Fire!
Let s go!
Forward!
- Cease firing. - Cease firing.
We did it! We beat them!
What if they come back?
We’ve used over half our ammunition.
Are you good with a slingshot?
A friend of yours?
Soldier.
- Can you open the door? - You cant go through, ma'am.
That was bad luck.
- I’ll be all right. - I’ll be right back.
- What do you make of her? - This is quite a weapon.
What would you call it?
Across between an alligator and an ostrich.
We call her Betsy after the Empress.
It s an old German barrel with Russian shells
of approximately the same caliber.
The carriage is Italian, the wheels French,
and that boy's fool enough to fire it.
Would it be safer in front or in back?
The point is where is Betsy going to be fired?
-Major... - Please, gentlemen.
- Captain Marshall... - What's up?
The Chinese are on top of the wall.
- Now we know where Betsy goes. - You! Over here!
Come on, bring it along.
Run!
Cone on, Andy, run!
Sergeant, get in. Take cover.
Damn it!
What happened?
We tried but they re too many. They keep coming.
Major.
- How many did we lose? - Turner and Spencer.
5 wounded. The Germans got it even worse.
Why don’t they rush us right now?
We wouldn’t stand a chance.
Maybe they think We’ve got millions of men.
Come morning they'll think different.
They’ll roll down those ramps like Niagara Falls.
We must get them off this wall...
We can t.
Or They’ll shoot into the Legation area.
Like fish in a barrel.
We might just as well open the gates and let them in.
Take the French priest to the Legation.
Right.
They wont start
up here till morning.
Just hope they don’t.
- No sign of activity? - No, sir.
They're all asleep.
Well, we'd better not be.
- Better wake them all up. - Yes, sir.
Wake up.
Good morning.
Here they come!
Keep rolling! Keep rolling!
Andy, get down.
Major, what are we doing here?
- Why didn’t we get out? - I don’t know.
I really don’t know.
Handley told me you re-took the wall.
I suppose you heard... He died too.
The Minister can tell us why.
And Marshall, too. He has all the answers.
That s all, sergeant.
Get on back.
He s a good soldier.
When he knows why he’s fighting.
When it s something you can see...
a wall, a hill, a river, it s easier.
But how can you explain it s for a principle?
You cant.
Not here in China.
It s too far from home.
I know.
I wont stay.
No!
I won t stay!
Don’t let...
Don’t let them take my leg.
Tell them...
Tell them not to...
Please!
- Tell them! - There, there.
I don’t want to live like half a man.
He s only fainted.
You can go now.
Can you save his leg?
May I stay with him?
Your dress is a breeding-ground for germs.
What re you waiting for?
Take it off and put on a uniform.
Thank you, doctor.
Who'll tell her?
The captain s little girl.
It s pretty late now.
Tell her in the morning.
But she might hear about it from somebody else.
I guess not.
- Let s get a drink first. - No, later.
Coming?
- I’m going back to the wall. - Wait.
All right.
Where'll I find her?
With the orphans in the Fu.
How do I tell her?
Like she was your own, I guess.
Like someone telling your own kid.
- Do you know which one she is? - No.
So many new children came in today.
Haven’t you met her?
Just once.
I cant remember what she s like.
I didn’t pay much attention.
Major Lewis.
We re looking for the Marshall girl.
Ah, of course. Yes, Teresa... I heard.
I guess she must be sleeping, eh?
Please tell her in the morning.
It s important you tell her, Major.
She knows you were her father s friend.
I'll wake her.
Here she is.
A friend of your father's to see you.
Teresa...
You...
- Do you remember me? - Yes, Major.
I have something to tell you.
Why don’t the two of you stay here and talk?
You know there s been some fighting?
Well,
I have something to tell you.
Is it about my father?
Yes.
Is he... dead?
Did you know?
Well...
you knew he was a soldier.
It could happen at any time.
You’ll be taken care of.
You won't have to worry.
Well,
You’ll be all right now, huh?
Wont I be going home then?
Home?
To America. He said he d take me home.
He did?
When?
Every time.
And just today again.
Well...
I don't think you d like it.
Everything's
very strange.
Things are all different. The people,
and the food, the houses, the schools.
If you want, we can talk some more in a few days,
when things quiet down.
I promise.
All right.
Bye.
Think she understood?
When a mother dies, a child feels deserted.
When a father goes away,
a child feels abandoned.
She s had more than her fair share. She understands too well.
What else could I have told her?
A child understands only one language...
love.
Well, she isn’t mine.
They say that every man is the father
of every child.
I suppose it's only true
if you really feel it.
The British Admiral and his forces
are trapped between Langfang and Anping.
The Boxers do not climb a tree to look for a fish.
They have done their work well.
The railway is destroyed.
He can neither proceed nor retreat.
You see, the Boxers are not as useless as you believed.
