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Once An Eagle
by Anton Myrer |
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I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. |
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Once-An-Eagle.com
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Dedicated to Sam Damon, who
serves as an inspiration, not just to soldiers, but to us all.
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Download as an Adobe
pdf file. O-A-E: The Miniseries
The Story – Scene by Scene Chapter I The 1976 mini-series Once an Eagle opens with a sub-title saying that the first scene is somewhere in the South Pacific, 1944. Scene: American soldiers are manning their positions on the defensive perimeter peering out into the jungle night. Two nervous defenders hear movement in the jungle. An American soldier is seen moving through the jungle toward the American position when he is attacked by a Japanese soldier. The American kills his attacker with his bare hands and continues on. Back on the American perimeter, the same two nervous defenders are talking, one admitting his fear and the other professing his faith in the “Old Man” who has seen them through hard times before. The trusting soldier then looks back over his shoulder to the command tent. In the tent, someone who appears to be the “Old Man” is sitting in a tent staring at the photograph of a beautiful woman. A fellow officer enters the tent, addressing “the Old Man” as Sam. He reports that a couple more soldiers had just straggled in from a regiment in the field. Sam asks the junior officer named Pete if they are saying anything about Ben. Pete says no, that the story’s the same, that the regiment had been wiped out. Sam then hands Pete a letter he had just finished writing and asks him to give it to Tommy if anything happens to him. Pete protests that nothing will happen but Sam responds that it has been thirty years since he began soldiering and that he has been waiting for the inevitable end. Sam, forlornly staring out of the tent, flashes back to a training exercise some thirty years earlier. |
PDF requires the free | Scene: A sergeant is giving Sam one-on-one bayonet training and knocks him on his backside. When encouraged to be more aggressive, Sam knocks the sergeant on his backside. A startled and slightly embarrassed sergeant then orders two other troopers to square off with their bayoneted (covered) weapons. As the two troopers, Devlin and an extremely timid Lassiter, begin the exercise, Lassiter refuses to fight back saying that he can’t. An officer passing by takes Devlin’s place and attempts to bully Lassiter into participating. When he continues to refuse, the officer takes the protective cover off his bayonet, knocks the whining soldier to the ground and puts the bayonet to this throat all the while berating him. As the officer walks away, a silent Sam is clearly troubled by the scene he just witnessed. Scene: Back in the barracks, Devlin (from Scranton) and Sam are talking as Sam is preparing to go on a month’s leave back to his hometown of Walt Whitman. It appears that Sam and “Dev” have grown close and Sam assures his friend that he is re-upping and that he will return. Scene: Sam, returning from Walt Whitman, is looking out a window on the train. He flashes back to his visit home and to an encounter in a barn at the home of the girl Dev and Sam had been talking about. Cele (Celia), who has waited three years for Sam’s return, tells him that she loves him. Sam responds that he is going back to the Army. He explains that a war is coming and that he wants to be part of it. Celia kisses Sam as she’s never kissed him before and tries to get him to stay by offering him her body. An honorable Sam tells her he came to say goodbye and heads for the door. He turns and apologizes, explaining that he has changed and that he really likes the army. He adds that he has been dreaming about becoming a soldier since he was a boy and that the army and the war that was surely coming would give him the chance to make his mark on the world. He again says he is sorry and heads for the door. A distraught Celia, in one last desperate attempt to change Sam’s mind, removes her blouse. After a lingering look, Sam walks away. Scene: Brief scenes of a WWI battle. Scene: A subtitle proclaims that it is 1917 England. On the screen is a busy and muddy American Army camp. Courtney Massengale is saying goodbye to a United States Senator who is insisting that he come to a party on Friday. He tells Courtney that he promised his niece Emily that the young officer would be there. We learn that Courtney works for Colonel Bannerman. Scene: A soldier named Krazewski (Kraz) is cleaning his machine gun surrounded by other soldiers. Kraz is complaining about the weight of his weapon and is openly dismissive of Sergeant Damon. Devlin defends Sam to Kraz to no avail. Sam enters the tent and conducts a mail call, calling the names of Turner, Davis, Connolly, Brewster, and “Slick.” Sam then announces that another unit is moving out (to the war front) and that the men should prepare for a ten-mile hike in full gear. Kraz, reacting to the news of the hike, confronts Sam saying he won’t carry the machine gun. When Sam orders Kraz to carry the weapon, he implies that Sam is hiding behind his rank. Sam then tells him that he’ll be behind the latrine that night without his stripes. Scene: The fight with Kraz has started and Sam is holding his own in a brutal exchange of blows when a lieutenant (Massengale) stops the fight and takes the two men to a colonel named Caldwell. Sam tells the colonel that they were not fighting, that what the lieutenant had witnessed was an instructional drill on hand-to-hand combat. A knowing Caldwell first dismisses Massengale and then Krazewski. . Caldwell guesses out loud that Krazewski was a discipline problem, calls Sam both brave and dumb and then offers to have the private transferred. Sam turns down the offer saying he needs him to carry the Chauchat gun. Caldwell agrees but then tells Sam that if he is found in similar circumstances in the future, that it is he who will be carrying the machine gun, without his stripes. As Sam departs, Caldwell can’t help but smile. Scene: Colonel Caldwell and his reluctant daughter Tommy arrive at the party that the senator had urged Massengale to attend. They meet Colonel Bannerman who introduces them to his aide, Lieutenant Massengale. Bannerman suggests that the lieutenant and Tommy dance and they do. After the dance, they are talking (Tommy tells the lieutenant that she is a nurse assigned to the 34th Convalescent Hospital) when Emily Pawlfrey, the senator’s niece, comes on the scene. Massengale introduces the two women and then dances with Emily who makes her romantic interest in the lieutenant very clear. She says she’s been checking up on him and knows that he was third in his class at West Point, Cadet Corps Commander for two straight years and that he was on the football team. Massengale tells Miss Pawlfrey that he is flattered. They then agree to move to a first name basis. Emily unabashedly voices the name Emily Massengale. She then only half-jokingly admits that she is rich and spoiled, and offers that she always gets what she wants. Courtney, also in a half-joking manner, responds by saying that he is a fortune hunter. They are interrupted by a messenger who tells Massengale that he is wanted by Colonel Bannerman immediately. At the same time, there is commotion among the party guests and Colonel Caldwell tells Tommy that his unit has been called up. Scene: The scene opens on a battleground with Sam and Dev charging forward amid numerous explosions. They fall into a hole amidst panicky soldiers and the intensity of the shelling increases. Scene: The source of the shelling, a German artillery unit, is shown briefly. Scene: The battle is over and Brewster finds himself alone in a wooded area next to Connolly who is dead. He runs and is then found by Sam who is also alone. Brewster tells Sam that Connolly is dead and Sam responds that they are now behind enemy lines and that Davis and their lieutenant are also dead. Sam examines Connolly, strips him of his rifle and canteen, and they move off quickly running into two Germans escorting five American prisoners to the rear. The prisoners include Raebyrne, Fergie, Devlin, Krazewski, and “Slick.” Sam convinces a very reluctant and nervous Brewster to take out the leading guard with a bayonet when he turns in response to Sam attacking the rear guard. The plan works, both guards are killed, and the prisoners are freed. After the attack, Brewster is on his hands and knees vomiting as Sam comforts him. Sam orders the men to dispose of the German bodies and gather the weapons before they move out. Scene: Still behind enemy lines, the group comes upon a farm that is manned by German soldiers. As Sam lays out a plan of attack, Poletti (“Slick”) protests and a converted Kraz brings him into line. Sam and Raebyrne begin an approach to the barn from the rear as Devlin and the others make a frontal approach. The Germans manning the machine gun on the second floor of the barn spot Devlin’s team approaching and open fire. Meanwhile, Sam kills a lone German with his bayonet outside the barn and circles it to find an entrance. He then uses his rifle to kill two other Germans who are assisting the machine gunner and then kills the gunner as he wheels the machine gun on him. He kills a fifth soldier by firing up through the floor boards, then another upstairs. He grabs a German potato masher (grenade) and throws it up the stairwell to finish the fighting. He immediately calls in the other soldiers and sets the defense. He tells his men that the Germans were low on ammo and that ammo bearers were likely to arrive. Reb puts on a German uniform, stands outside, and lures several German ammo bearers up to the barn where they are captured. Dev and Sam are sitting by the German machine gun talking. Dev compares their attack on the barn and now their defense of it to a game he used to play as a kid called “king of the hill.” He also talks about his mother and about home. A large unit approaches and Sam and his men begin to fire on them until Sam realizes that they are Americans. He waves a white flag and the American unit then walks up to the barn led by Major Caldwell. As the major begins to question Sam, Reb blurts out that it was all Sam’s doing. Sam hushes Reb and explains to the colonel how, despite having no orders, he knew that sooner or later the position would have to be taken. Without saying a word to Sam, Caldwell solemnly cuts off Sam’s sergeant stripes (as if he is punishing him) and gives them to Devlin promoting him and making him squad leader. He then, however, removes a bar from another lieutenant’s shoulder, pins it on Sam’s uniform, promotes him to brevit lieutenant and tells him he will recommend him for a promotion to second lieutenant. The colonel then marches off, leaving Sam