Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea... have given birth to many myths and legends of war and adventure. These once-proud stones... these ruined and shattered temples... bear witness to the civilization that flourished and then died here... and to the demigods and heroes who inspired those legends... on this sea and these islands. But, though the stage is the same, ours is a legend of our own times... and its heroes are not demigods, but ordinary people. In 1943, so the story goes... 2,000 British soldiers lay marooned on the tiny island of Kheros... exhausted and helpless. They had exactly one week to live... for the Axis high command had determined... on a show of strength in the Aegean Sea... to bully neutral Turkey into coming into the war on their side. The scene of that demonstration was to be Kheros... itself of no military value, but only a few miles off the coast of Turkey. The cream of the German war machine, rested and ready... was to spearhead the attack... and the men on Kheros were doomed... unless they could be evacuated before the blitz. But the only passage to and from Kheros was guarded and blocked... by two great, newly designed, radar-controlled guns... on the nearby island of Navarone. Guns too powerful and accurate for any Allied ship in the Aegean to challenge. Allied intelligence learned of the projected blitz... only one week before the appointed date. What took place in the next six days became the legend of Navarone. Yes? Sorry. I'm looking for Commodore Jensen. I'm Jensen. Come in, Mallory. You're late. Well, I'm sorry. My plane was attacked outside of Crete and we got into Alex on one engine, sir. The Germans have raised the price on you and Andrea Stavrou to 10,000 apiece. - Are you flattered? - No, sir. How did you know that? I should do. I'm your boss. You've been working for me for the past 18 months. I'm delighted to make your acquaintance at long last. - They told you you were going on leave? - Yes, sir, they did. I'm sorry. I'm afraid that's not true. Not yet, at any rate. Well, here's your old chum. Come say hello. Keith, you haven't changed since Athens. Hello, Roy. Come along, gentlemen, will you. Barnsby, these gentlemen have a special interest in Navarone. We picked you up on radio, of course, but you can be more specific now. I'll be specific. As you can plainly see, it was bloody awful. Squadron Leader Barnsby is Australian. But we'd love to go back. Wouldn't we, boys? - Sure! - Just as soon as we can, but... only on one condition. We want the joker who thought this one up to come along with us. And when we get there... we're gonna shove him out at 10,000 feet... without a parachute. - It was as bad as that? - Bad? It can't be done. Not from the air, anyway. You're quite sure about that, Squadron Leader? - This is important. - So's my life. To me, anyway. And the lives of these jokers here, and the 18 men we lost tonight. Look, sir... first... you've got that bloody old fortress on top of that bloody cliff. Then you got the bloody cliff overhang. You can't even see the bloody cave, let alone the bloody guns. And anyway, we haven't got a bloody bomb big enough... to smash that bloody rock. And that's the bloody truth, sir. - I know how to hit those guns, sir. - Yes? Yes, sir. You fill a plane full of TNT... and then you do a suicide dive right into that cave. There's just one problem, sir. Getting someone to pilot the plane. I see. Perhaps you might consider it yourself. Thank you, Squadron Leader, and all of you. I know you've done your best, and nobody could have done more... and I'm sorry. As you've probably surmised, Mallory... I'm the bloody joker they'd like to heave out at 10,000 feet. I can't say I blame them. I knew it was hopeless from the start, but it had to be tried. Anyway, this is why you were hauled out of Crete. And don't mislay this, will you? No, sir. Well, we're pressed for time. Let's go, gentlemen, shall we? - Any questions? - Well, only one. Why me? What you want is a seagoing taxi driver. There must be a dozen men who know these waters as well as I do. Yes, but you've got special qualifications. Franklin will explain it to you. It's all his idea anyway. First, you speak Greek like a Greek and German like a German. Second, you've kept alive in occupied territory for a year and a half. But most important... before the war you were the greatest mountain climber in the world. Keith Mallory, the human fly. Come to the point. The point is, our Resistance contacts on Navarone... say there's only one spot on the entire coast the Germans don't bother watching. That's the south cliff... because it's 400 feet straight up and it can't be climbed by man or beast. That's where you come in. - Oh, that was your idea too, was it? - That's right. I want you to get me and my team over there and on top of that cliff. After that, you can put your ship about and take a richly deserved leave... and a long-overdue promotion. I see. Can you do it? With all due respect to Major Franklin, I think the operation is insane. But that's none of my business. My business is the climb, and