Off we go
Into the wild blue yonder
Riding high...
It's Pete sandidge's
Squadron.
I'll bet you he's the best
Flyer in the whole world.
He's a grand-standing
Windbag.
You can't trust him
With a motorcycle,
Much less an airplane.
The report says "only one
Plane slightly damaged."
Every time they cross the
Channel, it's the same old story.
Here's the squadron. I got a
Chance to get a little sleep-
But no. Sandidge and yackey are
Up there somewhere playing tag.
And to think I once
Turned down a chance
To transfer to
The quartermaster corps!
Another routine
Complaint about him
From headquarters
This morning.
What did it say?
Oh, the usual.
What does headquarters think
These guys came over here for,
A sewing circle?
They're playing
For keeps!
Cops and robbers
With rocks in the snowballs,
Brass knuckles
And lead pipes
And a roughneck conviction that
Can lick any man in the world.
So headquarters in london
Complains... So what?
Look, look,
Here comes one on fire!
Uh-oh. I think
They're coming in now.
Those undisciplined
Hooligans.
If they've ruined another ship, I'll
- I'll kill 'em!
Every time they go up, there's
Nothing but trouble, trouble, trouble!
You'd think b-25s
Grew on trees!
Look at that ship!
A 3-alarm fire!
It's going to make
A crash landing!
Let's go.
Yes, sir.
Any bloody noses
Down there?
We're all right,
Skipper.
You all right?
We're o.k., sir.
That was one swell landing.
Good shooting.
Thank you,
Sir.
You o.k., Pete?
Sure, I'm o.k.
Gimme a cigarette.
You know, you just did make it, pal.
Thanks for
Herding me in.
Uh-oh.
Boy, oh, boy, I never seen so much black
In one place
In my life, did you-
Good morning.
Morning, sir.
Mission completed, sir.
All planes safe.
Oh, yes.
Yes, thanks.
Boy, you set
This crate down
Like a ladybug
On a toadstool.
I thought for a minute you was
Going to have to bail out, Pete.
Can't afford to lose a plane
In good shape like that.
Make a report
To intelligence.
Pick me up
In about an hour.
Oh, Sandy?
Yes, sir.
Looking over
Your ship, I-
Yes, sir. I was gonna make the
Report. I got a date. See you later.
I'll make
The report, sir.
Mind if I walk
With you?
No, sir.
Lucky the other man got
Off so easily, isn't it?
Uh-uh. You know I
Always bring 'em back.
Just a day for a little
Bad luck, that's all.
And yesterday
Was your day, too,
And the flight
Before that.
Yeah. Been havin' a
Lot of luck, haven't I?
What a beautiful day. Look at that sun.
Makes a guy
Feel good.
How high were you when you
Went in for your bombing run?
Now, look, nails, al
Is making out a report.
I got a date, and she's
Gonna get mad if I'm late.
I gotta shave and wash
And everything.
Why don't you wait
For the pilot's report?
O.k. Tell Dorinda for me she's
Lucky you got back at all.
What are you trying to
Do, break up my romance?
Just trying to
Keep you alive.
Ha ha. Leave that to me,
Nails. I'll be seeing ya.
Yeah.
Soon.
There he is!
You call him.
No. I did it
Yesterday.
Just holler, "hey, joe"
Like the americans do.
But his name
Isn't joe.
Don't you know anything about slang?
In the american
Air forces,
Anybody who's a right chap
Is a... A guy named joe.
That's very foolish,
Peter. I'll call him.
No, elizabeth.
I will.
Yeah.
Oh, Pete!
We're very glad
You got back safe.
Could you settle
An argument for us?
Could you, please?
Yeah, sure. I guess
That could be arranged.
Well, now, what's
The beef this morning?
Well, cyril says the
Spitfire's a better plane
Than the
American p-38,
And I say the
P-38's better.
I didn't say it was all the way better.
I just said it was mostly better.
We shouldn't have
Any trouble about that.
The p-38
Is a little faster,
And the spitfire is a
Little more maneuverable.
They're both
Good planes.
You see?
I told him,
Talking all the time
About the spitfire
Being better
Was bad for british
And american relations.
Well, I've got an uncle in america.
That's more
Than you have.
Everybody has an uncle
In america.
Pete, what would
Happen
If you went way,
Way up high
And forgot to turn
Your oxygen tank on?
Well, you'd get weak. You'd
Get dizzy, and short of wind.
You wouldn't be able to think
Properly. You couldn't coordinate.
I mean, you might tell
Yourself to do one thing,
And you'd find yourself
Doing something else.
Gosh!
Pete, tell us
How it feels
To be up alone
In a plane
All by yourself.
Again?
Please.
Do tell us,
Pete.
We're nuts to
Hear you tell it.
All right.
Well, when you're up there
All alone in your ship, you...
Say, uh...
You kids don't ever mention
Any of this stuff I tell ya,
Do ya?
Oh, no! Never.
Well, don't.
We won't.
Well, uh, when
You're up there,
You're-you're
All alone.
It's just you and your ship and the sky.
And you don't want
Anybody up there with you.
You don't want
Anybody to spoil it.
Everything's kinda still.
You have the feeling that
You're halfway to heaven.
You don't even seem to hear
The sound of your own motor,
Just a kind of a buzz,
Like the sky
Was calling you...
Like the sky
Was singing you a song.
Gosh.
Yeah.
And somehow it's never
8:00 up there.
It's... It's always now.
And the earth
Is so far below you
That it just doesn't
Matter anymore.
The sky is the thing
That's important.
The sky is your pal.
You feel like nudging it and
Saying, "hi, sky. How are you today?
And how's the old moon
The last time you saw him?
The wind drift comes
Straight off the morning star,
And beautiful white
Clouds drift towards you.
And they're like
Old friends,
Friends you never
Want to say good-bye to.
And you see a patch
Of clear area between 'em,
And you duck in and out
Like a porpoise
Rolling in the ocean.
And then you say
To yourself, "boy, oh, boy,
"this is the only time
A man is really ever alive,
The only time
He's really ever free."
The old sky smiles
Back at ya
And says, "boy, you're
Right. You're dead right."
What happens when your motor conks out?
Oh, elizabeth,
Elizabeth,
How did you ever get
Into this gang?
Hey, Pete,
Come on, will ya?
Where've you been?
I've been waiting for ya.
You kids run along.
Can we come by and
See you tomorrow, Pete?
Yeah, but not a word
About this to anybody.
This is just between us now, us pilots.
Gosh!
Well, that Dorinda is
Certainly crazy about me.
She's an hour late already.
Our first day off in 3 weeks.
Maybe she figures
It'd do you good
To be held up
Once in a while.
It kinda keeps a fella's
Interest alive.
One of these days I'll put
That dame across my knee-
You're not even
Listening to me.
That gal's flown stuff all
Over these here british isles.
Bet she could teach you a
Thing or two about a ship.
Then she's late on
Purpose. That's worse.
What does she
Think I am?
I reckon she's got
A pretty good idea.
What's the matter? You
Oughta be feeling good.
Why?
Foolin' nails. We talked
Ourselves outta that one
Slick as anything
I ever did see.
He didn't have
A thing to say.
Are you kidding? That's
Just what I'm worried about.
That's why I wish
She'd show up
So we could get outta
Here! Gimme a cigarette.
Why don't you ever buy
A package of cigarettes?
Hey, I hear
A puddle jumper now.
Yeah, that's her,
All right.
Yeah... Yeah.
Nobody else in the world
Would try a landing like that!
I can't watch this. Let
Me know if she makes it.
I've branded steer calves
That make less fuss than you
When that gal's
In the air.
Look at her. Pretty a
Landin' as you ever did see.
Are you kidding?
No, look!
How many times
Do I have to tell ya
To quit slipping this maytag
Messerschmitt when you're in a turn?
Now you know
When I saw you down here
I had to kill
That altitude.
You killed more
Than the altitude.
You don't even know
How to level off!
Is that so? Well, I always
Manage to come in on 3 wheels.
So does a tricycle.
And another thing-
Another thing. What?
How'd you get
Your face so dirty?
I waited around
For an hour.
Grumble, grumble. No other
Guy would wait an hour
To watch a girl
Make a bad landing.
Don't darling me!
Now, darling-
You oughta be
Grounded.
One of these days,
You're gonna spin in and
Break that scrawny little neck.
Not scrawny!
It's a turkey neck.
A turkey neck.
Who's talking?
Why, Pete!
You were worried!
Did you ever
Stop to think
What one of those
Crates cost?
Hah! That's a cover-up.
You love me.
I love airplanes.
That's the same thing.
Hello, al!
Say, you pretty near scared
Our hot pilot here to death
Comin' in like that.
Well, he's probably got a
Crush. They get over it, though.
Least all mine do.
Get in before
I do break your neck.
Oh, Pete. Sorry.
Nails wants to see you.
Aw, now, cliff,
Be a good fellow.
When you got here, we were
Gone. It's a kind of mystery.
Yeah, but a mystery where the
Detective is always the fall guy.
Besides, I said
I was sorry.
See, this wouldn't have
Happened if you'd been on time.
Come on,
Come on.
If you hadn't pulled
Some fool stunt,
He wouldn't be out here hunting for you!
What have you done
Now?
Nothing. You know they can't
Run this show without me, honey.
You get all dressed up and be
At the inn for dinner at 8:00.
It's possible
I won't be there.
If you're not, I'll have somebody
Else... Better-lookin', too.
You do and I'll scratch your eyes out.
You sent for me,
Colonel?
Yes. Yes. Um...
Let's see, what-
Oh, sit down, major.
Thank you, sir.
Oh, I know
What it is.
I got a problem here
You can help me solve.
Is that so, sir?
Yes. Knowing how interested you are
In photography.
Ha ha. You must be thinking
Of someone else, colonel.
I'm not interested
In photography,
Especially
On my day off.
Oh, this won't take
Very long.
I happened to run
Across photographs
Of the raid
This morning.
Very, very interesting.
Here. Have a look.
Yes, sir.
Do you, uh, see it,
Major?
How high, or rather, how low would
You say that plane was flying?
Oh, I wouldn't
Know that, colonel.
My guess would be
About a thousand feet.
That's exactly
What I would say, major!
Exactly!
A thousand feet.
Captain yackey's report
Said the squadron
Bombed at, uh,
12,000 feet.
I was just wondering
Whose plane could have
Come in at a thousand?
And another thing...
Have you any idea
What that is, major?
No, colonel, I haven't
The faintest idea.
That is an engine
Whistle-
You know,
Off a locomotive-
Toot toot.
It was blown right through
The fuselage of your ship.
Amazing, isn't it,
Major?
Would you like me
To say
Of course!
