- Got a light? - Yeah.
Thanks.
- It's pretty, isn't it? - Yes.
Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like one?
I'll smoke it later when I'm off duty. Thank you.
You probably have a couple of roommates, huh?
- Beautiful day. - Yes, but I think it might rain later.
No, no.
Red sky in the morning, sailor takes warning.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
It was a red sky last night.
I never heard that before.
I learned it in the Boy Scouts.
- You were a Boy Scout? So was l. - Really?
- Yes. I had 19 merit badges. - I had 20.
I was working on my 20th when the government abolished scouting
and sent me into the Hitler Youth instead.
Werner, you think you'll stay in the army after the war?
No. I'm not a well man.
- And my teeth... - Your teeth?
Yes. I could tell you stories about my teeth
that would make your hair stand on end.
Our dentist here is a butcher.
But don't tell anyone I said so.
It's a soldier's right to complain.
Maybe in your army, but here?
One little criticism, and... to the Russian front.
Is that so? Terrible.
That's terrible.
Werner.
Why don't we go into my room?
I'd better not. If Strachwitz should see me...
I was just gonna make some coffee.
Real coffee.
Coffee, coffee, coffee.
Where is it?
My grandmother keeps sending me this stuff.
Oh, yeah. Here. Take one.
Yeah. Keep it.
Nein. I must go.
It's OK. You can keep it. We're friends.
With you in the cooler, will we be friends? I must report this.
I don't understand you. Report what? That you and I were chatting in my room?
- I must go. - Oh, here. It's OK. Look, keep it.
I'll never be able to eat it all. I've got all I could eat.
I'm sorry. All right. Forget it. Forget it.
And that, I'm sure you'll all remember, is the voice of the Nelles warbler.
Let's turn our attention to this gentleman - the masked shrike.
Lanius nubicus. The butcherbird.
The shrike impales his foes on the spikes of thorn bushes.
Not a very lovable character, you see. Let's have a look at the colouring.
Uniform black above, from head to tail.
A black rump, a black crown with a bold white flash, and a white line over the eye.
The shrike lives in lightly wooded country...
Ah. Hendley. Sit down. You'll find drawing materials on the table.
The shrike lives in lightly wooded country, olive groves and gardens.
Well, Hendley, have you taken to birds too now?
Yeah. Stick around. You might learn something.
I have better things to do than draw birds.
The voice is a monotonous succession of scratchy, complaining notes.
Now, let's have a good look at this bird. He's got a round shape...
An Urlaubsschein. Permission to cross a frontier. Here's another one.
Which one's the forgery?
- That one. - That's right.
They both are.
What's holding us up now is the new form of this travel permit.
- We've no idea what they look like. - Here's one.
And a military identity card.
And a...
- An Ausweis. - Yeah.
- Permission to be on Reich property. - A ticket to Oden.
What appears to be the ferret assignments for the next week.
You get 10 out of 10 for this, old boy.
- Thank you, sir. Take good care of that. - Where did you get this?
It's on loan.
In order to get the right amount of outfits, Roger,
I suggest that we work mainly from service uniforms.
I can do double-breasteds, single-breasteds,
and rather nice lounge suits.
Lapels. I can do quite a lot of things with those.
I can have them deep like that or high ones like that.
Here's one that we're working on right now.
Oh, yes. What about buttons?
Take a look at those. Here's one that I've finished, Roger.
And here's one that I dyed with a bottle of blue ink.
It's rather good. What's up, Roger?
The goons'd have a field day if they crashed in on this lot.
That's Sorren's department. Now, I've started working on the other materials.
This blanket.
Particularly the stripes. Marvellous.
- Coats. - Yes.
I've got the chaps working on these all over the compound.
Those battle dresses - I'm afraid they're a bit too short.
I'll have to get the chaps to make those into some sort of workingman's outfits.
Blanket ticking.
Now, I've made these into rather nice little waistcoats.
- Very dapper, yes. Dyed, of course. - Of course.
Just take a look at this, Roger.
Now, this blanket material, we scrape this down until it's really smooth,
and then dye it with boot polish.
Corduroy scrounged by Hendley. I wish we had more of this.
- Where in God's name did you get these? - Hendley.
- Where did he get them? - I asked him that.
- What did he say? - "Don't ask."
Let me show you some of the overcoats I've been working on.
Good morning, Hilts.
Well, if you're here to find out if I'm going out again, I am.
- When? - 17 days. 7th of July.
- Dark of the moon. - Correct.
Is Ives going with you?
Yeah, if he wants to.
You know that Ives is close to cracking?