in charge of the farm. Scene: Colonel Caldwell and Colonel Bannerman are fencing when Lieutenant Massengale interrupts to remind Bannerman of his meeting with General Pershing. Massengale then briefs Bannerman on the likely topic of discussion at the meeting, showing that he has done some unsolicited preparatory work on the colonel’s behalf. Bannerman then comments on how helpless he would be without his aide. The two colonels leave for the locker room and Massengale is shadow-fencing when Tommy enters in search of her father. Masengale is extraordinarily charming and engaging as the two carry on a brief but friendly conversation. Tommy and her father then step outside where she explains to him that she has wangled a transfer to a field hospital and is leaving in 30 minutes. They walk and talk before saying goodbye. Scene: Sam and Dev and the other men in the platoon are on leave, lounging on the banks of a river. Sam and Dev are both short of cash (Dev has lost his money gambling and Sam has sent his home to his mother) and unable to make any leave plans when two French girls pass by. With Dev in the lead, they follow the girls who introduce themselves as Michelle and Denise. They all catch a ride on a horse-drawn wagon and spend the evening listening to music and drinking wine at Michelle’s home. Denise sings a very sad song and Dev and Michelle appear quite taken with each other. Michelle leads Dev off to bed and Denise sits in Sam’s lap and kisses him. Scene: The next morning, Dev wakes up next to Michelle and heads outside to find Sam milking a cow. They decide to stay and they spend three days at the small farm. Scene: Back in the trenches, as battle scenes are shown, Sam narrates a letter to his mother. Among other things, he explains that his platoon leader, Captain Crowder, had been hurt and had been replaced by Captain Alvin Merrick (the officer who intervened in the stateside bayonet training) who is shown entering a briefing by Colonel Caldwell. Scene: After the briefing, Merrick catches up with Sam in the street and their brief conversation is marked by Merrick’s extreme bravado and arrogance and Sam’s obvious dislike of the man and his methods. Scene: Again, scenes of battle are shown, this time with Sam’s mom narrating a letter to Sam telling him of happenings at home including news of a local boy going off to war. Sam then picks up the narrative, writing of the frustrations of being bogged down in trench fighting, of the esprit developing from their common goal of survival and of the personal satisfaction he is deriving from the challenges he is facing. While he admits to being unable to fully explain his feelings, he speaks of the pride inherent in doing a difficult job well. As the battle scenes rage on, we hear Sam’s mom speaking of Celia’s wedding, the mundane details of which are punctuated first by Kraz’s death, then another soldier’s death, then Reb being severely wounded and Sam dragging him to safety. Scene: Reb wakes up screaming in the hospital where Nurse Caldwell is his nurse. Sam and Dev arrive by car outside the hospital but Dev, saying he can’t bear to see Reb, walks away. Inside, among numerous wounded men being tended to by white-hooded nurses, Nurse Caldwell is standing next to Reb’s bed when Sam, now a captain, approaches and notices that one of Reb’s legs is missing. An upbeat Reb thanks Sam for saving his life. They also talk about the war nearing its end and Dev invites Sam to stop by his farm to meet his daddy. Reb then asks Sam if he should write his daddy about his leg. A clearly uncomfortable Sam doesn’t know what to tell him. As Sam goes to leave, Rev tells him that he doesn’t blame him for the loss of his leg. Sam thanks him and leaves. As the scene closes, the look on Reb’s face, after Sam departs, makes it clear that he was hiding from Sam the natural fear he was feeling associated to the loss of a limb. Sam, in a rage, finds Nurse Caldwell in a room upstairs and demands to see the doctor who Sam believes unnecessarily took Reb’s leg. Nurse Caldwell, having none of it, fires back that Sam, by sending him out into the trenches, can take full credit for what happened to Reb. Sam walks away without another word. Scene: Captain Merrick has three German prisoners bound together and sitting in a courtyard outside what appears to be a small café. He is clearly drunk, shooting at the prisoners’ feet when Sergeant Devlin attempts to stop him. Merrick complains angrily and loudly to Devlin that Sam had used his influence with Colonel Caldwell, gotten him transferred out of his unit, and then taken it over. Merrick further angers Devlin by speaking in a disrespectful manner about Michelle and Denise. When Devlin places his hands on Merrick, the captain grabs his sword and challenges Dev who arms himself. Sam drives up and intervenes, pushing Devlin away. Devlin departs. Merrick then offers to fight Sam who refuses and drives away as Merrick loudly threatens that a time will come for them to settle their differences. Sam catches up with Devlin and offers to buy drinks. Devlin refuses his friend, reminding him of regulations prohibiting a captain from drinking with a non-com. A clearly despairing Devlin asks for and receives permission to leave. Scene: Nurse Caldwell and another nurse are in a supply room talking about Tommy’s run-in with Sam earlier in the day. Nurse Caldwell strongly disagrees with the other nurse’s contention that her constant, if angry, references to the officer might indicate that she was intrigued by him. Scene: Massengale and Colonel Sheffield are eating in a café when the colonel receives an urgent message from General Bannerman that says that Ludendorf, Germany’s field commander, won’t meet with allied emissaries. Massengale reacts to the news by saying a division or two should be sent in against the enemy to teach him humility and force him to meet. Colonel Sheffield points out that Massengale’s suggestion is in line with the thinking of the general staff but challenges his stiffer offensive posture as being motivated by a desire to make major. He adds that the younger man’s position is quite brave given he won’t see any action or be one of the many casualties the allies are sure to suffer. When Massengale protests, the colonel cuts him off, telling him the war isn’t being fought to advance his career. He tells him to be patient, that he has all of what it takes to get to the top. He sarcastically adds that he pities anyone who obstructs his path. Scene: Sam is shown driving to Colonel Caldwell’s office. A hard rain is falling. Inside, Sam gets right to the point, criticizing higher commands decision to attack when the Germans are clearly beaten. The Colonel explains that while the Germans as a people are ready to surrender, Ludendorf is refusing. Sam, angry, tells the Colonel that his company is only 70% effective, that half of his boys are green troops from stateside, that they are short on non-coms and weapons, that his boys have had it and that he can’t ask them to go on. Equally angry, Colonel Caldwell tells Sam that the army is not a democracy and that he needs his best troops on the front line ready to attack. Sam responds that those troops won’t be his, that he simply can’t do it anymore. The implication is that he wants to be relieved. The Colonel, disbelievingly, asks Sam who he should put in charge of the company if he relieves him. He offers a couple of obviously unsatisfactory names and then closes the discussion by admonishing him to stop bellyaching. He firmly sends the message that as officers they have no choice but to follow the orders they are given Scene: Sam is looking in town for Dev who has been missing for three days. Not finding him, he drives to the farm where they had spent several days with Michelle and Denise. When Michelle answers the door, she tells Sam that Dev is not there. Sam pushes his way in calling out to Dev. Dev descends the stairs and when Sam tells him they’ve been ordered to prepare for battle, he tells Sam he’s not going back. Sam commiserates with him saying he doesn’t want to go back either. Dev challenges that remark saying that it’s clear from his actions that Sam relishes what he does. Sam persists, telling him that he will eventually be pursued by the provost marshal and that someday he will want to go home and won’t be able to without a passport. When Sam points out that the war can’t last more than a week or two, Michelle interrupts, screaming that Sam cannot take Dev with him. She berates Sam for his participation in the war and the ease with which he kills. She unleashes a litany of the death and destruction that has afflicted her and her family. At that point, Dev relents and goes to gather his gear. Left alone
with Michelle, Sam promises her that Dev will be back. Michelle,
after cursing him for not leaving them alone and saying that she
hopes that he will die a slow and horrible death, turns and follows
Dev. During this attack, Dev is hit in the stomach by a bullet. Sam pulls him to safety and calls for a medic but Dev realizes the wound is fatal. He asks a grieving Sam to write to his mother and to tell her that he had been planning to come home to see her and that he was sorry he hadn’t sent her much money, but that he thought of her a lot. A distraught Sam is telling Dev that he never thought this moment would come, that if they stuck close together everything was going to be alright. Dev criticizes the staunch methods and forceful personality that Sam uses to get his men to do his bidding and risk their lives. He bemoans the waste of his life. Lieutenant Zimmerman rushes over to tell Sam that they have to pull back. Sam, epitomizing Dev’s accusations, angrily orders the lieutenant to dig in and form a defensive perimeter. When he turns back to Dev, he finds him dead. He closes his friend’s eyes, weeps, and then looks toward the heavens with venom. He finally picks up his rifle and walks slowly back to the battle. At that point, the credits roll as Chapter I of the mini-series comes to an end. Chapter IIScene: As the chapter opens, the camera pans the outside of a hospital building. Inside, Colonel and Tommy Caldwell are talking with a doctor about Sam’s condition. The doctor explains that Sam’s wound is superficial but that he is having trouble dealing with his best friend’s death that occurred only hours before the armistice was signed. He adds that even his promotion to major didn’t lift his spirits. Inside the hospital room, a patient named Lieutenant Krisler is trying to raise Sam’s spirits by poking fun at German leadership. He is only slightly successful before being led back to his bed by a nurse. The nurse, after announcing that Sam has visitors, must prod him to go out to meet them. In the hall, Colonel Caldwell begins to introduce Tommy and Sam
but it quickly becomes apparent that they have already met, under
not so pleasant circumstances. The colonel interrupts their mutually
apologetic comments by staging a humorously mock reintroduction.