Of course I would,
Major!
You know, after all these
Years of being buddies,
Why should we
Suddenly allow rank
To come between us
And the truth?
Speak up, Pete!
You said to take care of
The roundhouse, didn't ya?
Well, the squadron missed it,
So I went in and took it out!
I've been under the impression
This is a war we're fighting!
Of course,
I could be wrong-
Don't get excited. Of
Course we're fighting a war.
But you seem to want to end
It in the next 3 days, alone!
Come on, nails, let's
Get this over with!
All right! When you're
With your squadron,
You lead the squadron,
Not lone wolf it.
You control a lot
Of lives and planes.
I expect you to stay
Where you belong!
You said to take out
The roundhouse!
You can't take out the
Roundhouse at 12,000 feet!
Then make a report, and we'll
Put it on special assignment!
When a tough job comes
Up, I won't make a report!
And I won't assign it to somebody else
- I'll do it myself!
So long as I'm in
Command,
I don't want any
Squadron commander
Playing hide 'n' seek
Among the chimney stacks!
Are you trying
To be a hero?!
Aw, wait a minute,
Nails!
Where were you when you got
That dfc, playing mumblety-peg?
O.k., o.k.! You didn't catch
Up to your squadron for-
Well...
I suppose you've got me right
Where you want me, haven't you?
Well, you know, nails,
The guy in the air
Has always got it
On the man on the ground
A little.
I suppose it'll
Always be that way.
Make me a promise,
Will ya, Pete?
Sure.
Promise me you'll be
A little more careful.
Sure, nails, I promise.
And look, I'm sorry
I took up your time.
That's all right,
Nails.
Have a nice time
This afternoon.
Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, and Pete...
No hard feelings.
Ha! No, no, colonel. You
Know better than that.
Atta boy.
Get me headquarters
In london.
I want to talk
To general sloan.
Yes, sir.
And, uh, ask
Miss Dorinda durston
Of the ferrying command if
She'll stop in and see me.
Yes, sir.
She's got a funny look
In her off eye, Pete.
Hello, Dorinda.
Hello, honey. We've been
Waiting dinner on you.
I hope you two
Have been having fun.
Will you have
A little snort?
No, I don't feel like
Drinking this evening.
A lot of people criticize
A lot of other people
For doing a lot of things
A lot of other people do
Which aren't nearly as bad as the things
A lot of people are doing themselves.
You stay right where
You are, al yackey.
Don't think you can
Crawl out of this.
Why don't you wipe that
Smiling killer look on your face
And tell us what's
The matter?
All right. When are you going
To stop being a dime-store hero?
You got me!
This is for you.
Never mind that.
Answer me.
Well, I'd like to, but
You don't make any sense.
Oh? Well, let me
Tell you something.
I saw the pictures
Of your plane
Flying low enough to scrape
Paint off the rooftops.
Nails showed them to me.
What's more, I saw the plane-
Them pictures-
You keep out of this!
What are you yelling
At him for?
Shut up! You're such a low-down,
No-good heel, any woman...
Look, darling, this is
A little gift for you.
I'm very fond
Of you, honey,
But take this or I'll
Wrap it around your neck!
Don't talk to me like that!
Who do you think you are?
If you want to risk
Your darn fool neck,
Go ahead.
I can get along.
Only don't sit there like a
Drooling farm boy with a package-
Drooling?
I'm not drooling.
You're drooling and you're trying
To buy yourself off with a present.
You can take this,
Whatever it is,
And throw it
In the garbage!
In the garbage? This?
In the garbage
It goes.
Of all the trouble-making,
Back-stabbing,
Poison-shooting
Dames I ever saw!
Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag.
Yeah.
Pete! Girl clothes!
From london.
Yeah. I've never seen ya
In a real dress, remember?
Then you didn't get it just to make
Up for what happened this morning.
You didn't have time.
That's right.
Why didn't you tell me
Before I lost my temper?
You didn't
Give me a chance.
Oh, but, Pete,
You're such a fool,
And you've
No right to be.
But you're kinda sweet.
Go on upstairs and put that
Thing on, see if I recognize you.
If you don't, you big
Lug, you'll break my heart!
Lot of woman, Pete.
Lot of woman.
Could be.
2 with soda.
Uh-oh. Bad luck.
Make it 3.
One with poison.
Ha ha. I thought I'd
Find you hot pilots here.
We've been pining away
For you, nails.
Will you have a drink, colonel?
I mean lieutenant-colonel?
Yes, thanks.
That was a very funny trick
You pulled on me this afternoon.
Let's have a drink
On that.
Good. What trick
Was that?
Showing Dorinda
Those pictures.
You almost got me
In a lot of trouble.
That wasn't a trick. I was
Simply trying to prove to her
What a solid
14-carat hero you are.
We're even now,
Huh, nails?
I guess so.
Incidentally, Pete,
I don't believe
You realize,
But headquarters is pretty
Impressed with your record.
They feel you're wasting your
Talents as a squadron commander.
They want you to be
A group commander.
No, nails!
That's great!
You'd be a lieutenant-colonel at least!
Maybe a full colonel. A couple of
Chickens wouldn't look bad, huh?
More dough, too. Course,
I'd hate to rank you, nails.
Ho ho ho!
They're shoving the active fliers
Ahead pretty fast these days.
I'm afraid there wouldn't be
Any advance in rank at first.
Not until we see
How you work out.
Purely routine,
Of course.
Oh, yeah, sure.
At least I won't be
Pestered with you
For a while,
So let's drink
To that.
Good idea. May be your
Last before you go.
Before I go where?
Scotland.
Scotland?
That's reconnaissance.
You can't do that
To me, nails.
Reconnaissance
Is important.
There's nothing to do there.
It's like being retired.
There is an element
Of rest in it.
You've been trying to do
This to me for a long time.
You won't get
Away with it.
I'll go over your head
To general sloan.
This is funny.
Because here's an order
Signed by general sloan
That says you are
Going to scotland.
Nails, you can't
Do this to Pete.
We've been flying
Together ever since-
Isn't this touching?
And really in the best
Tradition of the air force.
Just so you don't feel
You've been forgotten, al,
The general doesn't want any
Broken hearts in the outfit.
Air transport'll have
A ship waiting at 5 a.m.
O.k.
We'll be there.
That's awfully good
Of you, major.
Good night.
Oh, uh...
And thanks for
The drink.
He won't get away
With this.
Sometimes I wonder who he's
Fighting, us or the nazis.
He's just like all the rest
Of these armchair pilots.
He hasn't flown anything faster
Than a bathtub for 30 years.
He's afraid to walk upstairs without
A parachute strapped to his back.
Well, I'm going to beat
This rap.
I'll beat it if I
Have to go to the-
Say...
Look at that!
That's o.k.
You like it?
Dorinda,
You're as pretty as
A pair of
Yellow shoes.
Thanks, al.
And you, Pete, my boy?
Gosh.
Have a drink.
I want to dance.
Come on. Let's dance.
It's a lovely dress, Pete.
Yeah, it's pretty.
Makes me realize
You're a girl
Instead of
A sky-flying cowboy.
I feel like a girl,
Too.
I feel like
My 16th birthday
And the time I graduated
From high school
And the first time I flew
Solo all wrapped up in one.
Do you?
That's a pretty
Large order.
Yeah.
How do you feel?
I feel fine.
Did you pick out this
Dress all by yourself?
What? Me pick out
A dress?
Are you crazy?
Ha ha. Did they
Model it for you?
The girls?
No!
I wish I'd been there.
Why, what's so
Funny about it?
Oh, nothing, I suppose.
Pete.
Hmm.
How'd you know what size shoes to get?
Do you want to
Dance or talk?
I wanna bite
Your ear.
Let me bite your ear.
Stop that.
People are looking.
Let's just dance.
Come on.
You know that guy?
Pete, old man, I never
Saw him before in my life.
Did you smile
At him?
I think I did. Yes.
Yes, I did.
Why?
Because
I'm so happy.
That was a pretty
Stupid thing to do.
Why, Pete,
You're jealous.
I am not jealous.
Don't want you giving the
Guy the wrong impression.
Oh. Pete.
Hmm.
Did I ever give you
The wrong impression?
Why?
Well... Don't watch me
Blush, but...
I tried to
Once or twice.
Say, look...
Do you feel all right?
No, no, no. You haven't got
Spots in front of your eyes?
No, I feel wonderful.
I feel marvelous.
Mighty fancy.
Mighty fancy.
Brother, you ain't
Seen nothin'.
I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
Though there be rain
And darkness, too
I'll not complain
I'll laugh it through
Poverty
May come my way
That's true
But what care I?
Say, I'll get by
As long as I
Have
You
Sing it again.
I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
Though there be rain
And darkness, too
I'll not complain
I'll laugh it through
Poverty
May come my way
That's true
But what care I?
Say, I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
Pete...
Let's dance
All night through, shall we?
I've never done it.
I read about it once.
It sounded wonderful.
No go.
Why not?
Al and I are shoving off at 5 a.m.
What do you mean,
Shoving off? For where?
For scotland.
Scotland?
Yeah. Nails
Assigned us to scotland.
But he promised
He wouldn't!
He what?
Well, he told me
He was thinking
About sending you
Up there,
And I said that 10 days'
Leave would do the job better,
And we argued,
Then finally he said o.k.
He promised me!
You been sticking up
For me, huh?
I always
Stick up for you.
Pretty crazy
For me, aren't ya?
Oh, don't fool,
Pete!
How long are you
Gonna be gone?
Not as long
As nails thinks.
Pete.
Mmm.
You realize something?
What?
You realize
That you and I
Have never been up
In a plane together?
Alone, I mean?
Yeah.
I realize that.
Why don't you take me
Up with you tonight?
Kind of a good-bye
Flight. It'll be fun.
Yeah. It'd be fun,
Wouldn't it? Yeah.
You know,
You're a sweet girl,
But when I fly for fun,
I like to fly alone.
That's not fair.
It's just the way
I feel.
Oh, please, Pete,
Please.
The minute you got
Out of that uniform,
You sure became
A woman.
Oh, please, please!
You're taking awful
Advantage of a pretty dress.
But I've never
Flown with you, Pete.
Dorinda, cut it out.
You're dancing
Too close.
Ha ha. Give up?
Do we fly?
Do we?
I'll tell you what
I'll do with you.
You know how I feel
About women in the air,
Don't ya?
Oh.
Promise me you'll
Get a desk job,
And I'll take you
Up.
Ha ha.
Ah.
Wrong gal, Pete.
Wrong place.
Wrong time, too.
Pete.
Hmm.
Why don't you be a
Good guy and marry me?
Why don't you
Run upstairs
And skin outta
That graduation number?
