Where's that Marine lieutenant?
Lieutenant Cable.
-Yes? -The captain wants to know. . .
-. . .if you'd like to sit up in the cockpit. -Sure, thanks.
Well, pull up a chair, Marine.
-Buzz Adams. -Glad to know you. Joe Cable.
Nice to meet you, Joe.
What are those islands over there?
-Japanese. -All of them?
Just a minute.
-Yep, they're unfriendly. -Well, take it up. What's the idea?
lt's all right. l just wanted to show the lieutenant.
Thanks. l'll take your word for it.
You gotta do something to break the monotony.
-lf this war ever really gets started-- -lt'll get started.
Well, sure. Sure, it'll get started.
Yeah.
You ever hear of a French civilian down where we're going. . .
. . .named Emile De Becque?
Yeah.
Well, what do you know about him?
Nobody knows much about him. He's rich. . .
. . .got a big plantation on a hill. Hunts, fishes. . . .
What's he doing out here?
Story goes that he had to beat it out of France some 1 5, 1 6 years ago.
Nobody seem to know much why.
How about taking me on your mission with you?
Who says l'm on any mission?
My mistake?
Your mistake.
Sorry.
Well, here we are.
There. You see over there? That--
Yeah, that's the fleet hospital, where they keep the nurses.
That's where the Seabees play.
Hey, Stewpot. Professor.
Here you are, Mary.
Put them down, Professor.
These beautiful grass skirts. . .
. . .were made by myself, the professor and Stewpot. . .
. . .and three Seabees in half the time. . .
. . .it takes your native workers to make them.
See? No stretch.
Look them over, sweaty pie, and give me your price.
-All hand-tied. -All right, now, what do you say?
-What am l offered? -Gee, pretty nice work.
Did you hear that? You can sell these. . .
. . .to the chumps for 5 or 6 dollars apiece.
Now let's make a quick deal.
l'll let you have the whole batch for, say, 80 bucks.
-Give you $ 1 0. -What?
Now, see here, dragon lady. You--
Hey, what's that you got there? A boar's-tooth bracelet?
Where'd you get that? Over there on Bali Ha'i?
You like?
Hey, come here. Come here.
You don't run into these things every day.
-They're scarce as hen's teeth. -They're bigger too.
That darn Bali Ha'i.
Why does it have to be off-limits?
You can get everything over there: shrunken heads, bracelets.
Only officers can sign out boats.
l'll get a boat, all right.
l'll latch on to some officer who's got some imagination. . .
. . .who would like to see that boar's-tooth ceremonial. . .
. . .as much as l would.
lt's a pip of a ceremonial.
Dancing. . .
. . .drinking. . .
. . .everything.
Why, you big phony. We all know why you wanna go to Bali Ha'i.
Yeah? Why?
The French planters put their women there. . .
. . .when they heard the Gls were coming. That's why.
-Just as if they didn't trust us. -The trouble with you is. . .
. . .ain't boar's teeth, it's women.
lt is boar's teeth. . .
. . .and women.
Hup, two, three, four. Pick them up, set them down.
Hup, two, three, four. Hup, two, three, four.
Hello.
-Luther. -''Luther. ''
Yes, Miss Forbush?
Have you done what you promised?
Yes, Miss Forbush.
l did it all last night.
You don't have to open it now.
You do beautiful work, Luther.
Gosh, l guess l'm just about the luckiest nurse on this island to have found you.
You're a treasure.
Hup, two, three. . . .
She's a nice little girl.
But some of them nurses, the officers can have them.
-They got them. -Well, they can have them.
Hello.
You make trouble for me?
Are you crummy major?
No, l'm even crummier than that.
l'm a lieutenant.
''Lieutelan''?
Lieutelan.
Hiya, Lieutelan.
-New on the rock? -Just flew in on that PBY.
-Where from? -Little island south of Marie-Louise.
Hey, Lieutelan.
You sexy man.
Thanks.
You're looking pretty. . .
. . .pip yourself.
Sexy.
-Who's she? -Nobody. She's Tonganese.
You got sweetheart?
Take home Chicago to sexy sweetheart.
Oh, no, she's a Philadelphia girl.
-l doubt that she'd quite appreciate-- -What's that, '''Philadelia' girl''?
What's that mean? No sexy?
You like, l give you. Free.
Free? You never give me anything free.
You no sexy like Lieutelan.
-Take. -No, thanks.
Where did you get that anyway?
Bali Ha'i.
-There's your officer. -Leave it to me.
lntriguing little island, ain't it, lieutenant?
Officers can get launches and go over there.
Bali Ha'i.
What's that mean?
''Bali Ha'i'' mean:
''l am your special island. ''
Mean:
''Here l am. ''
Bali Ha'i your special island, Lieutelan. l know.
You listen, you hear island call to you.
Listen.
You no hear something?
You hear voice.
Of course, lieutenant, right now that island is off-limits.
Of course, you being an officer, you could get a launch.
l'd even be willing. . .
. . .to requisition a boat for you.
But another thing goes on over there:
The ceremonial of the boar's tooth.
After they kill the boar, they. . .
. . .pass around some of that. . .
. . .coconut liquor.
And women. . .
. . .dance with just skirts on.
And everybody gets to know everybody pretty well.
And l thought, you being up in a shooting war for such a long time. . .
. . .without getting any recreation. . .
