[narrator] September 1942.
This is the Eighth Army waiting in the desert at El Alamein,
poised for the attack which was to drive Rommel out of North Africa.
The greatest menace to the success of our forces came from the Luftwaffe,
based on the African mainland
and the Greek Islands.
The RAF attacks on these scattered bases with every plane that could be spared
were not enough.
Something new was tried.
Night raids by small patrols of special troops,
Commandos, to strike at these island bases
to harass and tie down the enemy's garrisons
and destroy his bombers on the ground.
This is the story of one of the first of these raids.
[birds cawing]
[pipe playing]
[goat bleats]
[stirring orchestral music]
[pipe playing, goat bleats]
[band plays jazzy dance music]
Been stood up?
Looks like it.
Who... dares... wins.
"Who dares wins"?
That's our motto.
Well...
I was about to give you up.
Yes, so I see. Excuse me. This will only take a minute.
What will you drink?
- Champagne. - Hmm.
A silly question deserves a silly answer.
Champagne.
What are you doing here in Cairo?
I'm afraid I've come to spoil your leave.
Uh-oh. I was afraid of that.
Well, what is it this time?
HQ have got a job for us to do at last.
This is it, Tom.
Is it?
They want...
They want us to make a small scale raid.
If we pull this one off, there'll be a lot more to follow. We're in business.
Nice, steady work.
What do they mean by "small scale raid"?
- Ten or 12 of us. - And how many are they?
Thirty thousand.
This is it, all right.
Good odds even if we do lose.
What's the point?
Since when did the army ever...
Since when did the army ever tell you the point of anything?
You've got the job. What more do you want?
Just a little more.
Such as what?
I want to know how we get to wherever we are going to,
and once we're there, I want to know how we get back.
Tom, you worry too much. The navy's dealing with this.
What are you doing there?
You know, if I'm a pirate, so are you.
With this difference.
I was detailed to volunteer for brigandage.
But you,
you chose it and you love it.
Well, go on with the story.
We have to report to Lieutenant Stevens at the submarine base tomorrow.
But, um...
that's tomorrow. Excuse me.
I don't dance. Do you?
- No. - Will you?
Mm-hmm.
Who dares wins.
Carry on the good work.
This will take a little longer than a minute.
[music fades out]
[boat horn toots]
What's that?
That's what you're going on. She's Greek.
Mm, she looks it.
She's a rough looking old number, isn't she?
Yes, she's a bit grubby, but she's got a list of kills as long as her hull.
- Her skipper's got a price on his head. - What's his name?
Oh, Papanickers... Nickie... Papa... Oh, come and meet him.
- Hello, Stevens. - Hello, sir.
Yes.
May I introduce Captain Nicholaides Papadapoulos.
That's his name.
Lieutenant Graham, Lieutenant Poole.
- How are you? - How do you do, sir?
[Papadapoulos laughs]
- How are you? - How do you do?
- Stevens told me a lot about you. - Told me a lot about you too, sir.
And you still want me to take you on this trip?
- There and back. - Back?
[laughs heartily]
And people think I'm crazy!
Well, there is not a lot of room in my boat but anyway...
I won't be so crowded coming home.
Maybe not.
But perhaps you haven't cornered all the luck in the Mediterranean.
- See what I mean? - Yeah, sure, they're crazy!
Perhaps you haven't cornered all that either, sir.
Oh! I like that. That's very good. I like all crazy people.
- How many are you? - Six. Two Greek guides.
And we're looking for two Greek officers to take with us.
Oh.
Uh...
Oh, Captain George Kounas!
Just the man.
Where do we find him?
Oh, anywhere here at the base. Everybody knows him.
Better start looking for him now then.
No, there's plenty of time. You come and have drink with me.
You'll like ouzo.
- That's Greek for "wood alcohol". - Oh.
What are these flowers? Do you know?
I don't know. I've never seen them before. I'm not very good at flowers.
[Greek man] They're Kamparas.
Kamparas?
They grow in the Greek mountains.
I only wanted to smell it.
They're mostly buds. They have no scent.
And when they're in bloom?
When they're in bloom, they have a scent that fills the air of all Greece,
and you carry it in your nostrils to the end of your life.
Yes, we're looking for Captain Kounas. Do you know where we'll find him?
I'm Captain Kounas.
Captain Papadapoulos suggested we come to see you.
Come in.
- [slow music plays, laughter] - I must talk to you.
I thought so.
George!
Oh, I am sorry, darling.
This is Captain George Kounas. Mademoiselle de Marais.
How do you do?
This is the man who drove me out of Greece.
To escape his bullying, I went to France to live.
Then, after ten years, the Germans had to drive me back,
so he could reach me again.
I'll get you a drink.
Well, what do you think of our boy now?
About the same. A man of qualities, mostly bad.
A tough soldier, when you can get him to fight.
I want to have a little talk with my old friend, if you please.
Who is that man?
