Homecoming (1948) Movie Script
Ought to be there pretty
soon, shouldn't we?
What's your hurry, Kid?
We got all night.
You've covered a lot
of these homecomings,
Haven't you mr. Williams?
This is my 25th transport,
More than 200,000
homecoming soldiers.
Yeah. I'll bet you've
gotten some wonderful yarns.
Oh. I'll get one now and again.
As a rule, though, a man
who has a real story to tell
Won't tell it,
Not to a reporter anyhow.
Well, how can you tell
a man's got a story
If he won't give out with it?
Williams is psychic,
didn't you know?
Gets so you can see
it in their faces.
You can always pick out your man.
You mean the man who isn't
gonna give you a story.
Yeah.
There she is!
Ha ha ha!
Seems to me there are a lot
Of interesting faces here.
Haven't found your man
yet, mr. Williams?
Not yet. Nope.
I'll see you later, kid.
Light, colonel?
Thank you.
Great outfit, the 299th medical.
We've heard a lot about it back
here at home, colonel Johnson.
Yes. Great outfit.
Quite a job, fighting a war
with only a hypodermic needle.
Yes.
What's your specialty, colonel?
Specialty?
Oh. I'm a surgeon.
Had quite a practice back
In '41, I expect, didn't you?
Yes, quite a practice.
That must seem like
A long time a go, '41.
A lot of water's gone
Under the bridge since then.
Yes.
With that background
And this war,
You ought to have a whale
Of a story to tell, colonel.
I'm sorry, mr. Williams. No story.
That makes it a bit rough on folks
Back here at home, doesn't it?
How so?
I mean, well, they're
The ones that have to live
With the men
Who are coming back.
It seems only fair
That they should know
What the men
Have been through,
How they've changed.
Perhaps.
I'm afraid I have
Nothing to say
That would be
Of any help.
I don't know. I think people
Can help each other a lot.
Didn't you ever run in
To someone
Who gave you
A new slant on things?
Yes. Yes, I did.
Maybe you have some
Personal experience
You could tell, colonel.
What?
No. I've had no personal
Experiences, mr. Williams.
I have nothing to say
That would interest anyone.
Ok, colonel. Sorry.
Guess I'll be
Getting along.
Good luck, colonel.
Thank you.
Good luck to you.
Maybe you
Have some personal experience
You could tell, colonel.
No story.
Had quite a practice back
In '41, I expect, didn't you?
Quite a practice.
Must seem like
A long time ago, '41.
Yes. 1941 was a long time ago.
How easy it all seemed
At lafayette hospital, '41.
Dr. Ulysses d. Johnson.
I kind of thought of it
As my hospital,
And everybody else
Seemed to think that way, too,
And why not?
I'd worked hard enough
To get there-
4 years harvard medical school,
Internship johns hopkins,
Surgical resident
At mayo clinic 5 years,
And finally chief of surgery.
Yep. Quite a guy.
Dr. Johnson's office. Dr.
Johnson's secretary speaking.
Hello? Oh, yes,
Mrs. Nichols.
Yes. Tomorrow is
His birthday.
Yes, he does.
Very young.
Smoking jacket?
I'm sure he'd appreciate it
A great deal
Coming from you.
Well, his shoulders are
Quite broad of course.
Height? Oh, I should say
He's about 6 feet.
Perhaps a scarf
Would be better.
Yes, mrs. Nichols, blue would
Go beautifully with his hair.
Not at all, mrs. Nichols.
Good-bye, mrs. Nichols.
He's alone now.
Thanks.
How many more,
Miss Simpson?
How many more
Can you stand?
Penny.
Ha ha ha!
Hello, darling.
I didn't know
You were here.
I've been sitting out
There getting a lesson.
You certainly turn
On the charm
For your women
Patients, don't you?
Jealous?
Mm. Could be.
Oh. A doctor
Has to live,
Support his wife...
Keep her in new hats.
Oh. Well, that's
Something.
You did notice
It then?
The minute
I turned around.
You like it?
I love it and you.
Uh, dr. Johnson, dr.
Sunday's waiting to see you.
Says he has
An appointment.
Bob. I completely
Forgot about him.
Well, what does
Bob want?
I ran into him
The other day
And promised
To talk to him
About that project
Of his,
You know, the malaria
In chester village.
I've been putting
Him off for weeks.
Well, what does he think
You can do about malaria?
You're a surgeon.
Use my influence,
I suppose.
Oh, dear.
I did want us to go to curtis'
Sport shop before it closes,
Pick up some clubs.
I'm taking up golf.
Won't be a minute.
You want to come and say hello to him?
Not just now.
I'll try to make
It short.
Hello, Bob.
Hello, Lee.
How are you?
Fine, thanks.
Nice to see you.
When is that new book
Of yours coming out?
March 15 if all
Goes well.
Good. I'll be anxious
To see it.
Very nice of you to
Give me this hour, Lee.
You don't know what
A help it will be.
Well, as a matter of fact, I
I got myself mixed up
A little on this hour.
I - I'm terribly sorry, but you see,
Something has come up,
And I'm afraid we won't be able to
Have our talk this afternoon after all.
That's too bad.
Yes. I-I-I'm
Terribly sorry,
But you see,
Tomorrow's my birthday,
And penny just came by
To take me down
And show me some golf clubs
She wants to surprise me with.
I see.
Well, how about
Tonight?
Well, tonight's friday.
Yes.
Well, we always
Go to the club friday.
We, uh, we dance.
Oh.
Well, I know all this seems
Sort of trivial to you, Bob,
But, good heavens, some people
Like to dance once in a while.
Well, I haven't
Said a word.
No, but, uh-
I want to help you.
I- I intend to,
But, well, right now-
I happened to get
You at a busy time.
Well, sort of.
Ok. I'll be
Seeing you, Lee.
Sure. I hear things in
Chester village are pretty bad.
5 new cases
This week.
Terrible.
Yes, yes.
Well, I'll be
Getting back.
Happy birthday, Lee.
I hope you find the
Right clubs. Good-bye.
Bob.
Yes?
Why don't you leave
Those files?
I'll go over them the
First possible moment.
You won't go
Over them, Lee.
No, I will.
I promise I will.
All right.
I'll leave them
If you like.
So long, Lee.
Good-bye, Bob.
The first minute
I get.
Relax, darling.
Hmm?
You're leading me
Again.
Am I?
I'm sorry, darling.
Good morning, Sol.
Good morning,
Doctor.
Good morning, Sarah.
Good morning, doctor.
Those were the best
Popovers you ever made.
Those were for your
Birthday, doctor.
Many happy returns.
Well, thank you, Sarah.
Happy birthday,
Doctor.
Thank you, Sol.
Hello,
Doctor Johnson.
Good morning.
Doctor?
Yes?
Could I speak to you
For a minute?
Sure. What's on your mind?
Well, you see, it's this way, doctor.
I've got
A stiff knee.
Hurt it playing football
A couple of years ago.
Now I got a chance to
Join the canadian army,
But they turned me
Down cold.
I thought maybe you
Could fix it up.
Canadian army? What do
You want to join them for?
They're in there
Fighting already.
Oh. So you like
To scrap, huh?
Well, no. It isn't
That, doctor.
Well, that's your
Own business, I suppose.
Where do you live?
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
My name's monkevickz. They call me monk.
Ok. We'll have a look
At it, monk.
Check with miss Simpson
In my office,
And she'll make a date
For you at the clinic.
Thanks,
Doctor Johnson.
Good-bye, sweet.
Take care of yourself.
Don't make it a long day, will you, Lee?
No, I won't.
Penny, what's wrong?
Nothing.
Darling, don't let
Those headlines bother you.
Europe's
A long ways off
To be moving in on us.
Promise?
Promise.
All right then.
Bye.
Shouldn't you be
In there with the guests?
I guess... I should,
Shouldn't I?
I sort of wish
We were alone.
I'd much rather have my
Last cocktail with you.
Hello, mother. I didn't
Know you'd come yet.
Just came.
How are you, dear?
Fine.
How are you, Lee?
So glad you
Made it, mother.
Well, doctor-
Or I guess I'd better say major now-
When are you off?
Tomorrow morning.
Dr. Johnson.
Yes, Sarah?
Dr. Sunday's
In the library.
Bob sunday? Well, ask him to come in.
I told him, but he said he'd rather not.
Oh. Thanks, Sarah.
Excuse me a minute.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Bob.
Hello, Lee. I just heard
You were leaving tomorrow,
So I thought I'd
Drop in to say good-bye
And get those files
I left with you.
Oh, heavens. I completely
Forgot about them.
I'll have them sent
To you in the morning.
Thanks.
Won't you come in
And have a cocktail?
No, thanks.
I really just wanted to
Wish you luck, which I do.
Well, I appreciate
Your coming around, Bob,
Especially after-
Bob, I honestly always
Meant to help you out
Over there
In chester village,
But somehow, well, I
Never got around to it.
That's all right.
No, it's not
All right.
It's been
On my conscience.
Well, maybe you'll feel like doing
Something about it when you get back.
You think the war's
Gonna make a man of me?
No. No. I think you'll take the
War right in your stride, Lee.
Like I do everything
Else, you mean?
I'm not trying
To be nasty.
You think I'm sort of a
Callous person, don't you, Bob?
No. Just busy.
Very busy with a lot
Of different things.
Anyway, when you get back, chester
Village will still be there.
That's one thing you can
Bank on unfortunately.
What are you
Going to do?
What do you mean?
Well, are you going
To get into it?
No. I thought about it,
But then I decided
I'd just stick around and do
What I'm doing until they call me.
Well, that's
Too bad.
Why?
Well, I hoped you'd
Get into it somehow,
Get you out of that
Rut you're in.
Rut? I don't call
Chester village a rut.
I know, I know,
I know.
Fine work. After all,
Not much future in it.
For me, you mean?
Of course, I mean
For you.
There comes a time
In every man's life
When he has to look
Out for himself.
I guess that is really
Your philosophy, isn't it?
It's anyone's philosophy
Who's really honest.
You can't solve all the
Problems of the world.
Why break your neck over
Something you can't help?
Anyway, you've done
Your share,
And now that we're
In this war
With really big
Issues at stake-
Look, Lee. Don't talk
To me about issues.
Your country's
Been attacked.
All right. Shut up!
What?
I want to tell you
Something, Lee.
I've been wanting to
Tell you for a long time
Ever since college.
Go ahead.
There's an awful lot of
A four-flusher about you.
You've got away
With murder all your life,
And when you have the guts to say
That my country has been attacked,
Implying that I'm not doing anything
About it, that's pretty hard to take.
Over there
In chester village,
Men have been
Dying for years,
Children are dying just
For lack of decent care.
Malaria, malnutrition,
Hookworm.
My country attacked?
You're darn right
It's been for a long time,
But did you care?
And don't kid yourself about
That uniform you've got on.
I'm glad you're in it.
I'm very glad.
It's the best thing
You've ever done,
But don't tell me
You're in it
Because of any issues
At stake.
You don't even know
What the issues are.
You're in it because it's
The thing to do right now,
Just because everybody
Else is doing it.
Get wise
To yourself, Lee.
Well, I guess that
Washes us up nicely.
It sure does.
Bob, I didn't know
You were here.
Hello, penny. I just
Dropped by for a moment.
Just going.
Well, come in
And have a drink.
I can't, really. Thanks just the same.
Good-bye, Lee.
Good luck.
I know you'll do
A good job.
Thanks.
And if anything should
Come up while he's gone,
You need anything, you
Know where to find me.
Thanks, Bob.
I always had a sort of
Soft spot for the johnsons.
Go back to your guests.
So long. Good luck.
Lee, did you and Bob
Have a quarrel?
Well, you know Bob.
Same old thing.
I was terrible, dear. We
Completely forgot to invite him.
Was he hurt?
I don't know. I-
Sometimes, that guy
Gets under my skin.
I'm sorry, darling.
Let's go back.
Oh, uh, the carters
Called to say
They were sorry they couldn't
Get over this afternoon.
Oh?
Told me to wish you
Good luck for them.
All right.
Penny.
Yes, dear?
Have you ever thought
I was a four-flusher?
Four-flusher? What
Are you talking about?
Well, this afternoon,
Bob said-
Oh, Lee. I knew you and
Bob had been at it again.
He's a pretty smart guy.
He seemed to think
That I-
I don't know.
Lee, Bob's
All right,
And I'm
Very fond of him,
But he's not you.
You're one of the finest
Surgeons in this country,
And if you want
My opinion,
One of the finest
Men, too.
Oh, darling,
Stop it.
This is our
Last evening.
Yes, and I'm sorry.
You remember the first
Time I ever kissed you?
I remember.
You were pretty fresh
In those days.
Heh. Oh, was I?
I've always
Liked this room.
You're a born
Homemaker, penny.
I haven't talked
Much about it,
But don't think I don't
Appreciate all you've given me.
Thanks, darling.
Keep everything
Just the way it is
Till I come back,
Won't you?
Don't have anything
Changed.
Not a thing.
I promise.
And, Lee, don't let
Them change you either.
Oh. Not a chance.
You better turn in.
You lock up.
Yeah.
I'll help you.
Oh, Lee!