. . .thought you might be interested.
lron Belly.
Here she is, sir.
You are causing an economic revolution on this island.
These French planters can't find a native to pick a coconut. . .
. . .or milk a cow. . .
. . .because you're paying them 1 0 times as much. . .
. . .to make these ridiculous grass skirts.
French planter stingy stinker.
Like you, crummy captain.
l want you to pick up every scrap of this paraphernalia now.
And for the last time. . .
. . .carry it way down there beyond that pier.
Off Navy property.
All right, you men.
Take this stuff down there past that pier.
Snap to it.
-Who is he? -Don't know, sir.
Let's go, let's go. Come on, come on.
Way down there. . .
. . .off Navy property.
You go too.
All right, Lieutelan.
Thank you.
Lieutenant? Who are you anyway?
Lieutenant Joseph Cable, sir. l just flew in on that PBY.
-A joyride? -No, sir. Orders.
-A Marine under orders to me? -Yes, sir.
This is Commander Harbison, my executive officer.
-Commander. -Lieutenant Cable.
Well, what's it all about?
Well, sir. . .
. . .my colonel feels. . .
. . .that all these islands are in danger. . .
. . .because none of us has been getting any firsthand intelligence.
We don't know what the Japanese are up to.
He couldn't be more right.
He feels that what we need is a coast watch.
-A coast watch? -Yes, sir.
One of our men with a radio hiding out on one of the enemy-held islands. . .
. . .where he could watch for enemy ships. . .
. . .when they come through the bottleneck. Down this way.
What do you think, Bill?
Well, sir, our pilots could do a lot of damage to enemy convoys. . .
. . .with information like that.
How would you get a man on one of those islands?
Have to sneak him ashore somehow, sir.
How long do you think he could hold out there. . .
. . .before the Japanese spotted him?
lt could be done, sir.
Yeah. But who's going to do it?
Well, sir, l've been elected.
You got yourself quite an assignment, son.
l think l'd be okay. . .
. . .if l could take a man with me who really knew the country.
Headquarters has found out that there's a French civilian here.
Used to have a plantation on Marie-Louise lsland.
Did a lot of hunting and fishing there.
Marie-Louise. . .
. . .that's a good spot. Right on the bottleneck.
-What's this Frenchman's name? -Emile De Becque.
-He lives right up there. -Yes, sir.
-Do you know him? -Well, l've met him.
But l don't know very much about him yet.
-ls all this yours? -Yes.
ls it true that all the planters on these islands. . .
. . .are they really running away from something?
Well, who is not running away from something?
There are fugitives everywhere.
New York, in Paris. . .
. . .even in Small Rock.
Yeah, where you come from.
-Little Rock. -Oh, ''Little. ''
-Yes. ''Small Rock. '' -Little Rock.
You know any fugitives there?
l'll show you a picture of a Little Rock fugitive.
l got this clipping from my mother today.
''Ensign Nellie Forbush. . .
. . .Arkansas' own Florence Nightingale. ''
That was written by Mrs. Leeming, the social editor.
-She went to school with my mother. -Pretty girl, huh?
That picture was taken before l knew. . .
. . .what rain and heat and mud can do to your disposition.
But it isn't raining today.
Gosh, it's beautiful here.
Just look at that yellow sun.
And away off in the distance, those lovely, little white clouds.
Those lovely, little white clouds. . .
. . .could easily be gunfire.
Oh, how awful.
On such a day. . .
. . .boys getting killed, people getting. . . .
Emile, l don't think it's the end of the world. . .
-. . .like everyone else thinks. Do you? -Perhaps the end of some worlds.
Not this one. lt can't be.
l can't work myself up to getting that low.
You think l'm crazy too?
Well, they all do over at the fleet hospital.
You know what they call me?
''Knucklehead'' Nellie.
l suppose l am, but l can't help it.
Do you wanna know anything else about me?
Yes. Would you like to see the view?
You say you are a fugitive.
When you joined the Navy, what were you running away from?
Gosh, l don't know.
lt was more like running to something.
l wanted to see what the world was like. Outside of Little Rock, l mean.
l wanted to meet different kinds of people. . .
. . .and find out if l liked them better.
And do you?
Well, l don't really know yet, l guess. They're different.
-Would you like some cognac? -l'd love some.
ln peacetime, the boat from America comes once a month.
The ladies, wives of the planters. . .
. . .often go to Australia during the hot months.
lt can get very hot here.
-Oh, it can get hot in Arkansas too. -lt can?
l have many books here.
Marcel Proust.
Anatole France.
Did you study French in school?
Oh, yes.
Then you can read French?
No.
l can conjugate a few verbs.
l'll bet you read a lot.
Out here, one becomes hungry to learn everything. . .
. . .not to miss anything, not to let anything good pass by.
Yes?
One waits so long for what is good. . .
. . .and when at last it comes, one cannot risk to lose.
So l must speak and act quickly. . .
. . .even if it seems almost foolish to be so quick.
l know it's only two weeks, a dinner given at your Officers Club. . .
-. . .wasn't it? -Yes, it was, Emile.
And that is the way things happen sometimes, isn't it?
Yes, it is, Emile.
l am older than you.
lf we have children. . .
. . .when l die, they will be growing up.
You could afford to take them back to America. . .
. . .if you like.
Think about it.
Oh, my jeep.
Thanks, Henry. Tell him l'll be right there.