I'll tell you later. Keep the drinks going.
[slow music plays, laughter and chatter]
If it's a British raid, why do they want Greek officers?
It is a try-out raid.
If it comes off, there'll be many others that we, the Greek officers, can lead.
I don't believe in gestures.
- What do you believe in? - [laughter from next room]
- This? - No.
I don't believe in leaving a post where I have everything I want.
I don't believe in staking my life on impossible odds.
I don't believe in anything but the religion of our days.
Nothing is more noble than to stay alive.
Smell these. Let them argue with your conscience.
[whistling a tune]
Aren't you glad Captain Kounas managed to waggle you out of that office job?
You must have been awfully bored being chairborne all that time.
Yes.
- What is your name? - George.
Same as mine.
I'll have to call you George One and George Two to avoid confusion.
[whistles] Pleased to meet you, George One.
- How do you do, George Two? - [they chuckle]
[man sings] ♪ Very many years ago, a wise man say ♪
♪ Very many things that still hold good today ♪
Why doesn't the boy tell us where we're going?
♪ Confucius say prize fighter never show ♪
♪ Where he propose to land the knockout blow ♪
You'd make up a ruddy song about it if you saw me with me head blown off.
Here, there's an idea in that too!
♪ Confucius say each man must keep his head ♪
♪ Oh, joy, you're flipping gone when you are dead ♪
Here, look. Look who's following us.
Here, Brains, you always know everything.
What's Mr Poole carting those two foreigners around for?
- [whistling a tune] - Isn't it obvious? They're guides.
We must be going where they came from.
Well, Boyd, you'd soon find out where that is if they were in here.
Well, my guess is we're going to liberate the free English, in Cardiff.
[laughter]
Easy to see why we borrowed you from the Marines, Boyd.
Got a nice sense of humour, haven't you?
Ah, we're going to need it, Basher and me, slumming with the army.
[laughter]
Tom, get the gear stowed on board as soon as you can.
Then get them below to the briefing.
Keep the guides here. I don't want them gossiping with the men.
I'm going aboard to see Stevens. Come on, George One, George Two.
- Sergeant Corcoran. - Sir.
- Sergeant Evans. - Sir.
Get the fold-boat and the two dinghies
stowed through the forward torpedo loading hatch.
Look after the bombs yourselves. I'm going aboard.
[both] Sir.
[boat horn toots]
- Do you speak English? - Yes. Oh, yes, all right.
- Where do you come from? - Me?
From home.
Do you speak English?
- Sure. - Where do you come from?
My name is Patroklis. I'm Greek.
I leave home in 1936.
I don't want to be a peasant. I want to go to America where everybody's rich.
- Aye, but where's home? - I go to Athens one year,
scrub floors, wash dishes, save money.
Same thing in Rome, lot of work, save money...
- Never mind about that... - Then Monte Carlo, then Paris.
I'm halfway to America now, eh?
Then the war and the Germans come.
Yeah, but half a minute, what we want to know...
So I run from the Germans and bump right into the British.
And the British take me where? They take me right back where I came from... home.
Aye, but where's home?
[Poole] Boyd! Barrett!
Get back to your work!
Patroklis, you and Toplis come aboard!
Well, Gabby, did you find out where they came from?
Aye, "from home."
- Where's that? - Never found out.
Stupid foreigners can't answer a straight question.
Hey, these are pretty heavy.
We're carrying five bombs in each haversack. You'll get used to it.
Never seen bombs like this before, Sarge.
No. Brains and I made 'em.
So soft.
That's so they can lie on a smooth or sloping surface... if necessary.
- You mean you and Brains made all these? - That's right.
- Loving hands at home. - Mm.
What makes them go off?
These. Brains is carrying them separately.
I wish you'd stop all this Brains business.
Anyone would think I was in the Education Corps.
Sometimes I think that's where you ought to be, with a nice little commission.
Wouldn't want a nice little commission in anything, thank you.
Too much responsibility.
Ah, but you do have a few creature comforts, don't you?
Maybe, but I just don't see myself in the part.
Selling gloves in a Cardiff draper's,
I didn't see myself as a sergeant in the Commandos,
- but you never can tell, can you? - [chuckles]
We all here? Right.
I'll put you all in the picture, set your curiosity at rest.
Quite simply, the idea is that the ten of us
should make a landing on one of the Dodecanese Islands.
I'll tell you which one in a minute.
There are two airfields on the island.
Our job is to blow them both up.
Simultaneously.
This is the island... Rhodes.
The Greeks call it Rothos,
which means the Island of Roses.
At first glance, this would seem an impossible job,
but, with any luck, to coin a phrase, we... we could have roses all the way.
Good luck.
[dramatic music]
That was a waste of good wine.
We land at this inlet at night.
They may be waiting for us,
but if we get away with it, we can make our way into the mountains.
That'll be our only chance of approaching the two airfields unobserved.
We can only travel at night because the whole island is crawling with troops.