Al and I are leaving
In a minute.
O.k. Give me
A kiss.
I wonder what kind
Of kids we'd have.
Are you crazy?
Cute, I'll bet.
Not a brain in their
Heads, of course,
But they'd have fun.
Ha!
What a fog.
Plane's been buzzing
Around overhead
For the last
Half hour.
Must be like trying
To find your way
Through the inside
Of a cow.
I never did see
Such a country!
Even the birds
Are walkin'.
Routine search
Area "a"-
Nil sightings.
Weather: fog.
Does anything ever
Happen up here?
Jack says he hit
A seagull
About 14 miles north
Of here this morning.
Tell him if he can
Hit a pelican,
I'll put him in for the
Congressional medal of honor.
Did I tell you what
That kid of mine hit?
No, what did he
Hit?
I just got a letter
From my wife.
The kid was hunting rabbits
One morning for about an hour.
Back he come running yelling for her
To come out and see what he's killed.
No. So she went out. Know what it was?
A cow.
Deader than $700.
How's that for a kid 8
Years old? A full-grown cow!
Sometimes I think
You're daffy!
You do, huh?
Well, everybody's entitled
To their own opinion, Pete.
You know what I think
Of you, don't ya? Ha ha.
I think you're
Gettin' kinda edgy.
Nothing the matter with me
That a few drinks won't cure.
What a way
To win a war.
I reckon maybe you're
Missing Dorinda little bit,
Huh?
Oh, you reckon,
Do you?
Mm-hmm. Me, too.
Just don't seem like we can hardly
Get along without her, does it?
I never been so lonesome for
Another guy's gal in all my days.
Where do you figure
She is now, Pete?
How do I know?
Probably listening to some tall
Talk from that jukebox commando.
I suppose you think
She's doing that.
Maybe.
Ha. You can talk mighty
Foolish sometimes, Pete.
Why shouldn't she?
There's no law against it.
She's not married to me
Or anybody else.
You know, Pete, back where I come from,
Folks call that
Love stuff
Quick poison
Or slow poison.
If it's quick poison, it
Hurts you all over real bad
Like a shock
Of electricity.
But if it's slow poison,
It's like a fever
That aches in your bones
For a thousand years.
Slow poison love's what you
And Dorinda got. Ha ha ha.
Yep, that's what you got,
Little case of slow poison.
Hey, that guy must have
Found a hole in the sky.
Transport.
Hi, cowboy.
Hiya. Say, you guys
Really put on fog up here.
Yeah!
Guy around
Name of sandidge?
That's me.
I have a package
For you, sir.
Package?
Dorinda!
Ha ha!
Well, hamstring me
For an old steer!
How are you, honey?
Hello, al.
Surprised?
You bet I'm
Surprised.
You look shiny as a new propeller!
Shut 'em off. We'll give you a toddy.
No, thanks. I've got my
Clearance, and I'm an hour late.
Good luck.
Thanks a million, ray!
I've got the most
Wonderful news in the world.
Only first, give me
Another kiss, you big moose,
A real one.
You know, al, I think
She's really glad to see us.
Maybe it's a good idea
We came up here, huh?
She appreciates us.
Could be.
Pete.
Hmm.
Is that your plane?
The b-25 over there
That looks like a ghost?
Sure it's my plane.
Why?
Oh, nothing.
Nothing.
What do you mean? Let's
Get out of this soup.
How long you gonna
Hang around here?
24 hours.
Correction, 22.
What's all this big news
You're bustin' with, honey?
Something you lugs
Are going to jump at.
Yeah. And I know
What it is, too.
Oh, you do? What?
Nails has finally decided
If he's gonna win this war,
He needs a little less
Reconnaissance and more fighting.
Now, it's much
Better than that.
Nails is going back
To the states,
And most of
The old gang with him.
Seems they need
Instructors back there
Who've had combat
Service,
And nails says you two can
Come along if you want to.
Do we have to go?
No, it's purely voluntary,
But nails wants you to.
Now isn't that
Sweet of him?
So he sent you to try
To talk us into it, huh?
If you want to
Put it that way, yes.
You think I'm gonna go back and
Start teaching a lot of kids to fly?
That's all right for a lot
Of guys, including nails,
But not for me.
Sit around in some officer's
Club in kansas city?
I'd go crazy!
Besides, I hate kids.
But you're liable to be
Up here for the duration!
No, no. They'll get in
Trouble soon then send for us.
You haven't got good
Sense, either of you.
You've got a chance to
Go home and do a real job.
But no, you'll stick around here
Till you're both knocked off.
We could crawl under the
Bed for the duration, too.
There's the jeep.
I'll get it and take you
Over to the inn.
Hey, sergeant! Sergeant!
What are you all steamed
Up about, Dorinda?
I've got to get him
Out of here, al.
Out of here?
Yeah.
What for?
Because
His number's up.
I could tell it the
Minute I saw that plane.
Aw, his number
Ain't gonna be up
For a good,
Long time, honey.
He'll probably slip in a
Bathtub and break his neck
When he's 80 or so. He's
A lucky guy. You know that.
I tell you, I felt it.
You remember just before
Joe bailey went down.
You could tell it the
Minute you looked at him.
You told me so
Yourself.
That's right.
And he washed out.
Well, that's just the way
I feel about Pete right now.
Well, there don't
Appear to be much
I can do about that,
Honey.
Oh, yes,
There is, al.
If I can persuade him
To go back to the states,
Will you go along?
If you feel that way
About it, sure.
Then be ready to go
In the morning.
How are you gonna
Go about convincing him?
You hungry?
I'm going to-
As a wolf!
As a wolf? Well, then
Come on. See you later, al.
Yeah.
Fell asleep.
Mm-hmm.
What did you do?
I listened
To you snore
And looked at
Your legs.
Oh.
I don't snore,
And you're
A lecherous old man.
That's your fault.
Pete, you're pulling
Your eyebrows again.
She loves me...
She loves me not.
Well, stop it.
Stop it, stop it.
I'm resigned to your
Being bald some day,
But a bald man
Without eyebrows
Looks just like an egg.
Don't mention eggs. Haven't
Seen an egg for 6 weeks.
What's wrong with
Eggs, anyway?
They have no character.
Do you know something?
I have no character, either.
Does that surprise you?
No. Uh-uh.
But... I'll bet
I can surprise you.
How?
I'm applying for
A transfer tomorrow.
Where to?
Australia.
Australia?
You're crazy.
No, it's true, Pete.
Aw, don't be silly. Get
That out of your head.
Well, it's my
Business, isn't it?
Whose is it?
No.
It's my business, and
I won't let ya do it.
Well, wait a minute,
My buckaroo.
How do you plan
To stop me?
Just by saying no.
That sounds like
An order, Pete,
And I don't like
Orders very well.
All right,
Then I'll ask ya.
Dorinda, don't be
A pig-headed fool.
Oh, sweet, sweet,
Irresistible Pete.
Gentle, tactful,
Clever.
Wait a minute. Don't
Laugh at me. I'm serious.
So am I serious. Now you
Listen to me for a change.
I'm willing to offer
You a fair deal.
You've always wanted to get
Me out of the air, haven't you?
Here's your chance. You go back
With nails tomorrow morning,
Back to the states where
They need you and want you,
And I'll take
Ground service.
Otherwise,
I'm off to australia,
And it's that
Or nothing, Pete.
It is?
Mm-hmm.
Well, I'm afraid then
It's nothing.
Oh. Quick as that.
All right. Let's talk
About something else.
Yeah. You know you got
Feet like a monkey's.
I bet you could
Pick up a dime-
Oh, Pete, please,
Please go back! For me!
Why should I?
Because your number's
Up, and because I like you
In spite of the fact
You're such a lug!
You know, Dorinda, the madder
You get, the prettier you are.
You've been a flyer
Long enough to know
That when a guy's
Number is up, it's up.
Wouldn't I look swell cracking
Up in a plane outside of dubuque?
What about me?
I remember a poem
I learned once.
I had to learn it,
As a matter of fact.
Uh... "men must work
And women must weep."
I remember that
Women must weep part.
Ah! So that's the way
You figure it.
Women must weep.
What claptrap!
When you crack up, I'm
Supposed to sit around wet-eyed
Like an old man
With asthma
And mumble prayers
The rest of my life.
What a surprise
You're going to get.
You might at least
Crack out with a bottle.
Do you know
What I'll do?
Sure, cry like
Every dame.
I'll not cry. I'll find
Myself a man with good sense.
You'll never find
As good a flyer.
Oh, I won't, hey?
Don't kid your
- what makes you think you're a flier?
You belong back in
1925 in a flying circus.
I can just see you now
Out at the fairgrounds
Doing loop-de-loops.
You never stayed with
Your squadron.
You're a lone wolf in a
Service where men fly together.
You've got hero hunger,
And better men than you
Come a dime a dozen!
You'll never have as
Much fun with anybody.
Fun! What's fun about
Knowing you're asking for it
Every time you take off?
You think I like being sick
Inside all the time?
Waiting?
Being afraid when
A telephone rings?
Being afraid
When it doesn't?
Aw, now, don't talk
Nonsense, Dorinda.
You're not going to settle
Down with anybody else,
And you know it.
What makes you think I'm
Not, you-you conceited ape!
Because I'm going back to the
States with you, with you and nails.
Oh, Pete.
Yeah. You're gonna
Stay on the ground,
And I'm gonna teach some of those
Supermen how to fly an airplane.
Pete... You mean
I win for once?
You mean it?
In a deal like this, you
Only have to win once.
And I guess
This is your round.
Oh, Pete.
Of course, you might
Figure that I'd won, too.
Fun's over, kids.
Just got a report
There's a big convoy from the
States about 300 miles off the coast,
And they think the nazis'll
Sneak a carrier out.
A carrier?!
Yep. That's what
They think.
We'll just have to go
Out and sink that carrier.
Can't you send
Somebody else out?
No, they're all
On detail.
Besides, I never saw a
German carrier, did you?
Come on, Pete,
We gotta go.
I'll be right with ya.
See you later,
Honey.
You still my girl?
Most of me.
Drink to it.
We got a lot of things
Settled tonight, didn't we?
Oh, Pete. We never seem
To get a break, do we?
What are you talkin' about?
Meeting you was a break.
Why?
No, don't kiss me.
I just don't
Want to kiss you.
What's the idea?
I'm afraid if I say good-bye,
It might mean good-bye.
A kiss can't say it.
Words can't either.
What are you
Talkin' about?
I'm not gonna say good-bye
To you for a thousand years.
But if there were
Anything like good-bye,
There's be a kiss
To say it.
You sleep here
All night.
I'll wake you up with
A hot cup of coffee
When I come back.