Shh.
Now, now.
I'm sorry.
How long do you think
You'll be in carlisle?
Oh. About 6 weeks
Just for basic training.
I hope it won't be
Too hard on you.
Oh! Nonsense.
After all, I'm a doctor.
It won't be anything.
No further duties
Tonight.
Saturday, 1800 hours, fall
In in front of the barracks
In fatigues, leggings, and full
Field packs for a night's travel.
And off the record, I suggest
You cancel all sunday appointments
Because we'll be out
For 36 hours at least.
That's all, gentlemen.
gone are my friends
from the cotton fields away
gone from this earth
to a better land
I know...
Big ocean.
Certainly is.
Quiet crossing so far.
Yes. Surprisingly so.
Wonder where we're
Headed for.
Can't be africa.
Might be.
Oh. I think that show's
About over, isn't it?
Montgomery's got
Rommel on the run.
For the moment maybe.
You never know.
No. I think the african
Campaign's in the bag.
Probably won't be long before the
Whole war's over now that we've come in.
Wishful thinking.
Hmm?
I say, wishful thinking.
Think so?
Know it. That's how
We got here.
I wonder what
My wife's doing now,
This minute.
Mine's just putting
The kids to bed.
You got any kids?
No. Never felt
The need for any.
You don't know
What you've missed.
Really? How would
You know?
I have one, a boy.
How old is he?
Then why
Are you here?
Because I want him
To be 12.
Where's your husband?
Somewhere in china.
China?
Yes. He's buried there.
Oh. Sorry.
It was 6 years ago.
Anyway, he was fighting
For what he believed in.
Fighting in china?
Was he chinese?
No. He was
An american pilot.
6 years ago?
Yes.
Then why-
"swanee river"
Yep.
Takes you back.
Why can't people
Just stay at home
And live their own lives,
Enjoy the good things,
Their work,
Their home, music?
Why must they always
Be chasing around,
Sticking their noses
In other people's affairs.
Comfortable philosophy,
Major.
Look, young lady.
Would you mind terribly
If I just sit quietly
And talk to my friend here?
Do I disturb you?
Frankly, yes.
That's what I mean,
Everybody sticking
Their noses
Into other
People's affairs,
People butting into other
People's conversations,
American pilots
Fighting in china.
It's all the same.
You can't understand that,
Can you, major,
Why an american should
Be fighting in china?
No, I can't.
A man leaves
His wife and child
To go fight in a war that
Wasn't any of our business?
Wasn't it?
Not 6 years ago.
My husband hated
Aggression even 6 years ago.
Look, young lady. It's
People like you that-
Yes? That what?
Never mind.
No. Go on.
People like me
That what?
Oh, drop it. When women
Talk world politics,
It makes me laugh.
Do the women
Of the bombed cities
Of europe make you
Laugh, major?
Now what's that got
To do with it?
I'm talking about women who go around
Thinking they have all the answers,
Thinking that they even know
The reasons we're in this war.
I know some
Of them, major.
Because people didn't care
What went on over there
Until the murderers
Got so far
The whole world
Was in danger.
If we'd had a little simple
Humanity at the very start,
All this might
Have been stopped.
Oh. That means me,
I suppose.
Well, you're quite a specimen,
Major, as far as I can see.
Look, young lady.
I'll tell you
The reason I think
People like you
Are in this war.
I think
They enjoy it.
It's a new sensation
For them.
If I were you, I'd leave
The glory to the others
And run along home and,
Well, take care of my child.
My child is well
Taken care of, major.
May I?
Thanks.
And thanks a lot
For the lecture.
Oh, not at all. Never
Too late to learn, major.
Of all the fresh-
Who is she?
Snapshot,
They call her.
Her name's, um,
Mccall.
Yes, that's it-
Lieutenant mccall.
Whose nurse is she?
Not yours, I hope.
No. She's yours.
Put that lamp over here
And this one over there.
Captain, move this table this
Way. Give us some more room.
Right, major.
Let's see if we have
Enough plasma.
Captain gellar said
His unit is short of it.
Well, this
Must be it.
I ordered it
Last friday. Yes.
Good.
What about
Plaster of paris
And sulfanilamide?
Enough?
Just brought in
Two boxes of each, sir.
Lieutenant mccall said this
Morning that we need a lot.
Ok.
You're a very good nurse,
Lieutenant mccall.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, major.
I've been wanting to
Tell you for some time,
I'm sorry I spoke
Out of turn
That day
On the boat.
Oh, forget it. We all
Get excited at times
And say things
We're sorry for later.
Well, I'm not sorry
About what I said.
You're not?
No. Just that
I said it.
You see, I wouldn't have had I known
That you were
Chief of surgery.
But you'd have thought
The same, is that it?
Well, I can't help
What I think.
In that case, if you'll
Continue to think things
And not say them, we'll get
Along together all right.
Thank you, sir.
Major Johnson.
Major Johnson.
Major Johnson!
Major Johnson.
Yes. What is it?
The colonel wants you.
Casualties coming in, sir.
All right.
I'll be right there.
Everything's set,
Colonel.
Good, Johnson. Ever
Operate in the field before?
No, sir.
Well, good luck.
Thank you.
Captain.
Yes, sir?
Let's go. Send them in.
Remove the dressing.
Ready, major.
Direct transfusion.
Medicine 299. Give me
The army surgeon's office.
Hello, hello?
Operations officer.
Hello. This is medicine 299.
We have 380 patients
And expect more in.
When can we get
Ambulances to evacuate?
What?
We have 90 patients
Ready for evacuation,
60 litter
And 30 sitting.
Ok.
Medicine 299.
50 patients coming
From your station
Will arrive in 30 minutes.
Ok.
"it was my
First experience in the field, penny,
"but I'll never forget it.
"operated for 16 hours straight.
"these boys they bring in,
Just kids,
"but the courage they have
Makes you sort of proud somehow.
"wouldn't know what to do
Without this nurse-snapshot-
"immensely efficient
But difficult.
Miss you terribly, my darling."
"just heard a bird singing.
Crazy, isn't it?"
Good morning,
Miss mccall.
Good morning, sir.
These are
The case reports
Of the patients
To be evacuated.
Oh. Thank you.
This is sanchez. He's to
Leave this morning, sir.
Hmm?
Kind of warm today.
Yes, sir. Would you
Care to sign these two?
They're
To leave tonight.
Brown. Is he all right?
Yes. Been
Without temperature
For the last
3 days, sir.
Good. Anything else?
Chuck crandall's
Emergency furlough papers
For your approval,
Sir.
He'd like to get away a little earlier.
I can't sign this.
His furlough doesn't begin
Until the day
After tomorrow.
Well, that's right, sir, but if
He could get away early tomorrow,
He could catch
A plane to america.
If he waits, there's no
Telling when he can get home.
I can't help that.
After all, this is the army.
If I start making
Exceptions like that,
There will be
No end to it.
Yes, sir.
Anything else?
You're wanted
In ward 3.
Lieutenant.
Yes, sir?
I suppose you think
I'm too severe
In not granting
This request.
I'm not supposed to
Say what I think, sir.
All right. Say it.
If you want my opinion,
Sir, I think it stinks.
Lieutenant, I'll not have
Disrespect in my department.
You asked
For my opinion, sir.
That was my error.
Yes, major.
Anything else?
You're still wanted
In ward 3.
Major Johnson
Will be right in.
Oh!
Well, you're not going
To a dance, you know.
You're just going to
Look over the patients.
Good morning,
Miss bradford.
Hello, major.
Let's go.
2,000 c.c.,
5% glucose and saline,
Sodium luminal,
And musculin.
I know this man.
When did I operate on him?
This morning at 2:00.
Monkevickz.
Of course.
He's from
My hometown.
Monk. Hello, monk.
Remember me?
Doctor Johnson.
Yeah?
That's right.
From back home.
Yeah. How are you,
Doc?
Feeling a little cold?
Yes, sir.
Still in shock a little.
Blood plasma.
We'll fix you
Right up, son.
Doctor, would you
Do me a favor?
Of course.
What is it, monk?
Just in case anything happens to me,
Would you look up
My old man?
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
Nothing's going to
Happen to you.
You lost a lot of blood, but
We're going to fix that up.
Swell.
Thanks a lot, doc.
Hello? Hello.
This is medicine 299.
We have 380 patients.
We expect more in.
When can we get ambulances
To evacuate them?
53 new surgical cases just came in, sir.
Who's in surgery now?
Uh, dowling, Johnson,
Coleman, and harvey.
Coleman and Johnson have been
Operating for 16 hours straight.
Can't take much more.
Well, can't be helped.
Sign up the surgical teams
1, 2, 3, 4.
All right. Take him away.
Go home. Go to bed.
I know they got to kill the
Doctors, but not the nurses.
I'll get someone else
For the rest of the night.
They're coming, major.
Quite a night.
Yes, sir.
You're the most competent
Nurse I've ever had
In all my experience, and I want
You to know that I appreciate it.
Thank you, major.
In regards
To that matter
Of crandall's
Emergency furlough,
You were quite right,
And I intend to see
That he gets off today.
Yes, sir.
Let's have a cup
Of coffee, huh?
No, thank you.
Look, snapshot.
I'm sorry about what
I said to you yesterday,
Honestly, genuinely,
Sincerely sorry.
I behaved stupidly,
And I'm tired.
I'm so darned tired that
You've got to forgive me.
I apologize.
I want to be friends.
I want to hear you say
Something once in a while
Except "yes, major."
Come on, snapshot.
We're both tired.
Let's forget it.
Yes, major.
Then will you have a cup
Of coffee with me now?
No, thank you.
Ok. Then that's that,
Lieutenant.
"awfully tired tonight, darling,
And on top of everything,
This darn nurse again."
Mind if I sit down
A minute?
Please do.
Thank you.
Um, I was very rude
To you just now.
I'm sorry.
Well, I can't say
I blame you.
I'm a very
Irritating person.
So am I.
Well, if you still want to be
Friends, I'd like it very much.
Snapshot, you're
A funny kid.
Yeah. I know.
Of course, I want
To be friends.
I've wanted to
For a long time.
Well, then that's that.
Mm. Boy,
Is that good.
I hope it doesn't
Keep you awake.
No. I'm too tired
To sleep anyway.
Well, you better try.
So have you.
Yes, major.
Look. Uh, don't you
Think we could dispense
With this
Major business?
Well, what should I
Call you?
Anything but that.
Well, I certainly
Can't call you ulysses.
No. No. I've had trouble
With that all my life.
Perhaps I should call you what
I've been calling you to myself,
Although-
Although after tonight, I'm
Not sure that it fits you.
What's that?
Useless.
Well, it could
Be worse.
Cigarette?
Yes, thank you.
Here. Oh!
That thing's always
Falling apart.
Thank you.
It lights, though.
Thanks.
Well, good night.
Good night.
Thanks
For the coffee.
Sure.
And, snapshot...
Thanks for coming.
"going to sleep now,
Darling.
"all my love, Lee.
"p.s. By the way, don't
Worry about snapshot.
She was just in, and
Everything is all right."
Well, that's nice.
I was afraid they were
Going to fight again.
Well, it's nice to know
He has someone to talk to.
Yes. And it's nice
Of him to give us
An hourly bulletin
On her.
Now, mother, don't
Be a cat.
I wonder what
She looks like.
Where's that photograph
He sent you last week?
Perhaps we can
Pick her out.
It's here.
Oh. Let's see now.
Hmm.
This one?
Uh, I doubt it.
Well, how about
This one?
Maybe. Keep on going.
This?
Oh, dear, dear, dear. This
Is difficult, isn't it?
Surely not this one.
Oh, no.
Well, I guess she
Isn't on it.
Um...
How about, uh, this one?
Oh. Didn't I
Point to her?
She's so
Unattractive.
Isn't she?
Oh, penny.
Stop being a goose.
You're not really
Jealous, are you?
No. Of course not.
Oh. Good.
Darling, I must go,
And you must go to bed.
Thanks for
A lovely dinner.
See you tomorrow.
Yes, dear.
Good night,
My sweet.
Good night, mother.
Hello, darling.
Who's that?
I don't know.
Well, you could see.
Mother, please.
He kissed you!
Mother!
Ahem. I'd be curious if
Someone had kissed me.
Mother, will you
Please be quiet?
I didn't know you were-
Who? Good heavens.
I beg your pard-
Oh. I thought it was
Someone el-
Oh. I'm awfully sorry.
Oh, good grief.
His name is
Ulysses Johnson.
He's a little crazy.
Lee! Lee!
229th, evacuation hospital.
Lieutenant colonel
Johnson speaking.
Yes, sir.
It's been pretty bad.
The front's been
Kind of quiet lately,
But we've been bombed
Several times
During the last 3 days.
Yes, sir.
Supply ten-
Hello? Hello?
We've been cut off.
Hello?
Telegram.
Oh. Good.
From my wife.
I haven't heard
From her-hello?
Yes, sir.
We were cut off.
I was saying, the
Supply tent has been hit,
And we've lost
A lot of equipment.
We'll have to have
Some more, sir.
Yes, sir?
Oh. That's fine.
Yes.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
Good-bye.
