

The general speaks English.

Considerably better than your friend here speaks German!

Your sentries thought my German was excellent.

I am sorry for them, they will be in trouble tomorrow.

Would you mind asking your friends to remove their knives?

Oh, let him up, boys.

Thank you. Oof.

Do I understand that your plan is to take me to Cairo?

Yes, General.

Field Marshal Rommel didn't make it, but you will.

Stop! Stop!

This is where we're gonna ditch your car,

so I'm afraid you'll have to get out.

You're not going to leave me, Major? Only for a little while, sir.

I wish to speak to you alone.

George.

You can speak in front of Captain Moss.

You're not going to leave me in the hands of these...

..Cretans?

Captain Moss will go with you, sir.

Very well.

Thank you.

May I remind you, sir, that...

in Crete...

..we're all in the hands of the Cretans.

My coat and briefcase. Very good, sir.

Run along. Do you want a few driving lessons?

Don't be mad, I'm a brilliant driver.

ENGINE STARTS

GEARS CRUNCH Ooh!

BILL CACKLES

TYRES SCREECH

Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it!

Dieses ganze Gebiet hier werd ich absperren.

Setzen Sie 5,000 Mann an, 20,000.

General Kreipe muss gefunden werden.

Scouting plane. Wieselestork.

WieseleSTORCH.

Thank you, sir.

My German should be almost perfect by the time we deliver you in Cairo.

IF you deliver me in Cairo.

All clear? All clear, Philedem.

No Germans in village.

PLANE FLIES OVERHEAD

Scouting plane.

They can't have found the car yet.

Come on.

CHILDREN SHOUT IN GREEK

MAN SINGS IN GREEK

HE SHOUTS IN GREEK

Yassas. MEN CHATTER IN GREEK

MAN SPITS

Now, what's the matter with them?

MAN CALLS OUT IN GREEK

WOMEN CHAT IN GREEK

CROWD SHOUTS: Philedem! Philedem!

Philedem, the Germans are coming! Hundreds of Germans!

WHISTLE BLOWING They've gone mad!

They're surrounding the villages. They're taking hostages!

CHICKENS SQUAWK

GOAT BLEATS

CHURCH BELL TOLLS

George, grab one of those.

"To all Cretans.

"Last night, the German general Kreipe was abducted by bandits."

"Bandits"? Do they mean us?

Oh, they mean it as a compliment. Go on.

"The general is now concealed in the Cretan mountains

"and his whereabouts cannot be unknown to the populace.

"The Germany army of occupation will pay 50,000 Reichsmarks

"to anyone whose information will lead

"to the discovery of General Kreipe.

"But if the general is not returned within three days,

"all rebel villages in the Heraklion district will be razed to the ground

"and the severest measures of reprisal

"will be brought to bear on the civilian population."

How dare they? How do you mean?

We left a signed note saying who we were.

Cairo radio have broadcast that this is a military operation.

Bill, I'm sending runners to Tom and Dick Barnes

to radio Cairo to send a boat as soon as possible.

Ah, so there are other Englishmen in Crete.

You'd be surprised.

Four men coming from the village.

Cretans.

MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

HE REPLIES IN GREEK

Charis Zographakis and his young brother!

Niko!

MAN YELLS IN DISTANCE

You think you're occupying this island, sir,

while all the time you're like fat sheep penned in the valleys,

watched by lean and hungry wolves from above.

Cigarette, sir? Sheep do not smoke.

But wolves do. Bung it over, will you?

What's the matter, Bill?

Haven't you lost one of your decorations, sir?

The one you used to wear round your neck.

My Ritter Kreuz. This is terrible!

Never mind. We'll get you another one in Cairo.

You don't understand, that could only be a replica.

Where did you last see it? It was in the car.

Hmm.

I thought I'd seen it since then.

HE SHOUTS IN GREEK

Bill. Yes? We've got to move on.

He says the Germans have picked up our trail. Good Lord.