Goodbye, Emile. l had such a lovely time--
Before you leave, Nellie, l want to tell you something.
A while ago you asked me a question:
Why did l leave France?
-Oh, Emile, that was nothing-- -But l want to tell you.
l had to leave France. l killed a man.
Why did you kill him?
He was a wicked man.
The town bully.
Everyone in our village was glad to see him die. . .
. . .and it was not to my discredit.
Do you believe me, Nellie?
You-- You just told me that you killed a man. . .
. . .and that it's all right.
l hardly know you. . .
. . .and yet l know it's all right.
Thank you, Nellie.
And you like my place?
Yes.
You. . . . You will think?
l will think.
l'm Lieutenant Cable.
Oh, come in, Cable.
Come over here.
Look at this.
We've got some dope on your Frenchman.
Had a plantation on Marie-Louise lsland. . .
. . .moved down here to this island 1 6 years ago. . .
. . .married to a Polynesian woman for about five years.
Two children by her, she died.
Here's one thing we've got to clear up:
Seems he left France in a hurry, killed a guy.
What do you think of that?
Might be a handy man to have around.
Cable.
Good, send her in. Here she is.
Oh, come in, Miss Forbush.
Captain Brackett, please excuse the way l look.
-l was just-- -Oh, you look fine.
My l present Commander Harbison.
l have the pleasure of meeting Miss Forbush twice a week.
We serve together on the Gl Entertainment Committee.
How's the Thanksgiving entertainment coming?
Very well, thank you, sir. We practice whenever we get a chance.
May l also present Lieutenant Joseph Cable.
Miss Forbush.
Sit down, Miss Forbush.
Miss Forbush, you've been seeing a French planter, Emile De Becque.
Yes, sir.
What do you know about him?
Well. . . .
-What do l know about him? -That's right.
Well, l. . . .
We met at the Officers Club dance.
He was there. . .
. . .and l met him.
Yes. Now, what kind of a man is he?
Well. . .
. . .he's very nice.
He's kind.
He's attractive.
l just don't know what you want, sir.
Miss Forbush, Captain Brackett wants to know:
-Did you discuss politics? -No, sir.
Would you have discussed politics, commander?
What we're specifically interested in is. . .
. . .when these fellas come out from France. . .
. . .it's generally because they've had some trouble.
Has he ever told you anything about that?
Well, what do you know about his family, for instance?
Oh, he has no family. No wife, nobody.
-He doesn't have any children? -No, sir.
And you say he's never told you why he left France?
Yes, sir.
He left France because he killed a man.
-Did he tell you why? -No, but he will if l ask him.
Well, Miss Forbush, that's exactly what we'd like to have you do.
Find out as much about him as you can.
His background, his opinions. . .
. . .and why he killed this man in France.
ln other words, you want me to spy on him?
Well, l'm afraid it is something like that.
Why? Do you suspect him of anything?
No, it's just that we don't know very much about him, and he's. . . .
Will you help us, Miss Forbush?
-l'll try. -Thank you.
You may go now if you wish.
l don't know very much about him, really.
Do l?
He's kept a few secrets from her, hasn't he?
Well, you don't spring a couple of Polynesian kids. . .
. . .on a woman right off the bat.
l'm afraid we aren't gonna get much out of her.
She's obviously in love with him.
Well, that's hard to believe, sir. They tell me he's a middle-aged man.
Cable. . .
. . .it is a common mistake for boys of your age. . .
. . .and athletic ability to underestimate men. . .
-. . .who have reached their maturity. -Sir, l didn't mean--
Young women frequently find a grown man attractive. . .
. . .strange as it may seem to you.
l myself am over 50. l am a bachelor.
And, Cable, l do not by any means. . .
. . .consider myself through.
What's the matter, Bill?
Nothing. . .
. . .evidently.
-Okay, Cable. See you at chow. -Yes, sir.
Anything for Ensign Forbush?
-Oh, your mail, Miss Forbush. -Oh, thanks, Luther.
And your hot water's still waiting for you.
Oh, thank you, Luther. You're sweet.
Now, don't change your expression, just act like we're talking casual.
-l got the boat. -What boat?
We're shoving off for Bali Ha'i in 45 minutes.
-What are you talking about? -The project you and l got.
-To go to Bali Ha'i. -Oh, yeah. Well, you can forget it.
Lieutenant, what are you doing to me?
l signed this boat out in your name.
Well, then you're just the man to cancel it.
Forget the whole thing. Okay, mate?
Lieutenant, you and me are going on a boat trip. . .
. . .whether you like it or not.
Letter from home?
Yes.
Do you get letters from your mother telling you everything you do is wrong?
No, my mother thinks everything l do is right.
Of course, l don't tell her everything l do.
-My mother is so prejudiced. -Against Frenchmen?
Against anyone living outside of Little Rock.
She makes a big thing out of two people having different backgrounds.
-You mean ages? -Oh, no.
Mother says older men are better for girls than younger men.
This has been a discouraging day for me.
Suppose you had a sister and she was in love with a man like. . . .
-De Becque? -Yeah.
l'd tell her to lay off.
You don't have to worry about me anymore.
-Because it's all off. -With him?
Smart girl, Nellie.
l'm gonna break it off clean before it's too late.
-You think you can? -Before l go any further. . .
. . .l just better not get started.
-Don't you think so too, Gracie? -Yes, l do.