Gee. Aren't women
Something?
Why?
Imagine getting this in the
Midst of all that out there.
She decided I had nothing to do in anzio
But to fall in love.
She's jealous.
And to top that, guess who
She picked to be jealous of-
Snapshot.
Really?
Just because I happened to mention her
In a couple
Of letters.
That was a big mistake.
Yeah. I can see
That now.
Snapshot's just
A pal, a soldier.
A darn pretty soldier.
Yeah? I hadn't
Noticed.
Whew! Well, looks like
It's over for a while.
Guess we'll have
A breathing spell.
I can use it.
Say, how about you two
Coming out
And having a bath
With me?
A bath?
Well, you could use
That, too, useless,
And so could you.
Ha. I'm-I'm
On duty this afternoon.
Where are you going
To take a bath?
Well, some of the girls found a
Roman ruin a couple of miles away.
It's the most perfect
Bathtub you ever saw.
How about it?
Good. I'll be back
In 30 minutes.
Crazy girl.
Crazy soldier,
You mean.
Um, what, uh, is this bath like exactly?
Uh, is it enclosed?
Oh, my, no.
Entirely open.
The romans were a very
Civilized people, useless.
Yes. I know,
But, uh-
That is to say, uh-
Open, huh?
What do you suggest?
Well, when in rome.
Look I'll take one first,
And you can stand guard,
And then I can
Look out for you.
Oh.
Yes. Yes.
Oh, boy. This
Is going to be something.
Hey. The air's cooler
Than I thought.
Is it?
Yeah.
I always had
That trouble.
I'd feel I couldn't
Wait to get in the water,
And then when I got
My clothes off,
I'd get so cold that sometimes
I wouldn't even go in.
Just lie around.
Well, don't just lie
Around now, please.
Get in and get it
Over with.
Somebody might come.
Well, what if they do?
You're protecting me.
Now, snapshot, you stop
It and get in that water.
Ha ha! Ok.
Here we go!
Hey. Hear me splashing,
Useless?
Yes, I do.
You know, back home,
I was known
As the biggest splasher
In town.
That's quite
A distinction.
Yeah. I could splash
Everybody else
Right out of the pool.
Can't do half
As well now.
You're doing
All right.
Oh. This is wondrous.
Oh, yes. This is
Really wondrous.
Hey, snapshot!
What?
Are you standing guard?
Certainly. Go on.
Nobody's going to see you.
I haven't had so much
Fun since I was a kid
And went swimming
In the creek.
You used to go swimming
In a creek, useless?
Of course I did.
What do you think?
With all the other
Little boys?
Yes, with all
The other little boys.
Why?
I don't know. I just can't picture it.
Why not?
Well, you don't
Seem like-
Well, I don't know.
Am I so different from all
The other men you've known?
Well, I've never been around
Very successful people before.
What's she like,
Useless, your wife?
Is she pretty?
Beautiful.
Well, why didn't you
Ever have any children?
We had a lot
Of fun together,
Didn't want to spoil
It, I guess.
Whose idea was that?
Mine, I'm afraid.
Well, what did you want
Out of life, useless?
I don't know. I guess
More than anything,
I wanted
To be successful.
And so you just
Stopped living.
What?
Nothing.
Maybe I just got so in the
Habit of being successful
I stopped living
For a while.
What would you say to that
As a diagnosis, snapshot?
Pretty good, doctor.
Hey, useless. There's
A truckload of nurses
Bearing down on us.
What?
You better hurry.
I don't know how long
I can fight them off.
Oh, look here!
Get stalling!
Colonel Johnson.
Yes?
We have a few
New cases in.
Would you care to come
Into receiving?
Aren't they being
Taken care of?
Yes, sir. Captain gellar's in charge,
And colonel silver's
With him,
But one of the men
Asked for you.
He says he's
A friend of yours.
Friend of mine?
Yes, sir.
His name's monkevickz.
Monk?
Where is he?
Number 6.
What's wrong
With him?
Ruptured spleen.
How did that happen?
Malaria.
Malaria?
Is he pretty bad?
Yes. There's nothing
We can do.
Some friends to see
You, sergeant.
Hello, monk.
Hello, doc.
Nurse mccall.
Hello, monk.
So we've got
You again, huh?
This time
For keeps, doc.
You sure there's
No more to be done?
Not only
The acute condition.
The poor lad's full
Of hookworm.
It's bled him white,
Anemic,
No resistance.
Doc.
Yes, monk.
Lean over further.
I'm right here,
Monk.
Remember...
Remember what
You promised, doc.
Give... Give the old man
A kiss for me.
I will.
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
I won't forget.
Sure. Sure.
Thanks for
Everything, doc.
It's all over.
Match?
Of course, that kid
Should never have been
In the army
In the first place.
His spleen would never
Had ruptured
If he hadn't
Had malaria.
He had that
Before he enlisted.
It wasn't on his records.
He lied about it.
Told me he'd had it
For years.
Of course, if he'd had
Medical attention earlier,
This probably never
Would have happened.
Well...
Malaria. Huh.
Doesn't that
Make you mad?
An american soldier
Dies on the battlefield-
Killed, but not
By the enemy.
What's the matter
With us, anyway?
I always thought we were the
Kindest people in the world,
And yet here we are, allowing
Things like this to happen.
Oh, I know a lot's
Being done at home,
But it's not enough.
It's never enough.
I can just imagine
What kind of a hole
This kid had to live in
Back home.
But weren't there
Any doctors around
Who knew
What was going on?
Why didn't they
Do something about it?
Not enough of them cared,
That's why.
And that's
Our whole trouble.
We just don't
Care enough.
You're wrong.
The town
Monk lived in
Had plenty of
Doctors who cared,
But I wasn't
One of them.
Oh, I'd forgot.
He came
From your hometown.
Colonel Johnson?
He's not here, snapshot.
Oh. Thank you.
Come in.
Um, you don't know
Where he is?
No, I-I haven't
Seen him for some time.
Well, it doesn't
Matter. I only thought-
What?
What's wrong, snapshot?
Nothing.
It was
Something I said.
I'm afraid
I upset him very much.
Yes, you seem to have
A... Faculty for doing that.
Why do I always
Shoot off my mouth?
Will I ever learn?
He isn't-
He isn't heartless,
You know.
Neither are you,
Snapshot.
What?
You've got a heart, too.
Don't let it
Get you into trouble.
I'm not a child,
Sir.
I know you're not.
That's the point.
The kind of trouble
I mean,
Children don't get into.
Too late, colonel...
But thanks.
Look what I found growing
In a crater-lupine.
Well,
What do you know?
Back home in california,
The fields were full of
Them this time of year.
Ha ha!
Say, snapshot...
Has Johnson
Been in yet?
I... I haven't
Seen him this morning.
I don't think we'll have
To operate on this boy.
We'll send him
To the base.
I didn't know
You had started,
Or I would have
Come straight in.
It's quite all right.
Uh, could I get you
A cup of coffee?
No, thanks.
Coming pretty close.
Yes.
Take cover!
Take cover!
Better get down there
Until it lets up.
All right,
Step on it!
Take cover!
Take cover!
Sounds as if
They meant business.
We may have some work
On our hands.
Yes.
He used to
Deliver our laundry.
He lived in a slum back
Home called chester village.
I fixed his leg
For him.
He was just
Another case.
That's the way it's been
With all my patients-
Just cases...
Not human beings.
You were right,
Snapshot.
I've never cared
Enough.
Oh, useless.
Don't.
I'm sorry
For what I-
It's not that.
Don't let it worry you.
There was a man
Back home who cared.
Dr. Sunday.
He knew
What it was all about.
He got something.
My father had it, too,
And my grandfather.
Silver's got it.
You've got it, too,
Snapshot.
I'll never forget
That boy
As long as I live.
You're a swell guy,
Useless...
A swell guy.
I know.
I know exactly.
I'm very fond
Of you, useless.
I'd like you
To hold me close.
I'd like it very much.
But you belong
To someone else.
And...
That hit something.
Colonel Johnson!
Colonel silver's
Still in there!
Hit the dirt!
Lie still.
Don't try to get up.
Bed number 3-
Desmond.
He's safe.
Get me one ampule
Of c.s.b.
Miller, bradford.
They're all safe.
Are you in pain?
No.
No pain at all.
Come in.
I'll be out
In a moment.
Bob!
Hello, penny.
What are you
Doing here?
Lee wrote me.
He wanted me to come
And see mr. Monkevickz.
Oh. Well...
Just a moment.
He's very ill,
Penny.
I told him
You were here,
And he's
Very grateful,
But I think
It'll be better
If you don't
See him now.
Oh, I'm sorry.
How have you been,
Penny?
Fine, Bob.
Thanks.
Where is Lee now?
England, for the last
3 months or so.
I'm sorry I haven't
Been over to see you.
Always wanted to, but
I've been very busy.
I guess everybody is
These days.
Penny...
You look
A little pale.
Is anything wrong?
No. I'm all right.
Why don't you come home
With me for a cup of tea?
All right, Bob.
I'd like to.
Fine.
You, uh,
May very easily
Be exaggerating
Everything, you know, penny?
No.
No, Bob,
I'm losing him.
I know it.
Every day,
He's getting
Further away
From me.
He's changing. I can feel him changing.
Perhaps he's changing
For the better.
Yes.
I have no doubt,
But what difference
Does that make?
I'm losing him.
He can change
All he wants to,
And I'll
Still love him,
But he may not
Love me.
Penny
- oh, I can read between the lines.
He says
When he comes back
We ought to have a
Different life together.
He thinks we were
Smug and selfish.
Just being in love with
Each other wasn't enough.
Penny.
Yes?
Who is she?
They call her
"snapshot."
She's his nurse.
Is he in love
With her?
Worse.
He's gotten over it.
Oh, I wrote him
About it,
A whole year ago.
I told him he was
In love with her,
And he laughed
At me.
Look, penny-
And then today, another letter comes,
A whole year later.
He... Said he'd been
Thinking it over carefully.
He wanted it all clear between us.
It seems
There was a time
When
There was danger,
But he resisted.
It took him a whole
Year to think it over,
But he resisted,
And now they're-
They're just pals.
Oh, Bob,
I hate pals.
At least
He's honest about it.
I know he's honest.
At least
He thinks so.
I know Lee so well.
He's-he's so boyish
In some ways,
Always has been.
I've always known
That Lee was-
Well, we both were-
Well,
Never either of us
Felt a great deal
About other people,
Just about
Each other,
And if Lee
Is becoming more-
Well, more
Understanding,
Wiser,
More sympathetic-
Whatever it is,
I'm glad,
But if he's
Going to change,
Why can't we do it
Together?
I know how lonely
He's been.
Lee never
Made friends easily,
Never let anyone
Inside much.
That's what
Frightens me.
If this-
This snapshot
Has really filled the
Loneliness for him,
She must be something rather good.
I know she is,
Or Lee wouldn't
Be interested.
It must be something
Quite deep,
So deep he wouldn't even see it himself
Until it was
Too late.
Oh, Bob,
I'm not inhuman.
I know how much we all
Need someone to lean on,
To talk to;
How much we need
Warmth and-
And sympathy...
And love.
Well...
Maybe the johnsons
Have a problem at last,
But they'll
Work it out.
I'm frightened, Bob,
So awfully,
Awfully frightened.
And she calls him
"useless."
Isn't that revolting?
Dr. Sunday, look.
Hello, colonel.
Afternoon, colonel.
Oh, colonel Johnson.
Yes, captain?
I was looking
For you.
I wondered when you'd
Like to see the new nurse.
Why, anytime.
Tomorrow will do.
I'll see her before I go on
My leave. There's no hurry.
When is miss mccall
Leaving?
Anytime now.
She had some reports
To finish.
Rather rough
Losing her.
She's been with you
A long time,
Hasn't she?
Yes, she has.
We're all gonna miss her a great deal.
Yes.
Well, I'll send
The new nurse
To see you
In the morning then.
Good-bye, colonel.
Good-bye, captain.
Um...
Yes? What is it?
Well, I-I hear you're going
On leave pretty soon, sir,
To paris.
That's right.
I suppose
Quite a lot of the guys
Have asked you to
Buy stuff for them.
No, not too many.
Why?
Well, I
- I was sort of wondering
If you'd get my girl
Something from paris.
Your girl?
Yes, sir.
Sure, mac.
I'd be glad to
Get her something.
What do you want?
Oh, I guess it
Really doesn't matter,
Just as long as
It's from paris.
I wrote down a few things here that I-
That I thought
She might like.
Ok, mac.
I'll try to get her
Something nice.
Oh, thanks
A million, sir.
Good-bye.
Yes?
May I come in?
Please do.
Well, this is it,
Useless.
All ready to go?
Yes, but I've got
A few minutes.
Still don't know where
You'll be stationed,
Of course?
No. No. I'll be
Reassigned
From casual nurses' pool
Headquarters-
England,
Back to the states,
The pacific, maybe.
Snapshot...
If after you know,
I'd appreciate it
If you let me know.
I'd... Well, I'd sort
Of like to think of you
In some
Particular place.
There's so many places
You could be sent.
I'd like to know where.
I'll let you know,
Useless.