With the air cleared, the Colonel invites Sam to join them for an
extended vacation on the coast of France with a group of American
officers and friends. Sam politely declines but reconsiders when
the Colonel insists and Tommy seems to encourage his joining them. Scene: Massengale is slapping around a woman who appears to be a prostitute when he is pulled off her by two Frenchmen who take him into the street and beat him until Sam (who had apparently come looking for him) arrives to even the odds. Together, they dispose of the two Frenchmen and walk away, with Courtney explaining that he had caught the woman going through his wallet (circumstances, however, seem to suggest some other reason for his treatment of the woman). At Massengale’s request, Sam agrees to keep the incident between them. Scene: Tommy and her dad are preparing to go out to the engagement party that very same evening when Tommy announces that she will not be going to the bistro after all. When she explains that she has a date with Sam, the Colonel is clearly pleased. Scene: Tommy and Sam are on a rocky beach with Sam idly tossing stones and Tommy trying to get Sam to say what’s on his mind. The sun is coming up and their date has lasted eight hours. When Tommy persists, Sam blurts out a marriage proposal. Tommy laughs because Sam has jumped so far ahead in their relationship. Given that they had only known each other three weeks, she had thought he was simply going to ask permission to kiss her. She then explains her laughter to a somewhat hurt Sam, saying, that in her timeline, she had hoped to get him to propose in a couple weeks. At that point, Sam wants to make it clear he that is not going back to the farm and that he is going to stay in the army. Tommy said she knew that weeks ago and the scene ends with them kissing deeply. Scene: Tommy and Sam are leaving the church after being married. As this unfolds, Sam is narrating a letter to his mother apologizing for being unable to wait to get married and sharing that Tommy really didn’t like him staying in the army, but that she was going to try and make the best of it. The background scenery shifts to a graveyard and Devlin’s grave marker. The narration of the letter continues with Sam telling his mother that he has finally been able to face up to what happened to Devlin. He adds, however, that he’ll never forget his very personal wartime experiences, that he too now believes another war is in the wind and that he is staying in the army to ensure its readiness when the inevitable happens. Scene: Sam exits an office on a bustling military base to Tommy waiting in a topless vehicle. He is proudly holding a set of keys to their base quarters. They drive to the quarters to find the unit in shambles. Sam admits to having been told that it was scheduled to be torn down and that he had convinced the billeting officer to let them have a try at making it habitable. Tommy is absolutely aghast. They head inside only to find worse conditions. An upbeat Sam works hard to raise Tommy’s spirits and convinces her to give the quarters a try. Tommy’s responsiveness is due at least partly to Sam’s sexual charms. Scene: The scene opens with Tommy and Sam working hard on renovating their quarters. In a voiceover, Sam again narrates a letter to his mother saying they have been at Fort Hardee for seven weeks and that he is now commanding a platoon that includes some veterans of the just finished war. He offers that one day is much like the rest but that there might be a problem with his company commander who spent the war shipping supplies out of Norfolk and who, scuttlebutt has it, is connected to a U.S. Senator. The narration ends with the company commander belittling both Sam’s heroism and the significance of battlefront experience. He then appears to enjoy telling Sam that a new captain is coming in who will be ranking Sam and Tommy out of their quarters. Scene: At the base hospital, where Tommy is working as a nurse, she and Sam are having an argument in a hallway about the news that they will have to move. Tommy wants to call her father but Sam says he won’t allow it. Twiggy, the base surgeon, tries to calm them down and in doing so lets it slip that Tommy is pregnant. The joy that normally accompanies such news is significantly tempered by both Sam’s news and the antiseptic environment of the hospital. Scene: Stationed somewhere in New York, Massengale is in his office pouring a glass of twelve-year-old scotch for a senior officer. They make plans for Massengale to show the officer, Colonel Avery, around town that night. When the colonel leaves, Massengale calls home to tell Emily, who is just finishing tennis lessons given by a sergeant who is present as she takes the call, that he won’t be home until late. Not happy with the news, Emily challenges what has apparently become a habitual behavior, and that provokes a fight. Courtney tries to explain that this particular colonel was their ticket out of this (clearly unattractive) assignment and into the War Department. After hanging up, she turns to the sergeant who is apparently more than willing to fill the void. Scene: That night, Massengale, the colonel (under an assumed name) and two female escorts are reveling in a bar. As the evening draws to a close, Massengale and his escort drop off the colonel and his escort at her place. Massengale explains to his date that he plans to wait outside the other girl’s apartment until 5:30 a.m. so that the colonel gets the clear message that the junior officer has compromising information that he just might use unless Massengale gets the transfer he wants. When his date tells him that he plays rough, he implies that he can be a lot rougher. She offers her sexual favors at which point Massengale hides behind his marriage. It seems clear from the body language that Massengale’s refusal to partake has more to do with some sort of sexual inadequacy than the sanctity of marriage. Scene: To the sound of base reveille the next day, Massengale enters his base quarters to answer a ringing phone (the tennis lessons sergeant is shown in a night robe hanging up on the other end) and spot an ashtray full of cigarette butts. When he offers Emily (now seated at the kitchen table) a cigarette, she says you know I don’t smoke at which time he presents her with the full ashtray. When she offers that one of the girls came over, he insists on a name and then, when she is unable to provide one, he slaps her hard across the face. In the ensuing verbal altercation, it comes out that they hadn’t had sexual relations in three years. When he goes to strike her again, she threatens to divorce him, implying that it would hurt his career and that word might get out about his sexual issues. Courtney gives her the coldest of looks and begins to walk away, but Emily clings to him apologetically. Courtney then puts his arm around her and says they’ll figure something out as the credits roll to end this chapter. Chapter III Scene: This chapter opens at the post hospital at Fort Hardee with Tommy tending to a pompous, supposedly sickly post commander’s wife. When Tommy retires from the patient’s room, she runs into Dr. Terwilliger (Twiggy) and abruptly goes into labor. The doctor sends for Sam. Scene: When the messenger’s car arrives at the commanding officer’s tent out in the field, Sam’s company commander (the captain who had disparaged Sam earlier) refuses to call Sam in from a field exercise. The messenger leaves and the commander employs his field glasses to monitor the exercise that has Sam and his men about to blow a bridge. Sam uses a match (not the regulation fuse lighter) to start the fuse and then he and the troops head for cover. Scene: Back at the hospital, Tommy is shown in the throes of labor. Scene: At the site of the field exercise, the bridge doesn’t blow. With Sam and his men still hunkered down, the company commander, in a show of bravado, walks up behind and stands over them. When Sam reports an apparent misfire, the arrogant captain pronounces that they all have been cut to pieces by cavalry. After learning that Sam violated regulations by not using the fuse lighter, he orders the charge removed. Sam responds that regulations call for waiting at least thirty minutes and up to three hours. The captain orders again that the charge be removed. When Sam doesn’t comply, the captain asks him if he is refusing to obey a direct order. Sam again says the charge shouldn’t be touched, something, he says, that the men know and the captain surely knows as well. The captain then places Sam under arrest at which time the bridge explodes knocking the captain to the ground. Sam is seen giving a hard look to the captain who, having risen from the ground, rescinds his arrest order saying he prefers the incident be forgotten. He tells an angry, challenging and sarcastic Sam that it is for his own good (because he didn’t use the fuse lighter) and the good of the service. Scene: Sam is at the hospital viewing his newborn son with Doctor Terwilliger. In a hospital room, Tommy wakes to find Sam standing over her in hospital whites. After Sam admits to being particularly happy that their first child is a boy, Tommy is forced to tell him that there were a few complications and that they would have no more children. She adds that as there are no lifetime guarantees, that they will have to take good care of the one child they have been given. Scene: With a christening scene on the screen, Tommy narrates a letter to her dad telling him of an incident at the christening (the baby peeing on the minister can be observed) and reporting on Sam’s company commander’s (now named as Captain Townsend) change of heart towards Sam (the captain can be seen with his arm around Sam’s shoulder). Sam picks up the narration in a letter to his mom. With Christmas scenes now on the screen, Sam apologizes for not being able to get through by phone, tells her it was a bit of a lonely Christmas, reports that due to congressional cutbacks there would be no promotions for a fourth straight year and announces that they had added a puppy named Buddy to their family. Tommy resumes the narrative. In her letter to her dad, she complains of the uncertainty of military life and how hard Sam is studying for an elusive captaincy (on screen, Sam is seen studying and feeding the last bite of his sandwich to Buddy). She adds that she is feeling a little blue after hearing that Courtney Massengale had already made captain and that he and Emily had been transferred to Washington D.C. She ends by saying she envies them. Scene: A subtitle informs the viewer that milieu is Washington, D.C and the year is 1925. Emily is in