-You do, huh? -Yes.
Well, l guess l do too.
You don't have to look so dramatic. Things like this happen every day.
Get the picture?
Oh, hello.
Hello.
That song. . .
. . .is it a new American song?
Well. . .
. . .it's an American-type song we were just kind of. . .
. . .putting in our own words, you know.
Where is everybody?
l left a note for you at the hospital.
lt was to ask you to my home for dinner next Friday.
Emile, l don't think l'll be able to come.
-You see, l have these rehearsals-- -l have already invited some friends.
The planter's colony.
Oh, a big party.
Well, then if l can't come, you won't miss me.
But it is for you.
lt is for my friends to meet you. . .
. . .and more important, for you to meet them.
To give you an idea what your life would be like here.
l want you to know more about me.
How l live and think.
-More about you? -Yes.
You know very little about me.
That's right.
Would you sit down?
Do you think about politics much?
And if so, what do you think about politics?
l. . . . Do you mean--?
Do you mean my political philosophy?
l think that's what l mean.
Well. . .
. . .to begin with, l. . . .
l believe in the free life. . .
. . .and freedom for everyone.
Like in the Declaration of lndependence.
''All men are created equal,'' isn't it?
Emile, you really believe that?
But of course, Nellie.
Well, thank goodness.
That's why l am here.
Why l killed a man.
Oh, yes, l. . . .
l meant to ask you about that too.
Now, l don't want you to think l'm prying into your private life. . .
. . .asking a lot of personal questions. . .
. . .but l always think it's interesting. . .
. . .why a person kills another person.
But of course, Nellie.
That has worried you.
When l was a boy, l carried my hat in my hand.
So when this man came to our town. . .
. . .though my father said he was good, l thought he was bad.
l was young.
He attracted all the mean and cruel people to him.
Soon he was running our town.
He could do anything. Take anything.
l didn't like that.
l was young.
l stood up in the public square, l made a speech.
l called upon everyone to stand with me against this man.
What did they do?
-They walked away. -Why?
Because they saw him standing behind me.
l turned. . .
. . .and he said to me:
''l'm going to kill you now. ''
We fought.
l was never so strong.
l knocked him to the ground. . .
. . .and when he fell, his head struck a stone and. . . .
l ran to the waterfront and joined a cargo boat.
l didn't even know where it was going.
l stepped off that boat into another world.
Where l am now. . .
. . .and where l want to stay.
Nellie, will you marry me?
There are so few days in our life, Nellie.
The time l have with you now is precious to me.
Have you been thinking?
l've been thinking.
Will you come next Friday?
Well, she sure washed him out of her hair.
She sure did.
Now, before you give us an answer, l want to impress you with three things.
First, you are a civilian and you don't have to go.
Second, this is a very dangerous mission. . .
. . .and there's no guarantee that you will survive. . .
. . .or that it will do any good.
Third, that it might do a great good.
lt might be the means of turning the tide of the war in this area.
Yeah, l understand all these things.
Are you ready to give us your answer?
Yes, l am.
My answer must be no.
When a man faces death, he must weigh values very carefully.
He must weigh the sweetness of his life. . .
. . .against the thing he's asked to die for.
The probability of death is very great. . .
. . .for both of us.
l know that island well, Lieutenant Cable.
And l am not certain that l believe. . .
. . .that what you ask me to do is. . . . ls that--
We're asking you to help us lick the Japanese.
lt's as simple as that. We're against the Japanese.
l know what you are against.
What are you for?
When l was 22, l thought the world hated bullies as much as l did.
l was foolish.
l killed one.
l was forced to flee to an island.
Since then, l have asked no help. . .
. . .from anyone or any country.
l have seen these bullies multiply and grow strong. . .
. . .and the world sat by and watched.
Oh, the hell with this, De Becque. Let's be honest.
Aren't you just a guy in love with a girl. . .
. . .and you're putting her above everything else in the world?
Yes.
l do care about my life with her more than anything else in the world.
lt is the only thing that is important to me.
This, l believe in.
This, l'm sure of. This, l have.
l cannot risk to lose it.
Good day, gentlemen.
He's an honest man, but he's wrong.
Of course we can't guarantee him a better world if we win.
The point is we can be sure it will be worse if we lose, can't we?
Well, can't we?
l don't know.
What should l do now, Captain Brackett? Go back to my outfit tonight?
Why don't you take a couple days off and unwind.
-Unwind? -Sure. Take a boat, go fishing.
A boat.
There's a ceremony today, fellas.
The whole town's out.
Here you are.
All right.
That's it. Dance it up, kids.
Welcome Bali Ha'i.
-What are you doing here? -Here l live.
You like?
Bali Ha'i call you, eh?
You no escape Bali Ha'i when she call you.
Hey, are you guys with the boar's-tooth ceremonial? You know:
Yes, you go with them, big dealer. Lieutelan, you come with me.
Will you get your carcass out of here? He's going with me.
Which way is it?
All right. Come on.
That ain't all halibut in that net, you know, lieutenant.
The place is loaded, ain't it? Well, ain't it?
No comment.
That's the chief. He's the one that takes out the tooth.
-Look at those tusks. -Yeah.
They've gone through the pig's face twice and once through his jawbone.
That's why they're so hard to get out.
Hey, look. He's dancing on those hot coals. Come on.
-Now for the cutting. -l'm not gonna wait around for that.
