Original subtitles

The latest tanks, planes and artillery are loaded on board transports...

to be shipped to the Libyan desert.

Where they will disembark at the coastal fortress of Tobruk.

Tobruk...

the respectable stronghold of allied resistance in North Africa

from which allied troops...

throw down their comforts, to submerge track effort decor.

And now our boys are over there...

with teams of combat experience in desert conditions.

Side by side, with their British comrades,

against a Nazi war machine.

And they're looking forward to...

wiping the smile off, General Rommels face.

Waco! Let's go! Let's go!

Come on!

This is U.S. Tactical Tank to Unit 5. Repeat message.

U.S. Tactical Tank for Unit 5. Repeat. Over to you. Over.

Sarge!

Get up! Come on! Stand up!

Come on!

I don't understand. Do we go south?

[ radio indistinct ]

Come on! Get in here!

Down!

Come on.

Okay, okay, but what's the order?

[ indistinct radio chatter ]

..... Get the hell out of there!

Why didn't you say so in the first place?

"As a walk in the sun" Get in this thing and ...

see how this baby works in the sand, and that's what they said.

Hey, Sarge. We're in trouble. - Yeah?

What, is that a wild guess?

General retreat order. Points to the west and north are under enemy control.

We're boxed in.

We're still going south then, hey Jimmy?

Get down, and give us a hand.

What are we going to do, if we can't get the cement-mixer rolling?

Hey, what did I tell you about that cement-mixer stuff?

Lay off that.

She's sensitive.

Give me a screwdriver.

What's in that stuff, a Pináta?

What stuff?

Nothing.

It can't be just nothing.

Rocks, sand, nothing.

He does his own god damn shopping.

Well, if they keep that up, they're liable to hit us.

She going to get us out of here, Joe?

Uh, she's a lady now.

Now, you gotta treat her like a lady.

Alright, get up there and give it a try.

Cement-mixer. - Yeah, yeah.

I'll tell you.

No woman sounded this sweet,

as this baby is gonna sound, when she gets rolling.

Alright, Jimmy. Give it a try!

God damn it.

Aw, come on Jimmy.

Come on, Jimmy!

He's not feeding her right.

More atriums for the woman after the dinner.

Come on, Waco. Hold on to this. Push on the contacts, while I give it a try.

Hey!

You said go.

I said, get out of there. Get out of there!

Come on, LuLu Belle. Come on.

Come on. Get us out of here.

Come on, keep going.

Come on, LuLu Belle. Come on, sweetheart. You can do it.

LuLu Belle, come on. Don't let me down now.

LuLu Belle.. ! Come on! Here we go!

Ahh!

Waco! Come on. Let's go!

Waco! Come on in here!

He's hurt, Joe!

You gonna make it?

Yeah, I'll be all right.

What happened?

She bit me, Joe!

Well, some women are like that, kid.

Ask Abby.

Let's see, what this is about?

Go.

Jimmy, stay on that radio. - Sure.

Sgt. Gunn, U.S. Army Tactical Tank.

Capt. Halliday, Royal Army Medical Corp.

Where's uh ...the rest of your unit, Sergeant?

Well, you're looking at it.

My gunner got hurt.

Anyone around here help him out?

Yes, of course, I can. Come here, private.

Thank you, sir.

Well, looks like, we're not the only one's, who took a beating.

I had 42 wounded.

By the time the Stuttgart stopped bombing, I had 42 dead.

I guess that Red Cross, doesn't mean anything, anymore, huh?

That's a nasty cut.

How did it happen?

LuLu Belle bit me, sir.

LuLu Belle?

That's the Tank, sir.

What's your problem?

Problem?

Cigarette?

Here. Help yourself.

Merci.

Oh, American ci, I don't see for a long time.

Pass them around.

I'm afraid that's the best I can do, private.

How you doin', Waco?

I'll be alright, Sarge.

You know, we can use all the water you can spare?

Well ...

I'm afraid you are out of luck, sergeant. Our entire supply was destroyed.

All we have left, is what's in our canteens.

These men under your command, sir?

Stragglers, like yourself. Trying to rejoin their outfit.

It's too late for that.

There's been a General Retreat Ordered. Haven't you got a radio?

Had one, sergeant.

That gunfire doesn't sound like a Retreat to me.

Those are German guns, mopping up.

Look, we're cutting south.

We figure, we can link up with another outfit until we can turn and make a stand.

South?

South is the guitar of the prescence, sergeant. It's the worse piece of desert in Libya.

How far do think you will get in a tin can?

That's my Tank, private.

She's a good Tank.

And right now, she's the only ticket you got out of here.

No one had considered Retreat, sergeant.

You're new to the desert. We've been here for awhile

Much better to dig in and wait for re-inforcements.

Re-inforcements?

What are you crazy?

We just got our ass kicked.

I'm sorry sir, but you have been cut off. And south, is the only way out.

Instead of south, I'm for digging in, sir. Better then running scared in a tin coffin.

Good luck.

First, we ain't runnin'. We're obeying orders.

Second, she's not made out of tin. Third she's no ones coffin.

She's an M3 air-cooled Lee.