her slip in what is clearly a hotel room and she is yelling at a man who is sitting on the edge of the bed, dressing after a sexual encounter. She is telling him she needs to talk but he says that he needs to report to work at the garage. She then blurts out that she is pregnant and that she needs $200 to have it taken care of. The man, Maynard Lambert, says the most he can come up with is $20. He suggests that she sell her jewelry or find a way to make her husband think that the child is his. Unable or unwilling to give her what she wants, Lambert leaves the room and climbs into the cab he drives as a desperate and angry Emily berates him and threatens to call his wife. Scene: Massengale is firing his weapon at a pistol range to the compliments of (now) General Avery. They make small talk about an upcoming competitive shooting match and the general recruits Massengale to a political get together for the purpose of securing more congressional funding for the army. He specifically asks the junior officer to bring his attractive wife. Asked by the general why he hasn’t seen her very much, an uncomfortable Massengale replies that she keeps busy. After the general departs, Massengale takes a call that causes him to rush off to the county hospital emergency room. When he arrives, the doctor in charge pulls him into an office where he tells the army officer that his wife tried to commit suicide. Moreover, the doctor shocks Massengale by telling him that Emily is pregnant. The physician is insisting that he must report the incident to the police until Massengale informs him that she is Senator Paul Sinclair’s niece. In a not so veiled threat, Massengale adds that if he reports the incident to the police, there will be serious financial ramifications for the hospital. The doctor relents, but in the background, a reporter can be seen taking an interest in the story. Scene: At the Massengale household, Courtney is putting Emily in bed after returning home from the emergency room. As he does so, his statements make it clear that this isn’t the first attempt she has made on her life. Clearly angry, he demands she give him the man’s name and he wants to know if there were others. He says he is less concerned with her sleeping around than he is with her carelessness. He sarcastically asks why she didn’t tell him about the pregnancy so that they could celebrate. As Emily threatens to leave and divorce him, they are interrupted by the housekeeper who announces that a newspaperman is downstairs asking for Mr. Massengale. When Courtney leaves the room, Emily tries, without success, to telephone her family in Cos Cob, Connecticut by telephone. Downstairs, the newspaperman introduces himself as police beat reporter Ira Sheperd of the Daily Times. He asks about Mrs. Massengale and when the officer refuses to comment, he shares the compromising details he has gathered so far: the niece of a senator, the overdose, the hotel and the name of the man involved. When he threatens to write the story as is, Massengale threatens to sue. Undeterred, the reporter persists and Massengale tries a different, more diplomatic tact. Later, the reporter is shown standing outside by his car counting the money he was paid for his silence. Massengale returns upstairs where he finds Emily packing. He throws her on the bed. Emotionally blind, he claims not to understand why she has affairs. Realizing the embarrassment that was sure to come with a divorce, Massengale hatches a plan to claim the baby as his own. Emily sees through her husband’s pretense of caring for her and the unborn child but when the telephone rings and it’s her family returning her earlier call, she considers her dire circumstances and tells her mother that she has some wonderful news, that she and Courtney are expecting a child. As the scene ends, Massengale smiles knowing his career will remain on track. Scene: A scene-opening subtitle advises that the year is 1928 and the location is Fort Dormer, Texas. With a background alternating between a baseball game and the Damon household, Tommy narrates a letter to her father telling him of the hard life they endure and calling Fort Dormer the end of the world. At the game, Sam is catching as his team attempts to hold on to a slim lead behind tiring pitcher J.L. Cleghorne. Back at home Tommy takes a telephone call rejecting her efforts to get Donny into an off-base school. Frustrated, she complains aloud that Sam is never there in her hour of need. Back at the game, Sam is pleasantly surprised when Lieutenant Ben Krisler comes up to bat for the other team. Ben has just reported into Dormer and they exchange good natured jibes. Sam, suspecting an attempted steal of third base, calls for a pitchout and nails the runner with a perfect throw. Ben, however, sends the next pitch to deep left field but is out at the plate with Sam making the tag on a very close play. A friendly argument breaks out as to the umpire’s call. After the game, at the Damon’s quarters, the argument continues over bottles of beer. Present are the Damons, the Krislers and the Cleghornes. The men replay the game and the game-ending play over and over again, laughing hilariously especially at J.L.’s claims that had he not joined the army he’d likely be pitching in the major leagues. The only member of the group clearly not enjoying herself is Tommy. Talk turns to the salaries being made by younger men in the auto industry in Detroit, and when J.L. idly threatens to leave the service, Tommy gruffly challenges him to do just that. She abruptly ends the group’s gleeful mood by trying to get them all to face up to the reality of their drab lives. Tommy walks out of the room and everybody leaves with Sam making apologies as they depart in their cars. Sam goes back inside and asks Tommy why she did what she did. She complains bitterly about their existence, tells him that she found Donny watching range practice earlier that day and informs him that her efforts to get Donny into public school had failed. When Sam defends the post school, Tommy responds that the army is full of ne’er-do-wells of all kinds. When Sam asks her which category he falls into, she tells him he is in a class of his own, a quixotic dreamer who can’t see the truth of the matter when it comes to the military he loves. Sam walks from the room with Tommy accusing him of running from that truth. The argument escalates with Tommy claiming Sam’s decision to stay in the military nine years previous was a huge mistake. He responds with a comment implying that their marriage had been the mistake. Sam then gets in his car and drives away. Scene: The next day, in the Damon’s kitchen, Marge Krisler is telling Tommy how she and Ben met and, sensing Tommy’s mood, offers to listen if Tommy wants to talk about anything. Tommy suddenly notices that it’s too quiet and they begin to look for Donny and Buddy. When they search the house, Tommy finds that Sam’s footlocker is open and his pistol is missing. In the woods near the house, Donny is walking with Buddy. He’s holding the pistol in two hands pretending to fire it at imaginary targets. When they come upon a rattlesnake, Buddy barks, Donny aims and the camera cuts away. Tommy and Marge are seen headed toward the woods when they hear a gunshot from somewhere in the trees. Tommy screams and the credits roll. Chapter IV Scene: Sam rushes into the kitchen later in the day to find Tommy standing at the counter. He had already heard the story of the encounter with the rattlesnake (apparently from Marge). He asks if Donny is alright and tells her that he thought he had locked up the pistol. When Sam mentions that it must have been quite a scare for the both of them, Tommy sarcastically tells him how excited Donny was when it was all over. Tommy had clearly done some thinking and planning. She tells Sam that she is fed up and that she and Donny are leaving for her Uncle Ed’s place in Erie, Pennsylvania. When Sam asks if she is leaving because of this morning, she tells him it’s that and more. The argument is the same as always, Sam’s refusal to see what the army is doing to his family, Tommy not understanding that Sam can only be a soldier. Tommy, giving Sam a helpless look, walks into the next room. Sam stays in the kitchen, thinks a bit, and then follows her. He tells her she might be right and proposes that he take sixty days leave to accompany her to her uncle’s. He tells her that he has too much invested in her to give up on their marriage so easily. She agrees to Sam’s proposal but says she will not make any promises. Sam, in turn, says he will make no promises either. Scene: On screen, the Damons are shown arriving at the home of Uncle Ed and Aunt Alma. In a voice-over, Tommy narrates a letter to her dad telling him about their accommodations (a house on the lake) and Sam’s interest in Uncle Ed’s factory (Caldwell Containers). Scene: Mr. Caldwell and Sam are shown arriving at the factory the next day when a worker comes running up to say that there was trouble in one of the warehouses. When they arrive at the warehouse, they are told that a worker named Brand had pulled a weapon out of his locker after having words with other workers earlier that morning. He is now holed up in the warehouse. Mr. Caldwell and Sam go into the warehouse, approaching cautiously and calling out to Brand. Brand hollers out that he won’t allow himself to be killed (by the other workers) and passes out, falling from his perch onto boxes below. Outside, after Brand is taken away, the yard foreman retells the morning’s events. His story is that when some of the men had confronted Brand about recent revelations that he was a Negro passing himself off as white, he overreacted. Brand’s injuries (he had clearly been beaten severely) and abrasions on the hands of a number of the workers seem to tell a different story to Sam. Scene: Later in the day, back at the Caldwell home, Mr. Caldwell and Sam are talking about the incident with Tommy and Alma. Uncle Ed offers that Brand had been one of his best men. Sam, in turn, offers that he believes Karl Preis, the foreman, is the problem. He adds that he had had a similar problem with a sergeant in a set of somewhat similar circumstances, but things had been straightened out. At that point, Uncle Ed invites Sam to problem solve down at the yard and Sam agrees. Scene: On the screen, Sam is heading off to work at Caldwell Containers. In a voice-over, Tommy, in a letter to her dad, tells about Sam’s assignment and how she thinks it will be a good experience for him, how it will be an opportunity to demonstrate, not only to others, but to himself, that he can survive and even thrive in the