Yeah.
- Better for him to go out in the tunnel? - Safer.
Right.
It's possible for one man to get out through the wire, even get away,
but there are in fact a considerable number of people besides yourself
in this camp who are trying to escape.
I appreciate that.
Something's coming - I can feel it -
and it's coming right around the corner at me, Squadron Leader.
- My name's Roger. - All right, Roger.
Yours is Virgil, isn't it?
Hilts. Just make it Hilts.
Yes, well, as I was saying, Hilts,
we have maps of Germany - general maps, that is.
We have all the information we need for the escape routes out of Germany.
But what we do not have...
Is a clear idea of what's 500 yards beyond those trees.
We've tried every goon in the camp. No go.
We must know the exact position of the local town.
We want to know where we hit the main roads.
Where the police stations are, where they've got their roadblocks.
And most important of all, we've got to know how to get from here
to the railway station.
No. Absolutely not. When I get through that wire,
I'm not gonna be making maps for you guys.
I'm gonna be so far away, you won't hear if they're shooting at me with howitzers.
- Understandable. - Completely.
I mean, I'd like to help, but...
Interesting idea.
- How many you taking out? - 250.
250?
Yeah.
You're crazy. You too.
250 guys just walking down the road, just like that.
Well, some on the road, some by train, some cross-country.
They'll have forged papers, clothes,
maps, compasses, rations.
You're gonna alert every goon in the country.
Anybody that can carry a pitchfork is gonna be out looking for you.
They're gonna swoop down and scoop you up so fast it'd make your head swim.
Yes, well, thanks, anyway.
- If I can help on the tunnel, let me know. - That's good of you.
Any time.
Wait a minute. You aren't seriously suggesting that if I get through the wire
and case everything out there and don't get picked up,
to turn myself in and get thrown back in the cooler
so you can get the information you need?
Yes. One has to ask some very strange things in the job I have.
- We'll give you a front place. - I wouldn't do that for my own mother.
- I don't blame you. - Well, OK, then.
- It's completely understandable. - Well, OK, then.
Yes, well, thanks, Hilts.
Check.
Herr Hendley, l...
Oh, it's all right. Blythe's a friend.
- What's the matter, Werner? - My wallet, my papers, my identity card.
Gone. I lost them. Everything.
He lost his wallet.
Do you realise what would happen if Strachwitz found this out?
- The Russian front. - Dear, dear.
I've looked every place, every place.
I must have lost them while I was in here.
- No. - Yes.
Look, I told you we were friends. We'll find them.
Oh, thank you, Herr Hendley.
Werner.
Not now. It might look a little peculiar
if you and I were seen probing around at this time of night.
Look, I'll find them. I promise you I'll find 'em if I have to tear this room apart.
- Thank you. - Forget it.
- Werner. - Yes?
There is one small favour.
A camera.
We want to take some snapshots. You know, keepsakes.
35mm with a 2.8 lens and a plane shutter.
Focal-plane shutter.
Werner, that's a focal-plane shutter.
Let me know when you got it.
He's a crazy, mixed-up kid, that Werner, but I like him.
Checkmate.
How soon's our air pump going to be ready?
- I'll have it for you tomorrow. - You're badly behind schedule.
- How's it coming, Danny? - No good.
- No good? - Today, three times.
Willie, you all right?
Pull!
You're gonna have to shore up the whole bloody tunnel, Roger. All 335 feet of it.
Four times today.
This way we never get through. We must have more wood.
It's a lot of timber, Roger. Can you get it?
We'll get it. We've gotta get it.
I'll put Hendley on it, and the new man we got this morning.
OK, Willie.
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Four calling birds, three French hens
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Five gold rings
- How's it going with the rafters up there? - Taking out one in four.
Stay with it.
Five gold rings
Four calling birds, three French hens
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying
Five gold rings
Four calling birds, three French hens
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree
Five gold rings, four calling birds...
Bloody singing. I've never worked so hard in all my life. Hi, Hilts.
Say, Cavendish...
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear...
Allez hup!
Never mind.
Here's a present from our friend Werner.
Splendid.
Simply splendid.
This should do very nicely.
Those are Ashley-Pitt's men.
He requested permission to dispose of some of his dirt in our attic.
Tom has reached just beyond that pile of wood, sir.
- Harry, of course, isn't as far as that. - How much further to the trees?
We make it 50 feet, sir.
- Dark of the moon is the 7th... - 8th and 9th.
A day earlier in August.
Morning.
There he goes again.
Why is he buying up all the potatoes in the camp?