She can cross 200 miles of desert as easy as you can take a stroll in Picadilly circus.

It would be good for before the war, Sgt.

And uh, .. Picadilly is in London. I'm from Sundargarh.

That will do, gentlemen.

Look, you can either ride with me or see Berlin from the inside of a prison camp.

Me? I'm going into Berlin right on the top of LuLu Belle, there.

Now, south is the only way out and that's the way we're going.

Head south, until we can turn and make a stand.

Good luck, Captain. Come on Waco.

Sargente!

I go with you.

Why?

I like your cigarettes.

It's transporte. We don't have any.

Alright, mount on top.

Merci.

Alright men, we can go with the Americans.

Get your gear. Hurry it up.

Jimmy, wind her up!

Is he any good, this Sergeant?

Is you're Sergeant, any good?

The best.

Joe's a smart guy. Just don't say nothing bad about the Tank.

Sounds alot like a tractor my father used to have.

Don't call it a tractor.

That's my girl. Kathy.

She got a sister?

The last thing she said to me was, "Stay out of trouble, mate."

Did Sgt. Gunn say, out of trouble or into trouble, Jimmy?

Yeah.

Come on, come on baby.

What's the problem?

I think I cut the mixture a little thin. Tried to save on gas.

Alright.

Waco! Tell them they can stretch their legs.

Jimmy! Get down here on the radio.

If I was you all, you can come down now.

Frenchy !

Go for that slope over there and keep a look-out.

Alright, we're only going to be here for a few minutes.

Better eat something.

Drink a third of a cup of water apiece.

Be sure to measure that water in a cup.

Waco. Get my mess kit.

Aw .... babe.

Starving you to death, ain't I?

Well, I know you need gas.

Not as bad as we need water.

Tobruk. That's where I'd head for.

Dais sever. This sand, it's a death trap.

Except, we're not headed for Tobruk.

This Tank has saved us alot of days.

More than you and I've done anyways, in a minute.

Listen to it. The voice of playing the game.

Sgt. Gunn, he knows what he is doing.

Yeah, well, I grew up in the Outbacks son. And the sergeant's a new-born in the desert.

Jimmy!

- Yeah. Get anything on the radio yet?

Nothing but static and a Heil Hitler.

Well. we're not getting anything on the radio,

so we don't know where they are going to take a stand.

Well, Tobruk's my bet. It's never fallen.

Have we enough petro-oil for there?

Well, we got enough for about 160 miles.

What we need is water.

Hey!

I thought I told you to measure that in a cup.

Sorry, I wasn't thinking.

Waco, take their canteens and bring them to me!

Now, you just hang on a second, sergeant.

We got our own officer here. And we take our orders from him.

A complainer, huh?

No, a soldier.

A lousy soldier, you don't take orders well at all.

Well, ever heard of chain of command. He out ranks you.

Sergeant Gunn is in command of the Tank.

It's his job to get us through the desert safely. So, you will take your orders from him.

And it only comes from him.

Thank you, sir.

However, I will continue to consult with you on the progress of this expedition, sergeant.

My canteen.

Yes, sir.

Waco, pick up the canteens!

Move out!

Sargente! Sargente!

Over there Sargente! Over there!

What can you make out, Sarge?

Well, I think for the first time, we got somebody out-numbered.

Frenchy! Send them a postcard!

That's a British Sudanese soldier, sergeant.

And an Italian prisoner.

I think he's coming after us.

One of you guys give me something white, to wave.

We know when we're licked.

Get up!

Come forward!

Sgt. Major Tambul, Fourth Sudanese Battalion.

Well, Tambul, you had us scared.

But it is true, Bimbashi? To think I capture me an enemy Tank.

Where is the rest of your outfit, Sgt. Major?

They come with many machines. Many tanks fell upon us there.

All my men died in battle.

I escaped ...and captured this man to carry my pack.

Do you know the desert?

Yes, sergeant.

We need water. Can you guide us to the nearest well?

Yes, there is one in area. Very old.

Very hard to find.

Leads to a well in Sadi Barrani.

Is there water there?

It is possible, sergeant.

Can you take us there, Sergeant Major?

Allah is my guide, I can only try.

Excellent. - Alright.

Ok, Tambul. You ride up front. - Yes, sergeant.

Waco! Wind this thing up!

Jimmy! Throw me down a can of rations!

Sargento, I have a wife and family in Italy.

I speak English. Good English.

Go on, here. No room.

If you leave me here, I die.

Look, you head north and you might get lucky and join up with the Germans.

My cousin lives in America. He works in a factory that produces steel...

Waco, wind this thing up!

Probably he manufactured the steel for this Tank ...

Out of my way.

Look, a letter from my wife. A photograph here, of my wife.

We have no time for your photographs!

Jimmy, give me half-full canteen.

Sergeant, this man is a prisoner of war. We must take him with us.

We are moving on. We are leaving. Mount up, sir.

Be kinder to put a bullet in him now.

- I thought about it.

Now look. This is more than we can afford.

Now head north.

Sergeant, I protest! You must not do this!

I made my decision, Captain!

You can't kill him in cold blood! It's a man's life we're talking about.

We're talking about nine lives. Theirs.