civilian world. Scene: Down at Caldwell Containers, Sam walks into Karl Preis’ office and challenges the way the yard is being run. He tells Preis what he thinks needs to be done and then steps from the office to take some actions. Preis catches up with him, and in front of a half-dozen workers, appears to obtain Sam’s agreement that Preis is the boss. Later, however, in the men’s room Sam confronts Preis and lets him know, in no uncertain terms, that he is in charge and that unless Preis cooperates, he will, that day, personally throw him out the gate. Scene: On the screen, Sam is driving a car up to Joe Brand’s house. We learn in a voice-over, as Tommy narrates a letter to her father, that Preis had gone to Mr. Caldwell about Sam’s ultimatum and the owner had backed Sam. Preis left the company and a few days later Sam fired three of Preis’ cronies. As a result, Sam is short-handed and is looking to bring Brand back into the fold. When Sam arrives at Brand’s house, the former Caldwell employee is reluctant to return. When he brings up the race issue and how it might affect working relationships in the yard, Sam promises to back him completely. When Brand promises to consider the offer, Sam hands him an envelope containing money from Mr. Caldwell to make up for what had happened. When told he could either keep the payment or return to the factory, Brand takes the job. The entire discussion takes place in the presence of Brand’s young son Joe. Scene: On the screen are Sam and Brand inspecting a much improved shipping department. Tommy again writes her father and in the voice-over, we learn of Sam’s successes at Caldwell Containers. We also learn (and see) that Sam is glued to the radio nightly, listening to the news reports from Europe and the Japanese build-up in the Pacific. Tommy is also clearly happy about how much time Sam and Donny are able to spend together (a father-son fishing scene is now on the screen). Scene: A car pulls up in front of the Brand house. The driver is Karl Preis and the others can be presumed to be the employees fired by Sam. The occupants jump from the car, place hoods over their heads, spread accelerant around the house and light it on fire. They scramble back behind the car taking aim with their rifles. When Brand and his wife burst through the front door to escape the fire and smoke, they cut them down in a hail of gunfire and drive away. Young Joe escapes through a side window and weeps over the bodies of his parents. Scene: Sam returns home early from work the next day covered in soot. He tells Tommy of the murders and of the disappearance of the young boy, and blames himself for the events that have unfolded. When Tommy seeks to console him by saying he did what he thought was best, Sam is uncomfortably reminded of Devlin’s assessment of Sam when his friend was dying. Scene: Karl Preis is leaving a bar alone when he is confronted by young Joe Brand who is carrying his father’s gun. Without a word, he takes his revenge with one shot. Preis grabs his chest and falls to the ground. Joe briefly kneels over the body and places the gun on Preis’ chest. Scene: In the office the next day, Mr. Caldwell is telling Sam about the death of Karl Preis. Again, Sam feels responsible, but Mr. Caldwell talks him out of searching for the boy. He then tells Sam that they need to talk. Scene: That evening, Sam is sitting on the dock, by the lake, in the dark, when Tommy approaches. She asks him about Uncle Ed’s offer to which Sam responds that he was offered everything: money, the house, promotions and perhaps even the whole factory one day. Tommy calmly asks if he turned him down. When he says yes, Tommy, again calmly, asks why. He tells her that despite the fact that he is confident he could do well at it, he belongs in the army, not here and not anywhere else. When she presses him on the matter, he explains that he knows another war is in the offing and that the only chance to prevent it is American preparedness. He says he simply has to go back, that he can’t watch everything fall apart without trying to do something about it. Surprisingly, Tommy says she can live with Sam’s decision but only because he is so passionate about it. She tells him that she understands that he is torn between his two loves, his family and the army, and that she won’t make him choose between them. A grateful Sam promises to put in for a tour near a large city. When Sam brings up packing, Tommy surprises him again by saying that most of the packing is already done. In the hour or so they have available, they agree to make love. Scene: With images of Washington, D.C. in the background, including the Washington Monument and the Capitol, the subtitle tells us that it is indeed Washington, D.C. and the year is 1935. Scene: After an external shot of the Japanese embassy in Washington, D.C., Emily and Courtney Massengale are talking inside when Emily is called to a phone. At the same time, Massengale’s aide hastens into the embassy to inform his boss that General MacArthur has retired. As they discuss the implications, Emily rushes up to tell her husband that she has just spoken to the headmaster of their daughter’s school who informed her that Ginny had run away. Massengale refuses to go to the school (400 miles away) with Emily, telling her about MacArthur’s decision and his need to stay in the city. He also tells her he plans to put in for a transfer to the Philippines which should ensure him an assignment to the War College and an early promotion to colonel. He adds that Ginny hasn’t needed him for a long time. He sends her off on her own to search for Ginny. Later at the embassy, the Japanese ambassador is speaking to General Caldwell and Massengale. He is espousing the belief that it is such a tragedy that the Japanese and American peoples love each other but the governments cannot get along. General Caldwell responds, somewhat caustically, that perhaps the American government is worried about the Japanese abandonment of the Washington Treaty of 1922. In turn, the ambassador points out that times change and it is the Japanese conflict in China that has necessitated its buildup of naval capabilities. He expresses incomprehension as to why the United States would consider such action a threat to its Pacific interests. The ambassador then excuses himself. Massengale and the general continue to talk and when the younger officer shares his views on the Japanese, the general comments on how closely aligned Massengale and MacArthur are in their sentiments. He adds that he’s surprised Massengale didn’t join MacArthur in Manila. Scene: With tropical views in the background, the subtitle informs that it is 1938 in the Philippines. Inside a prison-like building, an army jailer named Sergeant Stoner is mistreating a prisoner he calls Brand. Shortly, from a darkened corner of the cell, the voice of Alvin Merrick speaks to Brand in a threatening tone. He closes in on the prisoner, telling him, in essence, that he sees his job as one of making soldiers more afraid of him than they are of meeting their duties as soldiers and that includes fighting in combat. Merrick’s dissertation is interrupted by another jailer who tells him that a captain is waiting to see him. When Merrick enters his office to find Sam Damon waiting, he is disrespectful both in his address and in his tone Unchecked by Sam, Merrick continues to speak disrespectfully, even bringing up Devlin’s name. Finally, Sam tells him that he is there to see Joe Brand. Merrick continues to give Sam a hard time saying that he’s not Brand’s CO, that he’s always butting his nose in and now he’s socializing with niggers. Sam threatens to go to the commandment of the fort, prompting Merrick to allow him to see the prisoner. The credits roll on Chapter III. Chapter IV Scene: Sam is waiting to meet Brand when Sergeant Stoner roughly ushers the prisoner into the cell. Seeing the treatment, Sam gruffly dismisses him after ordering, over the sergeant’s protests, that Brand’s restraints be removed. Sam, calling him Joe, tells Brand to have a seat, places a pack of cigarettes in front of him and reminds him of the time he had come to see his father after the trouble at the plant. Brand, in such bad shape that he can barely speak, manages to mumble that he remembers. They discuss the charges and specifications against the young soldier but Brand resists Sam’s offer to help, telling him that his conviction is a foregone conclusion. A patient, determined and sincere Sam, however, gains Brand’s trust. Having heard Brand’s version of the events surrounding his arrest, Sam goes to Merrick’s office and tells him that he is going to have his prisoner transferred to the base hospital first thing in the morning. Merrick protests and when Sam turns to leave, he grabs Sam’s arm asking him why he is always turning his back on him. At that point, Sam having had enough of the junior officer’s impudence, angrily grabs him by the throat, shoves him against the wall and, while holding him there, tells him exactly what he thinks of him. Before releasing him, Sam threatens to kill him if he ever touches him again. Sam unhands the shaken Merrick and leaves.
Later that evening, outside in the garage, Sam is showing Massengale the car that Donny has been working on. They make small talk until Massengale critiques how Sam’s pastactions and poor judgment have affected his career. Sam finishes Massengale’s thoughts by bringing up, as an example, his defense of Joe Brand. Sam then cuts to the chase by confronting Massengale with the fact that he’s been on base for nine days without a phone call, that he knows Massengale had lunch with Colonel Patterson the previous day, and that all of a sudden he drops in for a visit. Confronted, Massengale challenges Sam’s defense of Brand. When Sam says he’s not guilty, Massengale responds that he is guilty, guilty of being an enlisted man, guilty of socializing with the wrong person and guilty of being of the wrong race. He points out that it’s just this kind of thing that has hurt Sam’s career and that it’s the reason Sam is a captain with eight-years-in-grade and he’s only a year away from becoming a light colonel. Sam angrily responds that if Massengale makes colonel and Brand is acquitted, they will both have gotten what they wanted. When Massengale offers that friendship is at the root of his intervention, Sam cuts him off, telling him that trying to get him to betray an innocent man is hardly the act of a friend. At that point, Massengale takes a conciliatory tone saying, yes, he had agreed to speak to Sam but that he came as much for Sam’s sake as for his own. Sam appears to buy Massengale’s story.