The first night, we'll travel to this stream,
which is important because it's the last water we'll see.
The mountains after that will be bone-dry.
The second night, we split into two parties.
Mr Poole will take his party to Maritsa.
The rest will come with me to Kalathos.
On the third night, we attack both airfields at exactly the same time.
On the fourth night, we return to the starting point at the inlet, here.
Captain Papadapoulos will pick us up.
Those who fail to make the rendezvous will find their own way home.
[indistinct chatter and laughter]
[wind blusters]
All right? Let's have a look.
Are we ever going to get there?
We have made good time to get this far in four days.
How far is that?
That only Papa Papadapoulos can tell you. He's made it his pet secret.
Will you pass the oil, please?
- Give me the cheese, please. - Here.
Yeah.
- Well? - Pass the olives, please.
What did he say?
We've made good time to get this far in four days.
They've been telling us that ever since we got on board this ruddy sardine tin.
Captain Papadapoulos, once and for all...
Oh, don't waste your breath.
Captain Papadapoulos and they say we shall get there soon enough.
That's right. Ha!
Much better eat... than talk.
Lor! Here we go again.
[he chuckles]
[he laughs heartily]
[laughter continues]
Did you have to make him a present of your rogues gallery?
He wanted it. And he has a way of getting what he wants.
Yeah, I know... flattery.
He thinks they're funny.
[Papadapoulos laughs heartily]
[laughter continues]
[Papadapoulos] Uh?
[Graham whistles a tune]
[Papadapoulos chuckles]
That's me!
All those people, all crazy!
It's been hours since the last dive. Are we nearly there?
Well, maybe in half an hour. Hal
I can get rid of all you crazy people and get on with the war.
What are you doing after?
Swim up the Danube and capture Hitler?
Not a bad idea at that. If we do, we'll take you with us.
[chuckles]
Uh...
[Papadapoulos] E-boat.
We lose him and then surface.
Port 30. Group up. Full ahead together.
They've spotted an E-boat.
As soon as they lose him, we'll surface.
- I'll go and tell the boys. - Yes, I'll go too.
We've sighted an E-boat. As soon as we lose her, we're gonna surface.
You'd better get ready.
All right, Number One, diving stations.
Diving stations. Diving stations.
Stand by to surface.
Stand by to surface, sir.
Report main vents. Open all LP master blows.
Permission to open lower lid, sir?
Yes, please.
Do you hear anything?
No, nothing, sir.
Ready to surface, sir.
You'd better pull these stockings over your boots.
It's going to be wet and slippery out on the casing.
Surface!
Blow one main ballast.
Blow fours.
Blow sixes.
Thirty-two feet, sir.
Twenty-five.
Twenty.
Fifteen feet, sir.
Stop the blower.
[wind blusters]
Well...
- Ready, Basher? - Yeah, I suppose so.
Patroklis, you come with me.
Well, we're off.
Thanks for the ride, sir.
We'll see you on Saturday at 2300 hours on the dot.
I will give you a big party - ouzo, shish kebab, olive oil, the works, eh, Stevens?
Steak and kidney pie, or you can keep your party.
- I'll cook it myself. - Crumbs.
Steak and kidney pie for ten. Don't be late.
All right.
[submarine blowing air]
[water bubbling]
[sombre music]
Good luck.
You will need it.
Crazy people.
[planes droning]
[dramatic music]
[wind blusters]
[air hissing]
And don't hide everything in the same place.
Plenty of hiding places in the rocks below there. Scatter it round a bit.
- Did you hear what I said, Boyd? - Yes, sir.
You don't need two bottles.
- But it's water, sir. - It's also weight.
- Corcoran. - Sir?
One bottle per pack per man. We'll be at the spring by dawn.
We hope.
[solemn music]
[goat's bell ringing]
[explosion rumbles]
Minefield. We'll have to make a detour.
[dramatic music]
[Patroklis] It has never been dry before.
Take the bottle out of my pack.
Now, collect the others.
Sir, the village is not far from here.
The sun will be up soon. We're not travelling in daylight.
All right.
Thirsty work in the Marines, innit, Boyd?
- I'm sorry, I... - That's all right.
It doesn't always pay to hoard, you know, Evans.
- We all regret the drink we never had, eh? - Huh?
Oh.
Well, that's the lot.
Mmm.
We'll have to ration this out to last the day.
Soon as it's dark, Patroklis will take us up to his village.
We can get some water there. Correct?
Yes, sir. There is a good well there.
Catch.
- Barrett and Boyd. - Sir?
Lookouts there and there. Rest of you, take cover.
I'll give you a hand.
The best laid schemes of mice and men, sir.
My dear Corcoran, the situation is obvious enough.
It doesn't need comments from you... or Robert Burns.
It's going to slow us up maybe.
I don't like it.
Your compatriot's a fine guide!
Yes. Oh, yes!
I wouldn't trust that gentleman to find a beer barrel in a bed.