- Then ask them, see if they agree with you.

They're not going to agree with me now, Captain.

But when we run out of water and dying of thirst ...

do you think they are going to thank me for bringing this whop along?

It is about survival.

I thought that's why you put me in charge, Captain?

Now, Mount up!

Sargeant, ....

- Let go!

Captain, ...please. - No.

No, ...I'm sorry.

Lousy way to go.

The Sergeant is right. It is stupid to have pity in war.

Waco, Move it!

I hope you sleep well,

you mangy dog, Sargeant!

Waco, Stop!

Come on!

Come on, mate!

Hurry up! Come on!

Give me your hand.

Sit down here.

Thank you.

He's onboard, sergeant.

Waco, Let's go!

Bone dry.

It can't be.

Oh well, wasn't thirsty anyway.

Mind you, I wouldn't mind a nice cold beer right now.

Shut your cake hole, will ya.

Suppose we dig?

It's no good, sergeant.

The water comes and goes. The desert decides when to give life.

Besides, we only got two canteens of water left.

Sergeant, now might be a good time to consider turning back.

We're not done yet.

Tambul. How far is the nearest well?

The ruins of Bir-Acroma. It is a God forsaken place, Sergeant.

It's 70 miles south.

It's 70 miles in the Sahara.

Well, we gotta try.

And suppose the next well is as dry as this one?

Eww ..Wee!

- You must think this is funny? No, I don't think this is funny at all.

I was just thinking, when I was a kid, the biggest treat I ever got ...

was going to the beach and playing in the sand.

Jimmy, you got anything on that radio, yet?

Nothing but static and saur-kraut, Joe.

Nothing.

Hey lads, we got company!

It's not one of ours. Move it!

Take cover!

He's coming back boys!

Let's go! Go on!

Why aren't we fighting back?

I want him to think, we are out of ammunition.

Come on! Let's go!

I think he will come in lower this time.

Yahoo! Ha! Ha! Yahoo!

We got him!

Nice shooting, Sergeant!

Yeah.

- There's a parachute. The pilot bailed out!

Alright, Captain. Tambul. Come with me.

Bates, you too.

Drop it! You heard me. Drop that gun!

Drop the gun!

What the hell is he saying? Anybody know what he is saying?

It's actually German, Sergeant.

What's he saying?

He's offering us the opportunity to surrender, Sergeant.

Oh, he is, is he?

Drop the god damn gun !!

Let the weapon fallen.

Tell him to put his hands on his head.

" Aber diene Hande uber diene Kopf. "

Put 'em up there.

Ask him if he speaks English.

" Sprech du Englisch? "

-Nein.

He got the message.

Tambul. Search him.

Herr Captain, nicht mit diesem Mann.

He is objecting Sgt Major Tambul.

Seems he considers the Sergeant Major to be of inferior race.

Well he doesn't have to worry about the Sergeant Major's color.

It won't rub off on his nice clean uniform.

Search him Tambul ...

thoroughly!

Knife.

Oh, yes.

Here.

Thought so.

And this, " Bimbashi."

It's in English. Propaganda drop for our troops, no doubt.

" wave the white flag and surrender your arms...

" your officers are incompetent fools..

" our victorious armies are already cele ...

What? What is it?

it says they are celebrating the fall of Tobruk.

Ja. Tobruk fallen. Tobruk kaputt.

Tobruk? It's not possible, is it, sir?

Captain! Captain! It's Clarkson, sir. He's been hit!

Tambul. Bring him along.

How bad is it?

It's bad.

Well, we can't stay here.

If the flyboy is telling the truth there's nothing stopping the German troops, now.

They'll be coming down, right over the top of us.

I can't feel my legs.

Can he be moved?

Not till we stop the bleeding.

Jimmy, Get on that radio!

Right, Sarge.

The Gerry here, says Tobruk's fallen.

O' Blimey. If Tobruk's fallen, they're a long way from us.

Short cockey's, that's us. Dingo bait.

Sargente, what about the new prisoner?

What about him?

Suppose he has an accident. We take a walk beyond that hill ...

and when you are ready to go, I come back alone.

Enjoy your work, huh?

I have a tender heart too, Sargente.

But this ... this is a Nazi ...mad dog. Nazis a mad dog.

And one more mouth to give water.

I never let my tender heart get in the way of what has to be done.

This kid has got an Iron Cross. He's valuable.

I'm gonna hang onto him.

But I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do, Frenchy.

I'm going to make you responsible that this kid stays in one piece.

Understand, Sargente.

Jimmy, did you get anything on that radio!

It's confirmed. They took Tobruk. They are attacking Sidi Barrani.

West is falling back trying to reform and defend I Qatar along the El Alamein line.

That's where they are going to make a stand.

That puts us on the wrong side of the fence.

Something amusing you, Fritz?

Something I said, maybe?

Es ist nicht, was er sagte.

Vas des es amusement?

He said, we're riff raff.

Americanos, Englische, Franzosa ......

Nigger.

If I see you smile again,

I'm going to punch your teeth into the back of your neck.

And if I find out you're lying to me flyboy ...

I'm going to give you to Frenchy there and see if he likes you.