Pete!
You don't belong back in
1925 in a flying circus.
You're the best cockeyed
Pilot that ever lived
Or ever will!
Sure.
There she is.
Look at that flock of
Destroyers with her.
We got enough bombs here to
Give those guys some trouble.
Yeah, it'd be fun,
Wouldn't it?
No. This is a job for
Headquarters to figure out.
What are you trying
To do, be a hero?
He's waitin'
For a turn!
Well, how do you
Like that?
2 weeks ago, he'd have
Gone after the whole fleet.
He must be gettin'
Some brains.
Hey!
No use keepin'
That radio dead.
Radio the carrier's
Position.
We may have to
Bail out.
We're bailing out, boys.
Give cap the position.
5 positions.
We're bailing out.
Navigator,
Mark this position.
Radio, notify base.
Hurry up.
When are you
Comin'?
Right away.
Go on. Get out.
Get out!
Well, Dorinda-
Don't tell me, al.
Don't tell me.
I know.
Maybe I better fix us
Up a cup of coffee, huh?
No!
They picked up the other guys all right.
That's good.
I'm glad of that.
I dunno why these things
Have to happen, Dorinda,
But just seems like
Maybe there was something
Pushing him
On and on and on.
I know.
His number was up.
I knew it all along.
Yep.
I told him
When he cracked up,
I wasn't going to cry.
Not one tear.
And I haven't.
Well, I dunno, honey,
It just don't seem right
Hardly to cry about Pete.
He was a flier, and the way I figure it,
Fliers may crack up
Once in a while, sure,
But they never
Really die.
That's not true, al.
That's not true.
Because... I just have.
Hey!
Hey! Dick brumley!
Hiya, Pete!
Well, it's Pete
Himself!
Yeah!
Hey, you had yourself
Quite a little show
With that carrier,
Didn't you?
Ah, sure, sure.
You know me.
Come right out of a
Cloud, and there she was.
4 destroyers right around
Her. Doing about 22 knots.
We didn't want to radio our
Position, so we headed for home.
Boy, then it happened!
Her fighter escort
Swarmed all over us.
Al was about
6 miles away-
So, uh, he wasn't
Very much help, and...
Say, there's something
Cockeyed here.
What?
You don't belong
Here.
Well, I certainly don't
Belong anywhere else.
You're dick brumley,
Aren't ya?
Yes.
I saw you shot down.
Your plane was on fire.
Nobody coulda
Got out of it.
That's right.
But you got
Out of it.
No, I rode her
Down, Pete.
Wait a minute.
Take it easy.
Either I'm dead
Or I'm crazy.
Ha ha. Well, you're not crazy, Pete.
You mean, I'm dead?
Yeah!
I'm...
You mean...
You mean
This is for good?
You guessed it.
You mean I went out and
Let them knock me over?
That's about it.
And now I'm...
You-you mean I'm dead?
Yep.
You mean... Dead.
How do ya like that?
I don't mind it
At all.
I don't feel
Any different.
It's pretty much the same
Once you get the hang of it.
Hmm. This is great.
I never played
A harp in my life.
There's not much time
For harp playing up here.
There's plenty of work to
Do and good men to do it.
Come on,
Let's get moving.
I want you
To meet the boss.
You got a commanding
Officer up here?
Yeah,
And a good one.
Well, let's make it
Short and sweet.
Hey.
What's wrong?
That Dorinda girl.
She sure called
The turn on this one.
Oh, well,
That happens, too.
How is Dorinda?
Oh, she's fine.
Poor kid.
Why?
This is certainly
Gonna be tough on her.
For a while, but she'll get over it.
What do you mean,
She'll get over it?
The girl is crazy about me.
She was, but good-looking
Girl like Dorinda
Doesn't have any trouble
Making new friends.
I don't mind if she has
A couple of friends.
That's very
Generous of you.
I think she should have
A good time.
You know, nothing serious,
But I think she oughta
Have some fun
Once in a while.
She will.
Is he our
Commanding officer?
Sure.
One of the greatest
Flyers that ever lived.
Sure. We got 'em
All up here.
These guys know
I'm up here?
They will.
What a flyer he was.
Too bad he never
Had a chance
To fly any of
The modern stuff.
I'd like to give him a ride
In some of the real hot stuff.
You may
Go in now, sir.
Sir, this is
Major peter sandidge
Of the united states
Army air force.
At ease.
Glad to know
You, sandidge.
Thank you, sir.
We've been expecting
You here for some time.
Thank you, sir.
Is that so, sir?
Yeah. I've been
Studying your record.
Oh, it isn't much.
Well, I agree with you
About that.
You can fly fairly well
If you obey orders.
"fairly well"?
I do things
With a plane
The designer
Didn't even think of.
That's just
The point, sandidge.
We work here
On the general lines
Of trying to do things
With the plane
The designer
Did think of.
Well, I can
Do that, too, sir.
I hope so.
You know our work
Here, of course.
No, sir.
I don't think so.
It's pretty simple.
We operate
On the principle
Of helping
The other fella.
If a flyer down below
Needs a little assistance,
We assign a man
To ride with him.
Oh, I see. Sure.
Well, it's not much
Like the old days.
I'll never forget
The day I soloed.
30-mile
Cross wind blowing.
Motor wouldn't turn up.
I was just taking her off-
You're not under
The impression
That you learned to fly
All by yourself, are you?
Well, if I didn't, sir,
I'd like to know
Who helped me.
Well, I guess
I can tell you that.
You were helped by every man
Since the beginning of time
Who dreamt
Of wearing wings,
By pioneers who flew pieces of wire
And paste board long
Before you were born,
By every pilot that ever
Crashed into the ground
In order that others
Could stay up in the sky.
I see, sir.
Now it's your turn to pass
That along to the next man.
Yes, sir.
That'll be all for now.
Brumley will break you in
And stay with you for a while.
I think you'll like it
After you get the hang of it.
Yes, sir.
Well, good luck boys,
And do a good job.
Thank you, sir.
Don't they ever salute in these parts?
Not if they don't
See you, they don't.
Can't hear us
Either, huh?
No.
I got a hunch
You and I
Are going to get awful
Sick of our conversations.
Not if we keep busy.
Kind of makes you
Feel like nothing.
It's going to take a little
Time to get used to this.
Hey, buddy.
You realize there are
A lot of things
Going on around you that you
Don't know anything about?
You're a pretty silly-looking
Guy, you know that?
And don't answer me
Back, neither one of ya.
This thing has
Its points, at that.
I just hope I run across
Nails kilpatrick once
Before I die.
Well, I hope
I run across him.
What's the layout here?
Well, these boys
Have had
Their 9-weeks'
Ground work,
Their 9-weeks'
Primary training.
They're starting
Basic training now
So you can figure out they're
A pretty nervous bunch of kids.
We get the problem children
Of the outfit, huh?
Something like that.
How do we know
Which one of these
New-fangled flyers
We're gonna work on?
You'll see.
You
Wanted me, sir?
You realize you cleared
That water tower
By less than 6 feet?
I was trying to see
How accurately
I could judge
My distance.
Well, isn't that fine.
Well, when I want
A fool maneuver like that
I'll ask for it,
Understand?
Very well, sir. I was just remembering
That major sandidge
Sank a german flattop
With a maneuver
Like that.
Now, there's a great little
Kid and a great little flyer.
That will quite
Possibly go down
As the luckiest incident in
The history of world war ii.
Lucky?
Listen to that guy.
He reminds me of nails.
But he did sink
The carrier, colonel,
And they gave him
A d.s.c.
You hear that?
I got a d.s.c.
Unfortunately, it came
Too late for him to wear.
We're not training
You men to die.
We're training you
To live.
The first budding hero
I catch among you
Will be washed out.
I don't like
That guy's attitude.
Randall?
Yes, sir?
You and rourke seem to be
Having a little trouble.
Take your ships up, and maybe I
Can find out what's the matter.
Yes, sir.
That's all, boys.
Come on. Let's take a
Look at those 2 flyers.
I don't think I'm gonna
Be very happy here.
Strange feeling
That's my man.
Boy, you got trouble.
That's what
I'm here for.
What's he waiting for?
Give her the gun.
More, you dope.
Oh, no, no.
How can a guy do that
To an airplane?
Why don't he get it
Off the ground?
What's he afraid of?
That's your problem,
Not mine.
What do you mean
By that crack?
You picked him up.
He's your baby.
If I ever learn
To keep my mouth shut...
Have you forgotten
When you were having
Your first trouble
With a plane?
Say, listen-
The point is,
From here on out
The only way
You can fly a plane
Is through that man
Or somebody else like him.
From the take-off
I just saw,
There is nobody else
Like him. Look at him now.
What kind of a guy
Is he? Is he an idiot?
Aw, he's a nice guy.
So's mine.
Yours got his m.a. From boston
Tech in combustion engines,
And mine's an all-american
Guard from usc.
You mean to tell me a guy
Can learn all about engines
And do what he's doing
To one of 'em right now?
He knows what makes 'em tick.
He can't make 'em fly.
He's nervous. Might be the
Result of inheriting $4 million.
$4 million?
You know what I'd do with
All that dough if I was him?
I'd spend it all
On life insurance.
Oh, I can't
Watch this. Come on.
So, this is where
They sleep, huh?
Where do we sleep?
On the floor.
That's cozy.
One thing about our
Branch of the service,
We'll never go soft from
Good living, will we?
Well, here's your man.
Get a load of that.
Look at him-
All spread out
On that nice soft bed.
How can you sleep like that
After what you did today?
There's money bags.
He's not asleep yet.
Why don't you close
Those big blue eyes?
What's the matter
With ya?
Are you a worrier?
How do you like
This guy?
4 million bucks,
And he's got insomnia.
What'll I do, let him
Roll and toss like this,
Or shall I rock
Him to sleep?
Leave him alone.
He's the thoughtful type.
What are you
Thinking about?
It can't be
Financial worries.
What's the matter
With you?
Why don't you
Go to sleep?
Look at that guy.
Look at that kisser.
4 million bucks.
Come to think of it,
I never did see a guy that
Inherited a lot of dough
That was any good.
Good night, sweetheart.
Sweet dreams to you.
I might as well
Tip you off to this-
I don't think
I'm gonna like ya.
Like him or not, you start
Flying with him tomorrow morning.
Come on.
You scared?
If he's not, I am.
Scared? What do you
Think I'm humming for?
This colonel sykes
Is one tough baby.
Good luck.
Looks like
Today or never.
You're first.
So long!
Well, here we go,
Against my better judgment.
You can't see me
Or hear me,
But they tell me
I can get through to ya.
Personally, I doubt it.
No, no, no.
Don't hug the ground.
