But loses his soul?
For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
- [Man] Baht? - [Reardon] Baht.
[Shouting In Japanese]
You're making a terrible mistake. I can get you anything you want.
American chocolate, whiskey, American cig... How about a watch?
[Gordon Narrating] The major imagined Reardon a threat.
To him, a man without a sense of duty,
loyal to no one but himself,
- is already a traitor. - Shit.
[Shouting]
[Japanese]
No, please. Please.
It's my school. It's my school!
[Gordon Narrating] Major Campbell struck a deal with theJaps.
I was to be left alone.
In his mind, this was not considered betrayal.
The school had delayed his plans.
Men were changing their minds. And Dusty had been the catalyst.
[Grunting]
[Groaning]
This book...
teaches to turn the other cheek.
We read these books,
and we become better slaves for the emperor.
[Translator Speaking Japanese]
[Grunts]
[Japanese]
He says the book is superstition.
Captain Noguchi says the railroad progress is too slow.
He received orders from headquarters...
requiring us to finish six months earlier than it was scheduled.
Honorable sir, that's...
You are dismissed.
Superstition.
[Groaning]
[Panting]
# I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy #
#Yankee Doodle do or die #
#A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam #
#Born on the Fourth ofJuly
#I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart
# She's my Yankee Doodle joy #
#Yankee Doodle came to London #
#Just to ride the ponies #
# I am that Yankee Doodle boy ##
I'm still alive, you Jap bastards!
You can understand that, can't you?
[Thunder Rumbling]
[Groans, Screaming]
[Screaming Continues]
[Japanese Soldier Shouting]
[Gordon Narrating] They could take away our books and classes,
but we were determined they couldn't take away what we had learned in our university.
Dusty led some of the men out of the Death House to help draw water.
His example of what we were learning inspired us to work like never before.
And our captors noticed.
As for the major, we refused to get even with him...
to pay him back in kind.
And it began to eat at him.
[Panting]
[Shuddering]
[Insects Buzzing]
[Whistling]
[Japanese]
Captain Noguchi says he gives you your books back...
for you to keep learning.
Captain Noguchi graciously gives you these gifts...
for being good workers.
[Men Shouting Excitedly]
What is it?
[Chuckles]
- We're back in business, lads! - [Chuckles]
- Oi, these are three years old. - Japanese import laws.
- There's mail in here! - Oh, let's see it.
[Trumpeting]
[Footsteps]
[Gordon Narrating] From that day on, Yanker never spoke much.
Something had changed inside him.
It was hard to tell whether it was for the better...
or the worse.
Chip, chip, muckers. Graduation ceremonies are coming.
I want a tip-top performance out of you.
Continue.
## [Discordant]
Gentlemen,
let's continue.
[Foxworth] If we are marked to die, we are enough to do our country loss.
And if to live, the fewer men, the greater share ofhonor.
He that shall live and see old age,
then shall he strip his sleeve and show his scars and say,
"These wounds I had on Crispian's day."
Old men forget,
yet all shall be forgot.
Meat! Meat!
[Lowing]
- [Laughing] - Beef.
[All Cheering]
[Gordon Narrating] Yanker decided tojoin us...
a bit late in the term, but eager to catch up.
You're a good teacher.
What's your name?
I'm Nagase. Takashi Nagase.
Hello, Takashi.
I'm Ernest.
I've actually been wonderin'...
where you learned such excellent English.
I was educated at Cambridge.
To be a good translator,
I thought one must understand the culture.
So what do you think of the British?
I think there is a lot to learn from them.
Can I ask you, honorable Takashi,
what are you doing here in this camp?
Uh, I was classified low physical fitness.
Prisoner of war camp is not honorable place forJapanese soldier.
It is more like punishment.
Shame for his entire family.
Well, what about...
Sergeant Ito?
Surely he's the consummate soldier.
He accepted the blame for the bad decision that his superior made.
It resulted in the deaths of most of his squad.
- Right. So that's why he's so bitter. - No.
In Bushido, it is an honor to be punished in place of your superior.
According to our Imperial Rescript,
in the emperor's army,
a single life weighs less than a feather.
[Gordon Narrating] No matter how good things got,
we were still slaves building a railway,
being starved to death.
Thousands of us in a dozen other prison camps as well.
And as if that weren't enough,
the major and his dangerous plan seemed ready to explode at any moment.
[Japanese]
[Men Laughing]
[Gordon Narrating] It was a sobering thought when we realized...
we weren't the only slaves being used in the name of the emperor.
They called them 'comfort women..."
spoils ofJapanese conquest.