I haven't done any climbing in five years. That's a long time. Too long for this cliff. And you're asking me to do it at night. I wouldn't try it in broad daylight. I'll have a go at it myself, then. Don't be a fool. Even with your luck, you'll get yourself and your team killed. Then it's scrubbed? No, it's not scrubbed. It can't be. Not now. This is our last hope. The Germans won't expect us to throw in a team of saboteurs at this late date. Those 2,000 men on Kheros are going to die next Wednesday morning... unless somebody climbs that cliff. There's nobody else we can get in time. If there were, you wouldn't be here now. I suppose it's too late to get Andrea Stavrou out of Crete to help me. On the contrary. You'll find him waiting for you in your hotel at this very moment. You think of everything, don't you, sir? I have to. It's part of my job. - Thanks, Keith. - It's my pleasure. Nothing I like better than a well-organized setup. Now, you'll want to know some more about the team. Sidney, would you get us some more coffee, please? Franklin here considers it the best team in the business; I'm inclined to agree. He himself is ideal for the job. He's experienced and extremely capable. Don't blush, Roy. And best of all, he's lucky. Aren't you? - If you say so, sir. - I do indeed. It was Napoleon who said, when somebody was being promoted to general... "Yes, yes, I know he's brilliant, but is he lucky?" The emperor knew the value of luck, and our Roy seems to have it. - Then make me a general, sir. - Patience, my dear boy, patience. This is our Corporal Miller... a professor of chemistry in private life... and an absolute genius with high explosives. He blew up Rommel's headquarters in Tobruk... without damaging a single window of the orphanage next door. They don't come any better. We tried to promote him, but he just won't wear it. This is Butcher Brown, our mechanical marvel. He's a genius with engines, machinery, radios, et cetera. He's also the best man with a knife that I've ever met. He got trained in the Spanish Civil War. They call him the Butcher of Barcelona. Private Spiro Pappadimos. What's his particular genius? He's a born killer, an extremely useful man to have along on a job like this. His father happens to be our chief Resistance contact on Navarone. The family sent him to America ten years ago to get an education... and I'm afraid he got the wrong kind. Well, there's the team. Pirates and cutthroats, every one of them. And of course there's Lucky here, and the redoubtable Mr. Stavrou... and yourself. With every one of us a genius, how can we fail? You can't. We're sending six destroyers through Navarone Channel Tuesday at midnight... to take the men off Kheros. If those guns aren't spiked by then... there'll be six more ships at the bottom of the Aegean. There's your car, gentlemen. Surprised? I did not think I would see you again so soon. You thought you'd have to look for me? When the time came, I would find you. What is it? We have to ferry some operators to an island called Navarone. - Do you know it? - I know it. I also know I have work to do on Crete. - Who's responsible for this? - A major that I used to know. Name of Franklin. He's a man who still has to prove to himself that he's a hero. I will speak to this Franklin. Where do I find him? That's the man. You can speak with him on the way. Do you think they've got any chance at all, sir? Frankly, no. Not a chance in the world. I should be very surprised if they get even halfway to Navarone. It's just a waste of six good men. However, I suppose that doesn't matter... considering how many have been wasted already. I'm glad it's not my decision. I'm only the middle man. Still, they may get there and they may pull it off. Anything can happen in a war. Slap in the middle of absolute insanity... people pull out the most extraordinary resources-- ingenuity, courage, self-sacrifice. Pity we can't beat the problems of peace in the same way. It would be so much cheaper for everybody. I never thought of it in just that way, sir. - You're a philosopher, sir. - No. I'm just the man who has to send people out on jobs like this one. Must've been delayed, sir. I'm sure he'll be here in a moment. - Major Franklin? - That's right. My name's Baker. Sorry I was delayed. Come along with me. It's been so comfortable, I hate to leave. When you're all quite ready. Charming. Just like an English country hotel. Where does everybody else sleep? Nobody sleeps. On your feet. We've got homework to do. Well, if you insist, Major. What are you doing, friend? Looking for dust? No, friend, microphones. This is the British army post. Don't you trust anyone? No. That is why I have lived so long. Mr. Stavrou is Colonel Stavrou of the Greek 19th Motorized Regiment. He outranks us all. The 19th Regiment no longer exists... for the time being. - I beg your pardon, Colonel. - Andrea. - Oh, please continue. - Right. If you're ready, Corporal. Oh, yes, sir. Ready, sir. Ready, willing and able, sir. Champing at the very bit. Captain Mallory and, uh, Andrea... are responsible for getting us to where we're