How near are they?

Less than half an hour away.

Stratis is going to stay in the village and keep an eye out.

Yeah, we'd better get cracking. Yes, right away.

Yassou, Stratis! Yassou, Philedem.

Yassou.

Good luck. Thank you!

I'm sorry, sir. I'm afraid we shall have to move on.

Try and eat later.

Your colleague General Brauer is being rather active.

I'm delighted to hear it.

I'll try and get you a mule later on, but for the moment,

I hope you don't object to walking like the rest of us.

I'm hardly in a position to object, Major.

Where are you taking me now?

To the birthplace of Zeus, father of the gods.

Mount Ida. Quite a climb.

One German cigar.

BILL CHUCKLES

Haben sie in diese Richtung gegangen sein oder in diese.

Wir mussen sie kriegen.

GERMAN VOICE ON LOUDSPEAKER

LOUDSPEAKER ECHOES IN DISTANCE

More star shells. To the south of us this time.

Thank you. Well, they're all around us.

In the valleys, but we're in the mountains,

and that's where we intend to stay.

DISTANT ENGINES ROAR

Have you a good ear?

Yes, for music. Why?

Listen.

DISTANT ENGINES ROAR

Aircraft. Sweet music to my ears.

I've been waiting for that sound all night.

General Brauer's doing exactly what I would do in similar circumstances.

What is a circumstance, Philedem?

It can be a number of things, George, pleasant or unpleasant.

Which is this, sir?

Pleasant for me, unpleasant for you.

Troop carriers. Parachutists.

General Brauer realises of course you're making for the south coast.

He estimates your speed of travel,

he drops parachutists to cut you off.

It's exactly what I would have done myself.

ADONI SCOFFS

I will go ahead alone, Philedem.

From the door of this hut,

you can see across the valley to Kedros.

We'll light fires in the mountains if it is dangerous to move.

And if there are no fires, we'll join you tomorrow night.

Where shall we meet?

Er... In the cave above Gerakari.

It is well.

Remember, if you see fires in the mountains, stay where you are.

Yassas. Yassou. Yassou.

Auf Wiedersehen.

LOUDSPEAKER IN DISTANCE

Cigaro.

HE SPEAKS GREEK Yassou. Yassou.

DISTANT ENGINES ROAR

There's three, possibly four aircraft.

60 men, all fully armed.

What sort of aircraft do you use for para drops, sir?

Junkers.

You won't like what these aircraft are going to drop.

They're Wellingtons.

DISTANT EXPLOSIONS

See what we mean, sir?

The night is young.

DISTANT EXPLOSIONS

LOUDSPEAKER CONTINUES

MAN OVER LOUDSPEAKER: Die Deutsche Versetzung...

Herr General, verleicht sind sie auf der Bergen.

Ach! Haben Sie nicht Unsinn!

Manner schicken Sie da hinn.

Hier, mindestens 2,000.

All Fahrzeuge, so garr jede Flugzeug.

Ich will Resultate haben! Verstehen Sie?

Resultate!

Philedem? Hmm?

Your runner is here. The one you sent to Captain Tom.

Ah, Charis.

HE SPEAKS GREEK

THEY CHATTER EXCITEDLY IN GREEK

Charis... Charis!

Charis! What news from old Tom?

No news, Philedem. I couldn't find him.

The cave was empty. BOTH CHATTER IN GREEK

What else did you hear? What else did you hear?

I met the schoolmaster from Gerakari. That's all.

RESUMES CHATTER What did he say?

Sit down. What did he say?

Who? The schoolmaster.

He says, many Germans in the valley of Amari.

He says Captain Tom and Corporal Yani pack up this morning

and move up to a new hiding place. Cave at Gerakari no longer safe.

THEY CHATTER IN GREEK

OWL HOOTS

SNORING

Halt! Poios eisai? BOY SPEAKS GREEK

GOAT BLEATS

BOY SPEAKS GREEK

BOTH SPEAK GREEK

Philedem? What is it?