[Laughter Continues]
[Thunder Rumbling]
[Gordon Narrating] A conquest whose original intent was to purify the spirit...
where the true warrior deems his sword the soul of Bushido...
the key ofheaven and hell.
A symbol of what he carries in his heart...
loyalty and honor.
[Gordon Narrating] We finished the railroad in October of 1943,
six months ahead of schedule.
A real cause for celebration.
Like we were told in the very beginning,
they built it over the white man's body.
These damned yellow Mongoloid Nips.
Actin'as if they built the bloody thing.
Bloody railway of death.
That's the least of our concerns.
What do you mean?
We've built the railway.
Don't need us anymore.
[Japanese]
Those of you to the right of me will be immediately transferred...
to another camp.
[Jeep Engine Starts]
[Gordon Narrating] It seemed like the final hindrance to the major's plan.
Half ofhis men were split apart that day. Sent away, never seen again.
[Shouting]
Attention, all prisoners,
- there is a shovel missing from a toolshed. - [Shouts]
The one who has taken the shovel, return it now.
[Shouts]
[Takashi] If the shovel is not returned,
the entire company will suffer punishment.
You will respect us.
[Groaning]
[Panting]
[Shuddering]
[Groans]
[Shovel Thudding]
[Japanese]
[Mumbles]
The shovel was found.
- [Ito Mumbles] - [Gordon Narrating] There was a miscount...
a simple, bloody miscount.
[Screams]
[Shovel Banging Body]
You are dismissed.
[Gordon Narrating] What would compel a man, one so selfish,
to sacrifiice himself for others?
Boys, I can't feel my legs.
I can't feel my legs.
Tonight's the graduation ceremony.
Japs have all been invited.
That means a slim to zero chance of anyone being left in the guardhouse.
Major, you're not still planning on going through with this?
There's only six of us.
We lost six men.
I thought it was near impossible with 12. God in heaven knows, we haven't got a chance with six.
So now you're privy to the mind of God in heaven?
- No, but... - I will not tolerate double-mindedness.
I'm stayin'.
Well, that leaves five.
[Chuckles] Don't worry, boys.
You don't worry, boys.
We'll have our justice.
- #['Pomp And Circumstance"] - [Applause]
[Gordon] Major Charlie Fraser, language.
Sergeant BingoJohnson, philosophy.
And last, but by no means least,
Private Wallace Hamilton, ethics.
[Applause]
Gentlemen,
the graduates...
from our jungle university.
- #[Ends] - [Boisterous Cheering]
[Chuckling]
Well, let the festivities begin.
## ["Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desire," Off-key]
[Gordon Narrating] The music we heard that night was less than perfect.
In fact, it was bloody terrible.
But we didn't care. In our hearts we heard what it could be.
We heard the true spirit of the music, and that was pure freedom.
#[Band Fades]
#[Chorus, Orchestra Playing Perfectly]
[Muffed Shouts]
If we are mark'd to die,
we are enough to do our country loss.
- Go on. Do it. - Guard. Down. Down.
Come on. Come on now.
Glad you could make it.
Well, the music was bloody awful.
He that shall see this day and live old age...
shall stand at tiptoe when this day is named.
Then shall he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
and say...
- There's no ammo in this thing. - Find it!
- Old men forget, yet all shall be forgot. - [Plane Engines Droning]
Shh, shh, shh.
- It's a B-24. It's Liberators. - How can you be sure?
It's unmistakable, man.
Sweet music, man. It's Liberators!
[Gordon Narrating] Allied aircraft.
They couldn't see us,
but we could sure hear them.
And we knew that the war was turning.
[Japanese]
[Shouts]
Speedo, speedo.
Speedo, me arse!
[Chuckles]
[Siren Wailing]
[Japanese]
Attention, prisoners.
These men are guilty of murdering two guards...
who represent the Imperial Army...
- Give us this day our daily... - and of conspiracy to commit insurrection.
They have violated the mercy of the emperor and his benevolent subjects.
Such bad spirit must be punished.
Honorable Sergeant Ito will now dispense with the prescribed andjust punishment.
[Campbell Praying Indistinctly]
- [Crying, Muttering] - [Ito Shouts]
[Rifle Blast]
- Major? - Amen.
Cor!
[Shudders]
Bastard.
Ito.
[Footsteps]
[Japanese]
Dusty!
What are you saying? What are you saying?
Dusty?
[Campbell] No.
- No. No. - [Ito Shouts]
No.
No! Dusty!
My boy.
[Crying]
Major? Major, what did he say?