I hope you're a better guide.
All right. Yes, sir.
If he ever heard a joke, sir, laugh himself to death, he would.
This'll do us.
[vehicles rumbling, crickets chirping]
[pipe playing]
I haven't heard that for years.
It's so pretty.
Shepherd's pipes. I used to play them once...
- when I was a boy. - I am home.
My home is so near, only a few minutes away.
I thought your home was in America.
My mother and my sister are down there.
My sister is grown-up now.
Maybe I could see her?
After all these years? [chuckles]
What for?
I know I say many foolish things.
When I am far away, I don't care,
but so near, like this.
And maybe I could get some water?
No.
You stay here.
[pipe continues playing]
You know, George, I don't think the Englishmen likes our country.
I heard one of them say, "See Rhodes and die."
[chuckles]
I'll stop him.
[suspenseful music]
- But you're hurt! George, I... - No. No, no, it's nothing.
Nothing? You are cut and bleeding.
- I'll go and get... - No!
You stay here. Give me a handkerchief.
It's nothing, I tell you. It's just an old wound. It's done this before.
Don't be a fool, George.
Now, listen, I don't want the others told.
But Graham must know that you are...
You keep quiet about this! Do you hear?
Yes, George.
[suspenseful music]
[child shouting]
[children's voices]
[inaudible]
[marching footsteps]
[in Italian] Let's stop for five minutes so you can drink.
[crickets chirping]
What's the matter?
Patroklis. He's run off to his village.
- Deserted? - No, he would never do that.
Of course not. It's his home. I suppose he just... had to go there.
Lookouts in, packs on, ready to move when I say.
Now...
if we move in daylight, they might see us.
Right.
If he runs into trouble and talks, we're done.
I don't think he'll talk.
Better get ready to move.
[children's voices]
[children chattering]
[children squabbling]
He might not talk, but if they catch him, they'll make him talk.
It's dangerous to stay, but it's lethal to move.
We'll have to choose between the bad and the worse.
Right, we'll stay.
But all of you be ready for a quick getaway.
- Sergeant Evans. - Sir.
Sergeant Corcoran, lookouts.
[children laughing and chattering]
[in Italian] Assembly! Right face.
Forward, march!
[dogs barks]
Marika. Marika.
[in Greek] Patroki, mother is waiting.
[crickets chirping]
Looks like the boy's getting worried.
Prowling up and down like me waiting for the pubs to open.
Comes with relying on perishing foreigners.
They are all the same, either in a panic or talking about I'amour.
He's been a long time.
Tell me, Mr Toplis,
what do you think Patroklis will do?
Yes. Oh, yes.
Now, listen. Supposing this was your village.
You wouldn't have run away, would you?
When my village come, yes.
That's good to know.
I wish it had not been one of us who did this.
No one will blame the rest of us Greeks for what one did.
I suppose not but...
you always feel responsible for your own people in front of others.
Come on. Take 'em.
Can you see anything?
Afraid not, no.
Lor!
It's a bit of a spot.
You're worried about it, aren't you?
Course I'm worried about it. Wouldn't you be?
I picked him.
Yes, you did, didn't you?
And I picked you too, remember?
Do you think he will come back?
I really wouldn't know, sir.
Volunteering no opinions, eh, Corcoran?
I'm in the army.
[whistles]
Get down! Come on!
You blithering idiot! What do you think you're doing?
I saw my mother and sister.
They say you must go away.
If we're caught near here, they take hostages, burn houses, shoot people.
They're Greeks like you and me. They must take chances too.
I am sorry.
All right.
But they saw you. Can you trust them? Will they talk?
They will not talk, never.
All right. Ease packs.
Hold it!
- Don't. Let me speak with them. - They're children. They'll talk.
Boyd and Barrett, encircle them. Go slowly. Don't frighten them.
All right. Leave it, leave it!
That settles it.
Now we'll have to move.
Better put us in the picture. Come on.
There's another village here, not far out of our way.
How long will it take to get there?
By the road, a couple of hours, but through the mountains, all day.
So at the worst, we shall have water by tonight.
How much have we got left?
Only three bottles.
Suppose we can't get any at this village? What happens?
Then the whole operation's a washout.
My party's got to go across these mountains tomorrow and they're bone-dry.
If there's any water in that village, we'll get it.
All right, let's go.
[pensive music]
[birds cawing]
You all right?
[panting]
I think you're forcing the pace.
Yes, I know.
- How much water have we got left? - About a swallow each.
You'd better let them have it.
[baby goat bleats]
[dog barks and whimpers]
[truck engine rumbles]
Come on! Come on!
[Graham] Troops.
[Poole] One thing about a military map...
always tells you where a place is but never who's in it.
- [Graham] Or why. - It's obvious.
Well?
An ammunition dump.
Or as close to the airfield as this, a petrol dump.
Well, whatever it is, it's too full of Italians for my liking.