And if you do not understand a word I'm saying, ...

you got nothing to worry about.

Tambul. 70 miles to the next well?

That way, Sergeant. We call it Hala Hara Shep.

Left, Sergeant. Toward the left. Toward the left!

You know, Joe. I got a bad feeling.

We gotta trust Tambul.

Left, Sergeant! Left!

Left! Left!

Turn to the Left, Sergeant!

Bir Acroma! It's Bir Acroma, Sergeant!

Bir Acroma.

Out, boys.

Sergeant, Clark will have to have water soon or he won't last another day.

The rest can wait till later on.

- Tambul... - Yes, Sergeant.

Where's that well?

We must look for it. But not until the storm has past.

Tambul, where?

Somewhere, Sergeant, within the walls.

Alright, spread out and look for it.

Waco, stick with me.

Alright, Waco. Clear the rollers. Grease those bogies.

We got a ways to go yet.

Right, Sarge.

Least we can do, huh, sweetheart?

" Bimbashi " The well! The well! The well!

The well!

Sarge! He found the well!

The well! The well!

Tambul. Climb on down there.

Give him a hand.

Quick!

Quick! Send down a bucket!

Quick! Something to catch the water!

Quick! Something to catch the water!

Wait! Tambul, use this!

Allah, be praised.

Send down a bucket! A bucket!

Waco, go to the Tank and get some mess kits ...

and some rope, quick. - Yes, sergeant.

Água...grazie a Dio.

Ok. Raise it up very slowly. Slowly.

Easy. Careful now.

The real stuff.

Alright.

Three swallows for each of us.

Only three swallows.

Waco, take that to the kid. - Ok.

Here.

There's a drink for you outside, sir. I got one here for Mike.

Thank you Private. You'll have to support him.

Ok.

Hey Buddy.

How you doing?

Here you go, Buddy. Just a sip.

Sweet... like a woman.

Thank you, Sergeant.

- Frenchy, go get yourself a drink. - Thank you.

Kathy ... Easy boy.

Kathy ...

I can see, Kathy.

You have us now, Mike. You're gonna be just fine.

I don't want to lose you. Na, you're not gonna lose nothing.

You know what? You could use a drink.

Merci.

How about another one for luck, huh?

Waco, Clarkson getting his water?

I think he's dead, Sarge.

Come on. Let's take a look at LuLu Belle.

Waco!

Your turn.

Three swallows.

Gratias, Sargento.

The boy is dead. Yeah.

I didn't know Mike Clarkson well.

I hardly knew him at all to tell you the truth.

But, he seemed a good soldier to me. And a decent chap.

And I'd like to think, he didn't die for nothing.

We his comrades commend him unto God's mercy.

The Lord is my shepherd ...

I shall not want.

He liketh me to lie down in green pastures.

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

Yay and all the days of my life. I shall walk in righteousness.

Thou restoreth my soul. My cup runneth over. Amen.

Alright, gentlemen.

How's it coming? Very nice, sir. Very good.

Any way you can squeeze it out a little quicker?

It takes it's own time. You can not milk it like a cow.

How long can we afford to stay here?

Well, long enough to get as much water as we can carry out of here.

[singing]

Alright, I want you to watch for planes from up here.

Roger, that.

Nice breeze.

This is what the Arabs would call a beautiful moment.

Yeah, like a stroll in the park, huh, Casey?

Knightsbridge, Kensington. That was my patch.

And very nice pickings they were, too.

Pickings?

What did you do, Casey?

Cat burglar. Doing very nicely.

And then what happen? A blazin' Blitz.

And who's going to leave a diamond Tiara laying around in an upstairs bedroom ...

when Gerry is raining bombs, all through out the night.

You're kidding me?

Yeah. Of course.

Alright. Stay sharp.

Sharp as a tack. I like it up here.

A bit of nostalgia, you know what I mean?

- Sarge! LuLu Belle is gonna need a lot more than her bogies greased.

I got a feeling we've got trouble with that engine.

Alright, I'll take a look at it.

Relieve Tambul immediately.

Sargente! The Tank. I can help you.

What do you know about motors?

I was a mechanic in Turino. A...very good mechanic.

Uhh ...

You're on the wrong side of the wall to be messing with my Tank, pãisãn.

Ohh, Sargente. LuLu Belle she is for me too, the way out.

Very good mechanic, Sargente.

- Frenchy, bring the Italian out here! - Yes, Sargente.

Why don't you let me give you a break, huh?

No. No, no. It's not necessary.

How's it coming?

The water comes very slowly. No one ever knows about these wells.

What's that song you are singing? The song of life.

When my father sing the song all the rain fall from the sky, everywhere across the desert.

What was you before the war, Tambul? A farmer?

No, no. Soldier. Long time. 20 years.

My father was a Captain. And his father was as well, a Captain.

My folks, have always been farmers in Texas.

Texas, oh, Texas is very far.

Sure seems like it, right now. You married, Tambul?

- I am. - Me, too.

Good. Good.

Good? It's sensational. But I guess it's really good for you people.

I mean, the fellas were telling me, that you all have as many as 300 wives.