going. I'm going to tell you where we're going and why we're going there. That is, if you really want to know, Professor. I'm all ears, sir. All ears. We have to avoid the coast road. That means a 12-mile trek across the mountain to these ruins-- St. Alexis-- where some of the Resistance people from the town of Mandrakos... will come and meet us, if and when they can make it. Any questions? I have an alternate route to that place. May I borrow your pencil, please? Does the major think this is possible? I see. That's a thought, isn't it? Let's reexamine the plan... and see if we have any alternative. Watch out! How long do you think he's been out there? I imagined I heard something about ten minutes ago. I thought my ears were playing tricks. Then I heard it again. Ten minutes, eh? Brown, go and get Major Baker. Well? What's your name? What are you doing here? The major asked you a question. Answer the major. Sounds like Kurdish. I don't understand it. I'll try Greek. Translation, sir, please. - He doesn't speak English. - Then why was he listening? - What are you doing to that man? - Do you know him? That's Nikolai, our laundry boy. Is he the reason I've been disturbed? Look, Franklin, I've had a hard day. Does his job involve listening at keyholes? - I don't believe it. - We caught him. Just idle curiosity, I'm sure. He doesn't speak English. Then why does he listen? Why carry a knife? Why did he try and stab this man? I presume he was trying to defend himself. In this part of the world, carrying a knife doesn't mark a man as a criminal. - You there, let him go. - Major Baker. Arrest this man and hold him incommunicado for at least a week. After that I don't care, but my advice is you kick him out of Castelrosso. Just who the hell are you to give me advice, Major? Then I'm asking you as a favor. I'll consider it. All this cloak-and-dagger stuff. I said, let him go! Pappadimos, have you got your silencer? - Yes, sir. - Good. Then use it. - Shoot the laundry boy. - Are you crazy? And if the major gets in your way, shoot him too. That's an order. Captain, this man's insane. Surely you won't let him do this. I can't stop him. He's in charge. Anyway, I agree with him. Of course, he doesn't have to shoot you. All he has to do is call our HQ and you'll be on the first ship home... as a private... unless you give him your word that you'll do exactly as he says. All right. If it means that much to you, you have my word. Take him, Sergeant. Stupid theatricals. Well, you're entitled to your opinion... but I just saved your life. I'm desperately sorry, gentlemen. I mean, it's embarrassing. Just look at it. No, it's exactly what we want. I know you wanted a boat that no one would notice, but that's a disgrace. Just give me 36 hours. I know where I can lay my hands on a German E-boat in perfect condition. Only one careful owner. Say the word, I'll pop over to Rhodes and get it. Rhodes? Won't the Germans have something to say about that? I suppose they would if they knew, but I've got some good connections there. - What do you say? - No, thanks. - We can't wait. - Pity. Well, I'll get a couple of my chaps to give yours a hand with your gear. No, that's all right, thank you. Right. I get it. Special cargo and all that, what? Well, good luck to you. Brown? - Yes, sir? - What do you think? She's a bit of a monster, sir, but I think I've got her worried. Comfortable, Professor? Yes, thank you. The boys have almost finished. - Permission to speak? - What about? Well, the condition of this vessel. Talk to Captain Mallory about that. He's in charge of transportation. Very good, sir. I've inspected this boat, and you ought to know that... I can't swim. I'll keep it in mind. Dead on ten, sir. Hello, Lucky. Hello, Lucky. Report by signal. Report by signal. Hello, George Mike William. Hello, George Mike William. Strength three. Strength three. Over. Hello, Lucky. High Flight reports Indians on warpath in your territory... so please be careful. Also, severe storms expected throughout your area tonight. Repeat-- Ship ahoy! Go on working. They'll have glasses. Lower your sails! Lower your sails! We are coming aboard! It's knee-deep in the hold, but I should think we'll manage. - You want a breather? - Wouldn't mind. Funny the way that German officer kept speaking English to us back there. Almost as if he knew who we were. Yes, I had the same thought. I think our friend Baker may have some explaining to do. - I shouldn't have done it. - What's that? Dragged you into this. I'm sorry. Forget it. I was getting tired of Crete food anyway. No, I'm stupid sometimes. Even as a kid, I took it for granted people wanted to play the games I liked. I'd get furious when they didn't. And now they have to. So why worry? - Hot coffee. - Oh, that's good. Sorry, Captain. There's a serious shortage of cups aboard this ship. Remember, I did point out certain deficiencies in this vessel. I remember. - Thanks. - My pleasure. Any time you want another chat, sir-- about this boat, I mean-- I'm available. Right. And I still can't swim. Don't mind him. He doesn't mean anything. I don't mind