Scene: In the courtroom, a witness is testifying that he saw Joe Brand strike Lieutenant McClain. At that point, according to the witness: McClain informed Brand that he was going to bring him up on charges; Brand tried to flee; McClain and several others went after him; Brand, however, got boxed into a corner and picked up a piece of pipe using it to hit McClain on the arm; and, it was then, that Sergeant Ives (military police) arrived. Ives, now on the witness stand, begins his testimony and says that brand had the look of a killer. When Sam cross-examines Ives, he asks if there were any other weapons involved. The witness responds that he didn’t see any. He also asks about McClain’s physical condition at the 9:00 A.M. confrontation. More specifically he asks if the lieutenant had been drinking. When Ives is not very forthcoming, Sam asks him if it would surprise the sergeant to hear that McClain had been seen drinking in the kitchen earlier that morning. Finally, Sam asks the witness if he is aware that the defendant is part Negro. Ives doesn’t seem to know what to answer. The prosecution objects to Sam’s questions and then rests its case. Sam calls Joe Brand to the stand who testifies to a quite different version of the events. He says that McClain was drunk, that the lieutenant called him a nigger, that he threatened to cut off the defendant’s manhood, that he only shoved the lieutenant away after the officer put his hand on him and that the officer then pulled a knife on him, causing him to run. He had hit him with the pipe only to disarm him. Sam then brings up the name of the young lady that Brand had been seeing, a circumstance that Sam believes had enraged McClain. When the prosecution objects, saying the identity is irrelevant, and the head judge sustains the objection, Sam protests that the young lady’s identity is vital to his client’s case as it proves that Lieutenant McClain, angry about the relationship, had a motive to act as Brand had testified. His strong argument causes the head judge to adjourn the proceedings and order the attorneys for both sides into his office. In the judge’s office, Sam is unrelenting in his pursuit of justice. Pointing out that this is a private meeting, off the record, Sam assails the behavior of the post commander’s daughter who has a reputation for sleeping around and who had, in fact, had slept with McClain. When the head judge suggests a reduction of charges, Sam refuses to accept the offer, saying a full acquittal was warranted. He adds that neither Private Brand nor Miss Patterson should have to be penalized because an officer, Lieutenant McClain, failed to do his duty of protecting his men and setting an example for honorable behavior. The scene ends with a thoughtful look on the face of the head judge.
Out in the garage, Ginny’s behavior is somewhat bizarre. Clearly trying to impress Donny, she tells him how her mother is going to buy her a fancy car and when that doesn’t seem to do the job, she adds that it could be a Cadillac if she wanted. When in answer to her question, Donny says he has a couple of girlfriends, Ginny says she has five boyfriends. She then tells him that it’s alright if he wants to take her out. She promises him a good time and when he hesitates, she makes sure with both her voice and her connotation that he understands she means sex. Donny points out that she is rather young for such things, but she persists. Donny, trying to let her down easily, says she might be too much for him. Ginny agrees. The scene clearly contrasts the progeny that one might expect to result from the marriages of the respective parents. Inside, after everyone is gone, Tommy recognizes that Sam seems troubled. He admits to being concerned at how his courtroom victory might have taken Joe Brand off the hook but put him on it. With an obvious pride, she kisses and comforts him. There is a knock at the door. Their visitor is Joe Brand who wants a word outside with Sam. He has clearly been drinking. He had come to thank Sam properly for the trial’s outcome but Sam could see that he was upset. Joe then tells him he just received orders to leave for the states and Fort Sill the next day. When he had been informed of the orders by his commander, he was counseled to keep his racial background to himself when he got to his next post. This advice, coupled with his recent ordeal, was clearly extremely painful to Joe and he became very emotional, unable to hear Sam’s words of support. He finally runs off into the night. As Sam steps back inside, Tommy is listening to the ominous news on the radio that German soldiers of the Third Reich were on the move. The announcement is accompanied by Adolph Hitler’s frightening war-like voice. His words are then followed by the nearly deafening roar of a supportive German people. A close-up on Tommy’s face reveals fear in the knowledge that war was sure to come.
At enemy command headquarters, Colonel McElvey (commander of the orange team) is informed that Captain Damon has been captured and is being brought in by Captain Winkler’s troop. Sam is then shown being marched in front of mounted soldiers who have orange arm bands (a ruse). McElvey goes out to greet them and is goading Sam on his capture when Sam gives the order for his troops (both the orange-banded men on horseback and others rising out of the weeds along the side of the road) to take McElvey and his entire command prisoner. Courtney Massengale is seen observing the action. Scene: Ben is regaling Sam’s victory in the Massengale’s
living room as the Damons, Massengales and Krislers have a drink
while waiting to go out to dinner. As they go to leave, the Massengale’s
say goodnight to Ginny who says she is going to a friend’s house
for the evening. As the trusting parents drive away, Ginny begins
to apply makeup, clearly preparing for an evening quite different
than her parent’s expectation. Sam and Massengale step outside to talk. Sam apologizes for Tommy’s pointed comments offering that she’s afraid for Donny. Massengale praises Sam for what he did for Joe Brand. Massengale then offers that he can be helpful to Sam’s career, but he needs to know where the junior officer’s ambitions lie. Sam’s answer is that he’d like to go to the War College, make colonel and lead a regiment. Massengale compares Sam’s aspirations to being just another piece on the chess board. He tells Sam that he can make him a real player. When war comes, Massengale says, he will quickly make brigadier general and he will need to have men on his team capable of thinking and acting decisively. Sam counters with his desire to fight or at least train others,
adding that he doesn’t want to be one of the faceless men behind
the scenes. Massengale insists that that it is precisely there
(behind the scenes) that the war will be won. Sam closes the discussion
by saying that it’s just not the place for him. Massengale appears
genuinely sad at Sam’s response, lamenting that they won’t have
the opportunity to work as a team. Outside the school, Ben praises Donny and then kiddingly tells
him to catch the next train out of town. Marge and Tommy are very
complimentary. It is obvious that Donny is waiting for his Sam’s
reaction and is thrilled to hear that his soldier father is in full
agreement. Turning to business, General Jacklyn tells Massengale that the War Department is seeking candidates for the War College and that he has had orders cut for Damon to attend. When the general asks if Massengale is a close friend of Sam, it opens the door for the “friend” to say that he thinks Damon’s ambitions lie in other directions. He then offers his belief that Sam would be more interested in being an observer in the China campaign, studying Japanese tactics, an opportunity that was the subject of a recent command directive. Scene: In the Damon living room, Tommy is reacting angrily to Sam’s news that he is being ordered to China. Sam points out that he won’t be fighting, strictly observing. When he mentions that it’s something Courtney worked out with General Jacklyn, Tommy responds sarcastically that she’ll be sure to express her appreciation. She reminds Sam that Donny leaves for Princeton next month and adds bitterly that this is just what any woman would want, a husband on one side of the world and a son on the other. When she tries to be positive, saying she could go back to the
states and live near Donny at Princeton, the argument escalates.
Sam orders her not to do that, saying their son needed to be on
his own. The disagreement becomes so heated that Sam leaves the
room to pack saying he is moving to BOQ until he leaves for China.
The scene closes with a pained look on Tommy’s face. Chapter V Emily is surprised at Court’s seemingly sudden interest and attention
but years of constant inattention, no physical contact and harsh
treatment have made it impossible for her to think of their relationship
in any other way. She expresses regret as well saying she too suffers
from their arrangement. At that point, the doorbell rings. At
the door, a Philippine police officer alarms them by asking them
to come to police headquarters, telling them it concerns their daughter. The guerillas finally arrive at the small Japanese compound that is their intended target. Sam observes as the Japanese sentries are dispatched with knives. While some of the Chinese guerillas are raiding the buildings, a returning Japanese patrol opens fire on the guerillas (including Sam) who are providing protective cover. Sam can be seen firing his pistol. Outnumbered, the Chinese retreat leaving behind a wounded man. Sam’s objections are strongly overridden by the Chinese commander. He tells Sam that anyone captured will not tell the Japanese anything. Later, when they stop to rest and the Chinese commander, Lin Tso han, is being treated for a flesh wound, he apologizes to Sam for losing his temper with him. Sam, in turn, admits that he never should have questioned the order. He is surprised to find that the wounded guerilla left behind was Lin Tso han’s nephew. The discussion turns to guerilla warfare. The guerilla leader
explains that this war is not a soldier’s war, but a war of the
people who cannot be defeated no matter how long the war lasts.