The prophet said that 4 wives are sufficient for a true believer.

Four? How come?

One wife. One wife is bored. Day and night.

Two wives. Two wives argue all day long.

Three wives. They argue and they can't decide.

But four wives ... ahh ... two and two are complement to each other.

The man has food, the man has money, and the man has his rest!

You got four wives?

No.

I'm afraid the woman I married, would not like that very much.

You know what? Mine neither.

She is beautiful. LuLu Bellã.

Yeah, she's a piece of work, ain't she?

Sargente, when a machine is good, the pistons, the wheels,

everything working together, it's like a music, mmm...

...like a song. You understand?

Yeah, you make it sound like poetry. Or bullshit.

Sargente, you can trust me to help.

Trust you? Now why would I do that?

I have a wife. I have a "bambina."

Yeah, a little late to be changing sides, don't you think.

Mussolini? Dirty dog...

In the beginning, he speak like a thunder storm,

corruption, on order, ...

but now it changed. He's changed.

How you say .... make it worthy ...?

You watch your right hand, while their picking your pocket with the left.

Si, si, bravo.

It's ...uh... now ... we learn ..uh...the hard way.

Doesn't get much harder than this.

I want to ride out from here on your LuLu Bellã.

We will.

Hey, Jimmy. - Yes.

How do you spell "oasis?"

Waco...!

O-A-S-I-S.

An oasis?

Don't forget to tell them the part about them trying to kill us.

I ain't going to upset my wife, Williams.

According to this, I'll have some green grass and some palm trees waiting over here.

Well, I hate to tell you this, son.

But, I think the local post office has been shut for some time.

Well, I promised my wife I'd write a letter every week, if I weren't dead.

Guess what? I ain't dead.

A letter a week, that's the least you owe them, back there.

Hey, where's back there for you, Bates?

Tippett, Yorkshire. It's a fine place.

Except for the bloody rain.

Mind you I wouldn't say no to a bit of English drizzle right now.

I'd settle for Michigan and a little home cooking.

You know you can go a whole year without rain in Sundargarh.

And down the rain comes and the desert goes mad.

There's flowers and green stuff springing up over night.

A party that night.

A farmer, were you?

No, my father was a driver. That's a cowboy to you blokes.

Best beef in the world.

You ain't never been to Texas.

In my village is the best cheese in the world.

My family make cheese.

A cheese maker, Frenchy? I'd never have picked it.

We had fine cows with brown faces and the white necks.

The best breed.

Ja, I know cheese, Ja.

The cheese mesa ami,

I wish you could have such a meal..

Hey, here you have a little cheese.

You take your knife, so.

.... hmmm.

Then grab some bread.

Some wine, of course.

To wash the throat.

A little cheese.

Oh, a little onion.

Oh, yes, he knows what is good. So some cheese...

some onion...

some bread ...

an olive maybe.

Some more cheese ...

and some wine.

Lay off. We've had enough.

What, of what ... cheese?

You'll see buddy, you'll get back there one day.

No. No, I can never go back.

The cows they make no more milk.

The Nazi cut their beautiful white throats and took them for meat.

My family make no more cheese.

When was this happening, Frenchy?

Six months ago.

I was in the Resistance. You understand the Resistance?

I helped many to escape.

The Nazis, they take 12 hostages. All friends.

Andre Pucell who run the store. Jean Marie a rover.

Francois, a school teacher ...

My friends, they didn't talk.

And I can not betray the man I might be.

So the Nazis, they shot them all dead.

I come here to kill Nazis.

I have too much hate to do the Resistance.

I can never go back.

My village is dead for me.

Sargeant! Sargeant!

I can hear a vehicle!

German half-track. Coming this way.

Frenchy, keep an eye on that Italian and German.

Bates, go down in the well and tell Tambul stay there.

The rest of you take up defensive positions around the wall here.

This bloody war, keeps following us about.

Not a word. Silence.

Sprechen sie Deutsche?

No, parlo tedesco.

Waco, you and Jimmy find a spot on the west flank.

Set up a crossfire.

And don't kill them all. I want prisoners.

Is it true what they say? Do you speak English?

When the time comes, I will tell you what to do.

There's about six. Roger that, Sergeant.

Halt! Everybody out!

Go ahead.

Halt! Take cover!

- Captain Halliday. - Yes, Sergeant.

Tell them to surrender.

Ergeben ich oder sterbe!

Ergeben ich oder sterbe!!

Nicht schießen, nicht schießen!

Drop it! Come on! Drop it!

Drop it!

Drop it! Drop it!

Drop it!

Nicht schießen.

- Sprechst du Englisch? - Nein.

Hey, sarge! They got some land mines and some grenades!

They got any water? - One can. Empty.

Like these.

Jimmy, bring me some water.

Ask them where their outfit is?

Woher ist Ihre Regiment?

Sie fragen sich: Woher ist Ihre Regiment?

Tell them they can put their hands down.

Senken Sie Ihre Hände.

Thirsty?

Yeah, I don't blame you.

It's a warm day.

UH! - Herman!

Take him out of here!

Ask him if he's thirsty.

- Bitte Durstig? - Ja.

Ask him where their outfit is.