him as much as he seems to mind me. - Have you been together long? - Since the beginning out here. He's the best friend I have in this part of the world. That's a pretty good partner you've got there yourself. Yes. - We've been together a long time too. - You're lucky. He's going to kill me when the war is over. You're not serious. Yes, I am. So is he. About a year ago I gave a German patrol a safe conduct... to get some of their wounded into hospital. Still had some romantic notions in those days about fighting a civilized war. Anyway, they wanted Andrea pretty badly even then. They shot their casualties, went to his house and blew it up. He was out on a job, but his wife and three children were in the house. They were all killed. I helped him to bury them. He didn't say a word to me. Never looked at me. But after it was over he turned to me and said as far as he was concerned... it wasn't the Germans who were responsible, but me. Me and my stupid Anglo-Saxon decency. Then he told me what he was going to do, and when. Do you think he still means to do it? He's from Crete. Those people don't make idle threats. When I thought I was getting leave... I was going to ask for transfer to another area. Some time to think, get ready for it. And I messed that up. I'm sorry. That's all right. It's gonna be a long war. What makes you sure he's gonna wait that long? Well, I'm not, not if he gets the right opportunity. What I'm banking on is that right now all he wants to do is to kill Germans. As long as I can be useful to him in that department... he'll do his best to keep me alive. I hope. That's nice of him. Well, I can see his point. The only way to win a war is to be just as nasty as the enemy. Only we might wake up one day and find out we're even nastier than they are. - I can't say that worries me. - Well, you're lucky. Think I'd better have a look at the hold... before Miller tells me to. Help! Well, we saved the explosives... the guns, and most of the ammunition. I'm afraid we've lost the food and the medical supplies. But if we make our rendezvous with the Resistance at St. Alexis... they should be able to supply us with both. Let's get out of this place as quickly as we can. Pappadimos and Miller... you'll have the first shift with the stretcher. You're officially taking command of this team, sir? Yes, I suppose I am. Why? Just for the record. This afternoon on the boat... you fumbled your job. How did that happen? I don't know, sir. The man was a foot away from you with his back turned. You only wounded him. How could you miss? I must have hesitated, sir. You hesitated? A man of your experience? The Butcher of Barcelona? How could you hesitate? Then I was tired. I'm tired and I'm fed up. I've been fighting this war a long time. I've been killing Germans since 1937. There's no end to them. You shoot a man at 200 yards, he's just a moving target. You kill him with a knife, you're close enough to smell him. I smell them in my sleep. After the last time, I made a pact with myself. I'd do my job... but I wouldn't do the other anymore. Not if I could help it. Who gave you the right to make a private peace? You think you're the only one who's tired? - I do my job, sir. - Your job is to kill enemy soldiers. There will, of course, be a code word. If we don't answer it, there'll be a patrol up here in no time. Let's pack the gear and get out of here. Let's go. Let's go. Well? The major's leg is broken in two places. For all we know, he's hurt inside too. He needs proper medical attention. What do you suggest? If we leave him here, the Germans will take care of him. They'd get him to a hospital. If he doesn't get sulfanilamide for his leg, he doesn't stand a chance. Naturally, you all think a lot of Major Franklin. So do I. We have two choices. Take him with us, and if he doesn't get help soon, he'll die. Or we can leave him here, in which case he'll tell the Germans everything. Roy? Never! He might not be able to help himself. They have other drugs besides sulfa. All they have to do is to shoot him full of Scopolamine... and he'll tell them our whole plan in detail. There is, of course, a third choice. One bullet now. Better for him, better for us. You take that man along, you endanger us all. Why don't we just drop him off the cliff and save a bullet? And why don't you shut up? Yes, there's a third choice. We'll make it if necessary... when it's necessary... and not before! Now, let's get moving. From now on, your job is to look after Major Franklin. I said move! Morning. - I'm sorry. - Don't be sorry. It's just bad luck. What do we do now? - Where are we? - We're on our way. - I'm going to hold you up. - No, you won't. Anyway, the professor here won the toss, and he's just dying to carry you. - Aren't you, Professor? - That's right. You're nowhere near as heavy as I thought you were. Now, look... you've got to leave me. You're out of your mind. It's radio time. Well, it's all on your plate now. You'll never be able to thank me enough, will you? I wanted the job all the time. Hello, Lucky. Report by signal. Hello, George Mike William. Strength