There's an olive grove. It's the only cover into the village.
We can creep through.
The olive grove is probably the exact location of the petrol dump.
If it is the only cover we've got, we've got to use it. Give me the bottles.
Bottles.
Tom, you're in good cover. We'll be as quick as we can.
I hope he knows something about water divining.
Don't worry. He won all his badges as a Boy Scout.
Put me in a tight spot, I'd take the boy every time.
Why not? It's his business.
MINEFIELD
Keep still, keep still. Don't move.
The whole place is mined. For heaven's sake, don't panic.
You crazy idiot!
I'll show you I don't panic. For my life, I don't care or I wouldn't be here.
I'll get the water.
Yes, and blow yourself up, which wouldn't worry me in the very least.
But what happens to the rest of us?
Do you want us caught before the job's done?
I don't panic!
All right. All right. Keep quiet.
Now, look, we're going back.
Give me a 15 feet start and go exactly where I go.
- And keep your distance. - And the water?
We can't get the water here.
It's no use. The whole place is mined.
That's the second time you've made a muck of it!
Steady!
Barrett.
Yes, sir.
If you're as good as he is in a tight spot, you'll be doing all right.
He wanted to go through the minefield alone. Would you like to try it?
No, sir.
All right then.
Anyway, this whole thing's my fault.
I should have swapped some of the bombs for supplies in the first place.
All we can do now is to go back to the beach.
The whole thing's a washout.
I'm sorry.
We have to get there before morning.
- There's a party coming up, sir. - What sort of a party?
I can't see.
Ambush positions. Tom...
Take your lot up there. We'll cover this side.
Let them pass, but if they see us, scrag 'em.
But remember, no shooting. Better lose that too.
He's all right, David. Come on, chaps.
Marika.
- [in Greek] We have brought food for you. - Thank you, thank you.
Marika.
[dramatic music]
Father Konstandis, you are in danger.
What is all this?
I don't know. We'll find out.
This is my sister, Marika, sir.
- Hello, beautiful. - [all chattering]
Come on. Break it up, break it up.
Sorry, sir.
And this is Father Konstandis.
- Hello. - Hello.
He brings you this food with his blessing.
How did you know we were here?
They all know, sir.
With these shepherd boys, the news travels everywhere in the mountains.
That's a happy thought. Can you trust them?
[in Greek] You think you can trust them?
[speaks in Greek]
You need never be afraid, sir,
and can always have complete faith in these boys.
My people will be with you wherever you are.
All right, get the food. It's on the donkey.
Thank them, bless them and get rid of them.
Corcoran!
There's a cave here. Bring the food up and we'll eat in cover.
You want him, eh?
Well, you look after him properly.
[in Greek] Thank you.
[crickets chirping]
♪ Confucius say each man must keep his head ♪
Well, you keep your head. Don't wolf the lot at once.
Why not? The boy ordered us back to the beach, didn't he?
So he did.
And we have enough grub there to last us until the sub picks us up, haven't we?
We have.
Well, then, why starve ourselves?
Cos I've changed the order. We're proceeding according to plan.
What? On this mouthful, sir?
Confucius say, "Never look gift horse in mouth."
I wouldn't look in the mouth, sir, if he had a bit more meat on him.
Well, it's probably all these people have anyway.
They're half-starved themselves.
How many instruments do you play in this band?
Huh? What do you mean?
Well, a minute ago, you didn't like these people.
Well... that was a minute ago.
[laughter]
You can't beat the British. Their mouths full of water,
their hands full of bread and they forget all their troubles.
Interesting observation.
How's your stiff upper lip? Stiff?
Mine's hanging out like a Ubangi's.
What's the matter?
I've been thinking.
[chuckles] You'll have to watch that, won't you?
No, I...
- I've got a feeling about all this. - Hmm?
Yes. I've... got a feeling it...
won't go right.
Of course, it will. I'll see you on the beach for certain.
I don't know. I never had the feeling so strong before.
I said I'll see you on the beach.
[Toplis laughs heartily]
Beetle in sandwich!
All right!
It will be heavy going to Maritsa.
I know.
You think you can keep up?
The bleeding's stopped.
- Right. - Thank you, sir.
You'll travel through the night, won't you?
Yes, of course.
That means you ought to reach Maritsa about... What's the time now?
2000 hours.
Yes.
You ought to reach Maritsa about 2100 hours tomorrow.
That will give you an hour to play with.
I'll attack Kalathos at 2200 hours.
But remember, it's absolutely vital we both attack at exactly the same time.
- At 2200 hours? - Yeah.
Right.
Well, David, this is it.
Hey, wait a minute. Hold on.
Um... before you go, there's a...
word I'd like to say. I...
I made a hash of the water, but...
I remembered the rum.
Come on, Boyd. You're usually the thirsty one.
Patroklis, come on in here.
Well...
What I wanted to say, I...
I don't know how to say.