I've been working on that, but I can't find out.
Hilts and Hendley lock themselves in every night.
Sometimes Goff's with them. Other nights he's on guard outside.
Mac, we'll close down Dick and Harry. Seal them off.
Put the entire effort into Tom and press on into the trees.
Right, Roger.
Wow.
About face!
Forward march!
- What is it? - They're celebrating the revolution.
It's the 4th of July.
What the devil's this?
Gentlemen, you're invited for free drinks.
- A little present from the colonials. - Down the British.
- Quite right too. - And a little drink to Tom.
And to getting home.
Very well. We accept.
- Up the rebels! - Down the British!
Gentlemen, follow us.
About face!
Company, halt!
All right, let's line up down here!
All right, grab a cup!
Line it up! Here we go.
That explains what happened to the potatoes.
No harm in closing down Tom for one day, Roger.
I suppose it'll do us all good to let off a bit of steam.
There's only 14 feet to go, sir, and you can feel it throughout the whole camp.
- I think that calls for a drink. - Hear, hear.
- Drink it up! - What is this stuff, Hilts?
Moonshine. American moonshine. Moonshine.
Make my moustache grow. Cheers.
Keep it moving.
Hello, Eric. Don't spill any of that.
- There you go. - Down with the British.
All right, old cobber. Keep it mo...
- Don't get any on your clothes. - Cheers!
- Don't spill any of that. - Before your morning tea?
Keep it moving.
Don't get any on your clothes, sir.
American moonshine. Don't smoke right after you drink it.
No smoking. No smoking while you're drinking.
Get good and stoned, my friend.
Keep it going. Keep it...
No taxation without representation.
Keep it going, boys. Keep it...
Keep it going, fellas. Enjoy yourselves.
Well, let's drink to Tom.
To Tom.
In the three years, seven months and two weeks that I've been in the bag,
that's the most extraordinary stuff I've ever tasted.
- It's shattering. - Well, I think it's rather good.
Well, with your permission, sir, I think I'll all on kive.
Call on Ives.
Cheers, Hendley!
You know what that is?
I'll tell you what it isn't.
It isn't Napoleon brandy.
How do you like it, sir?
Well, it's...
To the colonies.
Independence.
How are you managing over there without us? Getting along all right, are you?
We seem to be getting along all right, shir... sir.
Yes, well, it's...
It's good stuff, Hilts.
Thank you, sir.
Danny! Here's to...
Roger, goons in 105.
- Who? - Strachwitz.
We have to ignore it. If we pay attention, the goons'll know the hut's important.
Here's to going home.
Come on, Danny. They've searched it a hundred times.
Home!
Anyway, I'm glad we've got you in the tunnel with us. To Tom, eh?
Och, never mind. You'll be walking down Argyle Street in a couple of weeks.
To Tom. You know, Sandy, I'm just beginning to realise that myself.
Why shouldn't you, man? We're nearly at the trees, boy.
We're nearly at the trees, eh?
Herr Hauptfeldwebel!
Oh, my God! They've found Tom.
It's the tunnel.
Success.
Ives!
Sir, let me know the exact information you need.
- I'm going out tonight. - Right.
Open up Harry.
We dig. Around the clock.
- Cooler. - Right.
Well, I didn't think they'd catch him so soon.
He wasn't caught.
Hilts, welcome home.
Danny?
Are you all right, Danny?
Yes.
All right.
All right. Bring some shovels. I'm all right.
For God's sake, you've left out a whole eagle.
That's impossible.
Yes.
Four days' work up the bloody spout!
I'm sorry, Colin.
It's all right, Smithy.
It's getting late. You push off to bed. I'll pack up here.
All right.
- Good night, Colin. - Good night, Smithy.
I can't see a bloody thing.
- Your German's very good. - Thanks, Mac. I've put in a lot of...
Watch it. That's the easiest way to trip up a suspect. Don't fall for that old gag.
- I'm sorry, Mac. - OK. But remember, German always.
One, two, three, four, five.
Roger.
No, it's me.
How do you like the old escape suit?
Fine, fine.
Colin.
How do you like mine?
It looks splendid.
Where are you going? You'll get yourself shot.
- What's the matter with you? - I'm going out through that fence.
Danny, we're getting out through the tunnel. We're almost clear.
Please, Willie, let me alone.
I can't go in that tunnel any more.
So I'm going out through the wire.
Danny, think. We're getting out, but not through the wire.
We're getting out through the tunnel. It's finished.
- I go out now. - No.
Danny, you go through that wire and you'll get killed.
Don't do that.
Willie...