He tells Sam that he prays to be able to set aside his weapons so
that he can return to the classroom. He shares that others long
to return to their herds or their farms. He wonders out loud about
professional soldiers like Sam. He asks the American (who he calls
T’san T’san, meaning lieutenant) what a professional soldier can
dream of, except war after war. Sam quickly disagrees with the
comment. Lin Tso han proposes an alternative dream for someone
such as Sam, to die a hero’s death in battle. He then shares an
old fable with the American: “That once an eagle, stricken with
an arrow, said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft, with our own
feathers, not by others’ hands, are we now smitten.” The scene
closes with him warning Sam not to fall in love with war. In the background, Lieutenant Merrick can be seen crossing to the bar dressed in a pirate’s uniform. When Ben leaves the table to get a round of drinks, Massengale follows and tries to put them on his tab. Ben refuses the gesture and when Massengale understands he is being given the cold shoulder, he tries to explain about Sam and China, knowing that to be the cause of Ben’s anger. Ben, however, cuts him off, saying he doesn’t want to hear it. He adds that neither of them likes the other and they should leave it that way. Back at the table, Tommy spots the pirate smiling at her from across the room and lifts her glass to him. Tommy then dances with Court and comments on how quickly Emily and Ginny decided to return to the states (the departure no doubt the result of Ginny’s arrest and the savage beating Massengale administered to her). Massengale (lying) explains how Ginny’s school required her early arrival and Emily, of course, had to traipse off after her. Tommy comments that she’s not allowed to be that good a mother. Forced to think of Donny, she breaks away from Massengale saying she needs some air. Merrick, seeing Tommy leave, follows. Outside, on a bluff overlooking
the beach, he introduces himself to her and she admits to not recognizing
him in the pirate’s suit. He comes on very strong and makes some
inappropriate comments. When she tells him to take it easy, he
grabs her and throws her to the ground. He then falls on her, trying
to kiss her. All the while, he is muttering Sam’s name and saying
that this might be the opportunity he’s been waiting for to get
even. Suddenly, he is kicked off of Tommy and turns to find he
is squared off with Courtney Massengale. Unabashed and holding
his pirate’s sword in a fighting position, he threatens to kill
his superior officer. Massengale, however, talks Merrick out of
a fight by listing all that he is guilty of so far. When he comes
to understand that he might end up in his own stockade with people
who would love to find him there on the wrong side of the bars,
he takes off down the beach. It suddenly begins to rain hard forcing
Tommy and Massengale to climb into his car. Scene: Courtney Massengale and his aide are seen entering the
rotunda of an official building. In clearly excited voices, they
discuss the Japanese’ next move. Massengale’s view is that the
Japanese will not continue their attack on Hawaii. He believes
that General MacArthur, in the Philippines, will be the their next
target. Hearing her comments, an angry George jolts Tommy by saying he is sick of all her complaining and assigning blame to Sam and others who are simply doing their duty in trying to prevent the country and the world from falling before the Japanese onslaught. As her father walks away, Tommy cries that Donny is too young. He responds that the hard truth is that all of them, meaning the vast majority of those who will fight the war, are too young. At that point, the telephone rings and Sam answers telling the
operator to put him through, thinking it was Donny. In fact, it
was Donny’s roommate saying that Donny and some of the other boys
had driven over to the Philadelphia recruiting station to sign up.
When he relays the news to Tommy, she is devastated. She tells
Sam that he’s got to stop him. She wants him to call the Philadelphia
area commander. She becomes completely irrational saying that Sam
can arrange for Donny to fail his physical without him knowing about
it. When Sam says he can’t, Tommy accuses him of not wanting to
do it. Angrily, Tommy walks away, stepping into the next room,
turning and staring at Sam with a look of disdain. She then slams
the door shut on their conversation. Sam and Ben arrive at the headquarters by jeep and head for McElvey’s
tent to try to sell him on the river crossing. As the camera moves
inside, McElvey is responding with disbelief to the idea of a night
crossing, a maneuver he labels as the toughest there is. An upset
Sam tells his commander that the frontal assault is only wearing
down the division. When Sam refers to his one-and-one-half years
experience in China, McElvey points out that he was only an observer.
Still upset at McElvey’s reluctance to try his plan and his dismissive
attitude towards Sam’s China service, Sam dispels the notion that
he didn’t see action in China. The best McElvey will do, however,
is promise to give the matter serious thought. When Sam protests,
it’s McElvey’s turn to get upset. Chapter VII Shifkin’s dispatch reports that somewhere in New Guinea, soldiers
of the 33rd Division, led by Colonel Samuel A. Damon,
captured a Japanese airstrip in an effective surprise attack. During
the night, the outnumbered attackers crossed the Watabu River downstream
from the Japanese defenses and marched seventeen miles to deliver
a decisive blow under the cover of a friendly artillery attack. Outside the club, Tommy gives her car keys to Donny, but when mother
and son have an opportunity to speak alone, Tommy angers Donny by
dismissing his just stated love for Marion as simply an infatuation.
Donny is also angered by at a stereotypical remark directed at the
Jewish Marion. office to enter. Shortly, Courtney Massengale walks in and greets his guest, “Duke” Pulleyne. He tells Pulleyne that General Marshall has approved both his promotion to major general and his being named commander of the 33rd Infantry Division. On hearing the news, Pulleyne expresses concern that the passed-over Assistant Division Commander, Sam Damon, might be a problem. Massengale tells Pulleyne that Sam’s a good soldier and won’t give him any trouble. At meeting’s end, Pulleyne’s closing comment is revealing. It turns out that he has never had a combat command and that he spent the last fifteen years conducting staff studies and training exercises. Also revealing, is the fact that earlier in the conversation, Massengale had told Pulleyne that higher command didn’t think Sam was ready for a division. Pulleyne leaves as Massengale’s aide enters. After the newly promoted general leaves, the aide mentions to his boss that MacArthur was already getting his boys (of whom Pulleyne is one) command slots of real consequence. Massengale suggests that that’s is MacArthur’s right. The aide expresses concern that Massengale may have been left out of the action. The general, however, isn’t concerned. He tells the junior officer that, yes, he does need a field command opportunity, but Wokai (the next big island campaign) is not it. He tells him that he has his eye on an operation named PALLADIUM, one that was at least a year off. He advises his aide that he’s already angling to lead that operation. As Massengale leaves his office, his secretary tells him that she
tried to reach General Danvers but that he is out of town and doesn’t
want to be contacted except for operational or urgent messages.
When she asks her boss if he wants to get a message through, he
thinks on it for a long moment, no doubt considering the ramifications
of interrupting the general to talk with him about Donny, and then
tells her no. The next morning, Sam, fully dressed, is trying unsuccessfully
to write a meaningful goodbye note when Joyce enters the room.
When he starts to make promises, she simply covers his lips with
her fingers and says goodbye. Outside Pulleyne’s office, Sam and David Shifkin exchange pleasantries
and talk about Donny and Marion. The correspondent then gives the
general a letter that Donny had written to Marion. Marion had forwarded
it to her father asking him to pass it on to Donny’s dad. Massengale then unveils his plan. He implies that he will tell
Ginny that he is not her real father unless Emily speaks to her
uncle on his behalf. When Emily realizes the depths to which her
husband would sink, she slaps him hard across the face. Unaffected,
Massengale insists she get him the command he has pursued for so
long. When she agrees, a trace of a smile crosses his face as the
scene ends. The phone rings and her George Caldwell comes into the room saying
it’s Sam on the line. Despite her father’s protestation that this
is the third time he’s called, she refuses to speak with him. A
badly disappointed and somewhat angry Sam is shown briefly on the
other end of the line. As they exit the briefing room, Ben is complaining about the attack
plan and how it will leave him and his regiment completely exposed
to a Japanese attack. Sam, who also doesn’t like the plan, calms
Ben by saying he’ll speak with Massengale about it over dinner and
try to talk some sense into him. At H+14 hours, Sam reports that the beachhead is secure and that the advance command post (shown on screen) has been established. Ben, shown again in the field, is still concerned that the Japs seem to be sitting back and waiting. At H+28 hours, Sam reports that Swanny’s regiment was stymied two miles inland and Ben was getting ready to make the pivot. Sam, still concerned that Ben and his men will be sitting ducks, thinks Massengale’s by-the-book approach could blow up in all their faces. Sam’s narration ends as Massengale storms into Sam’s headquarters tent complaining about the loss of momentum and the delay in beginning the pivot. Sam tells him it is too soon because Swanny hadn’t made sufficient progress and recommends committing the reserve. Massengale disagrees and threatens to relieve Sam if he doesn’t follow his orders. When Sam tells his superior officer that relieving him is his privilege, Massengale, not wanting any further delays, smooths the waters and convinces Sam to move ahead despite his objections. Sam agrees to order the pivot, reminding Massengale that he will employ the promised reserve as necessary. Again, Massengale agrees. After the corps commander leaves, Sam gets Ben on the phone line and tells him to execute the pivot. Ben is surprised but implements the order. Sam picks up the narration again. At H+32 hours, Sam reports that
Pylon (the pivot) is moving slowly. He expresses confidence in
Ben, considers that Massengale may be a genius but mostly his feeling