♪ Confucius say ♪
♪ No time to fret or cry ♪
♪ He know the time has come to say goodbye! ♪
[laughter]
Well, here's good luck until we meet again on the beach.
All right, chaps, let's get ready.
So long, Basher.
How many times are you going to say goodbye?
Until we meet again.
We'll meet again.
[animal howling in the distance]
All right.
You've got a nice night for it.
Yes. Romantic moon.
George!
You can't let him go.
- What do you mean? - He's hurt.
He's bleeding badly from an old wound.
George.
Is this true?
Why didn't you tell me?
Is it very bad?
You'd better stay with us.
Sorry, Tom...
but we haven't so far to go.
Yes... I'm afraid you're right.
Come on.
[man shouts order]
[planes droning]
[thunder crashing, rain splatters]
This is a nice cave.
The right place, the right time and plenty of water.
I hope Poole is pleased too.
- [plane passing overhead] - There it is.
We'll stay here.
Well, better get all the rest we can.
You know, if this keeps up till tomorrow, it'll be perfect.
Oh, aye, perfect.
I already feel like a flipping frogman that's lost his flipping flippers.
- [Corcoran chuckles] - Never mind about tomorrow.
"Here upon the well-armed soil."
Why don't you shut up and go to sleep?
Yes, sir.
There's just one thing, sir.
What's that?
I snore.
Oh.
- Appallingly. - [chuckles]
All right, carry on.
That's an order.
"Here upon the well-armed foreign soil and only resting on the sea,
we lie far from our country.
Not in faint retreat,
but in our own good arms, our safety lies."
What is all this about?
It's about people like us.
[thunder crashes]
Imagine old Bash having to walk out in this!
It'll kill him. He might even get pneumonia.
You have to laugh, don't you?
[snoring]
What a place to live in.
Some people might say the same thing about ten million chimney pots in London.
But look what this country's got.
Scenery and poverty.
Where I grew up, there was only poverty.
What do you think of this country, Mr T?
Before war? All right.
I not have this.
How did you get that?
Kick. Boot. Good luck for me.
Good luck?
Me, in hospital.
The others...
[thunder crashes]
With your luck, you may be able to get even this time.
All right, chaps. We've had our rest. Come on, let's go.
[crickets chirping]
Eh, are you still in this war, cloth ears?
Darn foreigners!
Came right over us and missed us.
A bullet's a bullet in any language. Come here!
Oi!
Now we're here, we'd better rest.
We must be fresh for going on tonight.
[sighs]
Mr Poole ought to be at his attacking point now.
We've got an hour to get to ours.
Now briefly, I'll recap.
We move from here to the airfield in a semicircle like this.
And when the job's done, we come back in a straight line to this church here.
And why the church?
I thought the church would be the safest place.
Happy?
Right, we'd better move off. You lead the way.
[in Greek] Bad luck, Captain.
I'm sorry you're not coming with us then.
Better wish us luck.
George.
Here's your route to the church.
It's all downhill and not too difficult.
Put everything in two packs, and then bury the rest.
Yes, sir.
Good luck.
See you in church, sir.
[planes passing overhead]
[in Greek] We won't pass through.
What do we do next?
All right, we go other way.
How much longer will it take?
Maybe one hour?
No maybe. Come on, get moving.
Every time! What can you do with these people?
[planes droning]
Now we know they meet every eight minutes.
We've got that much time to get through.
Check your watches. 21:59.
[owl hoots]
[Graham] Right?
- Bombs out! - Take them out!
Set your time fuses...
now!
If our bombs are to go off when the others do, we set the fuses now and like it.
Travel with live bombs?
Oh, that's different, innit?
Set the fuses! We'll make it.
Or beat the high jump record and no witnesses.
[Poole chuckles]
Come on, Boyd. Come on.
- Right, sir. - Right.
OK.
I feel like the Lord Mayor opening a new bridge, sir.
Shut up. Shut up and get on.
OK.
Right.
- Good luck, Boyd. - You too, sir.
Come on. Remember, it all goes up in 30 minutes.
Come on!
Remember, you stay here.
This is a good place. Easy to find on the way back.
We dump the packs and change into plimsolls now.
- Take the bombs out, Mr Toplis. - All right.
- How many does that make? - Four.
Feels like 44. That one next.
Back up, back up.
- How long have we got, sir? - Sixteen minutes.
To dump all these bombs, we must take an aircraft each and get back here.
Barrett.
You too, Toplis.
All right, me too.
Evans.
[binoculars thud]
[dramatic music]
Two bombs left, sir.
Right. Stick them in that petrol dump we just passed.
I'm going to stick this one on that bomber over there.
You can't. Too near the building.
You wait for me at the petrol dump.
[in Italian] Alarm! On guard!
[klaxon blares]
[siren blares]
[banging]
[soldier in German] Get out!
[tense music]
[soldier shouts orders]
[soldiers shouting]
Get out of it!