I did everything I could
To keep you.
I know.
Selfish of me.
I'm sure they want you
For something important.
You know I'd rather
Stay with this outfit.
Well, it's-
It's like home to me.
It can't be helped.
Nope.
It can't be helped.
Well, I got to
Catch the convoy.
Yes.
Snapshot...
I'm going to be lost
Without you.
Good-bye, useless.
It's been swell.
Snapshot.
Would you like
A table, sir?
No. No, thank you.
Oh, colonel?
Right.
Where's the bar,
Please?
The room right
Over there, monsieur.
Thank you.
Well, we made it.
Hello, useless.
I thought you were at the
Other end of the world by now.
No. Right here in paris
All this time.
They haven't
Reassigned me yet,
So I'm on sort of a leave
For a week until they do.
Why didn't you
Let me know?
I would have
Let you know later.
After you'd gone,
You mean.
Yes, after I'd gone.
Snapshot,
We've got a table
Right by
The first window.
I'll be right in.
It's a farewell party.
Two of the girls are going
Back to the states tomorrow.
Judith o'neill is
Going to look up my son.
Where will I-
When will I see you?
Where will you be?
In the bar.
Right after dinner.
I'll be waiting.
It never occurred
To either of us
That we'd ever
Get married.
We'd known
Each other so long,
All our lives.
We were kids
Together.
All through
Grade school,
Then high school,
And when I studied
Nursing,
He was going to college
In the same town.
But... Then we did
Get married.
We had a wonderful
Two years.
I learned a lot
Of things from him.
He was so honest
And cared so much.
Ever since
I can remember,
He was always
Sort of...
Fighting for
The right things.
He sounds ok.
He was.
They sent me his things
From nanking.
This lighter
Was among them.
That's why I've never
Thrown it away.
It's a broken torch,
But...
It still strikes fire.
It's... Well,
It's like him somehow.
So there you have the
Story of my life complete,
Up to a certain day
About...
Well, about
21/2 years ago.
What happened
21/2 years ago?
Well, we were at sea,
About 6 days out.
It was just about dusk.
It was a lovely
Evening-calm and still.
A lot of soldiers and
Nurses lying around the deck.
We were all
Being shipped somewhere.
I was feeling
Very peaceful when-
When all of a sudden,
Someone made a remark
That made me furious,
And I answered,
And two minutes later,
I found myself
Involved in an argument.
It lasted for...
Snapshot.
Dance with me, useless.
Yes, sir, we are
Paging colonel Johnson.
Hold the line, please.
Thanks.
Yes.
Speaking.
Who?
Oh, hello, george.
When did you get here?
Because I thought
You were going to-
What?
What?
Well, I can't believe it.
Are you sure?
Good heavens.
Well, how'd you get through?
I see.
Well, yes. Yes, of course.
Thanks for calling me, george.
Good-bye.
Anything wrong?
Let's finish this
First.
Here's to all the nurses
Of the 299th.
And all the doctors,
Too.
And all our friends,
As well,
The ones we'll see again
And the ones we won't.
Well, what is it?
What's happened?
Germans
Have broken through.
They're on the march again
With all they've got.
It's their order
Of the day-
Paris by christmas.
Our whole front
Is collapsing.
They've surrounded
Bastogne.
Bastogne?
Check, please.
Well, what are you
Going to do?
Get back to the outfit
If I can.
Well, let's go.
What?
You're not going.
Who says I'm not?
But you're stationed-
Look. I'm on
A week's leave,
And if they can
Use a doctor,
They can use
A nurse, too,
If only for a week,
And if you
Don't take me,
I'll find some other
Way to get there.
Let's go.
299th evacuation!
299th evacuation!
299th evacuation!
Saw them last
About 4 miles away-
What was left of them.
What is it?
Wait a minute.
Tank.
Out! Quick!
They gone?
Yeah.
What do we do,
Get started?
Suicide to be on these roads tonight.
Not even a chance to
Get through to basecles.
Not a prayer.
How about getting back
To cologne?
Too risky.
Better stay put right
Here until daylight.
It's hours till daylight.
Yes.
Better try and get
Some rest while you can.
You're
Tired and cold.
I'm sorry, useless.
We don't dare
Build a fire.
No, no, no.
I'm all right.
Try and get
A little rest.
Sure. You, too.
I'll watch
A while yet.
Insane of me to
Let you come along.
But you didn't let me.
I could have
Stopped you.
You were
Out of this mess.
You were free.
You were going away.
Is my life worth any more
Than any of the others?
It is to me.
You see,
I love you, snapshot.
Oh, useless.
Oh, useless.
Oh, my darling.
Darling, darling.
Hello, colonel.
Taking a look
At the skyline?
It's got "home"
Written all over it.
Cigarette?
It certainly
Looks good.
Got a match?
Oh.
It's all right.
I'll get it.
Thank you.
Always does that.
Got to get it fixed.
Well...
Time to be getting
Our gear together,
Eh, colonel?
Yes.
Any further delay?
It's coming in now.
There he is,
Miss penny!
Oh, Lee.
It's been
A long time, penny.
Well, Sol.
Welcome home, dr. Johnson.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, Sol.
How have you been?
Just fine, dr. Johnson, just fine.
Good to see you.
Oh. Here.
Here are the checks
For my baggage.
Yes, sir.
The car's right out in front.
Well, uh,
Shall we go?
Remember this house?
I ought to.
I was hoping you'd come in the daytime.
I planted geraniums
All along the border.
They're so pretty.
Well, you can see them
In the morning.
Clean.
So clean, penny.
Hello, Lee.
Hello, mother.
Ahh.
So we've
Got you again.
Ohh. This is a big moment for us, Lee.
Me, too.
You're not
A wrinkle older.
Oh, yes, yes.
How do you think
Penny looks?
Beautiful.
I just wanted to get
A glimpse of you.
Now I'll go.
Good night, Lee.
It means everything
To have you home.
Now we can all
Sort of begin to...
Live again.
Good night,
Penny, dear.
Good night, mother.
She's been here
All afternoon.
She was afraid
She might be in the way,
But I made her stay.
I'm glad you did.
She's really
Missed you, Lee.
Yes.
Oh, Sol.
Where's Sarah?
Oh, she's a little bashful, sir.
She must be
In the kitchen.
I'll go and see her.
Good old Sarah.
Hasn't changed
A bit.
No.
It's a beautiful
House.
Yes, isn't it?
I love it.
Are you hungry?
Would you-
Would you like
Something to eat?
No, thanks.
I had dinner
On the plane.
How was the trip?
Very smooth.
I want to go down to the
Hospital in the morning,
Look around,
See what it's like.
Might be difficult at first
To pick up the loose ends.
Yes.
I don't know quite
What you want to do.
A lot of people
Have called.
You don't want to see
Anyone just yet, do you?
I guess I don't quite feel like
Seeing people at the moment.
I understand, Lee.
Thanks.
You must be
Awfully tired, Lee.
Yes, I am.
I guess we'd better
Turn in.
You go on upstairs,
And I'll lock up.
I guess I am tired.
Don't be so sure he
Doesn't love you, penny.
Lee doesn't know exactly what
He wants himself yet, you know.
You've seen him?
Yes.
He was here
This morning.
Oh. He said he didn't
Want to see anyone yet.
He wanted to apologize.
I thought at first
He meant that he was sorry
For an argument
We had before he left.
I said, "forget it.
I have."
But that wasn't it.
He said, "no, Bob,
"I just want to apologize
To you in general.
I've got to trust you
To understand what I mean."
And then as he was going,
He said something that
Touched me very deeply.
He looked at me
And said,
"how on earth
Did I miss
What you've been telling
Me all these years?"
I watched him
From this window.
He went across
To monkevickz's house
And went in.
I don't know
How long he was there.
I watched
For quite a while.
You know, penny,
I've known Lee
For a long time.
Lots of times, we didn't see eye to eye,
Yet I've always
Loved him.
Now I sort of
Know why.
He's quite a guy,
Penny.
He's worth fighting for.
Face him.
Ask him about snapshot,
What his plans are.
Oh, hello.
Please don't get up.
Have you
Been home long?
No,
Just a few minutes.
I stayed
At the hospital
Longer
Than I intended.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I- I went out
For a while.
Did they give you
A rousing welcome?
Yes.
But it seemed strange.
Yes.
You're very understanding, penny.
The garden is lovely,
Isn't it?
Yes.
I've sat out here a lot
Waiting for you.
Yes. I thought of you sitting out here.
Would you like
A bacardi?
I don't know whether
You still like them.
Well, neither do I,
But I'm sure
I would.
But let's just stay
Here a minute, penny.
Penny, there's something
I'd like to say.
When I left, we promised each other
We wouldn't change.
Remember?
I remember.
Well, I'm afraid I didn't
Stick to our bargain.
I somehow feel different about things.
I've lost some of the
Assurance I used to have.
I
- I'm not quite so sure of things anymore.
And yet,
In another way,
I feel surer
Than I...
I'm afraid
I can't explain.
Lee, you don't have
To explain... Anything.
Can I get something,
Lee?
No. No thanks.
I just want
A cigarette.
Does it-
Does it bother you much?
Your-your leg?
No. It's all right.
Lee...
Lieutenant mccall-
Has she come home,
Too?
Lieutenant mccall died
In a hospital in belgium
Several weeks ago.
Oh.
I saw her in the hospital
A few days before.
You want to tell me
About it?
Yes.
Yes, I'd like to
Very much, penny.
Of course.
She was wounded just
Outside cologne-
Shell fragment.
I went on further
Into germany.
That's
Where I got this.
Then,
After v.e. Day,
When I was
On my way home,
I heard that
She was in lier.
I got there
At a bad time.
She had just had
Another operation,
And the doctor was
Very discouraged.
I talked to him.
He said he felt her
Chances were very slight.
In fact,
He was quite sure
That it was
Hopeless.
I couldn't
Believe it.
I'd seen
A lot of people die,
But somehow
Snapshot-
She was so active
And alive,
You somehow felt there was
Something indestructible
About her.
I was stunned.
Finally, they told me
That I could see her,
But only for a few minutes.
I don't think I was ever
So shocked in my life.
I'd been through
Almost 3 years of war with her.
She'd stood up under everything
That even men couldn't take.
Then, to see her
The way she was that day...
Leaves you with something you...
Can't ever forget.
Hello, useless.
This is a fine place
To find you.
What's the idea?
Just getting
A little rest.
So, you're going home
At last, useless.
Hmm. Yep.
Good.
You will be, too,
Soon.
Sure.
How are you coming,
Anyway?
Mm. How can I tell?
You know you can never
Believe these doctors.
Thanks for the letters,
Useless.
They were swell letters.
Oh, yes.
I nearly forgot.
There on the table.
I don't...
Smoke anymore.
I thought
You might like it.
It's an old trick
I used to pull.
They want you to go.
You're wearing
The patient out.
You-you will
Write me, won't you?
Lafayette hospital.
Promise me.
Maybe.
And-and when
You come back...
Mm.
You know the saying
In the army, useless.
When a soldier
Leaves his outfit,
All debts and friendships
Are canceled.
No, snapshot.
No.
Mm-hmm.
It's a good saying.
When you're home,
You'll know it.
"I'm wounded,
But I'm not slain."
"I'll but lie down
And bleed a while"...
"and then I'll rise
And fight again."
Good-bye, useless.
Don't miss your convoy.
Snapshot.
Snapshot.
Go home, useless.
Go home.
It seemed as if
There must be something
That I could do...
But there wasn't.
Everything had been done
That could be.
Several days later, I phoned
The hospital from cherbourg.
They told me
She was dead.
I stopped to see her
Little boy on the way home.
He lives with
His grandparents.
Nice little boy.
Very much like her.
It might have been
Easier
If I hadn't told you,
And yet...
That would have been
Impossible.
I couldn't think of
Anything else coming home.
And then, on the boat,
I met a man,
A perfect stranger
Who couldn't possibly
Have known
What was in my mind,
Yet somehow, he seemed to
Confirm my innermost thoughts.
He said,
It's only fair
For the people
Over here to know
That they've got to
Live with us coming home.
He was right.
I had to tell you...
Because it isn't
Just my problem;
It's our problem
Together.
And I couldn't
Go on living
With this
Inside of me
Without your sharing it.
Penny, bear with me
A while, can you?
Oh, Lee.
I'm sorry.
My heart's so full.
I...
I wonder if anyone could
Ever know what it means
To be the one who's-
Who's left out,
The one who's spared.
In all the time
I've waited for you,
When I tried to follow every
Movement of yours on my map,
And read and reread
Your letters,
In all
These 3 long years,
The worst of it was,
I couldn't help you.
I couldn't
Do anything for you.
But, Lee, the thing that gave me
More courage than anything else
Was that somehow,
The hope that
When you came back,
You might need me.
And now-now you do
Need me, Lee.
I'm in it again.
Oh, Lee, I'm so glad
You told me what you did,
Let me inside again,
Made me a part of it.
You asked me if I can
bear with you for a while.
Oh, darling...
I can bear with you for
as long as our lives last.
I love you, Lee.
What, darling?
I said, "welcome home."
At long last, welcome home.