Major, please, what did Dusty say?
Major!
My boys. I'm sorry.
[Shuddering]
I'm sorry.
No, no. No. No!
- No! - [Shouts]
[Crying]
No!
Superstition.
Do it.
- [Hammer Pounding] - [Screams]
[Exhales Sharply]
[Gordon Screaming] Dusty.!
Dusty!
[Inaudible Dialogue]
[Gordon Narrating] When Dusty Miller died, something in the hearts...
and minds of every man died with him.
What we had somehow managed to hold onto for years of survival...
now seemed utterly meaningless,
like God Himself was playing a cruel joke on us all,
until I remembered Dusty's words so very long ago.
'Except a corn of wheat to fall into the ground and die,
'it abideth alone.
'But if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit."
I never found out what Dusty said to Ito that day,
but I knew I had witnessed the power of forgiveness.
Attention.
Soon, all inferior races will bow...
before the majesty of the emperor and the knights of the Bushido.
- [Plane Engines Droning] - [Gordon Narrating] When we heard the planes again,
we thought our deliverance had finally arrived.
And then it happened.
Hail knights of"bullshito!"
[Gordon Narrating] Our own allies thought we were the enemy.
Give me a hand!
[Shouting]
Go on! I'm fine! Help the other men!
[Shuddering]
Hurry! Help me! Help me, Ernie!
- Just don't look at it, man. Don't look at it! - [Muffed Screams]
They thought we was Nips, Ernie.
I almost made it. I got killed by my own side, Ernie!
You're not killed. You're with me, man.
- They thought we was Nips! - Shh, shh.
Don't leave me, man.
Don't you leave me, man! Don't you leave me, man. Don't leave me, man.
Stay with me, man. Stay with me, man! Stay with me, man! No!
[Japanese]
Get up.! Get fuckin'up.!
[Gordon Narrating] An enemy location was also hit nearby.
The wounded had abandoned their posts looking for help.
Their arrival at our camp would compel us to make...
the most important decision of our lives...
a decision that would defy the Bushido code...
ofhonor and shame.
[Engine Stops]
[Engine Not Turning Over]
[Insect Buzzing]
No good. No good.
Ernest?
Captain Gordon, I forbid you to give comfort and aid to the enemy.
Major,
those... are wounded,
dying human beings.
They're no harm to us.
Ernie, get back to your own men.
Could someone please get me some water?
#[Woman Singing Softly]
#[ChoirJoins In]
[Sobbing]
#[Fades]
[Gordon Narrating] We were left alone by our captors. Nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
An uncertain future,
with only a makeshift radio left behind, hoping for any word from the outside.
[Plane Engine Droning]
[Gordon Narrating] 'To all Allied prisoners of war.
'TheJapanese forces have surrendered unconditionally,
and the war is over."
#[Choir, Slow]
[Foxworth's Voice] For he today that sheds his blood with me...
shall be my brother.
Be he ne'er so vile,
this day shall gentle his condition,
from this day to the ending of the world.
But we in it shall be remembered, we few,
we happy few,
we band of brothers.
#[Continues]
#[Fades]
[Plane Engines Droning]
Where are the guards?
They... They left.
Fled into the jungle... from us.
Which direction?
I have no idea.
[Distant Screaming]
You're a man of true principle and devotion.
And you know,
I wanna be just like you... just like you.
[Groaning]
Major Campbell?
Ernie. You're just in time.
You're making a mistake.
No.
I'm makin'justice, man.
Makin'justice.
Don't you think I want this?
Eh? Eh?
We all deserve to see him suffer,
but this is not right.
Hmm?
Aye.
[Spitting]
Fuck!
You stupid... stupid wee boy.
Stupid wee boy.
God forgive me.
Oh, God, forgive me.
Oh, God. Forgive me, son.
Forgive me, son.
No!
[Moans]
[Gordon Narrating] What is the consequence of a single life weighing less than a feather?
Bastard!
[Gordon Narrating] What is the final destination ofhatred?
[Mutters]
[Sobbing]
When you look in the eyes of the enemy...
and you see yourself,
Come here.
At what price mercy?
Who is my neighbor?
How many times shall I forgive my brother?
What does it mean to love one's enemies?
What can a man give in exchange for his soul?
These are the questions that I faced in my prison camp.
The answers...
changed my life forever.
#[Woman Singing Indistinctly]
#[Bagpipes, Drums]
#[Continues]
#[Woman Singing Indistinctly]
#[Bagpipes, Drums Resume]
#[Marching Drums]
#[Woman Vocalizing Softly]