The boy come with letter from Andoni.

The Germans are drawing a cordon between us and the sea.

1,000 men, Philedem. He say we must leave at once.

PHILEDEM EXHALES

All right.

Hey, Bill. Bill, wake up. BILL GROANS

Is anything wrong, Major?

What's up?

They're trying to cut us off. We've got to move.

BOY SPEAKS GREEK

Winston Churchill.

Haven't you ever seen a German before?

He has good boots.

They're drawing a cordon between us and the sea.

Andoni sent this child down with a letter.

I thought he was gonna light fires if there was danger.

Thick mist outside, visibility five yards.

I refuse to climb mountains in weather like this.

I have no intention of breaking my neck.

No climb.

We go down in valley.

Much easier break neck.

The Geneva Convention stipulates

that general officers shall be accorded transport

suitable to their rank. You've nothing to worry about, sir.

The shepherd's very kindly agreed to loan you his donkey.

All right, Manoli. Here, mount him up.

Hup!

GOATS BLEATING

Come on, George.

HE COAXES DONKEY

Niko, scout ahead.

We might run into a German patrol.

BOY: Endaksi.

MAN CALLS OUT

MAN CALLS OUT

DOGS BARKING IN DISTANCE

ROCKS CRUMBLE

WHISPERS: Philedem! Philedem, stop!

WHISTLES BLOWING, DOGS BARKING IN DISTANCE

Stop right there.

MAN CALLS OUT

We've been followed. Followed?

Yeah.

Jerries? I don't know. It could be.

ROCK CRUMBLES

General? Yes?

You no call out, huh?

They can't see us either.

SOFTLY: Come on.

Hurry.

MEN YELLING IN DISTANCE

FALLING ROCKS AND VOICES

WHISTLES BLOWING

Oh! Oh! The general! Watch him!

Oh! O-o-o-oh! Oh!

GENERAL GROANS

Are you badly hurt, sir? My shoulder!

I have broken my shoulder.

HE GROANS

Oh, don't touch it! Come on, sir, you can't stay here.

I will not get on that brute again.

I would rather die!

All right, you die! Manoli, don't be a fool.

Manoli! Get up!

FALLING ROCKS

Well, sir?

Then you must help me.

Oh!

HE GROANS

Careful. I think I'm going to faint.

I'll get back as soon as possible.

I'll go ahead and recce. Come on, Niko.

Charis!

Looks all right. Tell the others. Right.

HE WHISTLES

GENERAL GROANS

I really must ask you to be quiet, sir.

I am in agony.

SIRENS BLAST

THEY BERATE IN GREEK

General! Come on!

BERATING CONTINUES

SIRENS BLAST

SIRENS BLAST

MAN SPEAKS GERMAN ON LOUDSPEAKER

Come on, hurry. It will soon be light.

Philedem, we are still being followed.

Bill, I'm sick of being followed.

Let's wait for them here.

George, up the back. Niko, take the general down there.

Come on, the rest of you, under cover. Take up position.

Come on, hurry!

Niko!

Niko, where are we? Not far village. Village Ano Meros.

Major!

You are being followed by a patrol.

Of course, you may succeed in wiping them out,

but in any case your firing will attract the other soldiers.

You had better give up and save your lives.

Save YOUR life, you mean, sir.

I know what would happen to us.

We'd sooner fight.

FOOTSTEPS MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

Look! Look! Here come the enemy!

HE LAUGHS RAUCOUSLY

Here come the platoon!

ALL CACKLE

Philedem, look! Look!

THEY LAUGH

Of course! Sheep follow donkeys. I'd forgotten that.

Paddy.

Fires!

Those must be Andoni's signal fires,

warning us to stay on the other side of the valley.

Manoli.

Philedem.

Give me that letter.

Come on.

This doesn't say we should move. It says we should stay where we are.

Doesn't it? Well, read it!

Yes, Philedem.