What's this all about?
You wait.
There's nobody around here.
You wait, Lieutelan.
What's going on, Mary? What--?
You like?
-Who is she? -Liat.
-ls French name, but she no French girl.
She Tonganese, like me.
We are very pretty people, no?
Liat nice daughter, no?
Make nice wife, yes?
You speak English?
Only few word.
She talk French.
Afraid of me?
You're just a kid.
How did an innocent kid like you get mixed up with Bloody Mary?
Your mother?!
Bloody Mary really is your mother.
That's why she's been looking me over like that.
lt's the boat, all right.
Let them wait.
Ring the bell again! Ring the bell again!
You no worry, Billis. He be here soon.
Look.
He's gonna be my son-in-law.
Nellie. Nellie, please, Nellie, stay for just a moment.
-Emile, you know l can't stay. -Why not? No one will think anything.
And l've gotta get this jeep back. l stole it.
You must never return anything you steal.
-Then they'll know you stole it. -l just borrowed it.
Or rather, someone stole it for me. A wonderful man named Billis.
-l'll have to sneak around as it is. -ln that case, l forbid you to go.
lf you have to sneak back without anyone seeing you. . .
. . .you might as well sneak back later.
You're absolutely right.
l never had such a wonderful time in my whole life.
-They're nice people, no? -Oh, they're lovely people.
That cute old man who spoke French with me. . .
. . .and made believe he understood me.
And that exciting native couple who danced for us.
Oh, it's so different from Little Rock!
What are you laughing at? Am l drunk?
-Oh, no. -Oh, yes, l am.
But it isn't the champagne. lt's because:
lmagine leaving all of this wonderful champagne.
Here, Emile, you have some too. lt-- lt's such a waste.
Here. Here is another bottle.
Here we are, just like two old married people are.
Our guests have gone home and we're alone.
Emile, my mother says we have nothing in common, but she's wrong.
We have something very important in common, very much in common.
Yes, we are both in love.
Yes, but more than that.
l've had enough.
We're the same kind of people. . .
. . .fundamentally, you and me.
We appreciate things.
We get enthusiastic about things.
lt's really quite exciting when two people are like that.
We're not blasè.
-You know what l mean? -Yes.
We are both knuckleheads. Cockeyed optimists.
Nellie. Nellie, l have a surprise for you. No, stay there.
Why, you're the cutest things l ever saw in my whole life.
What are your names? You probably can't understand a word l'm saying.
But, oh, my goodness, you're cute.
Nellie, l want you to meet Ngana and Jerome.
Ngana and Jerome, Nellie.
-Nellie? -Nellie?
Aren't they adorable?
Those big black eyes staring at you out of those sweet little faces.
Are they Henry's?
-They're mine. -Oh, of course they are.
They look exactly like you, don't they? Where do you hide their mother?
She's dead, Nellie.
She's. . . .
Emile, they are yours.
Yes, Nellie. l'm their father.
And their mother was a. . .?
Polynesian.
She was beautiful, Nellie.
-And charming too. -And you loved her?
l want you to know l have no apologies.
l came here as a young man.
l lived as l could.
-Of course. -But l have not been selfish.
No woman ever hated me or tried to hurt me.
No-- No woman could ever want to hurt you, Emile.
What time is it? l promised to get that jeep back.
Oh, this is awful.
-Why, just look at the time. -Please, Nellie, wait.
-l'll drive you home. -Oh, you'll do no such thing.
Anyway, l couldn't leave the jeep here. l've gotta get it back.
Don't go now, Nellie. Don't go yet, please.
Oh, well, l have to go. Yes, this is-- This is just terrible.
l won't be able to face the girls at the hospital as it is.
You can't imagine the way they look at you when you come in late.
-Yes, l-- -l'll call you.
-l'll come by tomorrow. Yes. -Nellie--
Oh, no.
Oh, dear. There are those awful rehearsals for Thanksgiving Day.
l'm teaching them a dance and they wanna rehearse night and day.
But after that.
Thank you for tonight, Emile. l had a wonderful time.
lt was the nicest party and you were a perfect host. Goodbye.
-Nellie, l-- -Please, Emile. Please stay here.
Please don't come to the jeep, please.
Nellie, l love you.
Do you hear me? l love you.
And l love you too. Honestly, l do.
Please, let me go. Oh, please, let me go.
Come on.
Happy, Lieutelan?
Jacques Barrère wants to marry Liat.
He ask again last night.
You mean that old French planter you told me about, the one you despise?
You can't let her marry a man like that.
-ls white man too and very rich. -l don't care.
-You can't let her marry him. -Okay, then you marry her.
Lieutelan, you have good life here.
l am rich. Since war, l make $2000.
War go on, l make maybe more.
Give all the money to you and Liat.
You no have to work. l work for you.
All day long you and Liat play together.
Make love. Talk happy.
No think about Philadelia. lt's no good.
ls good idea, you like?
Wait a minute.
Liat, l want you to have this.
lt was my grandfather's.
My dad carried it through the last war.
First minute l see you, l know you right man for Liat.
And she right girl for you.
You have special good babies.
Mary, l can't marry Liat.
Was your last chance.
Now she marry Jacques Barrère.
Come, Liat.
Give me watch.
Stingy stinker.
Step together, step together. Point, point.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Hitch, kick. Hitch, kick.