Give her the gun.
Relax, you got nothing
To worry about.
Remember,
With all that cash
You got a lot to live for.
Just sit back and let
The ship fly herself.
Remember, this airplane
Knows more about flying
Than you'll ever know.
I said relax.
I'm too stiff.
I gotta take it easy.
Now, listen, buddy.
There's a few corny ideas
You gotta get out
Of your head
If you're gonna fly
An airplane.
Most things
Are just the reverse
Of what people think.
The higher you are,
The safer you are.
The earth down there,
That's your enemy.
Once you hit that boy,
You splatter.
Now, take it easy. Relax.
Enjoy it.
Get a kick out of it.
There.
That's pretty good.
That's better.
Take a look around.
Kinda pretty up here,
Isn't it?
Pretty nice.
Take your turn
In traffic, randall.
Hold your proper altitude.
All right, come
On. Let's ease her down.
Don't stiffen.
Don't stiffen.
Down we go.
Down...
Down, down, down.
Take it easy, now.
Remember, you're
A soap bubble.
You're a feather.
Easy...
Easy, easy, easy...
That was fine.
And how you ever got by
Primary training
I'll never know!
They must be
Hard up for pilots.
Just think-
All that dough
And you're gonna be
A flyer to boot.
But don't ever forget that
I'm the guy that did it.
That was swell work, ted.
Really great.
Boy, I almost
Grounded.
Every time
I hit the dirt,
I think the show's over.
Yeah, that's usually
My trouble.
But today I seem to get
The hang of it.
Hey, it looks like you
Got a flyer on your hands.
Yeah. Not bad, huh?
Yeah, you're pretty
Proud of yourself.
It's kind of fun
Punching some brains
In that guy's head.
When does your guy go up?
Right away.
He does?
Say, did you tell me
He was a football player?
Yeah, that's right.
Oh, I could do a lot
With him.
Well, take him.
You don't mind?
No. That's what
We're here for.
See what you can do
With him.
Thanks.
My mama done told me
When I was
In knee pants...
Cut that out.
My mama done told me
When I was
In knee pants
Son
That's better.
In the first place, your
Mammy didn't told you enough.
In the second place,
From now on,
I'm telling you.
Now listen, you big ape.
Give her the gun,
And execute a forward pass
Over that first line
Of trees.
Come on, now.
Let's see you do it.
Oh, you don't want it
That way, huh?
Change signals then.
Make it a punt,
Make it a drop kick.
Make it anything,
But get this baby
Into the air!
Get it over the trees!
Get it into the air!
Phew! You must have
Been a sensation
On the football field.
Make your turn
In traffic, rourke.
That's better, rourke.
There, you hear that?
The coach likes you.
He thinks you're good.
Now, here's the way
To figure this thing.
When you were playing guard,
The quarterback was doing
All the thinking,
And he was getting
All the credit.
Now all that's changed.
On our team,
You're the quarterback.
You do the thinking.
You're the whole show.
Just think
Of those headlines, boy.
Think of those headlines.
All right, rourke.
Into the traffic pattern
For a landing.
Keep an eye open
For other planes.
Our side's gonna attempt
A drop kick,
And remember,
You're holding the ball.
And you're holding it with
Your fingertips. You get that?
Now, take it easy. Easy!
Don't fumble now,
You big ox.
Remember, there's 60,000 fans
In those stands watching.
Easy now!
Set her down like that.
Easy on the controls-
With your fingertips.
Your fingertips!
Right between the goal posts!
What a pouf!
Yeah, what a pouf.
Good comeback.
Yeah, I've seen it
Happen before.
A man who seemed hopeless
Suddenly gets the hang of things.
He may not be as good
As this tomorrow,
But he'll never again be
As bad as that first run.
He's-he's feeling it.
I'm a ding-dog daddy
From dumas
And you wanna see me
Do my stuff
That was great,
Powerhouse.
There's nothing to it.
You know what I figured out? What?
I'm a lot better
When I'm up there alone
Than when I've got one of these
Instructors riding with me.
How do you like
That guy?
You know what I found out?
This is a cinch.
It's just like football.
Football?!
Yeah. Reminded me of the day
We beat pittsburgh.
We pulled a fake reverse.
I cut over center,
And I opened up this hole
As wide as the second front,
But the dumb quarterback
Dropped the ball.
So as quick as a flash,
I picked it up,
And the rest is history.
72 yards for a touchdown.
I heard it
Over the radio.
Everybody heard it
Over the radio!
Now look at that. All this
Life going on around him,
And he sits there
Reading a book.
I have 2 tickets to the
Majestic theater tonight.
Would you like them?
No.
Hey. You know, you've
Got the rest of your life
To read that book.
Why don't you
Step out there
And ask one of those dolls to dance?
Or does a guy with your kind of dough
Only dance
With society dames?
Look at that girl
Over there.
Look at her, you dope.
She's a honey.
She's a dish.
Maybe you'd like
To dance, huh?
No.
That girl is lonesome.
Why don't you go over there
And tackle her?
Tell you're lonesome.
Tell her you want to dance.
Tell her she reminds you
Of your sister.
Tell her anything.
Why don't you try spending
A couple of bucks?
You can't tell,
You might like it.
Wouldn't you like
A sandwich
Or a candy bar
Or something?
No. I...
Uh... Good evening.
Hello.
I, uh... I came over
Because, uh...
Because she reminds you
Of your sister.
Well, you remind me a
Great deal of my sister.
Oh, how nice.
Would you like
To dance?
Oh, thank you very much.
My name is ellen bright.
What's yours?
Randall, ted randall, and
I'm delighted to know you.
That's more than I can say
For that boy at the counter.
What's the matter
With him?
Homesickness.
Just comes in
And stares like that
Every night.
I guess homesickness
Can be pretty bad.
Yeah, I imagine it can.
I remember my first year at college.
I used to get
So lonesome
For somebody
From home,
I could almost cry.
Guess that's the way
He feels right now.
You know who he is
Or where he comes from?
Oh, you can't help knowing.
He talks about it
All the time.
His name is sanderson.
He comes from a little town
Called twin hooks, rhode island.
And from what he says,
Twin hooks, rhode island
Is just about 5 times
As beautiful as paradise.
Would you mind waiting
For me for a minute?
No, of course not.
I'll be right back.
Well, I got him off
To a good start.
Oh, you did, huh?
And after we'd won
The game,
We'd all sit around
The dressing room
Where we'd sing
The old fight song.
You'll love this.
It went like this.
Fight on for old u.s.c.
Come and fight on
To victory
Telephone call
For sanderson.
Sanderson?
For who?
Telephone call
For sanderson.
Is that you?
Must be some other sanderson.
Come on.
Nobody'd be calling me.
Hello?
Who?
I don't under...
Mom!
It's my mom!
Oh, that was swell of you.
You know, that's
A funny thing.
He's a nice guy.
Knows how to spend
His money too.
All I know is what
People around town said.
When hank was a boy, you know,
No bigger than this,
He worked at the sawmill
Down by the river.
And one day,
He fell into the saw
And cut off his big toe.
Oh, that's terrible.
Oh, not for hank. His folks
Didn't even call in a doctor.
And afterwards, when people
Asked about the accident,
Hank said it didn't bother him a bit,
That he'd just
Grow a new toe.
Are you kidding?
This guy's a bigger liar
Than I was.
The only difference is,
He gets away with it.
Well, why can't you and ted
Come over to the house
Tomorrow night?
Because we're on
24 hours notice.
That means that by
Tomorrow night at this time,
We may be a long way
From san francisco.
We don't know
Where we're going...
What do you mean,
"bring ted over," anyhow?
He's cute.
How long have you
Known him?
Who?
Ted.
Oh, we've been buddies
For over a year now.
Same class. We got
Our wings together.
Go on with the story.
Oh, well, about a year
Before I left home,
Hank was working
At the same sawmill,
And he fell into
The same saw.
Only this time
It cut off his foot,
About up to here.
I don't believe it.
He was growing
Himself a new foot.
What happened?
Well, some folks said that first
There'd be a full-grown foot.
Then the rest of the leg
Would grow
Till the foot touched
The ground.
Others said that they'd
Grow the leg out first,
And then the heel with
The toenails last of all.
And then there were
Those who said
That there'd be a tiny
Little foot and ankle,
And then it would grow till
It got to be full sized.
Don't you think that's a very
Interesting scientific problem?
Oh, I think it's
Just fascinating.
It's just the most wonderful
Thing I've ever heard of.
There's a dame that's headed
For the booby hatch.
Finally they decided
It's downright immoral
For a guy to grow a foot without
Them knowing anything about it.
So they go up
To hank's house.
And they yell up that if hank
Doesn't let them in,
They're gonna set fire
To the place.
Well, hank lets go
From his bedroom window
With a double-barreled shotgun.
So they set fire
To the back porch.
Well, the place got hotter
And hotter.
Oh, thank you.
Oh, wait a minute.
Let me look at you.
This is really amazing.
You know, you remind me
Of my sister?
We're all brothers
And sisters, aren't we?
First time in 6 months
That line hasn't worked.
O.k. Thanks.
Well, this is it.
I'm sorry, girls.
If you're still hungry,
You'll have to finish alone.
But why?
What's happening?
But ted,
What about the fire?
I'll tell you
On the way out.
You know, that thing
About the foot-
If that's a line,
It's no good.
And if he believes
It himself, he's crazy.
Guy couldn't grow
Another foot, could he?
You got me, pal.
Here, take these girls
Wherever they want to go.
But what about hank?
Hank? Oh, hank.
Well, the place burned down.
But what happened
To hank?
Well, nobody knows.
Did he get out of the
House or didn't he?
He never got out.
What about the foot,
You dope?
Did he grow
A new foot?
They never found out.
All they found
Was a little bridgework.
Gold, you know. Nothing
Else. Nothing at all.
Ooh!
Well, I didn't say it was
A funny story.
It smells.
Well, I guess
This is good-bye.
Well, so long, greg.
I wonder if this is
That wartime immorality
They're always
Talking about.
'Bye, ted.
Who do we take out next?
Nobody. We're gonna
Ride along with them.
With them?
Those guys can fly-
That's only half
The job.
We gotta see how they hold up in combat.
Do I have to keep on
Looking at that guy?
You can't
Give us a hint
Of where we're going, can you?
Well, I can tell you
That where you're going
I don't think
You'll find anybody
Who reminds you
Of your sister.
You got all
That consignment
Of spare parts
Aboard, sergeant?
Yes, sir. 23 cases.
Good. Take her up.
We made it.
I sure hope that new
Outfit coming in
Brings plenty of spare parts
With them.
Yeah. What's the matter?
Blown out.
Blown out, huh?