Woher ist der rest alle Heinrich?

Dieses Wasser ist für Sie, maybe later.

Wir sind verloren. Wir sind aus von unserer Kompanie aus position.

He said, they are stragglers.

Tell him, he's lying.

Du lügst.

Ich möchte nur etwas Wasser.

Ask him where his company is?

Woher ist du Kompanie?

Wasser, bitte.

Talk!

Vas ist der position?

Wasser, bitte.

Ask him again!

Woher ist du Kompanie?

Ask him again.

They are an advanced scouting party sent here to check out the well.

Part of a mechanized battalion that is cutting southeast...

across the Egyptian border.

They're a light motorized unit, with no tanks, no artillery, but...

about 500 men, who've had no water for days.

Here, you've earned it.

They were told they could get all the water they wanted here.

Sergeant, Gunn!

- What? - The well, she's gone dry.

- How much do we have left? - 9 and 1/4 cans.

Alright, there is 500 thirsty Germans on their way here.

The well is dry at hassan Barrina.

Is there any water within a 100 miles of that well?

Only here, Sergeant. Now, this too is dry.

Damn.

I wouldn't half mind seeing the look on Gerry's face ...

when he dips his bucket in that well.

What?

- I said, I wou... - Yeah, I heard you.

Tell the men I want to talk to them.

Sir.

What do you think our chances are.

Well, if we can get out of here as fast as we can ...

we might run into one of our long-range Recon patrols.

Give them a warning that the Germans are trying to outflank our troops.

Yeah. We could do that.

- Or we can stay and defend the well. - You can't be serious?

The well is dry, Captain. We know that.

But, they don't know that.

They need water bad. And they'll fight for it, if they have to.

And while they are fighting, they are not fighting nobody.

Have you gone completely mad, Sergeant?

I don't know.

I put you in charge of these men, so you can get them through the desert.

Save lives, not throw them away.

Yeah.

That was us against the desert.

And now, it's us against the Nazi's.

Captain, thousands of our boys are trying to regroup in El Alamein,

and if we can buy them 24 hours, just 24 hours, we might make a difference.

That's an awful big might, Sergeant.

Well Captain, I have been a soldier since I was 17 years old ...

and I've been waiting for this moment.

And you know what? I'm scared.

And that tells me we are in the right place at the right time.

These are still men's lives we are talking about.

These men are soldiers, Captain.

And soldier's have their duty? - Right.

Tell me something. Are you going to order them to do this?

No.

I'll put it to them.

Go ahead then. Put it to them.

Alright, I got a lot to say and not a lot of time to say it in.

We got 500 thirsty Germans on their way here, desperate for water.

I'm telling their buddie's to go back and tell them we got all the water they need.

Oh, I get it, a diversion. While they're digging around in a dry well ...

seems like a good time to, you know, bugger off.

Well, .. I ain't leaving.

Are you saying we should surrender, Sergeant?

I'm saying we stay.

We take a stand and defend the well.

It's got no bloody water in it!

Don't you get it? He's using the water as bait.

He thinks it's the bloody Alamo.

We can stay. We can defend the well. And we can delay the Germans.

Well, there's one thing wrong with that little picture, Sergeant.

We're here.

Here are the Germans.

That's what happens when you put nine blokes up against 500.

That's right. If you can't count, well, the rest of us can.

If we don't take a stand here and defend the well and delay them, ...

the Germans are going to come right through here ...

and out-flank our boys who are trying to regroup in El Alamein.

Then the German tanks are going to roll down the streets in Cairo and Alexandria within a week.

I say we stay. Take a stand and defend the well.

Is that an order, sir?

If Sergeant Gunn chooses to stay and defend the well,

then I will be staying with him.

Look, I ain't got nobody at home waiting for me.

I know you guys got a lot to lose.

I'm only speaking for Jimmy, me and Waco.

You guys have an option.

You have a German half-track back there. You got a back door.

Tell me something Sergeant, reckon we've got a chance of winning?

I'd say the odds are about a 100 to one.

I fancy the odds. I'll stay.

Oh, god, the bleedin' war just caught up to me.

Alright, I'm in.

Well, I've never been at the back door in my life.

And I'm not going to start now.

Hey sarge, I want to be around to remind you blokes, that this is a very bad idea.

- Tambul? - I'm a soldier, Sergeant.

Alright.

We stay.

Captain?

Tell the sergeant, we're sending them back.

They need water, we need food, fair exchange, no need to fight.

Sie hören nicht zu haben!

Es gibt kein Wasser!

NO!

I do my duty. I fight with honor.

I'm not one of those who killed your villagers.

Open your mouth again and I gut you like a fish.

Think they bought it?

They bought it.

Playing a little game? Trying to be a Hero, huh?

You try it again, you'll be a dead Hero.

Do you know he spoke English?

Si, I...I found out ..not long time.

Kept it from us, huh?

Sargento, Germans account, if I betray they take me...

when they finish with you.

You just jeopardized these men's lives. For what?

For your wife? For your Bambino? For your cousin in Pittsburgh? That's bullshit!

You did it to save your pitiful ass!

Now you got to decide which side of the wall you fall on, soldier.