four. Over. Hello, Lucky. This is most urgent. Paddington Station will close at midnight x-minus-one. Do you understand? X-minus-one. Over. We've lost a full day. Germans are going to hit Kheros a day ahead of time. Gives us until midnight the day after tomorrow. Message understood. Over and out. I'd like to be alone with the major. Roy, that was foolish. You almost ruined everything. We just heard from headquarters. We're cancelled out. - Scrubbed. - What? They're going for an amphibious landing... the day after tomorrow on the east coast. The Turkish side. And they're coming in force. As far as we're concerned, the pressure's off. All we have to do is make as much trouble as we can. By tonight, we'll have you in the hands of the underground. We'll have you taken care of. You try this again, I'll have Andrea break your other leg. Good luck. Do not worry. I shall see you tonight at St. Alexis. Good evening, gentlemen. Obviously, this place has been used before. Any food around? I regret to say no. Weren't you a little careless just now? We might have been anyone. Oh, no, no. I heard you coming five minutes ago. It's time to relieve Andrea. - I'll take it. - No. Pappadimos, you go. - Maybe he brought us some food. - Hold it. He might be faking. Saved. Don't move! Raise your hands. Raise your hands high. All of you. You there, with the food, speak! You are not Germans. Which of you is Major Franklin? The man on the stretcher. Who are you? My name is Maria Pappadimos. You may put your hands down now. - They told us Pappadimos was a man. - My father. He was taken two days ago. He was taken? He told them nothing. He will die first. - You have any sisters or brothers? - I have a brother, Spiro, in America. He's not that far away. He's that handsome devil right over there. What did you do that for? To remind you to write letters occasionally. - There happens to be a war on. - I mean before the war! I promised myself I would do this the first time I saw you again. Well, I'm sorry, brother. Which of you did this? I'm afraid it was me. - Who is she? - She's my friend Anna. She's one of us. It's bad that this happened to her. Before the Germans came, she was a schoolteacher in Mandrakos. Last year she was caught. They tortured her to make her betray us. They whipped her until the white of her bones showed. Some nights, we could hear her screaming. Then they took her to the fortress, and they kept her there for six months. When they let her go... she could not speak. She has never spoken since, not even in her dreams. Even I have never been allowed to see the scars on her back. But she's a good fighter-- as good as any of you. She's like a ghost. She goes anywhere. She got us these guns, and she kills without mercy. You are very lucky, brother. No, they're friends! Our friends! It's gangrene, sir. If the major's leg doesn't come off, he's gonna die. Does he know? I don't think so. Sir? Beg pardon, sir, but this is the first chance I've had to talk to you alone. I don't want to be left out anymore. I want to be part of the team again. Please give me a chance. You can trust me. I'll think it over. That's gangrene. What choice do we have now, Captain? - Who relieved you? - She did. - In future, take orders only from me. - Yes, sir. - I asked you a question, sir. - And I heard you, Corporal. Get yourself something to eat. That's an order. Thank you, sir. There's a lot of activity down there. I can hear it. They're turning Mandrakos inside out. As soon as they move out, we're going to move in. We're going to get you to a doctor. Brown says that you are doing well. Brown's a liar, and so are you. I haven't lost my sense of smell, you know. I just hope the doctor's a good surgeon. I wonder what old Jensen would say. My luck seems to have changed, hasn't it? I don't suppose I'll ever be a general now. This Franklin-- He's not a bad fellow. No, not bad at all. - There's a tunnel out of that ravine? - Yes, sir. They'll never find us there. They found us here. Let's go. Let's go! Oh, excuse me. - Where is this tunnel? - Up here, sir. Where does this lead to? We'll come out just behind Mandrakos. All right. Let's keep going. You're limping. Are you hurt? Do you need help? Thank you, old bean. Get off your behinds. Think there's a fire escape here? These are fine people. Give up quietly, gentlemen... unless you want a great many innocent people killed as well as yourselves. Turn around, please. Captain Mallory, my congratulations. You have made a remarkable effort. Unfortunately for you, it was doomed from the beginning. Will you tell me where you've hidden your explosives? As your commanding officer, Captain Mallory must play a heroic role. You needn't carry such a burden. You've all suffered a great deal. Why prolong that suffering? For you, the war is over. Another officer is coming to question you, a captain in the S.S. His methods, quite frankly, are most severe. Gentlemen, none of you are in uniform. Therefore, you must be considered spies. You all know the penalty for espionage. But if any of you has the courage and the intelligence... to tell me where the