It does not require courage or skill
to rip up a few rails.
The Boxers flee the foreigners.
If Sydney cannot use the railway,
he will now march on Peking.
I expect him within the week.
It is true.
The Boxers cannot stop such a force.
Only General Jung-Lu's Imperial troops can do that.
They have no part in this uprising.
The troops will do as Her Majesty commands.
Who can make muddy water clear?
Your Majesty,
first they said the Boxers
would destroy the foreigners in two days.
Next that no foreign army would even approach the city.
If we commit the Imperial Army against Sydney,
we shall be declaring waron all the Powers.
Our armies, for all their courage,
could not win such a war.
The Boxers have created an opportunity
for a great Chinese victory.
If our troops destroy their forces,
it will prove that China is no longer helpless,
and be the beginning of freedom.
Each speaks with the voice of a patriot.
Prince Tuan counsels a reckless adventure,
General Jung-Lu counsels prudence and patience.
Prudence and patience for what?
China's condition can be no worse.
Even if we start a war and lose it,
what more can the powers take?
General Jung-Lu,
you will command our troops
and turn back the foreign armies.
Stop it, Tommy.
- You’ll wake the baby. - You can t talk. You re dead.
Don’t play at that end.
Oh, Tommy!
Tommy!
Mummy! Mummy!
He’ll die without going home.
Funny how he used to talk about home,
as if he remembered how it was.
As if he’d actually been there.
Arthur.
He used to ask me about it.
He mustn't die. Poor Tommy.
Yes, and poor us too.
Arthur.
I’ve the strangest feeling.
What is it?
Do you think if a child dies without going home,
that his soul doesn’t rest?
I think it goes into limbo.
An enormous, empty Chinese limbo,
wandering there, lost and crying.
- He’s fine. - Why doesn’t he wake up?
The doctor says he s in a coma.
It may last several days.
He may not come round at all...
He may never come round.
Why? Why?
How did he sin? Against whom?
What s he doing in this foreign place?
Whose ambition is he serving?
Must a child die to serve the ends of ambition?
Who d gain from his death?
Who'd be the happier for it?
How many children must die,
how many people suffer, before there is an end?
A child s life is too high a price to pay.
I cant stand it!
- Sarah, try to understand - Understand what? Tell me!
- Tell me! - I feel the pain too.
Have you ever been to England?
Yes.
Manchester?
No.
Is it a beautiful city?
I wouldn’t call it beautiful.
But,
you know how it is, coming from a far place.
Go to sleep now.
Dream of Manchester. It would be like a visit home.
Litnoff is the Tsarina s second cousin.
You cannot treat him
like a common soldier.
The bullet
wasn’t afraid of wounding a Count.
Germs wont care if he s her first cousin.
He’ll be treated like any other man here.
Good day, Baron.
I understand
you are here early and late.
A true angel of mercy.
- The men won t be... - Quiet!
...nursed by anyone else.
I've always had a way with men.
Even with the German doctor.
He can t do without me.
And the Major?
The American?
What do you want?
I d like to be present
when he finds out what you are.
You’ll be present.
You’ll tell him. You're just waiting for the moment.
Where is it?
Right here.
Open the door.
Hello, Sir Arthur. A message from Admiral Sydney.
Welcome, Reverend Michaelson.
Heavens.
Where is it? I hope I haven t lost it.
- Where did you see the admiral? - Here it is.
We’ll have to decode it. Come with me.
With a column of 2,200 men
we came by rail to Anping,
where we were driven back
by a large contingent of Chinese Imperial forces.
Our troops were decimated and we lost a huge amount
of equipment.
'It is impossible to march on Peking,
so we must fall back to Tientsin,'
along the River Peigei.
- 'Signed, Harold Sydney'. - Is there nothing more?
- What shall we do now? - What shall we do?
You've eaten nothing.
- Have something now. - Thank you, Sarah.
Need more light?
No, thank you.
You asked me why we were here.
Why we hadn’t left.
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.
Sometimes it s good to wonder why.
These last few hours it s all I’ve done.
What about?
First,
Who am I?'
Second,
What have I achieved in 20 years of diplomacy?'
Third,
Am I a good diplomat,
or a failure,
only fit for a minor post in Peking?
Fourth,
Have I honestly tried to avoid war with China,'
or have I only tried to make a name for myself?
Fifth,
Am I a fool in search of adventure,
or a sensible man'
who s taken a risk?
What kind of father am I
to put my family s lives in danger?
Am I acting like
some god playing with the fate or others?
I've been with you since you started your career.
I know what You’ve been through
and I know you well.
Only an honourable man says such things.
- Excellency. - I was just leaving, Major.
We were talking about the good times.
Don’t go.
My brother-in-law is eager
to tell you something.
This is a family matter. Don’t discuss it
- before strangers. - Don’t play games.