You realise there are about 1,000 German troops in these hills,

and we've come right through them in the mist.

I read Andoni's letter.

You misread it, you blithering idiot!

Andoni never could write properly.

Niko.

I want you to go up to the village

and see if any of our runners are there.

Look in the raki distillery, you might find them there.

Er, Philedem... Mm?

Is it true you take the general to Cairo?

Yes, quite true.

Do you always leave boots when you go?

Always.

Philedem...

give me general's boots. I can make them fit.

I wish to be a runner for resistance,

but without boots in the mountains, I cannot run.

The general won't be leaving his boots, Niko.

Why not?

Ah... Rule of the game.

You'll get some when we leave.

Men never give boots to boy.

They want them for men.

You'll be a man yourself soon. Now run off.

We'll join you later in the olive grove.

Oh... Come on.

MAN SINGS IN GREEK IN DISTANCE

Yassas!

MAN SPEAKS IN GREEK

HE WHISTLES SOFTLY

What's the matter?

Look, Philedem.

It's a cigarette. Still smoke.

MAN SPEAKS IN GREEK

THEY SPEAK GREEK

Andartes. GREEKS: Andartes!

EXCITED CHATTER IN GREEK

THEY ALL SHOUT IN GREEK

General Kreipe, our hungry wolves.

I am honoured, Major.

Not faces one forgets. Philedem!

Niko!

MIMICS MACHINE GUN: Br-r-r-r-r-r!

Nikolaki.

Surrender.

Did you find the runner? Yes, Philedem. He's here.

Why hasn't he come?

He cannot. Cannot?

Cannot what? Cannot walk, Philedem.

Like this. Like whole village. HE LAUGHS

MAN SINGS SOFTLY

There lies a completely happy man.

Do you see who it is?

MAN SINGS SOFTLY

The face is familiar.

Oof. Don't bring your cigarette near his breath.

But I don't place the body.

It's the runner I sent to tell Sandy.

Oh.

We shan't get much out of him today.

Well, he may have a letter on him.

Come on. Let's search him.

Of course, they expect to be searched.

If he's got it on him, it'll be a hell of a job to find it.

If he's got it on him, we'll find it.

HE MUMBLES IN GREEK

HE MUMBLES IN GREEK

HE GIGGLES

I know - his turban.

That's from Sandy all right.

"I raise an aged, tattered, almost historic but respectful hat.

"All my rosiest congratulations." HE CHUCKLES

"A boat will call for you at Rodakino beach at 22:00 hours

"on the nights of the 13th, 14th, 15th respectively.

"It's the only beach unoccupied with a suitable depth of water."

"Flash signal S-B."

But today is the 14th.

PHILEDEM EXHALES, TRILLS LIPS

If only we'd known about this last night.

How far is Rodakino beach?

A good two nights' march for you and me.

But not with Herr General.

No. MAN MURMURS

Well, we'll have to risk it.

Suits me.

Risk what? Daylight marching.

We'll march all today, all tonight and all tomorrow.

The Andartes will scout ahead for us,

and we'll have to carry ol' Strength Through Joy

even if it kills us. We've got to do it.

NIKO SHOUTS IN GREEK

MAN REPLIES IN GREEK

Yassou, Philedem. Yassou.

Yassou.

Yassou. Yassou.

MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

SHOUTS ECHOING

GENERAL GROANS

Ja, ja.

Ah! Vorsicht, ja?

GENERAL GRUNTS

Stop, stop. Please stop!

We can't stop here. There's no shade.

This is impossible. I can go no longer.

Come on, sir. Mein shoulder!

This is no time to crack up. We'll soon be there.

Schweinerei!

HE SHOUTS IN GREEK

HIS VOICE ECHOES

GENERAL GROANS Oh!

Five minutes' rest.

Cheer up, sir. Soon be dead.

VOICES SHOUTING

VOICES: Philedem!

Thalassa.

What is it? It's the sea.