Hmm. Reminds me of the last
Letter I got from my wife.
You know what that kid
Of mine did?
No, sir.
Well, he's trying
To be a chemist,
And he's out in the barn
One day fooling around
Mixing stuff together- a
Little potash, a little sulfur-
And maybe a little
Nitroglycerin.
You know what happened?
No, sir.
He blew the barn up-
The whole cockeyed barn.
Just blew it up!
Ain't that the funniest thing
You ever heard?
Yes, sir.
That sure is funny,
Colonel.
You know, that reminds me of my kid.
He's only 4-
Aw, you wait till he's 9, henderson.
Then's when
They're really fun.
Yes, sir, but as
I as saying-
Aw, great things, kids.
Great things.
Let me know when you get
This tub finished, will you?
Yes, sir.
Oh, al?
Yes, sir.
What time's that gang
From the states get in?
About an hour, sir.
See that they're
Fixed up.
Sure will.
Old friend of yours got in from sydney.
Yeah, who's that?
Dorinda durston.
Are you kidding?
Where is she, nails?
Over in 4.
Holy smoke!
Give her my regards,
Will you?
You bet I will.
Hello, Dorinda.
Al! Al yackey!
They told me you just pulled in, honey.
Oh, it's good
To see you.
It's good
To see you, al.
Hey, hey, hey.
What's this?
Just hold on.
It'll leave
In just a minute.
Let me look at you.
Why, al, you're a colonel!
That's right.
Everybody gets
Promoted these days.
You ought
To see nails.
He's a brigadier,
My boss here.
Colonel al yackey.
Aw, gee.
Can you imagine
How Pete'd cuss,
Having to salute me?
Yeah.
He sure would,
Wouldn't he?
Sit down, al.
I was just starting
To unpack.
I did that on purpose,
Dorinda.
I had to find out
How you were doing.
Oh, not so good,
Not so good.
I manage to keep busy.
Yeah, I know. They tell me
You're trying to win this war
All by yourself.
Nobody ever
Sees you anymore.
All work and no play-
Makes a girl keep her
Mind off her troubles.
You look kind
Of peaked too, honey.
It don't seem right-
Al...
Please don't
Make me cry.
You're gonna have to
Get over this, Dorinda.
Get over it?
You sound like I had
The measles or something.
You don't get over
A thing like this.
You die from it.
That's not the gal
I know, honey.
Too many things
To remember, al.
You find you've gone over all the
Big things a million times or more,
And then you begin to think
Of the little things,
Like the time he got
To talking to me
And stepped off
Into a puddle
And I laughed,
And he got mad.
And then we forgot
All about it,
Until out of nowhere
At all,
That little stumble comes
To live with me again.
Remember the time
In the machine shop-
Yeah, I guess I know
What you mean, honey.
I remember he used to be always
Running out of cigarettes,
Bumming them from me,
And I'd say,
"Pete, why don't you
Buy some.
I'm never gonna save a
Dime till I get rid of you."
Well, I got rid
Of him, all right,
And I haven't saved
A dime yet.
This is just plain
Darned foolishness,
Sitting around here
Moaning like this.
Look. I'm meeting
A new bunch of boys
From the states
Tonight.
Why don't you come over
To the officer's
Club with us
And break
A bottle open?
No, thanks, al.
I'd much rather
Stay here.
You'd rather
Stay here, huh?
Yeah.
And moan?
Well,
That's my business.
That's right, sure. That's
Your business, all right.
But if you're gonna sit
And grieve
All the rest
Of your life,
Why don't you
Do it right?
Why don't you get
A room
And lock yourself up
In it,
And wear black
Silk dresses?
And put a little white
Handkerchief over your head
And a pasty look
On your face?
I knew a woman
Back home did that.
She got just what
She wanted, too.
Folks felt sorry for her
For 30 years.
That's not nice, al.
All right, so it ain't
Nice. But it's the truth.
You think you're the only guy
That ever got a kick in the teeth?
You're not.
It's happening every day,
And it's gonna keep right on
Happening till this thing's over.
You can feel sorry
For yourself,
Or you can come out with me
And see how nice people are
When they're alive.
Al, I like you better than
Anybody on earth, I guess,
And I know you're
Trying to help me,
But this is
Just something
I've got to work out
In my own way.
Look, honey.
You see this guy?
That's Pete sandidge,
The best friend I ever had or ever will.
He's the greatest guy
In the world,
And I miss him more
Than anybody ever
Missed a guy before.
But he's dead,
And I'm alive.
I'm gonna put him
Right where he belongs.
No, al!
Right there.
I gotta go out
To the field, honey.
I'll be back here
In half an hour.
Now, you get yourself
All prettied up,
'Cause it's gonna be
Our night to howl.
Come on, smile.
Aw, you feel better,
Maybe?
Just a little bit?
Oh, al. You're-
You're great!
You tell that
To all the guys.
I know you.
Now you got just 29
And a quarter minutes.
O.k. O.k., boss!
Al!
Al yackey,
Why you broken down...
Look at those chickens.
So you're
A ground officer, huh?
Look at him, a colonel,
Fat and sassy.
The seat of his pants
Shines better
Than his boots, too.
How are you,
Captain robertson?
Welcome to new guinea.
Did you have a good trip?
Smooth as silk. I brought a great
Bunch of pilots for you, too.
Colonel yackey, this is lieutenant
Rourke and lieutenant randall.
What are you, colonel?
The official greeter
For the chamber of commerce?
Randall? That's kind
Of funny.
I thought for a minute
You and I'd met up
Before someplace.
No, sir.
Lieutenant ridley, this
Is captain robertson,
Lieutenants randall
And rourke.
Aren't you afraid to go
Around without a parachute?
You might fall into a spittoon
In your office.
Lieutenant ridley'll show
You fellas to your quarters.
In case you'd like
To have a drink,
Come over to
The officer's club.
Oh, sounds like
A fine idea.
I'm gonna be with the
Prettiest gal in all new guinea,
That is, if you guys are
Interested in pretty gals.
We'd be delighted,
Sir.
That's swell.
That's good.
Well, listen to that.
That big lug talking
About dames and-
I can't believe it.
A colonel.
I'd have been a 3-star-
I'd have been
A 4-star general.
So don't sit
Under the apple tree
With anyone else but me
Till I come marching home
Ginger beer.
Same.
I don't mind al
Being a colonel,
But when I saw that star
On nails' shoulder,
That finished me.
Don't they have any privates
In this war?
Oh, yeah, drinking
Ginger beer,
Laying off the liquor.
He'll be a captain
Before long.
He's my man.
Here. You nibble on these
While I'm gone.
Dorinda!
Hey, girl,
It's me, Pete.
Dorinda, you gotta
Listen to me, I...
Now, look, Dorinda. I
Can take a lot, you know,
And I have.
Seeing al and nails
Was bad enough,
But-but I guess
This is the moment
I've been afraid of
All along.
I wondered how I'd feel
And how you would look.
And you look good enough
To eat, Dorinda.
You look pretty
As a picture.
I think I'll just
Stay here a minute.
You still
The same girl?
You know, Dorinda,
Some people seem prettier
When you dream about them
Than they really are.
But a funny thing
About you-
You're even prettier
Than the dream.
Still my girl?
Sure you are.
Sure you are, and you
Always will be, won't you?
You know a funny thing,
Dorinda?
I haven't forgotten
One little thing
That ever happened
Between us.
I remember how you
Used to burn up
When I'd ball you out
About how you
Ham-handled a ship.
I remember how you used
To hop out of a ship, too.
Always with
A grease spot
On your nose,
Right there.
But I'll never forget
The day we met in london.
You were riding on top of
The bus, and it was raining.
The rain was on your
Face like on a flower.
You weren't any too friendly, either.
So when I busted up
To you and said...
I beg your pardon.
I don't want to intrude,
But you look exactly
Like a sister of mine.
Well, that's a strange
Coincidence, isn't it?
Oh, an amazing one.
Because I bear a resemblance
To my own sister, too.
Do you mind
If I sit down?
No, not at all.
My name is ted randall.
Lieutenant randall, huh?
That's right.
I'm Dorinda durston,
Ferry service.
I'm glad to know you,
Dorinda durston.
I admire the women's
Ferrying service.
I've always thought it had
Such tremendous possibilities.
I hope you won't
Be disappointed-
Oh, I'm sure I won't be.
Incidentally, I've only
Known you 2 minutes,
And already I owe you
An apology.
Really?
Yes. I'm here under
False pretenses.
Why, lieutenant!
It's true.
I have no sister.
I felt sure you hadn't.
Neither have I.
How did you know?
Well, it seems that
Somewhere a long time ago,
That line was used before.
Listen to this drivel.
That's the trouble
With these kids.
You teach them something, and
They don't know how to handle it.
No judgment of women.
Oh, colonel yackey.
Good evening, sir.
Hello, randall.
Here you are, honey.
I see you've met
The lieutenant.
Yes, I've met
Lieutenant randall.
He says I remind him
Of his sisters.
She's wise to him.
Is that so?
Mm-hmm.
Sit down, sit down. How
Many sisters have you got?
11. Did you say 11?
That's quite a family,
11 sisters.
All very beautiful.
And I remind
Him of every one of them.
Maybe we better
Get you a drink.
Hey, waiter. Bring us a drink
For this boy.
Lieutenant randall is
In my command, honey.
They tell me
He's a pretty hot pilot.
He stinks.
You have to be a hot pilot
To be in al's outfit.
That's what I hear.
How about all 3 of us
Having dinner tonight?
I could cook you
A kangaroo steak
That will drive you crazy.
How do you cook
A kangaroo steak?
With wallaby sauce.
What a corny routine
This is.
Well, it sounds
Very interesting.
I'd love to see it
Done sometime.
Well, how about tonight?
A celebration.
Of what?
Of my meeting you.
Watch this.
This'll be good.
Watch him get set back
On his heels.
No, I'm afraid not.
Come on, Dorinda.
You haven't had any fun
For a long time.
She's always like this
When she's on the ground.
Skittish as a colt.
Tell him you'll go.
Come on!
Well, all right.
Sure, I'll go.
That's better.
Come on!
Let's get outta here.
Al!
Well, where
Have you been?
Sydney, my boy.
You have?
Yeah. I just you back
A load of spare parts.
Good. You know, you shouldn't
Stay away so long, Dorinda.
That flyer of yours has just been
Pining away since you was gone.
Me too. Where is he?
He's up
On security patrol.
How about a coke?
No, I can't, al. I've
Got to fill out my report.
Yeah, I see.
How's he been doing?
Who?
Ted, you goose.
Oh, him. He's doing
All right.
He got 3 more zeros.
No!