I want to live, Sargento. To live.

The rest of us are staying. What about you?

I still like your cigarettes.

All right men, we got to work fast.

Casey, I want you to take that half-track around back.

Unmount that machine gun and put it up there in the parapet.

Williams there's a lot of land mines in the back of that half-track, courtesy of General Rommel.

I want you and Bates to lay them in a field here, to keep them hopping.

Yes, Sarge.

Captain, Frenchy, I want you to bring all the ammunition, up here to this front wall.

Jimmy. Waco. - Yes, sir.

Get LuLuBelle ready.

We're taking her on a date.

Macht schnell !

Now !

Here's a Gerry gun for you in case yours jams.

The splendor of Allah is with us today.

Well, they can have their bullets back.

- Ready, Sarge. - Thank you, Casey.

All right, Doc. Do you think you can handle this?

Well, it's a little different from hunting grouse in Shropshire.

I'd say so.

Alright, push these in like this. Shut this.

And when you start firing, I want you to swing it in a slow arc.

Now, if it jams, don't panic. Just stop, clear it, and start firing again.

Yes, I understand.

Seen much action, sir?

Not at all actually.

I was trained to save lives.

Yeah, well things change.

Kill as many as you can.

Yes, I'll do my best.

- Frenchy, you got a good position? - Right.

- Now, you keep an eye on that German. - Yes, Sargente.

Alright!

Hold your fire until the first mine detonates.

You were right about the 100 to one.

Yeah. But they don't know about LuLu Belle.

- Move ahead. Stay firm.

- Company!

Let's go!

FIRE!

FIRE!

Aqui esta bom, dispare!

Maltidos! (Damn!)

All right, cease fire!

Save your ammo!

- Williams, you okay? - Yeah, yeah, I am still here.

- Jimmy, Waco! - We're okay, Joe.

- Captain Halliday. - Right, Sergeant.

- Frenchy! Wie, Sargento.

- Tambul ! - No trouble, Sargento.

- Bates! - Over here.

Casey...Casey!

God damn it.

You did good, Doc. So did you, Sergeant.

- We had a victory. - Yeah.

My God ...

Sergeant.

Well I'm an optimist, sir.

But, I don't think joining us is what they have in mind.

Parlay. Seems as though they taking your offer seriously.

Yeah. Maybe.

At least they are taking us seriously, huh?

I better get out there and see what the hell they want.

If there's any translating to be done, they'll have to do it themselves.

If it's a trap by Gerry?

Well, that puts you back in command, Captain.

- Sergeant Gunn, United States Army. - Major Von Falken, Afrika Korps.

You've come a long way, Sergeant.

You Americans must have a fate for lost causes.

With all due respect, major ...

I'm not the guy with a bunch of casualties lying around for the buzzards to pick.

Are you authorized to negotiate?

Where is your Officer?

Well, our Captain is British, sir. You know how the British are.

After a little action, they like to wash up, before tea time.

Careful Jimmy. This is our entire supply.

I'd give anything to see the look on that Kraut's face right now.

Water for food, is that your offer.

Yeah.

If you have a lot of thirsty boys we'll need a count on them.

Private Verkmann gave you a full account of our forces.

He admitted it, before I shot him. The bastard.

It is still possible to come to an agreement, Sergeant.

What's the deal?

Surrender your arms and you go free...

with as much food and water, as you can carry.

Well, I don't think so. We like it here.

Actually, we got so much water, we can pull our belts in a couple notches.

The offer's changed. Water for guns.

One pint for one rifle. One quart for one mortar.

Water for guns. That's the deal.

You think it is time for making jokes, huh?

I'm not joking, Major.

Water for guns. Take it or leave it.

How'd you make out, Joe?

Well, they think we have so much water, that we are swimming in it.

Alright, yeah.

My guess is, they're worse off then we thought.

They must have left some men on the outer walls.

That's our first problem.

Our second problem, is ammunition.

Ok, Jimmy, go tell the guys not to fire, until they are coming for us.

Okay.

Come on.

Yeah, I know, I know, trace bullets.

Don't you ever stop complaining, Williams?

Stop? I haven't even started yet.

So, all the food and water we can carry out, huh?

Yep, that's what the Major said.

And what did you say to the Major?

I told him we're staying, because you liked it here.

I said it reminded you of home. "Sunda Gere."

Sundargarh.

That's it.

Yeah, well, we got the heat, the dust, the floors and the thirst, ...

but not the bloody Germans.

You know mate? As an infantry soldier, ...

I decided that running LuLu Belle, isn't such a bad thing.

You can go.

You might get to Berlin, on that Tank of yours yet.

You think so?

Bereiten Sie den Mörtel!

Mortars!

Stay in position! Nobody move!!

Sarge, over there!

Frenchy, they're coming in from the rear!

Get up there help the Captain. Give him a hand.

You and Tambul watch the front.

- Jimmy, you come with me! Come on!

Captain! The rear!

Jimmy, get over here!

Son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch!!

Attack!

They're coming!!

Now, this is the time to tell them there is no water here!

No, I can't let you!

I'll have you hung, as a traitor!

Socorro!