Dinner's served, mrs. Johnson.
soon, shouldn't we?
What's your hurry, Kid?
We got all night.
You've covered a lot
of these homecomings,
Haven't you mr. Williams?
This is my 25th transport,
More than 200,000
homecoming soldiers.
Yeah. I'll bet you've
gotten some wonderful yarns.
Oh. I'll get one now and again.
As a rule, though, a man
who has a real story to tell
Won't tell it,
Not to a reporter anyhow.
Well, how can you tell
a man's got a story
If he won't give out with it?
Williams is psychic,
didn't you know?
Gets so you can see
it in their faces.
You can always pick out your man.
You mean the man who isn't
gonna give you a story.
Yeah.
There she is!
Ha ha ha!
Seems to me there are a lot
Of interesting faces here.
Haven't found your man
yet, mr. Williams?
Not yet. Nope.
I'll see you later, kid.
Light, colonel?
Thank you.
Great outfit, the 299th medical.
We've heard a lot about it back
here at home, colonel Johnson.
Yes. Great outfit.
Quite a job, fighting a war
with only a hypodermic needle.
Yes.
What's your specialty, colonel?
Specialty?
Oh. I'm a surgeon.
Had quite a practice back
In '41, I expect, didn't you?
Yes, quite a practice.
That must seem like
A long time a go, '41.
A lot of water's gone
Under the bridge since then.
Yes.
With that background
And this war,
You ought to have a whale
Of a story to tell, colonel.
I'm sorry, mr. Williams. No story.
That makes it a bit rough on folks
Back here at home, doesn't it?
How so?
I mean, well, they're
The ones that have to live
With the men
Who are coming back.
It seems only fair
That they should know
What the men
Have been through,
How they've changed.
Perhaps.
I'm afraid I have
Nothing to say
That would be
Of any help.
I don't know. I think people
Can help each other a lot.
Didn't you ever run in
To someone
Who gave you
A new slant on things?
Yes. Yes, I did.
Maybe you have some
Personal experience
You could tell, colonel.
What?
No. I've had no personal
Experiences, mr. Williams.
I have nothing to say
That would interest anyone.
Ok, colonel. Sorry.
Guess I'll be
Getting along.
Good luck, colonel.
Thank you.
Good luck to you.
Maybe you
Have some personal experience
You could tell, colonel.
No story.
Had quite a practice back
In '41, I expect, didn't you?
Quite a practice.
Must seem like
A long time ago, '41.
Yes. 1941 was a long time ago.
How easy it all seemed
At lafayette hospital, '41.
Dr. Ulysses d. Johnson.
I kind of thought of it
As my hospital,
And everybody else
Seemed to think that way, too,
And why not?
I'd worked hard enough
To get there-
4 years harvard medical school,
Internship johns hopkins,
Surgical resident
At mayo clinic 5 years,
And finally chief of surgery.
Yep. Quite a guy.
Dr. Johnson's office. Dr.
Johnson's secretary speaking.
Hello? Oh, yes,
Mrs. Nichols.
Yes. Tomorrow is
His birthday.
Yes, he does.
Very young.
Smoking jacket?
I'm sure he'd appreciate it
A great deal
Coming from you.
Well, his shoulders are
Quite broad of course.
Height? Oh, I should say
He's about 6 feet.
Perhaps a scarf
Would be better.
Yes, mrs. Nichols, blue would
Go beautifully with his hair.
Not at all, mrs. Nichols.
Good-bye, mrs. Nichols.
He's alone now.
Thanks.
How many more,
Miss Simpson?
How many more
Can you stand?
Penny.
Ha ha ha!
Hello, darling.
I didn't know
You were here.
I've been sitting out
There getting a lesson.
You certainly turn
On the charm
For your women
Patients, don't you?
Jealous?
Mm. Could be.
Oh. A doctor
Has to live,
Support his wife...
Keep her in new hats.
Oh. Well, that's
Something.
You did notice
It then?
The minute
I turned around.
You like it?
I love it and you.
Uh, dr. Johnson, dr.
Sunday's waiting to see you.
Says he has
An appointment.
Bob. I completely
Forgot about him.
Well, what does
Bob want?
I ran into him
The other day
And promised
To talk to him
About that project
Of his,
You know, the malaria
In chester village.
I've been putting
Him off for weeks.
Well, what does he think
You can do about malaria?
You're a surgeon.
Use my influence,
I suppose.
Oh, dear.
I did want us to go to curtis'
Sport shop before it closes,
Pick up some clubs.
I'm taking up golf.
Won't be a minute.
You want to come and say hello to him?
Not just now.
I'll try to make
It short.
Hello, Bob.
Hello, Lee.
How are you?
Fine, thanks.
Nice to see you.
When is that new book
Of yours coming out?
March 15 if all
Goes well.
Good. I'll be anxious
To see it.
Very nice of you to
Give me this hour, Lee.
You don't know what
A help it will be.
Well, as a matter of fact, I
I got myself mixed up
A little on this hour.
I - I'm terribly sorry, but you see,
Something has come up,
And I'm afraid we won't be able to
Have our talk this afternoon after all.
That's too bad.
Yes. I-I-I'm
Terribly sorry,
But you see,
Tomorrow's my birthday,
And penny just came by
To take me down
And show me some golf clubs
She wants to surprise me with.
I see.
Well, how about
Tonight?
Well, tonight's friday.
Yes.
Well, we always
Go to the club friday.
We, uh, we dance.
Oh.
Well, I know all this seems
Sort of trivial to you, Bob,
But, good heavens, some people
Like to dance once in a while.
Well, I haven't
Said a word.
No, but, uh-
I want to help you.
I- I intend to,
But, well, right now-
I happened to get
You at a busy time.
Well, sort of.
Ok. I'll be
Seeing you, Lee.
Sure. I hear things in
Chester village are pretty bad.
5 new cases
This week.
Terrible.
Yes, yes.
Well, I'll be
Getting back.
Happy birthday, Lee.
I hope you find the
Right clubs. Good-bye.
Bob.
Yes?
Why don't you leave
Those files?
I'll go over them the
First possible moment.
You won't go
Over them, Lee.
No, I will.
I promise I will.
All right.
I'll leave them
If you like.
So long, Lee.
Good-bye, Bob.
The first minute
I get.
Relax, darling.
Hmm?
You're leading me
Again.
Am I?
I'm sorry, darling.
Good morning, Sol.
Good morning,
Doctor.
Good morning, Sarah.
Good morning, doctor.
Those were the best
Popovers you ever made.
Those were for your
Birthday, doctor.
Many happy returns.
Well, thank you, Sarah.
Happy birthday,
Doctor.
Thank you, Sol.
Hello,
Doctor Johnson.
Good morning.
Doctor?
Yes?
Could I speak to you
For a minute?
Sure. What's on your mind?
Well, you see, it's this way, doctor.
I've got
A stiff knee.
Hurt it playing football
A couple of years ago.
Now I got a chance to
Join the canadian army,
But they turned me
Down cold.
I thought maybe you
Could fix it up.
Canadian army? What do
You want to join them for?
They're in there
Fighting already.
Oh. So you like
To scrap, huh?
Well, no. It isn't
That, doctor.
Well, that's your
Own business, I suppose.
Where do you live?
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
My name's monkevickz. They call me monk.
Ok. We'll have a look
At it, monk.
Check with miss Simpson
In my office,
And she'll make a date
For you at the clinic.
Thanks,
Doctor Johnson.
Good-bye, sweet.
Take care of yourself.
Don't make it a long day, will you, Lee?
No, I won't.
Penny, what's wrong?
Nothing.
Darling, don't let
Those headlines bother you.
Europe's
A long ways off
To be moving in on us.
Promise?
Promise.
All right then.
Bye.
Shouldn't you be
In there with the guests?
I guess... I should,
Shouldn't I?
I sort of wish
We were alone.
I'd much rather have my
Last cocktail with you.
Hello, mother. I didn't
Know you'd come yet.
Just came.
How are you, dear?
Fine.
How are you, Lee?
So glad you
Made it, mother.
Well, doctor-
Or I guess I'd better say major now-
When are you off?
Tomorrow morning.
Dr. Johnson.
Yes, Sarah?
Dr. Sunday's
In the library.
Bob sunday? Well, ask him to come in.
I told him, but he said he'd rather not.
Oh. Thanks, Sarah.
Excuse me a minute.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Bob.
Hello, Lee. I just heard
You were leaving tomorrow,
So I thought I'd
Drop in to say good-bye
And get those files
I left with you.
Oh, heavens. I completely
Forgot about them.
I'll have them sent
To you in the morning.
Thanks.
Won't you come in
And have a cocktail?
No, thanks.
I really just wanted to
Wish you luck, which I do.
Well, I appreciate
Your coming around, Bob,
Especially after-
Bob, I honestly always
Meant to help you out
Over there
In chester village,
But somehow, well, I
Never got around to it.
That's all right.
No, it's not
All right.
It's been
On my conscience.
Well, maybe you'll feel like doing
Something about it when you get back.
You think the war's
Gonna make a man of me?
No. No. I think you'll take the
War right in your stride, Lee.
Like I do everything
Else, you mean?
I'm not trying
To be nasty.
You think I'm sort of a
Callous person, don't you, Bob?
No. Just busy.
Very busy with a lot
Of different things.
Anyway, when you get back, chester
Village will still be there.
That's one thing you can
Bank on unfortunately.
What are you
Going to do?
What do you mean?
Well, are you going
To get into it?
No. I thought about it,
But then I decided
I'd just stick around and do
What I'm doing until they call me.
Well, that's
Too bad.
Why?
Well, I hoped you'd
Get into it somehow,
Get you out of that
Rut you're in.
Rut? I don't call
Chester village a rut.
I know, I know,
I know.
Fine work. After all,
Not much future in it.
For me, you mean?
Of course, I mean
For you.
There comes a time
In every man's life
When he has to look
Out for himself.
I guess that is really
Your philosophy, isn't it?
It's anyone's philosophy
Who's really honest.
You can't solve all the
Problems of the world.
Why break your neck over
Something you can't help?
Anyway, you've done
Your share,
And now that we're
In this war
With really big
Issues at stake-
Look, Lee. Don't talk
To me about issues.
Your country's
Been attacked.
All right. Shut up!
What?
I want to tell you
Something, Lee.
I've been wanting to
Tell you for a long time
Ever since college.
Go ahead.
There's an awful lot of
A four-flusher about you.
You've got away
With murder all your life,
And when you have the guts to say
That my country has been attacked,
Implying that I'm not doing anything
About it, that's pretty hard to take.
Over there
In chester village,
Men have been
Dying for years,
Children are dying just
For lack of decent care.
Malaria, malnutrition,
Hookworm.
My country attacked?
You're darn right
It's been for a long time,
But did you care?
And don't kid yourself about
That uniform you've got on.
I'm glad you're in it.
I'm very glad.
It's the best thing
You've ever done,
But don't tell me
You're in it
Because of any issues
At stake.
You don't even know
What the issues are.
You're in it because it's
The thing to do right now,
Just because everybody
Else is doing it.
Get wise
To yourself, Lee.
Well, I guess that
Washes us up nicely.
It sure does.
Bob, I didn't know
You were here.
Hello, penny. I just
Dropped by for a moment.
Just going.
Well, come in
And have a drink.
I can't, really. Thanks just the same.
Good-bye, Lee.
Good luck.
I know you'll do
A good job.
Thanks.
And if anything should
Come up while he's gone,
You need anything, you
Know where to find me.
Thanks, Bob.
I always had a sort of
Soft spot for the johnsons.
Go back to your guests.
So long. Good luck.
Lee, did you and Bob
Have a quarrel?
Well, you know Bob.
Same old thing.
I was terrible, dear. We
Completely forgot to invite him.
Was he hurt?
I don't know. I-
Sometimes, that guy
Gets under my skin.
I'm sorry, darling.
Let's go back.
Oh, uh, the carters
Called to say
They were sorry they couldn't
Get over this afternoon.
Oh?
Told me to wish you
Good luck for them.
All right.
Penny.
Yes, dear?
Have you ever thought
I was a four-flusher?
Four-flusher? What
Are you talking about?
Well, this afternoon,
Bob said-
Oh, Lee. I knew you and
Bob had been at it again.
He's a pretty smart guy.
He seemed to think
That I-
I don't know.
Lee, Bob's
All right,
And I'm
Very fond of him,
But he's not you.
You're one of the finest
Surgeons in this country,
And if you want
My opinion,
One of the finest
Men, too.
Oh, darling,
Stop it.
This is our
Last evening.
Yes, and I'm sorry.
You remember the first
Time I ever kissed you?
I remember.
You were pretty fresh
In those days.
Heh. Oh, was I?
I've always
Liked this room.
You're a born
Homemaker, penny.
I haven't talked
Much about it,
But don't think I don't
Appreciate all you've given me.
Thanks, darling.
Keep everything
Just the way it is
Till I come back,
Won't you?
Don't have anything
Changed.
Not a thing.
I promise.
And, Lee, don't let
Them change you either.
Oh. Not a chance.
You better turn in.
You lock up.
Yeah.
I'll help you.
Oh, Lee!
Shh.
Now, now.