-Scissors. Scissors. -Hi, Bill.
-Hello, sir. -How's it going?
Fine, sir. What do you think of it?
lt looks pretty good. l guess we'll get opened, all right.
l'm sorry, l can't go on.
Oh, sure you can, Miss Forbush. You're the whole show.
l'm sorry, Luther. l don't know what's the matter.
-What's the matter? -Would you take care of her, please?
l'm so sorry, please excuse me. lt's nothing, honest. lt's nothing. l. . . .
All right, all right. Let's go. Come on, back to the deck.
Get them weights. Let's dance. Come on. Okay.
Hitch, kick and scissors. Hitch, kick and scissors.
A transfer?
Yes, please.
To any other island but this one.
Miss Forbush, l don't want to pry into your affairs. . .
. . .but whatever is bothering you is some personal thing, of course.
But l wonder if you realize just how unimportant it is.
-Unimportant? -Yes.
And how important you are at this particular time.
l mean, the Thanksgiving Follies.
Why, you're the star, the choreographer. . .
. . .the whole spirit of the thing.
l don't think a little show like this is very important.
And that's just where you're wrong.
Miss Forbush, up to now in this war. . .
. . .our side has been having a merciless beating in two hemispheres.
And nobody's going to be going home until that situation is reversed.
Now, it may take a long time. . .
. . .before we can get any big operation under way. . .
. . .before the boys here get off this island.
They're lonesome, homesick boys, and no matter how tough they talk. . .
. . .don't you think they're not looking forward. . .
. . .to this ''little show'' as you call it.
This isn't a little show, Miss Forbush. This is a big show.
-Medic! -Let her sing!
Shut up!
Quiet down there!
Let her sing!
Billis, get off that stage!
Knock it off. All right.
Miss Forbush.
Oh, Luther.
Thank you.
All right, all right.
Leave it alone!
Come on, cut it out.
Hey, Billis, you got a hole in your boat!
Who did that?
Who did that? Who did it?
Cigarettes, anybody?
Luther? Luther?
Oh, Luther, you really are a honey bun.
These beautiful flowers.
l needed someone to think of me tonight.
l appreciate it, Luther. You don't know how much.
Miss Forbush, l would like to have you know that. . . .
That l consider you the most wonderful woman in the entire world.
Even including the fact that you're an officer. And. . . .
And l just can't go on being such a heel as to let you think. . .
. . .l thought of giving you those.
-Oh, but you did give them to me-- -No.
Here's the note that came with them.
I lie in the loneliness of evening...
...looking out on a silver-flaked sea...
...and ask the moon:
''Oh, how soon, how soon will my love come home to me?''
''Will my love come home to me?''
What's the matter, Nellie the nurse?
Joe Cable.
Having diplomatic difficulties with France?
-Who let you out of the hospital? -l'm okay. Come on.
-Nellie? Are you ready? -Oh, Bill.
Bill, would you wait just a minute, please?
Sure.
You're trying to get over to Bali Ha'i.
That little girl you told me about.
l've got to.
All the time l've been in the hospital with that darn malaria. . .
. . .l haven't been able to see anything but her face.
l love her and. . . .
What kind of a guy am l anyway?
l love her and yet l said l couldn't marry her.
And l don't understand myself.
lf l love her, why don't l marry her and stay here and--?
You're just far away from home, Joe.
We're both far away from home.
-But it doesn't make sense. -Oh, yes, it does.
l guess it does anyway.
l guess people like us. . . .
Well, we just have to go back to where we belong.
What about that girl of yours back in Philadelphia?
Nellie, l must see you.
-Emile, l-- -You'll excuse us, lieutenant.
No, Joe, stay. Stay, please?
-l've been meaning to call you, Emile. -You have asked for a transfer.
Why? What does it mean, Nellie?
-l'll explain it to you tomorrow, Emile-- -No, now.
What does it mean, Nellie?
lt means that l can't marry you. Do you understand?
l-- l can't marry you.
-Because of my children? -Oh, not because of your children.
They're sweet.
lt is their Polynesian mother, then.
Their mother and l.
Yes.
l can't help it.
lt isn't as if l could give you a good reason.
There is no reason.
This is emotional.
This is something that's born in me.
lt is not. l do not believe this is born in you.
Well, then why? Why do l feel the way l do?
All l know is l can't help it.
l can't help it.
Joe? Joe, explain how we feel.
Joe.
-Nellie-- -Bill.
-Bill! -Nellie.
Bill, can we go now? Please?
What makes her talk like that?
Why do you have this feeling, you and she?
l do not believe it is born in you. l do not believe it!
lt's not born in you.
lt happens after you're born.
You got the right idea, De Becque. Live on an island.
Yes, sir.
lf l get out of this thing alive, l'm not going back there.
l'm staying here.
All l care about is right here.
Yes.
So when all you care about is here. . .
. . .this is a good place to be.
When all you care about is taken away from you. . .
. . .there is no place.
l came so close to it.
So close.
You know, back home, whenever l got in a jam. . .
. . .l used to go hunting.
That's what l think l'll do now.
Good hunting up there around Marie-Louise.
Carriers, cargo boats. . .
. . .troop ships.
Big game.
De Becque. . .
. . .would you reconsider. . .
. . .going up there with me to Marie-Louise lsland?
l mean, now that you haven't got so much to lose?
We could do a good job, l think.
You and l.