Get it over with now.
We were talking about my dead brother, her husband.
I'm not interested.
How do you suppose he was? Like me?
Fat, past middle age?
Something like that.
The youngest Colonel in our army.
With a brilliant future.
The Tsar himself had taken notice...
Do you know why he died?
No.
Go on.
I cant... It suddenly seems...
He was drunk and had an accident.
Let s forget it.
They said
it was my fault.
His family tried to take away all I had.
Don’t you believe me?
I guess a man gets what he deserves.
What can I offer? A soldier s pay?
Yes.
A soldier's pay buys a soldiers woman.
An urgent message from Her Imperial Highness.
'Therefore,
in view of the aggression of the armed forces'
of Great Britain, Germany, Russia, France,
the United States, Japan, Italy and Austria
' under the command of Admiral Sydney,
the Imperial Chinese Government demands
the immediate
and unconditional surrender
of the armed forces of these nations
' and of all their weapons.
We will await your reply.
I believe, Sir Arthur,
that you are the architect of our dilemma.
What do you propose?
I think you should all know the military facts.
We have had almost 100 casualties,
that is about 25% of our forces.
Over half our ammunition is gone,
food is low, medical supplies are non-existent,
and by a reasonable estimate it will take 4 or 5 weeks
to assemble forces on the coast to fight through to Peking.
What is your answer?
We are all aware of our own weakness.
I’ve been thinking about the Chinese.
Prince Tuan persuaded the Empress to commit her troops
in the hope of an easy victory.
And he allowed Michaelson through with Sydney's letter
hoping we d collapse.
The ultimatum means he s promised
our immediate surrender.
Now,
if instead of collapsing
we show unexpected strength,
and not only hold out
but attack, we may destroy
Tuan s influence
with the Empress and force her to face reality.
This is a man of faith.
He thinks if we blow our trumpets, the walls
of Peking will collapse. How many trumpets do we have,
Major?
I don’t know, Baron.
But Sir Arthur has a good idea about the Empress...
About the Empress, understand
there must be no attempt on her life.
I wouldn’t even know where to start.
I don’t want her killed.
You don't want!
It would mean chaos.
Wed be fighting here for the next 20 years.
Do you have a better idea?
I give you my word, it would only enlarge the war.
You re the diplomat.
But let us fight the battles.
Come on, Colonel.
- What do you think? - Well...
I’m thinking that
if you re thinking
what I think you re thinking,
then...
I’m afraid
I must agree with Sir Arthur.
They re using the big guns.
The Empress has committed her troops.
Get everybody into the compound.
Here, take her.
Arthur,
Tommy s all right!
He just woke up and spoke to me.
He s going to live!
- He s going to live! - Live?
You wanted to avoid a war and We’ve got one.
You wanted to wait for Sydney.
Sydney isn’t coming.
You say we should attack. Attack whom?
The Imperial Army? And with what?
With 115 rusty guns?
I’ve heard Tuan is preparing
a victory celebration tonight
in the Imperial Courtyard.
I suppose we're all invited?
Rather than surrender, we must
make Tuan lose face.
We could blow up the palace.
The Chinese have an arsenal near the Imperial City.
- We could... - I’ve heard of it.
- Blow it up during their party. - It's behind their lines.
Then We’ll go under their lines.
- How? - Look at your map.
We could get to it via the sewer
and blow it up when Tuan s telling the Empress
we've been defeated.
- It's through here. - Getting back is another matter.
We...
You don’t need genius to crawl up a sewer.
We can t get away.
We’ll be blown sky high.
I’ve got to cut it.
It s too short.
If we light it we won t get clear.
Get those two ends joined.
I suppose you have come to report
the destruction of the Legations,
for the tenth time since the last moon.
I have come to ask Your Majesty s permission
to impeach General Jung-Lu
as a friend to the barbarians.
It s true he turned back the foreign admiral,
but he has guns the Boxers need yet refuses to lend them,
despite your commands.
Be silent.
General Jung-Lu.
Despite the empty promises of the Boxers,
the foreign devils grow stronger.
Even the Forbidden City is no longer safe.
Underestimating the enemy is a great calamity.
You will speak to the foreigners, Jung-Lu.
Tell them peace is a great blessing
and that no calamity is greater than lightly engaging in war.
- Have they called off the war? - Throw a line.
Here, what have we got?
A message for each of the Ministers from Jung-Lu.
They want a truce.
We spoiled the Empress s party.
She s just as likely to decide to finish us off.
What does it say?
'We are disturbed by the arrival of troops at Tientsin'.
Tientsin?
Unless they are withdrawn, I must consider it
an act of war and will commit the Imperial Forces. '
Allied troops in Tientsin.
- But they must think we re dead. - Only 70 miles away.
Yes.
If we could get word to them...