[George Two] Not that way! You'll lead them to the others.
Right, sir.
This way!
[gunshots]
Come on.
[gunshot]
Wait.
- We haven't much time. - [gunshots]
[gunshots]
You shouldn't have done that last bomber. Now, they're caught.
You shouldn't have done it. Now, you've spoiled everything.
It's done.
Come on!
We'd better stick here for a bit.
I want to keep an eye on the field.
I'll go and get some water from George One. He must be inside.
Captain George?
He's not here!
I suppose he couldn't make it, poor devil.
Wonder if there's any water here.
You'd think so. They have baptisms here all the time.
Listen!
Do you hear that?
What?
There's someone in here.
Captain George?
He was hurt.
- Perhaps he's passed out. - Wait a minute!
Give me cover. I'll go.
[woman screams]
[in Greek] I'll scream. Leave. Leave from here.
No, no. Please, please.
We're friends. Don't be afraid.
Leave this place. Damned!
- [she screams] - Patroklis!
It's time, it's time, it's time!
Your bombs don't work!
Talk to her. Tell her we're friends.
We won't hurt her. We won't do any harm.
You murderers! You're not friends to anyone here.
[in Greek] Leave. Run. If they catch you, they will kill you! They will kill you!
They will kill you!
What did you tell her? What did you say to her?
- [screaming] - I can't hold her much longer. Uh!
[church bell rings]
We've got to stop him!
[in Greek] Damned! Damned!
[church bell rings]
[in Italian] Halt! Stop the car! Guys, eyes open and guns drawn.
He's right. It's all for nothing.
The whole thing's a shambles.
Why didn't the bombs work?!
[in Italian] Guys, eyes open and guns drawn. If you move, I'll shoot you!
Well, he's crazy! They're not due to go till now.
[loud explosions]
[siren blares]
[in Greek] I was wrong! They worked!
They do work!
[Patroklis shouting]
[loud explosions]
[siren blares]
[explosions continue]
♪ London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down ♪
♪ London Bridge is falling down ♪
♪ My fair lady ♪
[siren blares]
He's gone.
They must have taken him too.
Anyway, the job's done.
If only Mr Poole's party did as well.
I've lost three men out of six,
possibly four.
How well done's that?
No one can expect to carry out a job like this without some loss, you know.
You're better at telling the truth.
You know it's my fault. You told me so yourself.
We'd better look inside.
How much trouble do we want? We taken a chance coming this far.
Well, take another chance and look inside. He may be inside.
- Graham. - George!
- Is there a back way out? - Yes, through here.
You're alone. I thought you'd have the whole village with you.
Patroklis? Where is he? What happened?
He ran amok.
They got him.
And the others?
Taken.
George Two?
George Two.
- Because of Patroklis. - No, because of me.
Everything's because of me.
For heaven's sake, let's get out of here. We can put him in the picture on the way.
What happened here?
The bells brought half the village here. I saw them from where I was hiding.
Did anyone see you?
Some did. But they are Greeks and I am Greek.
[laughs] That's... That's our only blessing.
Well, so is Patroklis a Greek. Let's get out of here.
We are safe here.
There are a hundred pair of Greek eyes watching out for the soldiers.
I'm thirsty. I'd like a drink.
Here. You need to.
[George Two] No, thank you.
I'm not hungry.
- Have you eaten? - No.
You've got to eat!
You're half dead as it is!
Take it.
The war sits heavy on your stomach.
I feel sick.
I know.
Yes. There will be butchery here because of us.
People who live here and helped us may die.
Perhaps us too, but we knew that.
Maybe what you did here will cause fewer to die somewhere else.
Don't cloak a cheap gesture with noble motives.
That last bomber.
I needn't have done it.
If I hadn't done it, the others would be here with us now.
I did it for the kick.
You are in the war, Graham.
Don't take the whole world on your conscience.
You cannot make up the sum until the end.
No.
But I can sum up a little of the ugly truth about myself.
If it helps you.
When you go, you two should go alone, without me. I'll only slow you down.
And you can't afford to lose any more men.
I don't intend to!
You're in this war too.
This whole show's a flop unless one of us gets back off this island.
And as far as I know, we're the last of the ten.
When we go, we go together!
And we go now!
Leave it.
[plane engines droning]
[in German] That is the work of an English Commando.
We have 30,000 men here.
Search the island. Don't let a single one of them escape.
[dramatic music]
[in Italian] Hello? Hello? Italian battalion.
[in Italian] Officer, please come down!
Haven't seen us yet.
Great. Now we can rest.
We've no food and no water.
We'd better use our strength getting to the rendezvous.
[tense music]
[pipe playing]
[man shouting]
[goats' bells ringing]
[goats bleating]
[pipe playing]
[goats bleating]
[inaudible]
Thank you!
[in Greek] Thank you.
Come on, come on!
Come on!
We'll give him five minutes rest, then we'll try and cross the road.
Right.