I'm sorry.
How long do you think
You'll be in carlisle?
Oh. About 6 weeks
Just for basic training.
I hope it won't be
Too hard on you.
Oh! Nonsense.
After all, I'm a doctor.
It won't be anything.
No further duties
Tonight.
Saturday, 1800 hours, fall
In in front of the barracks
In fatigues, leggings, and full
Field packs for a night's travel.
And off the record, I suggest
You cancel all sunday appointments
Because we'll be out
For 36 hours at least.
That's all, gentlemen.
gone are my friends
from the cotton fields away
gone from this earth
to a better land
I know...
Big ocean.
Certainly is.
Quiet crossing so far.
Yes. Surprisingly so.
Wonder where we're
Headed for.
Can't be africa.
Might be.
Oh. I think that show's
About over, isn't it?
Montgomery's got
Rommel on the run.
For the moment maybe.
You never know.
No. I think the african
Campaign's in the bag.
Probably won't be long before the
Whole war's over now that we've come in.
Wishful thinking.
Hmm?
I say, wishful thinking.
Think so?
Know it. That's how
We got here.
I wonder what
My wife's doing now,
This minute.
Mine's just putting
The kids to bed.
You got any kids?
No. Never felt
The need for any.
You don't know
What you've missed.
Really? How would
You know?
I have one, a boy.
How old is he?
Then why
Are you here?
Because I want him
To be 12.
Where's your husband?
Somewhere in china.
China?
Yes. He's buried there.
Oh. Sorry.
It was 6 years ago.
Anyway, he was fighting
For what he believed in.
Fighting in china?
Was he chinese?
No. He was
An american pilot.
6 years ago?
Yes.
Then why-
"swanee river"
Yep.
Takes you back.
Why can't people
Just stay at home
And live their own lives,
Enjoy the good things,
Their work,
Their home, music?
Why must they always
Be chasing around,
Sticking their noses
In other people's affairs.
Comfortable philosophy,
Major.
Look, young lady.
Would you mind terribly
If I just sit quietly
And talk to my friend here?
Do I disturb you?
Frankly, yes.
That's what I mean,
Everybody sticking
Their noses
Into other
People's affairs,
People butting into other
People's conversations,
American pilots
Fighting in china.
It's all the same.
You can't understand that,
Can you, major,
Why an american should
Be fighting in china?
No, I can't.
A man leaves
His wife and child
To go fight in a war that
Wasn't any of our business?
Wasn't it?
Not 6 years ago.
My husband hated
Aggression even 6 years ago.
Look, young lady. It's
People like you that-
Yes? That what?
Never mind.
No. Go on.
People like me
That what?
Oh, drop it. When women
Talk world politics,
It makes me laugh.
Do the women
Of the bombed cities
Of europe make you
Laugh, major?
Now what's that got
To do with it?
I'm talking about women who go around
Thinking they have all the answers,
Thinking that they even know
The reasons we're in this war.
I know some
Of them, major.
Because people didn't care
What went on over there
Until the murderers
Got so far
The whole world
Was in danger.
If we'd had a little simple
Humanity at the very start,
All this might
Have been stopped.
Oh. That means me,
I suppose.
Well, you're quite a specimen,
Major, as far as I can see.
Look, young lady.
I'll tell you
The reason I think
People like you
Are in this war.
I think
They enjoy it.
It's a new sensation
For them.
If I were you, I'd leave
The glory to the others
And run along home and,
Well, take care of my child.
My child is well
Taken care of, major.
May I?
Thanks.
And thanks a lot
For the lecture.
Oh, not at all. Never
Too late to learn, major.
Of all the fresh-
Who is she?
Snapshot,
They call her.
Her name's, um,
Mccall.
Yes, that's it-
Lieutenant mccall.
Whose nurse is she?
Not yours, I hope.
No. She's yours.
Put that lamp over here
And this one over there.
Captain, move this table this
Way. Give us some more room.
Right, major.
Let's see if we have
Enough plasma.
Captain gellar said
His unit is short of it.
Well, this
Must be it.
I ordered it
Last friday. Yes.
Good.
What about
Plaster of paris
And sulfanilamide?
Enough?
Just brought in
Two boxes of each, sir.
Lieutenant mccall said this
Morning that we need a lot.
Ok.
You're a very good nurse,
Lieutenant mccall.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, major.
I've been wanting to
Tell you for some time,
I'm sorry I spoke
Out of turn
That day
On the boat.
Oh, forget it. We all
Get excited at times
And say things
We're sorry for later.
Well, I'm not sorry
About what I said.
You're not?
No. Just that
I said it.
You see, I wouldn't have had I known
That you were
Chief of surgery.
But you'd have thought
The same, is that it?
Well, I can't help
What I think.
In that case, if you'll
Continue to think things
And not say them, we'll get
Along together all right.
Thank you, sir.
Major Johnson.
Major Johnson.
Major Johnson!
Major Johnson.
Yes. What is it?
The colonel wants you.
Casualties coming in, sir.
All right.
I'll be right there.
Everything's set,
Colonel.
Good, Johnson. Ever
Operate in the field before?
No, sir.
Well, good luck.
Thank you.
Captain.
Yes, sir?
Let's go. Send them in.
Remove the dressing.
Ready, major.
Direct transfusion.
Medicine 299. Give me
The army surgeon's office.
Hello, hello?
Operations officer.
Hello. This is medicine 299.
We have 380 patients
And expect more in.
When can we get
Ambulances to evacuate?
What?
We have 90 patients
Ready for evacuation,
60 litter
And 30 sitting.
Ok.
Medicine 299.
50 patients coming
From your station
Will arrive in 30 minutes.
Ok.
"it was my
First experience in the field, penny,
"but I'll never forget it.
"operated for 16 hours straight.
"these boys they bring in,
Just kids,
"but the courage they have
Makes you sort of proud somehow.
"wouldn't know what to do
Without this nurse-snapshot-
"immensely efficient
But difficult.
Miss you terribly, my darling."
"just heard a bird singing.
Crazy, isn't it?"
Good morning,
Miss mccall.
Good morning, sir.
These are
The case reports
Of the patients
To be evacuated.
Oh. Thank you.
This is sanchez. He's to
Leave this morning, sir.
Hmm?
Kind of warm today.
Yes, sir. Would you
Care to sign these two?
They're
To leave tonight.
Brown. Is he all right?
Yes. Been
Without temperature
For the last
3 days, sir.
Good. Anything else?
Chuck crandall's
Emergency furlough papers
For your approval,
Sir.
He'd like to get away a little earlier.
I can't sign this.
His furlough doesn't begin
Until the day
After tomorrow.
Well, that's right, sir, but if
He could get away early tomorrow,
He could catch
A plane to america.
If he waits, there's no
Telling when he can get home.
I can't help that.
After all, this is the army.
If I start making
Exceptions like that,
There will be
No end to it.
Yes, sir.
Anything else?
You're wanted
In ward 3.
Lieutenant.
Yes, sir?
I suppose you think
I'm too severe
In not granting
This request.
I'm not supposed to
Say what I think, sir.
All right. Say it.
If you want my opinion,
Sir, I think it stinks.
Lieutenant, I'll not have
Disrespect in my department.
You asked
For my opinion, sir.
That was my error.
Yes, major.
Anything else?
You're still wanted
In ward 3.
Major Johnson
Will be right in.
Oh!
Well, you're not going
To a dance, you know.
You're just going to
Look over the patients.
Good morning,
Miss bradford.
Hello, major.
Let's go.
2,000 c.c.,
5% glucose and saline,
Sodium luminal,
And musculin.
I know this man.
When did I operate on him?
This morning at 2:00.
Monkevickz.
Of course.
He's from
My hometown.
Monk. Hello, monk.
Remember me?
Doctor Johnson.
Yeah?
That's right.
From back home.
Yeah. How are you,
Doc?
Feeling a little cold?
Yes, sir.
Still in shock a little.
Blood plasma.
We'll fix you
Right up, son.
Doctor, would you
Do me a favor?
Of course.
What is it, monk?
Just in case anything happens to me,
Would you look up
My old man?
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
Nothing's going to
Happen to you.
You lost a lot of blood, but
We're going to fix that up.
Swell.
Thanks a lot, doc.
Hello? Hello.
This is medicine 299.
We have 380 patients.
We expect more in.
When can we get ambulances
To evacuate them?
53 new surgical cases just came in, sir.
Who's in surgery now?
Uh, dowling, Johnson,
Coleman, and harvey.
Coleman and Johnson have been
Operating for 16 hours straight.
Can't take much more.
Well, can't be helped.
Sign up the surgical teams
1, 2, 3, 4.
All right. Take him away.
Go home. Go to bed.
I know they got to kill the
Doctors, but not the nurses.
I'll get someone else
For the rest of the night.
They're coming, major.
Quite a night.
Yes, sir.
You're the most competent
Nurse I've ever had
In all my experience, and I want
You to know that I appreciate it.
Thank you, major.
In regards
To that matter
Of crandall's
Emergency furlough,
You were quite right,
And I intend to see
That he gets off today.
Yes, sir.
Let's have a cup
Of coffee, huh?
No, thank you.
Look, snapshot.
I'm sorry about what
I said to you yesterday,
Honestly, genuinely,
Sincerely sorry.
I behaved stupidly,
And I'm tired.
I'm so darned tired that
You've got to forgive me.
I apologize.
I want to be friends.
I want to hear you say
Something once in a while
Except "yes, major."
Come on, snapshot.
We're both tired.
Let's forget it.
Yes, major.
Then will you have a cup
Of coffee with me now?
No, thank you.
Ok. Then that's that,
Lieutenant.
"awfully tired tonight, darling,
And on top of everything,
This darn nurse again."
Mind if I sit down
A minute?
Please do.
Thank you.
Um, I was very rude
To you just now.
I'm sorry.
Well, I can't say
I blame you.
I'm a very
Irritating person.
So am I.
Well, if you still want to be
Friends, I'd like it very much.
Snapshot, you're
A funny kid.
Yeah. I know.
Of course, I want
To be friends.
I've wanted to
For a long time.
Well, then that's that.
Mm. Boy,
Is that good.
I hope it doesn't
Keep you awake.
No. I'm too tired
To sleep anyway.
Well, you better try.
So have you.
Yes, major.
Look. Uh, don't you
Think we could dispense
With this
Major business?
Well, what should I
Call you?
Anything but that.
Well, I certainly
Can't call you ulysses.
No. No. I've had trouble
With that all my life.
Perhaps I should call you what
I've been calling you to myself,
Although-
Although after tonight, I'm
Not sure that it fits you.
What's that?
Useless.
Well, it could
Be worse.
Cigarette?
Yes, thank you.
Here. Oh!
That thing's always
Falling apart.
Thank you.
It lights, though.
Thanks.
Well, good night.
Good night.
Thanks
For the coffee.
Sure.
And, snapshot...
Thanks for coming.
"going to sleep now,
Darling.
"all my love, Lee.
"p.s. By the way, don't
Worry about snapshot.
She was just in, and
Everything is all right."
Well, that's nice.
I was afraid they were
Going to fight again.
Well, it's nice to know
He has someone to talk to.
Yes. And it's nice
Of him to give us
An hourly bulletin
On her.
Now, mother, don't
Be a cat.
I wonder what
She looks like.
Where's that photograph
He sent you last week?
Perhaps we can
Pick her out.
It's here.
Oh. Let's see now.
Hmm.
This one?
Uh, I doubt it.
Well, how about
This one?
Maybe. Keep on going.
This?
Oh, dear, dear, dear. This
Is difficult, isn't it?
Surely not this one.
Oh, no.
Well, I guess she
Isn't on it.
Um...
How about, uh, this one?
Oh. Didn't I
Point to her?
She's so
Unattractive.
Isn't she?
Oh, penny.
Stop being a goose.
You're not really
Jealous, are you?
No. Of course not.
Oh. Good.
Darling, I must go,
And you must go to bed.
Thanks for
A lovely dinner.
See you tomorrow.
Yes, dear.
Good night,
My sweet.
Good night, mother.
Hello, darling.
Who's that?
I don't know.
Well, you could see.
Mother, please.
He kissed you!
Mother!
Ahem. I'd be curious if
Someone had kissed me.
Mother, will you
Please be quiet?
I didn't know you were-
Who? Good heavens.
I beg your pard-
Oh. I thought it was
Someone el-
Oh. I'm awfully sorry.
Oh, good grief.
His name is
Ulysses Johnson.
He's a little crazy.
Lee! Lee!
229th, evacuation hospital.
Lieutenant colonel
Johnson speaking.
Yes, sir.
It's been pretty bad.
The front's been
Kind of quiet lately,
But we've been bombed
Several times
During the last 3 days.
Yes, sir.
Supply ten-
Hello? Hello?
We've been cut off.
Hello?
Telegram.
Oh. Good.
From my wife.
I haven't heard
From her-hello?
Yes, sir.
We were cut off.
I was saying, the
Supply tent has been hit,
And we've lost
A lot of equipment.
We'll have to have
Some more, sir.
Yes, sir?
Oh. That's fine.
Yes.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
Good-bye.
Gee. Aren't women
Something?
Why?