HE SPEAKS GREEK

HE SPEAKS GREEK Many Germans.

They've just arrived. Maybe not stay.

They're putting up tents.

We've had it. Maybe find another beach, huh?

Too late.

Over there, village Kallikratis.

Captain Sandy there with radio. Only 20 cigarettes.

Send Niko, ask for another boat. We might have to hide for a week.

I'm frightened the general going ill on us. Ah...

Get Yani and his Andartes, we'll kill the lot of them.

They've got machine guns and mortars.

We attack after dark. Money for jam.

They won't do, I've got to bring him back alive.

GENERAL CLEARS THROAT

Where can we hide up near the beach?

Monastery, four cigarettes. Too risky.

I know a good cave. How far from the beach?

Seven cigarettes. Eight.

Seven. Eight. Seven! Shut up.

We might have to run for it. NIKO: Philedem?

Huh? I know very good place.

See beach. See everything.

Where my grandmother keep bees.

BEES BUZZ

I'd say there's about half a company of the blighters...

..and they're there to stay.

Thanks.

Damn bad luck, you know?

Here we are, General and all, ready to go,

boat waiting to take us off and the place stiff with Herrenvolk.

They've been in and out for the last two nights.

Hm!

The old colonel will be getting fed up with us.

We'll be lucky if it comes in a third time.

Thank you.

If only I could think of something to draw them off.

Niko.

Give my boots a polish, will you?

You are a good boy, Niko. Thank you.

MAN SHOUTS IN GREEK

MAN SHOUTS BACK

And where do you live? Up there, at Ano Meros.

Oh, the high village, where we drank raki?

Yes, that is the name. Ano Meros means high place.

And where is your house? No house.

House burned by Germans. Oh...

So where do you live? With my uncle.

Shepherd on Psiloritis, where you stay some nights.

I take his cheese to market.

Father? Mother? Brother? Sister?

Have mother, have sister.

Father shot by Germans.

HE SPITS Oh...

Well, where do they live? Gerakari.

My mother sew, make clothes.

My little sister help.

How old is she? Ten year.

Well, it looks hopeless, but we'll stick it out.

Someone will have to go over to Sandy to send a message to Cairo,

arrange a new boat, a new rendezvous.

Ah, you could do with a good pair of boots, Niko.

How much do they cost in Gerakari? No boots in shop.

But George and Andoni have good boots.

Those are British boots.

Can't you get a pair? Perhaps one day.

Can't you buy German boots? Oh, yes.

On black market. German boots good too.

Would you like to buy a pair?

What with? With this.

Here. It's a gold sovereign.

No, no, no, it is a German gold piece.

Now, any German officer will change it.

Go to Germans? No.

Why? You've not done any harm to the Germans.

Many thing. Oh, I see, well...

You see, they don't know that.

Now, you give that to a German officer

and tell him you want boots - good boots.

Thank you.

HE SIGHS

I wouldn't say anything about it if I were you.

You see, George and Andoni might be angry

that I give it to you rather than to them,

but I'm very grateful to them, too, of course.

You understand. Yes.

And I wouldn't waste any time about it if I were you.

It's a valuable coin, you might lose it.

Somebody might steal it.

Yes. Niko!

I want you to take a message for me to Captain Sandy.

He's in a cave above the village of Kallikratis.

What's the quickest way to get there?

Think quickest way is go down to coast,

go along coast to Patsianos, go up gorge of Kallikratis.

Well, don't get pinched by the Germans, will you?

Here.

Here you are, take it.

That's a very important message for Cairo.

You must get it to Captain Sandy as soon as possible.

You do know the cave at Kallikratis, don't you?

I go, Philedem.

Niko.

Ela.

What's the matter?

What's he been saying to you?

Hello, sir. I've brought you some food.

How are you feeling?

Still considerable pain in my shoulder, I'm afraid.

I hope you will find a doctor soon. My heart is not strong, you know.

And how are your plans progressing?