Hey, Graham! Poole's party!
Look! Soldiers!
- We've got to warn them. - We can't!
- They're gonna walk straight into it. - If you fire, they'll get us too.
- We've got to do something. - Hear what I said!
- Yes, but sir. - Put down that gun!
- [soldier speaking Italian] - George, you fool!
Now they get the lot of us.
No. They'll only get me.
But I walked out of their prisons before, I'll do it again.
Save me a place when you go boating next.
[in Italian] Come down with your hands up!
Hands up!
[poignant music]
Let's go!
[in Italian] Halt! Five minutes.
It's 22:30.
Got to get to the beach in half an hour or we'll miss the signal.
Let's go on.
[in Italian] Halt! You are prisoners.
If you are found with weapons, you will be shot.
All right, chaps.
We've had it.
And we were so ruddy near.
[in Italian] Be quiet!
Now it begins.
[in Italian] Hands up! Like this.
Come on!
Come on.
Come on! Quick!
[gunshot]
All right. [laughs]
[groans]
You forgot the safety catch, Mr Toplis.
[in Italian] Forward! Come on!
- Let's get out of here. - All right.
[in Italian] Hello, colleague! Colleague!
Hi. How many prisoners did you take?
We took four, three British and a Greek.
- The Greek died. - Congratulations!
- Bye. - Bye.
[engine revving]
[in Italian] Wake up, guys. Time to go.
How long have you been carrying me?
About 20 minutes.
You kept coming round and... passing out again.
What about the patrols?
I ducked them.
You're quite a chap, Corcoran.
Yeah, thanks to the army.
But you'll never make a soldier.
No.
What time is it?
23:10.
The sub was due at 2300 hours.
You should have been down on the beach
instead of lugging me around the countryside.
- Signalling. - That's where we are going...
Sir.
[dramatic music]
That's torn it.
The E-boat beat us to it.
Our fold-boat, our dinghies.
They've got the lot.
Even if the sub is still there, we can't get out to her.
We can't get out to her!
Corcoran...
Get me down there.
Get me down there!
All right, leave me.
Search the rocks.
They may not have found everything.
I want some water.
But they have. We saw them.
- Search the rocks! - We saw them!
Where are you going?
I'm going to bathe my face.
Then I'm going to search the rocks.
I'll help you.
I can manage, thank you.
Corcoran!
Corcoran, they didn't get it all!
Look!
Look, I got these. They missed them.
What do you expect to find in it? Aladdin's Lamp?
Yes.
23:35, 35 minutes past rendezvous.
They'll give us more time. They're bound to.
- They'll wait. - Supposing they don't wait?
They'll wait.
They haven't waited.
This is the end.
And now I can give you the truth you've always asked for.
And if it's not the end?
I hate you. I hate you for never giving up.
You don't think.
You haven't even the imagination to know when you're licked.
Well, I know when I'm licked!
Danger's your only kick.
Well, I'm leaving you here to enjoy it.
There! I saw something. There's a light out there!
I didn't see anything.
I saw a light. I saw it!
It's a fish leaping.
They often do. I've seen them in the Tweed.
Down!
What will we do now, Beau Geste? Shoot it out?
I'm not going to finish in a prison camp. I'm swimming for it.
How far do you think you'll get?
I don't know, but I'm not being taken.
Perhaps I didn't see a light. Perhaps there's nothing there.
Then I'm swimming anyway.
How long have we been?
About an hour.
Those mountains... don't seem any further away.
- Listen. - [rumbling]
Listen!
Engines!
It's the sub! It's them!
We're not too late.
Signal! What are you waiting for? Signal!
Stevens! Quick! Come here!
Take a look! Take a good look! I... I don't trust my eyes any more.
What do you see? What do you see?
Nothing...
Yes, there's a light flashing a long way off.
There it is again! It's them!
It must be them.
- Diving stations! - Diving stations. Diving stations.
- Stand by to surface. - Stand by to surface, sir.
E-boat. Dive!
Vessel circling, constant range, 150 yards, sir.
We must dive again.
[klaxon blares]
It'll probably be that E-Boat.
Well, we'll give her a few minutes to move on then... try again.
And if she doesn't move on?
Are you trying to read my mind, Stevens?
It's very easy to read, sir.
Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm not that crazy!
I'm not going to risk my boat just to save the lives of a few men.
No?
[laughs] Of course, you wouldn't.
No, I wouldn't.
Unless...
when the time comes...
I change my mind.
Our signal's... brought her to us.
Couldn't have done. She'd have stopped to pick us up.
If she didn't see us,
the sub won't see us either.
We've had it.
I'm finished.
Is this the finish?
Here, like this?
I'm going on.
[speaks German] Submarine starboard! Get ready for action!
[speaks German] Mines clear for drop. Depth ten metres.
[mines exploding]
[Papadapoulos] Go ahead. Careful. Hard to starboard.
[sombre music]
[triumphant music]