Since I was a boy,
I hate and feared little rooms,
closets, caves.
Danny, you've dug 17 tunnels. Over 17 tunnels.
Because I must get out.
I hide the fear, and I dig.
But tomorrow night in the tunnel with all those men,
I'm afraid maybe this time I will lose my head
and ruin the escape for everybody.
So I go now.
Danny, I'll see you through the tunnel.
I'll look after you. I'll stick with you all the way.
All right.
- Good evening. - Hello, Roger.
Well, how do you think we look?
It's as bad as all that?
Colin, I want first of all to say that without you, we would not have been ready.
That's all right. I had lots of help. Lots of very good help.
What's the matter, Roger?
You can't go.
- What do you mean? - I can't allow it.
Why?
You can't see your hand in front of your face.
You'd be caught before you got 10 yards.
That's ridiculous.
That's ridiculous. Never heard anything so absurd in my life.
I can see perfectly. I can see perfectly!
I can see... that pin down there.
- Does that satisfy you? - What pin? Where?
Colin, do you see the foot of the door?
Yes, of course.
Put the pin down there, will you?
All right.
All right. Come on.
Come on. Sit down.
Sit down. It was a good try.
I hate these last-minute letdowns, but I've only just been told.
- It's too risky for you. - Don't you think that's Colin's decision?
- No, I don't. - Come on, Roger.
We all know the score here. Well, at least, most of us do.
Your idea of this escape is to start another front,
to foul up the Germans behind the lines. All right, that's fine.
But once we get past that wire and have them looking all over Germany for us,
that mission is accomplished.
Afterwards, we have some ideas of our own.
You mean getting home?
- Back to your family? - That's right.
Do you really believe I haven't thought about that too?
I'm sure you have.
I know Colin has.
And, Roger, I have too.
We think we can make it all the way.
Not Colin. He'd be an appalling hazard to the escape. That must be my decision.
Let's talk about hazard. Let's talk about you.
You're the biggest hazard we have. The Gestapo has you marked.
No one has said you can't go.
That's true.
I have thought about the Gestapo.
But if you're asking me how far a commanding officer is allowed to go,
or dare go,
or should be permitted to play God,
I can't answer you.
But I can tell you
a blind man is an unnecessary hazard to himself and the whole plan,
and must therefore be eliminated from the operation.
Colin's not a blind man as long as he's with me, and he's going with me.
It's all right with you, Colin?
Oh, yes. Quite.
Very well. I'll arrange for your escape numbers to be altered accordingly.
Good night, gentlemen.
Actually...
he's quite right.
He's completely right.
I really shouldn't go at all.
My eyes have been getting worse and worse lately.
I think they call it progressive myopia.
I can see things up here. Close to.
I can see to work, but...
you're just a blur.
I know.
Oh, hell. We'll make it in great shape.
Colin, do you have any tea?
- Yes, of course. - Then let's have some.
Splendid.
Hi, Hilts.
Hey, Mac.
When?
Tonight. We thought they'd never let you out.
Me, too. Let's get at it.
- Bartlett's waiting for you. - I'll be there.
What time?
Only eight minutes now, Danny.
You OK?
Cavendish.
Griff, down there.
Goff, there.
Smith, Foles, third on the right.
Blythe, Hendley, third on the left.
There are the lights.
Right on the tick, Danny.
Look down the tunnel, Danny. It's lovely.
It's just like Blackpool at the height of the season.
You ever been to Blackpool, Danny?
Yes.
No.
I don't know.
It's time, Roger.
Bartlett, MacDonald, Ashley-Pitt.
It's all clear, sir.
All set, Roger.
Roger.
Good luck.
They're coming down the shaft now, Danny.
And then they'll be coming right up the tunnel.
Willie...
I can't wait. I must get out.
Danny! Danny! Danny! Danny!
What is it, Danny? What's the matter? Danny! Come here!
Roger? Danny and I'll go later. We'll take another place.
Danny, tell me what this is and tell me quickly!
This tunnel is mine as much as anybody. I dug it. I built it.
I was buried many times. I go when I want.
Let me out. Let me out.
Take him out, Willie. Take him out.
Danny? What is it?
Danny, what's going on?
It's all right, Sedgwick. It's all right. We're going later.
Danny, it's all right. It's all right.
We can take another place in the line. It's all right.
All right, Colin. Down you go.
Sit down. Feel the top rung of the ladder with your right foot. Got it?
Down you go.
Danny cut out, huh?
Willie took him up top. Hilts, l...
- Remember, keep your head down. - Right.
Right.
Bartlett.