They aren't.

I did warn you you would find the beaches occupied.

General Brauer is not an idiot, you know?

You're right about the beaches.

And you now propose to storm Rodakino beach with your desperados

and take it by force? I had thought of it, but, er...

I changed my mind. Very wise.

Oh, would you send Niko to me? He's a nice boy.

I enjoy his company, very pleasant to talk to.

I'm sorry, sir, but, er...

I sent Niko on an errand.

Major.

Which way is your errand boy supposed to go?

West. Why?

Because Niko appears to be going down to the beach.

Halt! Wer da?

NIKO REPLIES IN GREEK

SOLDIER SPEAKS GERMAN, NIKO REPLIES IN GREEK

Komm mit mir.

Ja!

You trust that boy, don't you, Major?

Hmm? Yes, I do.

Yes, you trust all Cretans, don't you?

It's mutual. I don't think you'd understand, you know?

Huh!

They'd never betray you, never let you down.

You can see for yourself.

You trust them, fight for them,

risk your lives for these... barbarians.

These "barbarians", as you call them,

had some of the world's greatest philosophers

when your ancestors were running around with horns in their heads.

I'm not really concerned with what happened 2,000 years ago.

What matters is what you are today.

And I fancy, Major, you are in for a big surprise.

HE SPEAKS GERMAN

Ich muss mit General Brauer sprechen.

BRAUER: 'Hier ist Brauer.'

Herr General, wir haben General Kreipe gefunden.

HE SPEAKS GERMAN

Jawohl, Herr General. Sofort. Los!

Jawohl, Herr General! BRAUER CONTINUES SPEAKING

Du bleibst hier.

Jawohl, Her General. Ja...

Ja. Jawohl.

Ende.

Wo ist Rodakino? Rodakino.

They're on the move. You're sure?

Yes.

Yes, they're moving.

Right. Pack everything up.

DISTANT ENGINES ROAR

You are too late, Major.

Captain Moss, you, I think, are the expert.

What are they?

Junkers. Three of them. Correct.

General Brauer would not make that mistake a second time.

No.

Now, the troops down there are advancing on your front.

The Junkers will drop paratroopers in your rear to cut you off.

They've pinpointed your position. How?

Because I bribed that boy

with a gold coin to go down to the beach.

You've been betrayed for the price of a pair of boots.

You got a bargain for one piece of gold.

War is war, and facts are facts, Major.

They're at the crossroads.

OFFICER SHOUTS IN DISTANCE

OFFICER: Halt!

They've stopped.

The officer's looking up here!

My God!

They're turning this way!

No. No, they're turning back.

OFFICER SHOUTS IN DISTANCE

Yes! They're on the road to Patsianos!

Good old Niko!

He's done it, Paddy.

By God, he's drawn them off, the whole boiling lot of them.

THEY CHEER

THEY LAUGH RAUCOUSLY

Shut up, Andoni!

If ever there was a lucky coin, General.

Niko did everything you told him, he did everything I told him, too.

Your fat sheep...

are marching straight into a trap...

..and our hungry wolves are waiting for them.

HE SHOUTS IN GREEK

ECHOES

GUNFIRE

There's one of the beggars.

SOFTLY: Yeah.

Where's the other one?

In the tent, I suppose.

The point is, where's the dog?

You can always fool a man, but you can't fool a dog.

GUARD GRUNTS

DOG BARKS AND GROWLS

HE WHIMPERS

Come on, Bill. 11 o'clock, we're an hour late.

George, get Andoni and the General.

Come on, flash the signal. Sugar-baker, S-B. Right.

Sugar-baker.

Sugar... baker.

How do I flash sugar-baker?

Don't you know the Morse code?

Me? Well, don't you?

No.

Manoli... Oh, no. He wouldn't know it either.

Well, I must say we are a nice couple.

Sir.

Do you know the Morse code? Of course.

Aren't you professional soldiers?

Good Lord, no. The major here?