Imagine getting this in the
Midst of all that out there.
She decided I had nothing to do in anzio
But to fall in love.
She's jealous.
And to top that, guess who
She picked to be jealous of-
Snapshot.
Really?
Just because I happened to mention her
In a couple
Of letters.
That was a big mistake.
Yeah. I can see
That now.
Snapshot's just
A pal, a soldier.
A darn pretty soldier.
Yeah? I hadn't
Noticed.
Whew! Well, looks like
It's over for a while.
Guess we'll have
A breathing spell.
I can use it.
Say, how about you two
Coming out
And having a bath
With me?
A bath?
Well, you could use
That, too, useless,
And so could you.
Ha. I'm-I'm
On duty this afternoon.
Where are you going
To take a bath?
Well, some of the girls found a
Roman ruin a couple of miles away.
It's the most perfect
Bathtub you ever saw.
How about it?
Good. I'll be back
In 30 minutes.
Crazy girl.
Crazy soldier,
You mean.
Um, what, uh, is this bath like exactly?
Uh, is it enclosed?
Oh, my, no.
Entirely open.
The romans were a very
Civilized people, useless.
Yes. I know,
But, uh-
That is to say, uh-
Open, huh?
What do you suggest?
Well, when in rome.
Look I'll take one first,
And you can stand guard,
And then I can
Look out for you.
Oh.
Yes. Yes.
Oh, boy. This
Is going to be something.
Hey. The air's cooler
Than I thought.
Is it?
Yeah.
I always had
That trouble.
I'd feel I couldn't
Wait to get in the water,
And then when I got
My clothes off,
I'd get so cold that sometimes
I wouldn't even go in.
Just lie around.
Well, don't just lie
Around now, please.
Get in and get it
Over with.
Somebody might come.
Well, what if they do?
You're protecting me.
Now, snapshot, you stop
It and get in that water.
Ha ha! Ok.
Here we go!
Hey. Hear me splashing,
Useless?
Yes, I do.
You know, back home,
I was known
As the biggest splasher
In town.
That's quite
A distinction.
Yeah. I could splash
Everybody else
Right out of the pool.
Can't do half
As well now.
You're doing
All right.
Oh. This is wondrous.
Oh, yes. This is
Really wondrous.
Hey, snapshot!
What?
Are you standing guard?
Certainly. Go on.
Nobody's going to see you.
I haven't had so much
Fun since I was a kid
And went swimming
In the creek.
You used to go swimming
In a creek, useless?
Of course I did.
What do you think?
With all the other
Little boys?
Yes, with all
The other little boys.
Why?
I don't know. I just can't picture it.
Why not?
Well, you don't
Seem like-
Well, I don't know.
Am I so different from all
The other men you've known?
Well, I've never been around
Very successful people before.
What's she like,
Useless, your wife?
Is she pretty?
Beautiful.
Well, why didn't you
Ever have any children?
We had a lot
Of fun together,
Didn't want to spoil
It, I guess.
Whose idea was that?
Mine, I'm afraid.
Well, what did you want
Out of life, useless?
I don't know. I guess
More than anything,
I wanted
To be successful.
And so you just
Stopped living.
What?
Nothing.
Maybe I just got so in the
Habit of being successful
I stopped living
For a while.
What would you say to that
As a diagnosis, snapshot?
Pretty good, doctor.
Hey, useless. There's
A truckload of nurses
Bearing down on us.
What?
You better hurry.
I don't know how long
I can fight them off.
Oh, look here!
Get stalling!
Colonel Johnson.
Yes?
We have a few
New cases in.
Would you care to come
Into receiving?
Aren't they being
Taken care of?
Yes, sir. Captain gellar's in charge,
And colonel silver's
With him,
But one of the men
Asked for you.
He says he's
A friend of yours.
Friend of mine?
Yes, sir.
His name's monkevickz.
Monk?
Where is he?
Number 6.
What's wrong
With him?
Ruptured spleen.
How did that happen?
Malaria.
Malaria?
Is he pretty bad?
Yes. There's nothing
We can do.
Some friends to see
You, sergeant.
Hello, monk.
Hello, doc.
Nurse mccall.
Hello, monk.
So we've got
You again, huh?
This time
For keeps, doc.
You sure there's
No more to be done?
Not only
The acute condition.
The poor lad's full
Of hookworm.
It's bled him white,
Anemic,
No resistance.
Doc.
Yes, monk.
Lean over further.
I'm right here,
Monk.
Remember...
Remember what
You promised, doc.
Give... Give the old man
A kiss for me.
I will.
29 verrick street,
Chester village.
I won't forget.
Sure. Sure.
Thanks for
Everything, doc.
It's all over.
Match?
Of course, that kid
Should never have been
In the army
In the first place.
His spleen would never
Had ruptured
If he hadn't
Had malaria.
He had that
Before he enlisted.
It wasn't on his records.
He lied about it.
Told me he'd had it
For years.
Of course, if he'd had
Medical attention earlier,
This probably never
Would have happened.
Well...
Malaria. Huh.
Doesn't that
Make you mad?
An american soldier
Dies on the battlefield-
Killed, but not
By the enemy.
What's the matter
With us, anyway?
I always thought we were the
Kindest people in the world,
And yet here we are, allowing
Things like this to happen.
Oh, I know a lot's
Being done at home,
But it's not enough.
It's never enough.
I can just imagine
What kind of a hole
This kid had to live in
Back home.
But weren't there
Any doctors around
Who knew
What was going on?
Why didn't they
Do something about it?
Not enough of them cared,
That's why.
And that's
Our whole trouble.
We just don't
Care enough.
You're wrong.
The town
Monk lived in
Had plenty of
Doctors who cared,
But I wasn't
One of them.
Oh, I'd forgot.
He came
From your hometown.
Colonel Johnson?
He's not here, snapshot.
Oh. Thank you.
Come in.
Um, you don't know
Where he is?
No, I-I haven't
Seen him for some time.
Well, it doesn't
Matter. I only thought-
What?
What's wrong, snapshot?
Nothing.
It was
Something I said.
I'm afraid
I upset him very much.
Yes, you seem to have
A... Faculty for doing that.
Why do I always
Shoot off my mouth?
Will I ever learn?
He isn't-
He isn't heartless,
You know.
Neither are you,
Snapshot.
What?
You've got a heart, too.
Don't let it
Get you into trouble.
I'm not a child,
Sir.
I know you're not.
That's the point.
The kind of trouble
I mean,
Children don't get into.
Too late, colonel...
But thanks.
Look what I found growing
In a crater-lupine.
Well,
What do you know?
Back home in california,
The fields were full of
Them this time of year.
Ha ha!
Say, snapshot...
Has Johnson
Been in yet?
I... I haven't
Seen him this morning.
I don't think we'll have
To operate on this boy.
We'll send him
To the base.
I didn't know
You had started,
Or I would have
Come straight in.
It's quite all right.
Uh, could I get you
A cup of coffee?
No, thanks.
Coming pretty close.
Yes.
Take cover!
Take cover!
Better get down there
Until it lets up.
All right,
Step on it!
Take cover!
Take cover!
Sounds as if
They meant business.
We may have some work
On our hands.
Yes.
He used to
Deliver our laundry.
He lived in a slum back
Home called chester village.
I fixed his leg
For him.
He was just
Another case.
That's the way it's been
With all my patients-
Just cases...
Not human beings.
You were right,
Snapshot.
I've never cared
Enough.
Oh, useless.
Don't.
I'm sorry
For what I-
It's not that.
Don't let it worry you.
There was a man
Back home who cared.
Dr. Sunday.
He knew
What it was all about.
He got something.
My father had it, too,
And my grandfather.
Silver's got it.
You've got it, too,
Snapshot.
I'll never forget
That boy
As long as I live.
You're a swell guy,
Useless...
A swell guy.
I know.
I know exactly.
I'm very fond
Of you, useless.
I'd like you
To hold me close.
I'd like it very much.
But you belong
To someone else.
And...
That hit something.
Colonel Johnson!
Colonel silver's
Still in there!
Hit the dirt!
Lie still.
Don't try to get up.
Bed number 3-
Desmond.
He's safe.
Get me one ampule
Of c.s.b.
Miller, bradford.
They're all safe.
Are you in pain?
No.
No pain at all.
Come in.
I'll be out
In a moment.
Bob!
Hello, penny.
What are you
Doing here?
Lee wrote me.
He wanted me to come
And see mr. Monkevickz.
Oh. Well...
Just a moment.
He's very ill,
Penny.
I told him
You were here,
And he's
Very grateful,
But I think
It'll be better
If you don't
See him now.
Oh, I'm sorry.
How have you been,
Penny?
Fine, Bob.
Thanks.
Where is Lee now?
England, for the last
3 months or so.
I'm sorry I haven't
Been over to see you.
Always wanted to, but
I've been very busy.
I guess everybody is
These days.
Penny...
You look
A little pale.
Is anything wrong?
No. I'm all right.
Why don't you come home
With me for a cup of tea?
All right, Bob.
I'd like to.
Fine.
You, uh,
May very easily
Be exaggerating
Everything, you know, penny?
No.
No, Bob,
I'm losing him.
I know it.
Every day,
He's getting
Further away
From me.
He's changing. I can feel him changing.
Perhaps he's changing
For the better.
Yes.
I have no doubt,
But what difference
Does that make?
I'm losing him.
He can change
All he wants to,
And I'll
Still love him,
But he may not
Love me.
Penny
- oh, I can read between the lines.
He says
When he comes back
We ought to have a
Different life together.
He thinks we were
Smug and selfish.
Just being in love with
Each other wasn't enough.
Penny.
Yes?
Who is she?
They call her
"snapshot."
She's his nurse.
Is he in love
With her?
Worse.
He's gotten over it.
Oh, I wrote him
About it,
A whole year ago.
I told him he was
In love with her,
And he laughed
At me.
Look, penny-
And then today, another letter comes,
A whole year later.
He... Said he'd been
Thinking it over carefully.
He wanted it all clear between us.
It seems
There was a time
When
There was danger,
But he resisted.
It took him a whole
Year to think it over,
But he resisted,
And now they're-
They're just pals.
Oh, Bob,
I hate pals.
At least
He's honest about it.
I know he's honest.
At least
He thinks so.
I know Lee so well.
He's-he's so boyish
In some ways,
Always has been.
I've always known
That Lee was-
Well, we both were-
Well,
Never either of us
Felt a great deal
About other people,
Just about
Each other,
And if Lee
Is becoming more-
Well, more
Understanding,
Wiser,
More sympathetic-
Whatever it is,
I'm glad,
But if he's
Going to change,
Why can't we do it
Together?
I know how lonely
He's been.
Lee never
Made friends easily,
Never let anyone
Inside much.
That's what
Frightens me.
If this-
This snapshot
Has really filled the
Loneliness for him,
She must be something rather good.
I know she is,
Or Lee wouldn't
Be interested.
It must be something
Quite deep,
So deep he wouldn't even see it himself
Until it was
Too late.
Oh, Bob,
I'm not inhuman.
I know how much we all
Need someone to lean on,
To talk to;
How much we need
Warmth and-
And sympathy...
And love.
Well...
Maybe the johnsons
Have a problem at last,
But they'll
Work it out.
I'm frightened, Bob,
So awfully,
Awfully frightened.
And she calls him
"useless."
Isn't that revolting?
Dr. Sunday, look.
Hello, colonel.
Afternoon, colonel.
Oh, colonel Johnson.
Yes, captain?
I was looking
For you.
I wondered when you'd
Like to see the new nurse.
Why, anytime.
Tomorrow will do.
I'll see her before I go on
My leave. There's no hurry.
When is miss mccall
Leaving?
Anytime now.
She had some reports
To finish.
Rather rough
Losing her.
She's been with you
A long time,
Hasn't she?
Yes, she has.
We're all gonna miss her a great deal.
Yes.
Well, I'll send
The new nurse
To see you
In the morning then.
Good-bye, colonel.
Good-bye, captain.
Um...
Yes? What is it?
Well, I-I hear you're going
On leave pretty soon, sir,
To paris.
That's right.
I suppose
Quite a lot of the guys
Have asked you to
Buy stuff for them.
No, not too many.
Why?
Well, I
- I was sort of wondering
If you'd get my girl
Something from paris.
Your girl?
Yes, sir.
Sure, mac.
I'd be glad to
Get her something.
What do you want?
Oh, I guess it
Really doesn't matter,
Just as long as
It's from paris.
I wrote down a few things here that I-
That I thought
She might like.
Ok, mac.
I'll try to get her
Something nice.
Oh, thanks
A million, sir.
Good-bye.
Yes?
May I come in?
Please do.
Well, this is it,
Useless.
All ready to go?
Yes, but I've got
A few minutes.
Still don't know where
You'll be stationed,
Of course?
No. No. I'll be
Reassigned
From casual nurses' pool
Headquarters-
England,
Back to the states,
The pacific, maybe.
Snapshot...
If after you know,
I'd appreciate it
If you let me know.
I'd... Well, I'd sort
Of like to think of you
In some
Particular place.
There's so many places
You could be sent.
I'd like to know where.
I'll let you know,
Useless.
I did everything I could
To keep you.