You mean if I could get word to them.
Oh, no.
Old soldiers never volunteer.
Natalie.
I’m going away.
- When? - Right now.
I’m waiting,
Baroness.
- Where are you going? - To get help.
The patient is waiting!
This is not a reception hall.
Will you come back?
Sure, if I can.
Natasha!
Listen...
What does he want?
Do you think people can change?
That s something I can t study under a microscope.
- You look wonderful. You shaved. - You noticed.
Get me some adhesive please.
I’m going now.
You said that.
Yes, I know but...
So long.
Wait a minute.
We never did get a chance to talk?
Look, I have to go somewhere but...
I’m coming back.
Like my father.
I’m coming back. We'll talk then.
All right?
Come on.
Where s that other bottle of ether?
- You say that every day. - There was one.
We used it over a week ago.
- And the morphine? - It s all gone. You know it.
Well,
We’ll have to operate on the Italian regardless.
He may faint and feel nothing.
lodine.
Here.
This is empty!
I’m sorry.
Don’t stand there. Get me another bottle.
This was the last bottle.
No alcohol, no iodine, amateur nurses...
We re back in the Dark Ages.
No ether for anesthetics,
no morphine for pain.
We are in the land of opium
and there are no opiates.
Look out!
Rogers, are you all right?
Major, I’m hurt. I'm hurt bad.
I’ll get you back.
Death s about and yet your door is open.
Open or closed it cannot protect either of us.
Old man...
Life and death,
are they important?
Not to the gods.
There are many men dying. In pain.
They need drugs.
I do not deal in opiates.
There are others who do.
The Chinese outside can only help you now.
Even in war, old man,
a valuable gift
can work miracles.
I want the drugs today.
And a wagon full of fruit for the children.
Come on, Charlie. Rest here.
Let s see what s in here.
All right, open it up!
How did you do it?
To your positions.
The truce is over!
It s all right. We made it.
Get him to hospital.
I didn’t make it.
Major, I heard you were back.
Off you go.
Major,
wake up! Wake up! The railroad...
tracks are much closer.
Yes.
- How close are they? - Almost to the wall.
All right.
Get me a shirt.
- Did you hear about the Baroness? - No.
She was shot.
- What? - She s in the hospital.
Major, we d better hurry.
Yes... Yes.
Don’t...
Don’t take it so hard, doctor.
You must let me try again.
Soon it will be too late.
You’ve done all you can do.
I must find the focus of the infection.
You wont find it with a knife, doctor.
Don’t you want to live?
I...
I have lived.
Don’t think of anything
except living.
Give yourself
a chance.
A chance?
A chance for what?
A chance to do it all over again?
No, thank you, doctor.
If you die the light will be gone from this place.
No.
You're...
the one who makes all the light here.
Forgive me when I say that
working with you I’ve learned
to care for You very much.
I’m glad you said that, Hans.
A woman likes to hear it.
Most men haven’t
the courage to say it.
They re closer now than when I left.
If it was for a gun, they wouldn’t come so close.
Yes.
Get Father de Bearn.
Yes, sir.
What is it, Major?
Ever seen anything like that?
I certainly have not.
You can t stop that with rifles.
But we have to stop it.
Get me those urns from the tower,
coal oil and some black powder
and empty champagne bottles too.
Right now, put it down here, not there.
Pick up those bags.
Where are those bottles and the powder? Come on, hurry!
That s it.
With a little prayer and a lot of luck...
- Bad luck. - You weren’t praying hard enough.
Give me that.
- Here you are. - Thank you.
- Come on. - We'll pray harder, Father.
Yes.
It must be terrible to be a soldier.
Yes...
Sometimes it is.
I was looking for you.
The Baroness is dead.
Nothing to say?
She didn’t mean much to you.
Shut up!
- Sorry. - Let me alone! Let me alone!
I just heard. I’m sorry.
Thank you.
Well, we bought ourselves another day.
Still, it wasn’t a bad fight.
What time is it?
5.37 a. m.
August 14th, 1900.
How many days did we hold out?
Fifty-five.
Those guns! They re not Chinese!
Strange!
They re ours! It s the relief forces!
They re ours!
They re here! They re here!
They re ours! They re ours!
Water can support a ship.
And water can upset it.
The dynasty is finished.
Listen.
They re playing different tunes.
Well, for 55 days we played the same tune.
Fifty-five days you held us together.
You might have started something
that people will remember some day.
- We re ready. - I’ll be right there.
Will you stay in China?
Oh, I go where they send me.
How about you?
I’ll be going home to England.
Retired to private life, I suppose.
In the country with a dog and a few books.
An Englishman s dream, really.
What s home for you?
I don’t know.
I may have to make one.
Good luck, Matt.
Thanks.
Right shoulder... arms!
Here, take my hand.
Forward ho!