No, an amateur.

A distinguished amateur, but still an amateur.

HE SPEAKS GERMAN

I've let myself be captured by amateurs.

I shall be the laughing stock of the Wehrmacht.

I wouldn't worry if I were you, where we're taking you,

nearly everybody's been captured by amateurs.

You are not likely to take me anywhere

unless you learn to signal your boat.

He has a point, you know.

Philedem, someone's coming - down the gorge.

I know that hat.

I know that smell.

Alexei! Alexei!

SANDY: Oh, yassou. Sandy!

Oh, hello! Sandy, come here quick! We're in trouble.

Sandy, do you know Morse?

Morse who? Morse code, you idiot!

Oh, yes, of course I do. Flash the signal.

Where do you want me to flash? Hmm? Huh? Oh, there.

Out there. Oh, there. I see.

What do you want me to flash?

Sugar-baker. Sugar-baker.

Oh, S-B.

We had to pack up. A lot of Germans coming our way.

I thought I'd come down and see you all.

Andartes are out, I expect you heard them firing in the gorge.

They're right behind me.

It's them.

Boat stop.

Sandy, you're a genius! You deserve a putty medal.

I say, where's the general? Oh, er... there.

General Kreipe, Captain Sandy.

How do you do? How do you do?

Another amateur. At least he knows the Morse code.

Dinghy coming!

Philedem!

Men coming!

It's Yani and his Andartes!

Did you wipe them out? We wiped.

CHEERING Any prisoners?

One. One?

A German? Greek.

Greek?

HE SPEAKS GREEK

MEN: Niko! Niko!

PHILEDEM LAUGHS

Niko! Niko, well done!

Erasmos.

George, Manoli!

Niko, you'd better come with us.

SAILOR: Major Leigh Fermor? Yes! Here, here!

Have you got the general, sir? Yes.

HE SPEAKS GREEK

Captain's compliments, sir.

He's very anxious to get that... to get out of here, sir.

Your scarf, Captain. Ah, thank you, sir.

Right, Manoli, here.

HE EXHALES

KNOCK AT DOOR Come in.

Well, sir. We're under way. Oh...

HE CLEARS THROAT

We're under way and tomorrow morning we should be in Cairo.

My congratulations.

George and Manoli and Andoni send their best wishes.

Thank you. And so, oddly enough, does Niko.

Niko? Yes, he's on board with us.

We didn't think it was safe to leave him behind after what he'd done.

He can go back after the war. He's a brave boy.

Yes. A clever boy, too.

Yes. And honest.

He brought it back to you. Brought what back?

Your lucky gold coin.

Yes, an honest boy. Yes.

Bill.

All your possessions, sir.

Your Knight's Cross.

Various buttons.

Your Iron Cross, First Class.

Your hat.

And your lucky gold coin.

You see, Bill's very observant.

From the moment you lost your Knight's Cross,

he's been keeping an eye on you.

You scattered a trail right across Crete,

like Hansel and Gretel.

And we had a series of little birds picking them up for us.

BOTH CHUCKLE Gentlemen!

I wish to correct a remark you made.

Which one?

You are not amateurs. You are professionals.

Thank you.

No hard feelings?

Not at all.

It was a highly successful military operation...

brilliantly executed.

I'm going up to the wireless room, sir.

Have you a message for General Brauer?

Yes.

Kindly inform General Brauer...

that he is an incompetent idiot.

As you wish, sir. How is your shoulder?

Oh... terribly painful.

You know, you promised me a doctor.

Yes, yes... One outside.

SINGING IN GREEK

And... your friend Niko.

# Philedem, Philedem, Philedem HE SPITS

# Philedem...

HE SINGS IN GREEK

How do you feel?

Flat.

You look flat.

I know how I'd like to look.

How would you like to look?

Like an Englishman.

Dressed like an Englishman.

BOTH: Leaning against the Ritz bar!

BOTH CHUCKLE

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