Yeah.
Oh, I'll just have to cook him
A dinner tonight.
I'll cook one for you, too.
I wouldn't want
To gum up your party.
Let's make tracks, baby.
Holy leapin' loopin'
Judas priest!
Where's that
Security patrol?
You dirty, no good,
Stinkin' sprite!
Nails! Look! Here they come!
Here come our kids.
Get those meatballs.
Boil 'em in oil.
Tear 'em to pieces
And fry 'em
For breakfast.
What'd you say?
I didn't say a thing.
O.k., boy,
It's all yours.
You're supposed to be
Doing something in this war
Besides making wisecracks
To my girl, anyway.
That's it.
O.k., so you're lucky.
Watch out!
Easy, Dorinda.
You don't have to worry
About that fella, honey.
He's just naturally the
Luckiest flier I ever did see.
'Pert near the best.
If you are good,
It's because I've been
Hanging around
To keep you from breaking
Your fool neck.
Look at that!
Another one.
I gotta admit you're good.
Robertson.
Hey, look at that!
Look at that.
There they go.
Look at that!
We got 6 out of 8.
6 out of 8! Yeah, and lost 1.
There's nothing unusual
About the shakes, ted.
You're just excited
After the fight.
I've seen a lot
Of guys
Have worse
Than the shakes
After
A good show.
Oh, sure, I know.
I wasn't thinking about the
Fight so much as robertson.
He was a great guy,
And a darn fine
Squadron commander, too.
You know, it doesn't
Seem possible,
When you stop
To think about it,
That they're not here anymore,
And they're not gonna be.
Has anything like that
Ever happened to you?
Yes.
A person's gotta forget,
Of course,
But it's not easy at first.
We gotta figure
These things
A little bit different
Than most people.
There's something about
Going out in a plane
That beats
Any other way.
I suppose all
The other branches
Of the service
Feel the same,
But the guy
That washes out
At the controls
Of his own ship-
Well, he goes down
Doing the thing that
He loved the best.
That's a very
Special way to die.
Hmm. I never thought
Of it that way before,
But it's true, all right.
Ted, you're not gonna have
Any eyebrows left
If you don't stop it.
Oh. Like with a flower.
Stop it!
Well, I guess we better get on our horse
Before this turns
Into a wake.
Oh, no, no.
It's my fault.
Don't go, sir.
I need a good drink
And a night's sleep.
Oh, I'm sorry if I
Did anything wrong.
Oh, there's nothing wrong
With you. It's me.
And everything wrong
With you, I like.
Good night.
Breakfast?
Sure.
Good night, sir.
Good night.
Did you see
What he was doing?
Yeah, I saw.
The things he does,
The way he acts sometimes.
You know, honey,
I got a hunch.
You're falling
For this guy.
Oh, no!
No?
No, no.
It's not that. It's-well,
It's hard to explain.
I
- I get such a queer feeling sometimes,
Watching him.
Yeah, I know.
I know, honey.
I know just
How you feel.
I gotta go now.
Good night.
Good night, al.
Don't let that
Baby-faced killer
Pull the wool
Over your eyes.
You know
What I mean.
Or do ya?
Remember,
You're still my girl.
Lieutenant randall,
It is my privilege
To bestow upon you
The distinguished
Flying cross
Awarded for
Bravery, heroism,
And extraordinary achievement
While in aerial flight.
And upon the recommendation
Of your superior officer,
And with the approval
Of your commander in chief,
You have been promoted
To the rank of captain.
My congratulations, sir.
Thank you, sir.
They're passing
Out that hardware
To everybody these days.
Dismissed!
Congratulations!
Thanks a lot, guys.
I hope you'll excuse me,
But I got some kind of
Special plan for this afternoon.
All the luck
In the world!
Oh, thanks. Everything
All ready, powerhouse?
Captain,
Everything's all fixed.
What special thing
Could he have planned now?
Come in!
Out here!
Hello!
Ha ha ha!
Aw!
Ted, you idiot.
Hey, look, 2 bars.
I'm a captain.
I've got
A medal, too.
Why don't
You say something?
Give me a chance.
You're the prettiest
Girl in all the world.
You're prettier
Than a p-38.
Oh, ted, I know what's
The matter with you.
You're crazy.
Not really crazy.
I've just come to
A decision, that's all.
Decision? What?
Dorinda, I'm gonna
Marry you.
You're going
To marry me?
That's it,
Marry you.
You're gonna be mrs.
Ted randall, my wife.
Me? I'll be
Your husband.
Get it?
Oh, it's not the most
Original idea on earth.
It's been
Done before, but...
Never with
2 people like us.
You mean you and I?
That's it, married.
M- a-double r-I-e-d.
The judge goes so and so and so and so,
And you're married.
You will, won't you?
Oh, ted, I...
Yes.
Hooray!
Come on in, guys!
Surprise!
Ted, you fool!
Yahoo!
What took you
So long?
Yeah! All the food
Will be cold.
We thought
You'd never say yes!
Lots of luck. You'll need it with him.
Play it again!
Play it again!
Again!
Aw.
Aw, this is the way it's
Gonna be from now on,
You and me
And real living.
When this show
Is over,
I'm gonna buy the sweetest
Little plane on earth.
We'll fly together,
Just the 2 of us,
Right over the top
Of the earth.
Darling.
I never used to like to
Fly with anybody before,
But I think I'm gonna like it with you.
Mademoiselle
And monsieur?
Yes?
Come and get it.
Oh, dandy.
Where'd you get all
This beautiful food?
It's a military secret.
Play it again!
Play it again!
Again!
To mrs. Ted randall!
Hooray!
To mr. Randall!
Hooray!
Well,
What's the matter?
I was just thinking,
You were pretty sure of
Yourself, weren't you?
Why,
What do you mean?
What would you have done
If I'd said no?
Ho ho. Play the other one, boys!
Oh, no!
'Tention!
What is this,
A convention?
Carry on, boys.
Congratulate me,
Sir.
O.k. What for?
Dorinda and I are
Gonna be married.
No?
Yes!
Oh, is that right?
That's right, al.
Oh, that's swell.
Congratulations,
Ted.
Thank you very much,
Sir.
I feel a little bit
Like a late spring frost
Coming in here
Like this,
But your replacements are here
And nails wants you to
Whip them into shape.
When?
I'm afraid
Right now.
He didn't know this was gonna happen.
O.k., o.k.
Come on, fellas,
Let's go!
A lot of firsts
For me today.
First time
I ever got engaged.
The first time I ever
Led my own squadron.
Don't forget to
Keep the wine cold.
And the food hot.
Sure thing.
Follow me over
To field.
Wish me luck,
Darling.
You won't need it.
Oh, and keep my medal for me, will ya?
Are you sure
You trust me with it?
Oh,
What do you think?
Climb in, romeo.
You know, you're not sitting
As pretty as you think you are.
You're engaged,
All right,
But you're not
Married yet.
You really
Wanna keep her?
Well, I'm gonna
Tell you something.
She just loves
Crazy fliers.
She always has.
How do you think
I ever got her?
Go on,
Put on something fancy,
Money bags.
She'd love it.
So would nails.
Why don't you break
Away from the squadron?
Tell 'em to keep
Their eye on you,
You'll show 'em what the
Service really expects of 'em.
Go on, kid, you won't get into trouble.
Go ahead. She thinks you're wonderful.
Don't disappoint her.
Put on a show for her.
Lieutenant rourke,
Assume commander
Of squadron.
Tell the new men to
Keep an eye on me.
I'll give them a small idea
Of what we expect down here.
Roger.
What's he doing?
I don't know, honey.
But whatever it is,
It ain't good.
This plane'll hold up under
Anything. You know that.
Come on,
You lady killer,
Fly this crate right
Down to the wing bolts.
And don't forget this.
She once had a guy who really
Knew how to fly an airplane.
She can fly
This well herself.
Go on, fly it.
Go on down there and take
The tops off those trees.
Hey, hey, take it
Easy now, take it easy.
You don't have to
Overdo it, you know.
Nails is going to
Love that one.
Nice flying.
Yeah.
Well, from now on, son,
It's between you
And your maker.
I'm stuck, I can't
Think of anything more.
Sir.
Oh, thanks,
Sergeant.
Well, looks like
We're gonna do something
Besides play around here
For the rest of the day.
Oh, colonel yackey.
Yes, sir.
See ya later, honey.
Colonel, tell that young
Idiot to report to me
The minute he lands.
Yes, sir.
Just what did
You do that for?
I don't know.
I guess I was kind of a fool.
Yeah, I guess
You were.
You might have been
A fool, ted,
But you're the kind
Of fool that knows
How to fly
An airplane.
There's nothing I can
Do for you now, bub.
Come on. The boss wants to see you.
This'll cost that guy
Every leave he'll have
For the next
6 months.
He'll have to get married
In the guard house.
Oh, yeah,
That's possible.
By the way, the boss wants to see you.
Me?
Mm-hmm.
O.k, but let me see
What nails does to him.
After that,
I can take anything.
I just wanna see how
He takes a demotion.
You go on home.
I'll be over to see
You after I'm through.
Don't worry.
It may not be
As bad as you think.
Good luck.
Thanks.
Sergeant, drive
Miss durston to her quarters.
Bye.
You wanted
To see me, sir.
Yes. I watched that
Show you put on up there.
I'm sorry, sir. I
Don't know why I did it.
Guess I went
A little overboard.
I know why
You did it.
Don't do those things, captain.
You're a squadron
Commander now.
Yes, sir.
What's the matter with you?
You going soft?
This guy
Should be busted.
You're good, randall.
You're so good, I've got a
Job here you might go for.
I'll take it, sir.
Better have
A look at it first.
What is this,
A tea par...
I'll still take it,
Sir.
You understand, this
Is no ordinary mission?
Headquarters
Seem to think a p-38
Is the ship
To do it.
See that?
That's palibuk,
Palibuk island.
Right there
Is the biggest
Enemy munitions dump
In the pacific.
Observation gives us
Clear weather all the way.
You'll take off
In time to be
Over palibuk
Around midnight.
Just get
Your bombs in,
Then twist out fast,
Right?
I understand, sir.
You must make every effort
To destroy your target
And then return,
Understand?
I'm not eager to have any
Dead heroes on my hands.
That's all.
Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Bring your book.
Get me a3.
Imagine that.
If that'd been
Me up there,
I'd have been sent to scotland
For the rest of my life.
That guy draws on the
Juiciest job in the outfit.
A difference in character, I guess.
He's got a pretty tough
Assignment, at that.
Well,
You got one, too.
Me?
The boss wants to
See you, remember?
Oh, yeah.
I almost forgot.
Go on in.
I'll wait out here.
Come in.