I know.
Selfish of me.
I'm sure they want you
For something important.
You know I'd rather
Stay with this outfit.
Well, it's-
It's like home to me.
It can't be helped.
Nope.
It can't be helped.
Well, I got to
Catch the convoy.
Yes.
Snapshot...
I'm going to be lost
Without you.
Good-bye, useless.
It's been swell.
Snapshot.
Would you like
A table, sir?
No. No, thank you.
Oh, colonel?
Right.
Where's the bar,
Please?
The room right
Over there, monsieur.
Thank you.
Well, we made it.
Hello, useless.
I thought you were at the
Other end of the world by now.
No. Right here in paris
All this time.
They haven't
Reassigned me yet,
So I'm on sort of a leave
For a week until they do.
Why didn't you
Let me know?
I would have
Let you know later.
After you'd gone,
You mean.
Yes, after I'd gone.
Snapshot,
We've got a table
Right by
The first window.
I'll be right in.
It's a farewell party.
Two of the girls are going
Back to the states tomorrow.
Judith o'neill is
Going to look up my son.
Where will I-
When will I see you?
Where will you be?
In the bar.
Right after dinner.
I'll be waiting.
It never occurred
To either of us
That we'd ever
Get married.
We'd known
Each other so long,
All our lives.
We were kids
Together.
All through
Grade school,
Then high school,
And when I studied
Nursing,
He was going to college
In the same town.
But... Then we did
Get married.
We had a wonderful
Two years.
I learned a lot
Of things from him.
He was so honest
And cared so much.
Ever since
I can remember,
He was always
Sort of...
Fighting for
The right things.
He sounds ok.
He was.
They sent me his things
From nanking.
This lighter
Was among them.
That's why I've never
Thrown it away.
It's a broken torch,
But...
It still strikes fire.
It's... Well,
It's like him somehow.
So there you have the
Story of my life complete,
Up to a certain day
About...
Well, about
21/2 years ago.
What happened
21/2 years ago?
Well, we were at sea,
About 6 days out.
It was just about dusk.
It was a lovely
Evening-calm and still.
A lot of soldiers and
Nurses lying around the deck.
We were all
Being shipped somewhere.
I was feeling
Very peaceful when-
When all of a sudden,
Someone made a remark
That made me furious,
And I answered,
And two minutes later,
I found myself
Involved in an argument.
It lasted for...
Snapshot.
Dance with me, useless.
Yes, sir, we are
Paging colonel Johnson.
Hold the line, please.
Thanks.
Yes.
Speaking.
Who?
Oh, hello, george.
When did you get here?
Because I thought
You were going to-
What?
What?
Well, I can't believe it.
Are you sure?
Good heavens.
Well, how'd you get through?
I see.
Well, yes. Yes, of course.
Thanks for calling me, george.
Good-bye.
Anything wrong?
Let's finish this
First.
Here's to all the nurses
Of the 299th.
And all the doctors,
Too.
And all our friends,
As well,
The ones we'll see again
And the ones we won't.
Well, what is it?
What's happened?
Germans
Have broken through.
They're on the march again
With all they've got.
It's their order
Of the day-
Paris by christmas.
Our whole front
Is collapsing.
They've surrounded
Bastogne.
Bastogne?
Check, please.
Well, what are you
Going to do?
Get back to the outfit
If I can.
Well, let's go.
What?
You're not going.
Who says I'm not?
But you're stationed-
Look. I'm on
A week's leave,
And if they can
Use a doctor,
They can use
A nurse, too,
If only for a week,
And if you
Don't take me,
I'll find some other
Way to get there.
Let's go.
299th evacuation!
299th evacuation!
299th evacuation!
Saw them last
About 4 miles away-
What was left of them.
What is it?
Wait a minute.
Tank.
Out! Quick!
They gone?
Yeah.
What do we do,
Get started?
Suicide to be on these roads tonight.
Not even a chance to
Get through to basecles.
Not a prayer.
How about getting back
To cologne?
Too risky.
Better stay put right
Here until daylight.
It's hours till daylight.
Yes.
Better try and get
Some rest while you can.
You're
Tired and cold.
I'm sorry, useless.
We don't dare
Build a fire.
No, no, no.
I'm all right.
Try and get
A little rest.
Sure. You, too.
I'll watch
A while yet.
Insane of me to
Let you come along.
But you didn't let me.
I could have
Stopped you.
You were
Out of this mess.
You were free.
You were going away.
Is my life worth any more
Than any of the others?
It is to me.
You see,
I love you, snapshot.
Oh, useless.
Oh, useless.
Oh, my darling.
Darling, darling.
Hello, colonel.
Taking a look
At the skyline?
It's got "home"
Written all over it.
Cigarette?
It certainly
Looks good.
Got a match?
Oh.
It's all right.
I'll get it.
Thank you.
Always does that.
Got to get it fixed.
Well...
Time to be getting
Our gear together,
Eh, colonel?
Yes.
Any further delay?
It's coming in now.
There he is,
Miss penny!
Oh, Lee.
It's been
A long time, penny.
Well, Sol.
Welcome home, dr. Johnson.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, Sol.
How have you been?
Just fine, dr. Johnson, just fine.
Good to see you.
Oh. Here.
Here are the checks
For my baggage.
Yes, sir.
The car's right out in front.
Well, uh,
Shall we go?
Remember this house?
I ought to.
I was hoping you'd come in the daytime.
I planted geraniums
All along the border.
They're so pretty.
Well, you can see them
In the morning.
Clean.
So clean, penny.
Hello, Lee.
Hello, mother.
Ahh.
So we've
Got you again.
Ohh. This is a big moment for us, Lee.
Me, too.
You're not
A wrinkle older.
Oh, yes, yes.
How do you think
Penny looks?
Beautiful.
I just wanted to get
A glimpse of you.
Now I'll go.
Good night, Lee.
It means everything
To have you home.
Now we can all
Sort of begin to...
Live again.
Good night,
Penny, dear.
Good night, mother.
She's been here
All afternoon.
She was afraid
She might be in the way,
But I made her stay.
I'm glad you did.
She's really
Missed you, Lee.
Yes.
Oh, Sol.
Where's Sarah?
Oh, she's a little bashful, sir.
She must be
In the kitchen.
I'll go and see her.
Good old Sarah.
Hasn't changed
A bit.
No.
It's a beautiful
House.
Yes, isn't it?
I love it.
Are you hungry?
Would you-
Would you like
Something to eat?
No, thanks.
I had dinner
On the plane.
How was the trip?
Very smooth.
I want to go down to the
Hospital in the morning,
Look around,
See what it's like.
Might be difficult at first
To pick up the loose ends.
Yes.
I don't know quite
What you want to do.
A lot of people
Have called.
You don't want to see
Anyone just yet, do you?
I guess I don't quite feel like
Seeing people at the moment.
I understand, Lee.
Thanks.
You must be
Awfully tired, Lee.
Yes, I am.
I guess we'd better
Turn in.
You go on upstairs,
And I'll lock up.
I guess I am tired.
Don't be so sure he
Doesn't love you, penny.
Lee doesn't know exactly what
He wants himself yet, you know.
You've seen him?
Yes.
He was here
This morning.
Oh. He said he didn't
Want to see anyone yet.
He wanted to apologize.
I thought at first
He meant that he was sorry
For an argument
We had before he left.
I said, "forget it.
I have."
But that wasn't it.
He said, "no, Bob,
"I just want to apologize
To you in general.
I've got to trust you
To understand what I mean."
And then as he was going,
He said something that
Touched me very deeply.
He looked at me
And said,
"how on earth
Did I miss
What you've been telling
Me all these years?"
I watched him
From this window.
He went across
To monkevickz's house
And went in.
I don't know
How long he was there.
I watched
For quite a while.
You know, penny,
I've known Lee
For a long time.
Lots of times, we didn't see eye to eye,
Yet I've always
Loved him.
Now I sort of
Know why.
He's quite a guy,
Penny.
He's worth fighting for.
Face him.
Ask him about snapshot,
What his plans are.
Oh, hello.
Please don't get up.
Have you
Been home long?
No,
Just a few minutes.
I stayed
At the hospital
Longer
Than I intended.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I- I went out
For a while.
Did they give you
A rousing welcome?
Yes.
But it seemed strange.
Yes.
You're very understanding, penny.
The garden is lovely,
Isn't it?
Yes.
I've sat out here a lot
Waiting for you.
Yes. I thought of you sitting out here.
Would you like
A bacardi?
I don't know whether
You still like them.
Well, neither do I,
But I'm sure
I would.
But let's just stay
Here a minute, penny.
Penny, there's something
I'd like to say.
When I left, we promised each other
We wouldn't change.
Remember?
I remember.
Well, I'm afraid I didn't
Stick to our bargain.
I somehow feel different about things.
I've lost some of the
Assurance I used to have.
I
- I'm not quite so sure of things anymore.
And yet,
In another way,
I feel surer
Than I...
I'm afraid
I can't explain.
Lee, you don't have
To explain... Anything.
Can I get something,
Lee?
No. No thanks.
I just want
A cigarette.
Does it-
Does it bother you much?
Your-your leg?
No. It's all right.
Lee...
Lieutenant mccall-
Has she come home,
Too?
Lieutenant mccall died
In a hospital in belgium
Several weeks ago.
Oh.
I saw her in the hospital
A few days before.
You want to tell me
About it?
Yes.
Yes, I'd like to
Very much, penny.
Of course.
She was wounded just
Outside cologne-
Shell fragment.
I went on further
Into germany.
That's
Where I got this.
Then,
After v.e. Day,
When I was
On my way home,
I heard that
She was in lier.
I got there
At a bad time.
She had just had
Another operation,
And the doctor was
Very discouraged.
I talked to him.
He said he felt her
Chances were very slight.
In fact,
He was quite sure
That it was
Hopeless.
I couldn't
Believe it.
I'd seen
A lot of people die,
But somehow
Snapshot-
She was so active
And alive,
You somehow felt there was
Something indestructible
About her.
I was stunned.
Finally, they told me
That I could see her,
But only for a few minutes.
I don't think I was ever
So shocked in my life.
I'd been through
Almost 3 years of war with her.
She'd stood up under everything
That even men couldn't take.
Then, to see her
The way she was that day...
Leaves you with something you...
Can't ever forget.
Hello, useless.
This is a fine place
To find you.
What's the idea?
Just getting
A little rest.
So, you're going home
At last, useless.
Hmm. Yep.
Good.
You will be, too,
Soon.
Sure.
How are you coming,
Anyway?
Mm. How can I tell?
You know you can never
Believe these doctors.
Thanks for the letters,
Useless.
They were swell letters.
Oh, yes.
I nearly forgot.
There on the table.
I don't...
Smoke anymore.
I thought
You might like it.
It's an old trick
I used to pull.
They want you to go.
You're wearing
The patient out.
You-you will
Write me, won't you?
Lafayette hospital.
Promise me.
Maybe.
And-and when
You come back...
Mm.
You know the saying
In the army, useless.
When a soldier
Leaves his outfit,
All debts and friendships
Are canceled.
No, snapshot.
No.
Mm-hmm.
It's a good saying.
When you're home,
You'll know it.
"I'm wounded,
But I'm not slain."
"I'll but lie down
And bleed a while"...
"and then I'll rise
And fight again."
Good-bye, useless.
Don't miss your convoy.
Snapshot.
Snapshot.
Go home, useless.
Go home.
It seemed as if
There must be something
That I could do...
But there wasn't.
Everything had been done
That could be.
Several days later, I phoned
The hospital from cherbourg.
They told me
She was dead.
I stopped to see her
Little boy on the way home.
He lives with
His grandparents.
Nice little boy.
Very much like her.
It might have been
Easier
If I hadn't told you,
And yet...
That would have been
Impossible.
I couldn't think of
Anything else coming home.
And then, on the boat,
I met a man,
A perfect stranger
Who couldn't possibly
Have known
What was in my mind,
Yet somehow, he seemed to
Confirm my innermost thoughts.
He said,
It's only fair
For the people
Over here to know
That they've got to
Live with us coming home.
He was right.
I had to tell you...
Because it isn't
Just my problem;
It's our problem
Together.
And I couldn't
Go on living
With this
Inside of me
Without your sharing it.
Penny, bear with me
A while, can you?
Oh, Lee.
I'm sorry.
My heart's so full.
I...
I wonder if anyone could
Ever know what it means
To be the one who's-
Who's left out,
The one who's spared.
In all the time
I've waited for you,
When I tried to follow every
Movement of yours on my map,
And read and reread
Your letters,
In all
These 3 long years,
The worst of it was,
I couldn't help you.
I couldn't
Do anything for you.
But, Lee, the thing that gave me
More courage than anything else
Was that somehow,
The hope that
When you came back,
You might need me.
And now-now you do
Need me, Lee.
I'm in it again.
Oh, Lee, I'm so glad
You told me what you did,
Let me inside again,
Made me a part of it.
You asked me if I can
bear with you for a while.
Oh, darling...
I can bear with you for
as long as our lives last.
I love you, Lee.
What, darling?
I said, "welcome home."
At long last, welcome home.
Dinner's served, mrs. Johnson.