Sargente! The German escaped! He is going to them, we have no water!

Where is he? He's there, Sergeant.

Get him!

I'm here!

Let me go, nigger!

Don't worry, Sergeant! They're running.

Tambul !

Run! Come on, Tambul !

Come, Tambul, run!!

Come on!

He got him, Sergeant. He got him.

He got him.

Go for a drink, Doc.

For Tambul, there was very little water,

He told me, he sucked pebbles.

I tried it, it seems to help.

Two armies, both dying of thirst, fighting over an empty well.

If that don't sum it up.

Water ... Water ... Water ... Water ...

Frenchy, you were right about that Gerry.

We should have killed him, when we had the chance.

You hated him, the first minute you saw him.

I hate them all.

Well, bloody right. It's a bloody thing to go about shooting your friends.

Mind you, you find yourself thinking. They ain't so different.

We got Sergeant Gunn, pulling us together.

They got that Major of their's out there doing the same.

Where would they be, without him, hey?

Where would they be.

Where would they be, without their commander?

Frenchy, they're bloody officers.

- I'll get the Sergeant. - No, I'll do it.

Frenchy, you can't do it. Come back!

[speaking in French]

Where is the Sergeant?

He is busy. I'm all they could spare. The others are having tea.

We will make no further attempt to take the well.

If you provide us with water. Tell that to your officer.

No, no, no, not so fast, Major.

Water for arms ...

one rifle, for one pint. Give up your arms.

How many of you, I wonder, are left?

Enough to watch you choke, Herr Major.

What were you thinking.

He is negotiating, sir. I couldn't stop him.

Frenchy?

Alright, Major. What is your answer?

I offered you the courtesy's of war.

Offered you, mercy.

When did the Nazi's ever show mercy?

What we are, we keep! Why do you take it as you want?

To keep? To protect what? You're country?

We can take it easy enough.

Accept my terms ... or I will send you to hell.

Join me!

Save it! Save it!

He was a good soldier.

I'm out of ammunition!

Here, take Frenchy's gun.

When it's all gone,

what do we fight with then?

Bayonets, rifle butts, fists.

Fists? Bad time to tell me, Sergeant, never been much good with a fist.

Well, just keep your left up.

And pray for a miracle. Yeah, whatever.

Well, there's four of us against a battalion and we're still alive.

You don't call that a miracle?

Maybe, all I know is, we started out with nine.

- Bates! - Still here, Sergeant!

Waco, Waco!

Put him down!

Come on, take it easy.

Please, don't make it hurt!

LuLu Belle bit me!

She didn't mean it.

Press this down hard. Hard!

I've got him.

Come on.

Waco, hang in there now, come on.

Ok, I've got him, Sergeant.

Hang in there.

Look at me. You're going to be fine. Do you hear me?!

Sergeant!

Bates is alone out there. You get outside and you help him.

Come on, god damn it, Waco! Hang in there!

That's an order, Sergeant!

Don't you die on me, Waco!

I'll be fine, Sarge.

- I'm fine ... - Yeah.

How is he?

- You're doing well ... - It'll take more than that to kill me.

Okay, I'll be right here.

Yeah, that was a close one.

Ha, they got the well.

I wonder what it feels like?

What?

Cold steel.

Well, my guess is, it's over pretty quick.

I hope someone finds it.

Well, chances are, no one will know this ever happened.

If they don't find me intact, I'm missing.

If they do find it, I'm dead.

If I'm missing, nobody knows if I'm dead.

If I am dead, then how will they even know?

Never knowing is killing me, Sergeant.

I think about my wife, never knowing.

So ...

I might as well be dead.

Here they come.

Water.... water.... water....!

This is it.

Come on! Come on!

Come on! What are you waiting for?!

We ain't surrendering! Get it over with!

Come on!

Water.... water.... water....!

- Water? - Water for guns.

Oh, that's rich! Heh!

There take all you want. Drink it, swim in it! Drink it and drown!

Water.... water.... water....!

Go ahead, take it!

I'll be! ......The shell ! It's opened up the well!

That's water, it's a bloody miracle!

Yeah. Yeah, that's what it is.

Go over and pick up those guns, while they're wet and stupid.

Tell them, drink all they want. I'll cover you.

What are we going to do with them, Sergeant?

Bates, that is one hell-of-a good question.

Oh, no.

That's not fair. That's bloody unfair!

Sit down! Sit down!

Get your asses on the ground!

Who are those guys?

They're British. A long-range desert patrol.

They're ours!

Well, I'm glad about that.

Sergeant,

You were right. It was touch and go for awhile, but our lads held at El Alamein.

I knew we done our bit, when I heard that.

- It weren't in vain. - I guess so.

Bates, what's your first name?

- Osmond. - Osmond?

Alright, you don't have to say nothing.

No, no, no, it's a fine name.

- How you planning on riding out of here, Osmond?

I was rather counting on going out, the same way I came in, Sergeant.

Mount up.

" They shall not grow old "

" As we that are left grow old. "

" Age shall not weary them. "

" Nor the years condemned. "

" As the going down of the sun

and in the morning "

" We will remember them. "

" Lest we forget. "