Major sandidge
Reporting, sir.
At ease.
Well?
Well, there isn't
Much to say, sir.
I didn't think
It would do any harm
To put the kid
Through his paces.
That's not
The truth.
You were
Jealous of him.
Why should I be
Jealous of him, sir?
I'm a better flyer
Than he'll ever be.
Sit down.
Yes, sir.
I don't think
You really grasp
What our work is
All about up here.
Oh, yes sir,
Sure I do.
I know we're supposed to
Follow through with these men
And make better
Flyers out of them.
That's only
Part of it.
I'm sorry it wasn't made
Clearer to you at the beginning.
It isn't just you
As an individual
Helping your man
As an individual.
It's all of us working
Together for the future.
Every man
That ever flew...
It's hard for me to put
It into words, sandidge,
If you don't
Feel it.
I think
I understand, sir.
No, I don't think
You understand at all.
Let's put it this way.
Have you ever been up in
Your plane at night, alone,
Somewhere
- 20,000 feet above the ocean?
Yes, sir.
Did you ever hear
Music up there?
Perhaps.
Oh.
If you've heard it,
You'll remember it.
It's the music a man's
Spirit sings to his heart
When the earth's
Far away
And there isn't
Any more fear.
It's the high, fine,
Beautiful sound
Of an earthbound creature who grew wings
And flew up high
And looked straight
Into the face
Of the future
And caught just
For an instant
The unbelievable vision of
A free man in a free world.
If you haven't
Heard it,
There's no way
I can talk to you.
I've heard it.
I have heard it,
Sir.
I used to try to
Explain it to some kids,
But I could
Never find words.
Oh, children would understand. Sure.
Because the future
Belongs to them.
They're already
Moving into it.
They're going to climb
Out of the dust and muck
And lift up their heads and see the sky.
They're going to fly like
A generation of angels
Into the free air
And sunlight.
Yeah, sure.
Oh, children would
Always understand.
Free as the air.
Men have said that ever since
They've crawled out of caves
And came down
From trees.
That's what
We're fighting for,
The freedom of the very air we breathe,
The freedom of mankind
Rushing to greet the future
On wings.
Can you
Understand that?
Can you?
Yes sir, I do.
No man
Is really dead
Unless he breaks faith with the future.
And no man
Is really alive
Unless he accepts his
Responsibility to it.
That's the chance we're giving you here,
The opportunity to
Pay off to the future,
What you owe for having
Been part of the past.
It's just another
Way of saying,
"I'm glad I lived.
"I'm glad
I was alive.
Now let me
Give you a hand."
You thought you were choosing
Between life and death
When you flew in
Over that carrier,
But you weren't.
You're choosing
Between 'em now.
It's up to you,
Pete.
If you please, sir,
I'd like to go back.
I think I can
Do my job now.
Very well.
You may go.
Thank you, sir.
Dorinda.
Dorinda, I got
Something to tell you.
I've been learning
A lot, Dorinda.
I've learned that this
Thing that's going on
Is bigger than you and me.
It's bigger
Than any of us.
We don't count,
Dorinda.
We're just nothing.
And yet, if we do the
Job we're supposed to do,
We could be great people.
I wish you could hear what
I'm saying to you, Dorinda.
When I look at you now,
I sure wish
I'd been different.
Wish I'd told you
A lot of things
That I thought of but I just
Couldn't find the words to say 'em.
Wish I'd told you
How cute your nose is
And how it turns up
At the end all of a sudden,
And how good
The smell of your hair is,
How your eyes
Light up when you laugh,
And how you fit
Into my arms
Just as though
You belonged there.
But I didn't tell you.
It serves me right.
You know, this guy of yours
Is going on a dangerous job,
As tough as they come.
And I just want
You to know
That I'll bring
Him back, Dorinda.
He's going to be all right,
Dorinda. Don't worry about it.
Do you know what I'm
Really trying to tell you?
I'm trying to
Tell you something
I never told
Anybody before.
I love you.
I love you, Dorinda,
With all my heart,
And I want you
To be happy.
And if marrying this guy
Is gonna make you happy,
That's what I want.
I figure I'll hunt
Myself another assignment
If I pull this off,
One that's not
So close to home.
Good-bye, Dorinda.
We'd have made
A great pair.
Hey. The door was open.
Pete!
Ted.
Dorinda, what is it?
Oh, nothing.
Nothing...
I just wasn't expecting you, that's all.
I had a few minutes,
So I thought I'd come by
And say good night to you.
What is it, Dorinda.
What is it?
Ted...
Yes?
I've got something
To tell you.
Go ahead.
I- I'm not going
To marry you.
But what's
The matter?
I haven't been
Honest with you, ted.
I'm not in love
With you, ted.
I thought I was,
But I'm not.
I'm in love with a guy
Named Pete sandidge.
Stop it, Dorinda.
Oh, yes, I am.
You're too nice
A person to fool, ted.
I just realized it,
About myself, I mean.
I guess when a woman loves
Once, she loves for keeps.
Anyway, that's the way
It is with me.
But he's dead,
Dorinda.
Oh, that doesn't make
Any difference, ted.
That was real love,
Like food and drink
And air and water.
There's no substitute.
You wouldn't want a
Substitute, would you?
Because then, you'd
Never have the real thing.
You'd only have a
Cheap imitation, and...
That would
Hurt us both.
You sure you mean
What you're saying?
Yes, ted,
I'm so sure,
So sure.
I haven't got much time.
I have to go right now.
I wish I could stay
And talk with you.
Oh, it wouldn't do any good,
Ted. Honest, it wouldn't.
Well...
If that's it,
That's it.
It was too good
To be true, anyway.
I really should
Have known better.
Good night, ted.
Bye, Dorinda.
Do you mind
If I hate Pete...
Just for a little while?
Dorinda, I'm just on
My way to headquarters.
I had to stop
And tell you something,
Something I think
You oughta know.
Oh? What?
I've seen you take one
Awful hard jolt with Pete.
Well, I gotta fix you
For another one.
All right, al,
Go ahead.
Well, ted's got himself a pretty
Tough job cut out for tonight.
A job like what?
Like blowing up
A jap ammunition dump.
What are
His chances, al?
Well, I...
No so good, Dorinda.
Where is this
Ammunition dump?
I can't tell you that.
You know that.
Military secret,
Huh?
That's right.
What do you mean,
Military secret between you and me, al?
You think I've been
Crisscrossing this country
For the last
6 months
Without getting wise
To a thing or 2?
There are only 2 ammunition
Dumps that amount to anything.
One's at palibuk and
The other san laurentia.
Palibuk's
The biggest.
That's the one,
Isn't it?
Al, you think ted has a
Chance of coming back alive?
It could be done.
I'm going back
With you.
Look, Dorinda...
I said I'm going
Back with you!
I've got to
Talk to ted!
We made it.
There's his ship.
Good. I'm glad.
They're in operations. You
Want to wait in my office?
No. No, you go on in.
I'll wait out here.
I guess you'd
Rather see him alone.
Now, it's all clear
To you...
Yes, sir.
6 minutes.
Have a cup of coffee.
Hi, powerhouse!
Hi!
What are you
Doing here?
Just getting this flying bomb
Ready for that guy of yours.
Boy, I wish I were
Going on this trip.
Maybe you will be.
Nails wants to see you.
He does?
Don't cut it.
I'll hold it for you.
All right.
Keep 'em revved up!
O.k.
And if they get hot,
Cut 'em.
Yeah.
Hey, Dorinda!
What's that?
Dorinda, I know what you're
Doing and you're wrong.
Ted and I could have
Pulled this job off.
Turn around, Dorinda,
Turn around and go back.
Now, Dorinda, you've
Got to listen to me.
You've got to turn
Around. You can't do this!
Everything you're doing
Is against orders, Dorinda.
It doesn't make
Any sense!
Now look, Dorinda,
I know you're
A great little flyer,
But you're not
A fighter pilot.
You know, a lot more
Depends on this job
Than just blowing up
An ammunition dump!
Suppose you don't
Make the grade?
Did you ever stop
To think of that?
You'll tip off
The whole show!
Guys hundreds of miles
From here will be dying
Just because
You got scared
And started running away from yourself.
Dorinda, you're throwing your
Life away trying to do a job
That somebody else
Could have done.
You're throwing
Your life away
Because you're afraid
To do your own job.
You're afraid of living.
You're afraid
Of life.
And that's double-crossing
A lot of guys
Who are out there
Fighting for it.
You can't do that,
Not my Dorinda.
Dorinda!
Dorinda, kick that rudder
And get this crate
Out of here!
Dorinda, you've got
To hear me! Listen to me!
Don't be
A pig-headed fool!
They've spotted us.
All right, I'm right
Behind you, Dorinda.
Open up that hot lead!
Now, Dorinda!
Come on, twist her out,
Dorinda, twist her out!
Put her nose up
Into the moon!
Now just settle back
And let this little
Sweetheart take you home.
Got some dirt on your face
Again, didn't you?
That's better.
Now just point
Her nose in the air
And climb straight
For heaven.
Higher, Dorinda,
Higher.
Listen, Dorinda.
There it is.
You hear it?
I can tell you now,
Dorinda.
I can tell you everything
I've ever wanted to tell you.
You're going back and you're gonna have
A swell life,
Dorinda.
You're gonna have
A wonderful life.
Everything's gonna seem
Prettier than it was before.
The rain's gonna have a
Little more smell to it.
The trees are gonna
Seem a little greener.
And the nights are gonna
Be all chock full of stars.
And when you go
To sleep, Dorinda,
You're not gonna
Have any bad dreams.
And when that morning
Sunlight hits you in the face,
You're gonna
Wake up laughing.
And what's more, you're
Going out with people,
And you're gonna have all
The things that they have,
Including love.
You know, the only decent
Thing I ever did in my life
Was love you, Dorinda.
But if the memory
Of that love
Is gonna make you unhappy
All the rest of your life,
There must have been
Something wrong with it.
It should've been
The kind that filled
Your heart
So full of love
That you just
Had to go out and find
Someone to give it to.
That's the only real
Kind, isn't it, Dorinda?
That's the only kind
That ever lives.
You know, I find
Myself wondering
What kind of kids
You two will have.
I'd like to talk
To those kids sometime.
I think I could
Tell 'em something.
I think I could tell them about life,
How good it is,
How good
It can be.
And how the decent
Things in life never die.
And how the only kind
Of love worth having
Is the kind that
Goes on living
And laughing
And fighting...
And loving.
There he is,
Dorinda.
Go on.
I'm setting you free,
Dorinda.
I'm moving
Out of your heart.
Good-bye.
Good-bye,
Darling.
That's my girl.
And that's my boy.