How could a PBY land anywhere near that island. . .
. . .without being seen by the enemy?
lt will not land near the island. . .
. . .but far out, at sea.
l know the fishing grounds my friends use.
And l know two fishermen there, lnato and Basile.
They will help us.
Well, the equipment's all aboard, sir. We loaded it while it was still dark.
You better wait a while before you take off.
Above all, this must look like a casual routine flight.
Well, there's still plenty of time to change your mind.
-Hey, Buzz. -Captain?
-Yeah? -Are we gonna need the parachutes?
No, it looks calm enough for us to set down.
-No parachutes! -All right.
Looks like a summer day in Maine.
-That's a state in America. -Yeah.
-Lobsters. -Lobsters.
Hey, you guys better start getting into that gear.
Hey, we're approaching Marie-Louise.
What's going on here?
What? Roger.
Hey, we got it in the tail section. l'll go back and take a look.
-Well, say something. -Who's driving this airplane anyhow?
l hope you realize there's a hole in this plane.
Oh, hello, lieutenant, everybody.
lt's Luther.
What are you doing on this plane? How'd you get on here?
Well, l thought maybe you might need an extra man.
Seemed like an interesting project, and l--
What's the matter? Feeling sick? lf you don't like the idea, forget it.
l'll go back to the baggage compartment. Pretend you never saw me.
l'll kill him.
lf l thought you were gonna take this attitude. . .
. . .l wouldn't have volunteered my services.
How do you like this character?
l'm gonna have you court-martialed, Billis.
-Take it easy. -l'm gonna ride you out of the Navy.
-Take it easy. -Do you realize. . .
. . .that this is a secret mission?
l realize it's secret. l'm gonna keep the mission, l'm gonna keep--
Pull the handle! Pull the handle!
Which one?
Hey, captain, man overboard.
Boy, that Cable plays it rough, doesn't he?
His parachute's opening.
Secret mission, huh? Well, it's no secret now.
Hello? This is Beer Bus to Brewery. Beer Bus to Brewery.
Yeah, look, l got a man parachuting down into the Empress Augusta Bay.
That's right. You guys are gonna have to help because l can't--
Right. Roger and out.
So it's gonna be one of those days, huh?
Okay.
Hey, wait! Don't leave me!
Look, drop a boat back there, will you?
Can't you get him out of there? He'll be shot to pieces.
l can't. l gotta get you guys in first.
After that, l'll come back and pick up the pieces.
Okay, let's go.
Looks like he's American. They're shooting at him.
Well, let's make them shoot at us.
That's it, boys. Go!
He must be down about there.
Well, get him out of there.
Use anything you need. We'll send in a destroyer if necessary.
Aye, aye, sir. The admiral says go all out.
Do you see any fishing boats?
Yeah, there we are.
That's the fishing grounds.
Can you go lower here?
Roger.
Hey, that's lnato's boat.
Basile!
lnato! lnato!
All right. Can we set down here?
De Becque, l can set down anywhere.
l'll take it.
This is a black day for the Navy.
A black, black day.
-How much did you say this cost, Bill? -lt's estimated at $600,000, sir.
Did you hear that?
That's what your little stunt today cost the taxpayers.
-Six hundred-- -Six hundred thousand dollars?
What are you grinning about?
l was just thinking about my uncle.
Remember my uncle l was telling you about?
He used to tell my old man l'd never be worth a dime.
Excuse me, sir.
Billis, you've been striking for the brig ever since you hit this island.
And today you finally made it. . .
. . .because Captain Brackett and l are gonna throw the book at you.
Sir, may l barge in?
My copilot and l, sir, we've been sort of kicking this thing around. . .
. . .and we feel that Lu--
That Billis in that rubber boat with the airplanes buzzing around him. . .
. . .caused sort of a diversionary action.
lt made it easier for us to land Cable and the Frenchman without being seen.
lt turned out to be a lucky break for us, sir.
What do you want me to do, give this guy a gold medal?
l don't want no gold medal, captain.
But. . . . But l could use a little more freedom.
A little room to swing around in, if you know what l mean.
lf you get the picture.
Get out of here.
Get the hell out of here!
Captain, captain.
Kettle, come in.
This is the Frenchman. Do you hear me?
This is Kettle. Go ahead, Frenchman.
This is our first chance to send news to you.
We have made contact with former friends of mine.
We have set up quarters in a very nice hole in a rock.
No room, but a lovely view.
We can see right down into the bottleneck.
First, the weather.
Rain clouds over Bougainville, the Treasuries, Choiseul, New Georgia.
We expect rain in this region from 9:00 to 2:00.
0900 to 1 400.
Oh, my friend Joe corrects me, 0900 to 1 400.
You must not expect from us any regular communication.
There are hundreds of Japanese in this region.
lt will be necessary to constantly change our quarters.
And now our military expert, Joe.
All you Navy, Marine and Army pilots write this down. Surface craft:
Nineteen troop barges headed down the bottleneck.
Speed about 1 1 knots.
Ought to pass Bonika at about 2000 tonight...
...escorted by heavy warships.
As for aircraft, 22 bombers.
-Betties went by at 0600. -A bottle of beer says l get first strike.
-About time. -Now we'll see action!
There ought to be some way to knock off a few of those.
That's all for now. Good luck.
Two weeks.
How can those guys stick it out for two weeks?
Yeah.