is one of waiting for the ax to fall. Massengale points out on the map that the movement of Japanese troops has left the city of Reina Blanca totally unprotected and ripe for the taking. His aide, however, points out that they have no strike force for such an attack. Massengale tells him that the 49th (Sam’s reserve) is available. The aide objects saying that there is no strategic value in taking the city. Massengale disagrees saying it would be the first capital in the Pacific islands to be liberated from the Japanese intact. He orders his aide to assemble the staff as he is immediately committing the 49th to an attack on Reina Blanca. Again the aide objects but Massengale shuts him down. Scene: Back at Sam’s headquarters, Ben calls in to say that they’ve been hit by mortars and a bonsai attack in strength. He adds that they are pouring through his regiment’s left flank. Ben is shown talking on the phone at his headquarters which is under heavy attack. He is then shown being knocked to the ground by an explosion. When he rises he tells Sam that he is pulling back to where he can establish a defensive line. After identifying that location, he calls for an artillery barrage to blanket everything north of that position. Back in Sam’s tent, Sam radios the order to execute Backstop Three (the sending in of the reserve) immediately. Sam also radios the corps commander (“Condor”) telling him that he has ordered in the reserve and requesting air strikes. (Meanwhile, Ben’s unit is again shown being hit hard). Sam’s radio operator writes out an incoming message and hands it to Sam. The message is that the corps commander has taken the 49th. The promised reserve is gone. Sam tries unsuccessfully to reach Ben. He then glares at a map and guesses that Massengale is going to Reina Blanca. Sam then turns to the immediate problem. If the Japanese roll over Ben’s regiment, they’ll be nothing to stop them from moving all the way to the beach and the 7,000 tons of supplies stored there. Sam gives orders to put every man who can walk on a line between the Japanese and the beach. He also has the supplies wired for demolition should the defense not hold. Scene: This scene is a repeat of the first scene in the mini-series. American soldiers are manning their positions on the defensive perimeter peering out into the jungle night. Two nervous defenders hear movement in the jungle. An American soldier is seen moving through the jungle toward the American position when he is attacked by a Japanese soldier. The American kills his attacker with his bare hands and continues on. Back on the American perimeter, the same two nervous defenders are talking, one admitting his fear and the other professing his faith in the “Old Man” who has seen them through hard times before. The trusting soldier then looks back over his shoulder to the command tent. In the tent, someone who appears to be the “Old Man” is sitting in a tent staring at the photograph of a beautiful woman. A fellow officer enters the tent, addressing “the Old Man” as Sam. He reports that a couple more soldiers had just straggled in from a regiment in the field. Sam asks the junior officer named Pete if they are saying anything about Ben. Pete says no, that the story’s the same, that the regiment had been wiped out. Sam then hands Pete a letter he had just finished writing and asks him to give it to Tommy if anything happens to him. Pete protests that nothing will happen but Sam responds that it has been thirty years since he began soldiering and that he has been waiting for the inevitable end. Sam, forlornly staring out of the tent, flashes back to a training exercise some thirty years earlier.When Sam later heads outside, correspondent David Shifkin, holding a rifle greets him. Sam asks him what he is still doing here and tells him that he’ll get him off the beach with the wounded. Shifkin tells Sam he doesn’t plan to leave. At that point, Joe Brand drives up with a truckload of wounded volunteers from the field hospital. As they disembark the truck, Shifkin comments, in poetic terms, on the looming desperation. Gunfire is heard elsewhere in the compound and Sam rushes over
to find a sergeant who served close to Ben sergeant. He had been
trying to make it back to friendly lines had been wounded by friendly
fire. It is then that the Japanese unleash a full scale attack.
Sam and his men evacuate the command post. While pulling back and
while trying to radio in an air strike on the CP location, a grenade
lands near Sam. Joe Brand, ever at Sam’s side, throws himself on
top of Sam shielding him and absorbing most of the shrapnel. Moments
later, he dies in Sam’s arms. The naval gunfire Sam ordered devastates
the area and ends the Japanese attack. Scene: The end of MacArthur’s message is still being read as the scene switches to Sam staggering through jungle, supported by a makeshift crutch. Despite a severely wounded leg, Sam is searching for Ben, or more likely Ben’s body. Accompanied by Pete, his executive officer, David Shifkin and several others, he finally locates Ben’s face-down body by virtue of Ben’s telltale scarf. He kneels next to the body, touches Ben’s head, holds his friend’s hand and cries. He finally pulls himself to his feet, only to collapse completely. Scene: Back in the states, children are playing in the yard of Tommy Damon’s home. An official car pulls into the yard and a military officer steps out and approaches the house. Tommy answers the door to the officer who identifies himself as General Reddicker and thinks that he is there with bad news about Sam. It turns out that he is looking for Marge Krisler. Marge enters the picture and a knowing look descends on her face. Tommy watches the general leave and turns to Marge who appears to be in shock as she tells her friend that she needs to shop in order to get her kids ready to go back to school. Tommy tells Marge that she wants to help at which time Marge loses control. Referring to Tommy’s estrangement from Sam, she tells her that she can’t possibly know how she feels. In her grief, she goes so far as to suggest that everyone would have been better off if it was Sam and not Ben who had been killed. She adds that Tommy would have then been free. Tommy tells her that’s not what she wants and Marge, exasperatingly, asks her what she does want. Tommy has no answer. Scene: Sam wakes up in a hospital bed to a greeting from his nurse—Joyce. She kisses him and they make small talk. Sam finds out that his leg wound took fifty-seven stitches, that he has been in the hospital for six days and that Joyce has been with him most of that time. There’s a knock at the door and David Shifkin enters. He tells Sam that he stopped in to say goodbye as Massengale has pulled his credential. He explains that he tried to slip the truth of PALLADIUM past the general’s censors and the corps commander didn’t care for his critique. As he goes to leave, he mentions that Massengale is leaving for the states later that day. Sam, knowing he has to see Massengale before he leaves, begins, painstakingly, to dress. Joyce hears about what Sam is doing and tries to stop him. As he goes to leave the room, the telephone rings and Joyce picks it up. A look of surprise spreads across her face and she tells Sam that it’s his wife. Sam gives her a long look and then takes the phone. As she goes to leave the room, she pauses to hear the genuine excitement and love in Sam’s voice. After still another long look between them, Joyce closes the door behind her and Sam returns his attention to the phone. Tommy (shown briefly) is asking if he is still there. He responds that yes, he is. The tone of his answer suggests a meaning deeper than his still being on the line. Joyce walks into the hospital hallway and stops to reflect on what just happened. She then slowly but resolutely walks away realizing her time with Sam is done. Scene: Sam arrives by taxi outside an airplane hanger. Limping badly and supported by a cane, he marches toward Massengale’s office which is located at the far end of the hanger. Inside the office, Massengale is commenting to his aide that he is awfully quiet. The aide says he is just thinking about the casualty reports from PALLADIUM. When he remarks on the terrible beating the troops took, Massengale says they were just doing their job. At that point, Sam opens the door and walks in. After a brief look of concern, perhaps fear, Massengale turns on the charm and attempts to greet Sam warmly, extending his hand in friendship. Sam refuses the hand but Massengale charges forward saying he had stopped by the hospital a couple of times but Sam was out of it. Sam then suggests that Massengale’s aide leave the room but Massengale tells him to stay. PALLADIUM’s corps commander makes an offhand comment about losing a cigarette case on Palamangao that he had carried for thirty years. One can only imagine how this inane remark struck Sam who lost a friend of thirty years on the same island. Sam gets to the point, saying that he is requesting a board of inquiry to look into Massengale’s actions during PALLADIUM. A shocked Massengale responds that PALLADIUM had been a major victory and that he was being given much of the credit, implying that Sam’s charges would be inconsistent with these facts. Given the opportunity, Sam brings Ben’s death into the conversation. Massengale, insincerely, expresses sorrow. Massengale then tries a new tact, telling Sam that he put the unit in for a presidential unit citation and Ben in for a Distinguished Service Cross. Sam reacts angrily: rattling off the casualties that resulted from Massengale’s taking away Sam’s reserve. Massengale lies and says the pivot was complete. Sam screams words to the contrary. At that point, no doubt knowing that his aide knew differently, Massengale asks and, when the aide hesitates, orders him to step outside. Now alone, Massengale tries to soothe Sam, suggesting that he sit down and get off his bad leg. Sam, still angry, refuses and refers to the carnage that Massengale had wrought. The corps commander’s defense is that he had made his decision based on battlefield conditions. Sam interrupts his commander to call his actions murder, plain and simple, for which Sam promises to make him pay a price. Massengale tells Sam that, as usual, he’s fighting the wrong battle at the wrong time. Sam essentially tells him that he is confident that he’ll be able to make his case. He’ll make it by bringing a string of survivors and other witnesses in front of the board of inquiry. He adds that if that doesn’t do the job, he’ll take the story to the media. Massengale tells him not to be a fool, that his career will be finished. Sam responds that he cares only that Massengale’s career will be finished. Massengale then tries to get Sam not to do it for the good of the service. Sam immediately responds that that is exactly why he is doing it. Sam does make Massengale an offer, however. He tells him to resign for the good of the service and he’ll drop the charges. When Massengale adamantly refuses to step down, Sam tells him that he is going to take pleasure in watching his public demise. With that statement, Sam walks out the door, moving slowly across the hanger with Massengale’s aide (an admiring look on his face) and several airplane repairmen watching as Massengale yells threats after him and orders him to return to his office. The scene ends with Sam passing through the door and Massengale backing up slowly as he finishes his tirade. The final credits roll. |