Everybody thought they'd be dead pigeons in a couple of days.
l tell you, those two guys are doing us a lot of good.
That Frenchman reported 40 bombers north of Munda.
We took off in 40 bombers right in the nose.
How do those guys keep alive with enemies around? How do they do it?
That Frenchman knows these jungles around here like the palm of his hand.
-He's a hunter, see? -They changed the whole setup here.
l think we got the Japanese on the run.
That's what the Frenchman said.
-Well, is it my lead? -Yeah.
Come on, come on. l got plenty on this.
Listen carefully, please. Ceiling today unlimited.
Thirty-three fighters, Zeros, have moved in from Bougainville.
Their course is approximately 0-2-3 degrees true.
l'm certain heavy bombers will follow.
l think something big is afoot.
That's all l have time for now.
Joe and l must change our position immediately.
Planes are directly overhead.
Two only, but they're looking for us, l think.
They know about where we are.
I'll try to get back to you later. Good luck.
-They got us pretty well pinpointed. -Stay here.
ln a few minutes, it will be dark enough to run for it.
No, l think we're right.
lt looks like they're going all out. Even these planes.
They've stopped looking for us. They're going away.
Let's make a run for it.
All right, let's go.
And we have a lot of fighter pilots over in the ward.
And they keep talking about a Frenchman.
''The Frenchman said this,'' and, ''The Frenchman said that. ''
And l was wondering if the Frenchman they're talking about could be. . .
. . .my Frenchman.
Yes, Miss Forbush, it is.
l couldn't tell you before, but--
-Then he is behind enemy lines. -With Lieutenant Cable.
Hello, this is Emile De Becque. Please listen to me carefully.
l haven't much time.
My message today must be brief and sad.
Lieutenant Cable, my friend Joe. . .
. . .died a few minutes ago.
l will never know a finer man.
l wish he could have told you the news.
The Japanese are pulling out. There is great confusion here.
My guess is the enemy will try to evacuate troops. . .
. . .from Cape Esperance tonight. This is the opportunity we've been waiting for.
Make the most of it, my friends.
You may not hear from me again. They are coming back.
They are right above me. Goodbye.
ls that all? Get him back.
Kettle to Frenchman. Come in, Frenchman.
l'm sorry, sir, he's cut off.
How far away. . .
. . .Philadelphia, PA.
Poor Joe Cable.
Do you think there's a chance l'll ever see Emile again?
Of course there's a chance.
-l didn't even know he was going. -Of course not. How could he tell you?
Now, don't blame Emile De Becque. He's okay.
He's a wonderful guy.
-He has got a chance. Hasn't he, Bill? -Of course. There's always a chance.
Emile.
Emile, come back so l can tell you something.
l know what counts now. Just you.
All those other things, the woman you had before?
Her color?
What-- What piffle. l--
What a pinhead l was.
Come back so l can tell you. Oh, don't die before l can tell you.
All that matters is us. . .
. . .being together, that's all.
lf you think of what you said to me that day. . .
. . .you can stay alive, Emile.
l know you can. Think of what you said.
Live, Emile. Live, Emile.
Live. Live.
Miss Nurse?
Please. Please, Miss Nurse. Where is Lieutelan Cable?
-Who are you? -l am mother of Liat.
-Who? -Liat.
She will marry no one but Lieutelan Cable.
Oh, my darling.
All right, hear this:
All those outfits that are waiting for loading, please keep in position.
We'll be loading immediately.
Hey, Billis, let's head back, huh?
Our outfit's about a mile back down the beach. Suppose they call our names?
They may be ready for us to board the ship.
They won't be ready for hours yet. This is the Navy.
Look at that beach. Swarming with eager beavers.
-Ten thousand guys. -All right, all right, you men.
Stay down there with your own unit where you belong.
You Seabees, you belong down the beach this way.
Excuse me. Can you tell me where l can find Captain Brackett?
-Down the beach this way. -Thank you, sir. That's all.
l beg your pardon. Can l speak to you?
-Who is it? -Billis, sir. Luther Billis.
Yes, Billis, what is it? We're moving out now.
l know, sir. Stewpot, the professor and me was wondering. . .
. . .if anything is being done about rescuing the Frenchman off that island.
We hereby volunteer for such a project.
A triple diversionary activity, like l done to get him on there?
You could drop us in three rubber boats on three different sides of the island.
Confuse them out of their minds. Get the picture?
That's very fine, Billis, but you're too late.
Operation Alligator is under way.
Landings were made on Japanese-held islands last night and this morning.
Marie-Louise lsland was the first one hit.
How about that Frenchman? Did they get him? ls he alive?
We don't know. Lieutenant Buzz Adams flew up there to find out.
But it will be too bad if a part of this operation. . .
. . .couldn't save one of the two guys who made it all possible.
The big ones are battleships and the little ones are destroyers.
They're moving out, you see, because. . . . Well, there's been a big change.
They won't be around here much anymore.
Just off and on. A few of us.
Did you understand anything l said?
Now, while l'm down at the hospital. . .
. . .you've got to promise me to mangez everything.
Everything that's put before you on the table.
Jerome. Come back here and sit down.
You have to learn to mind me when l talk to you. And be nice to me too.
Because l love you very much.
Now mangez.
l will not sing that song.
You just wanna laugh at my French accent.
All right. But you gotta help me.
Pourquoi what?
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