explosives are... I promise you will not only save your own life... but the lives of all your comrades as well. This will be your only chance, gentlemen. I advise you to take it. Please, sir-- Please, I am no spy. I am not one of them! - Sir-- - You yellow-- Go on. Sir-- I swear to you, sir... I'm just a poor fisherman. Two days ago, these men killed my sailors and stole my boat. They forced me to join them. Sir, sir, I am their prisoner! Where did you learn your English, fisherman? In Cyprus, sir. I swear to you it's true. Aren't you Andrea Stavrou? Colonel Stavrou? No, sir. My name is Nando Salonicus. I told you, I'm a fisherman from Cyprus. Then how do you happen to wear a shoulder holster? They forced me to wear it... and make it a kind of joke. And where are the explosives? I swear, sir... I would tell you if I knew. But... see, they didn't say. The truth is, sir... - they don't trust me. - I don't blame them. The commandant will telephone you shortly to congratulate you, Meusel. Thank you. I questioned them about the explosives, but they refused to answer. The Greek claims that he's not one of them. Now, you! You are not of this company, you say? - Oh, no, sir, I'm not. - You are a liar! - But-- - A liar! Come, come, that didn't hurt. - Where are the explosives? - I don't know, Your Excellency. I swear to you. I am not one of these men! They forced me to join them, as I explained to the captain. I'm just a poor fisherman from Cyprus. My name is... Nando Salonicus. I swear to you. These men, they stole my boat. They forced me to join them, Your Excellency. I am their prisoner! Where are the explosives? I want an answer now. Otherwise, I shall personally rearrange this officer's splints. Very well. I can't! Please, I can't! Get up! Please. Oh, I'm sick. Oh, please. I'm sick. Call the sentry in. Now, Oberleutenant... get on the phone. Tell them that you're not to be disturbed until you give further orders. Remember... I speak German. Perfect. Not very hygienic, I must say. Shocking taste in undies too. Oh, well. Heil, everybody. Well, Roy, we're gonna leave you here. I understand. We're gonna let them chase us around for awhile. But the one thing that they mustn't know... is about the landing tomorrow night. Of course. Don't worry. Thanks. Good luck. Hold it! We're going to leave Major Franklin behind. He's a wounded officer. I expect him to get proper medical attention. We don't make war on wounded men. We're not all like Hauptmann Sessler. Where's the camp radio station? I will not tell you. You wouldn't hesitate to kill me for any number of reasons... but not this one. In any event, I will not tell you. - So long, Roy. - Good luck, Keith. Well, Lucky, I shall miss you. You will try to be a bad patient, won't you? Keep on asking them for bed pans. Drives them mad. I'll keep it in mind. When this is over, you can buy me lunch. Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, a nice little red wine. Steak and kidney pie. Anything you say. You'll be paying for it. And you, Colonel, what a performance. All right. Well, my friend, I hope you were right to leave Franklin with the Germans. - Sir? - Yes. No, not you, sir. Mr. Stavrou. - Hmm? - Tell me about yourself. - What do you want to know? - Are you married? I have been married. My wife and children were killed. Have you killed many people? Only Germans. Oh, some Italians too. Captain Mallory? Yes. - You are a lucky man. - Yes, I know. - Mr. Stavrou? - Yes? I like you. I like you too. I don't know. Well, baby face, who would've known you? You've got to get rid of that fuzz under your nose, haven't you? Oh, no, not me. I'm an officer now. Remember? Sorry, old bean. You just picked the wrong uniform. Lights out in five minutes. I want you all to get as much rest as possible. The first thing in the morning... we've got to ditch the truck and get hold of another car. Then we're going to pick up the explosives and go into Navarone. We've got to be inside the fortress by 10:00 tomorrow night. Might one inquire how, sir? We're gonna walk in. Simply because of this masquerade? Because I told Franklin that our orders had been changed. That we weren't after their guns anymore. I told him that we were just to create a diversion... for a full-scale assault tomorrow night on the Turkish side. If my hunch is right... the Germans will give him Scopalamine... before they operate, and that's what he's going to tell them. They may not believe it... but they'll be faced with the fact that he does. Now, I'm gambling... that they'll clear out of Navarone... and take up positions on the coast. Very clever. But that still leaves the garrison inside the fortress. And we get them out... by having Andrea, Pappadimos and Brown... start up diversions... all over Navarone. If there's enough confusion going... Miller and I should have a fair chance of breaking in. At the same time... the two girls will steal the fastest boat that they can find... so that we'll all have a chance of getting out of here when this is over. Very clever, indeed. Suppose, just for the sake of argument, they don't have any Scopalamine. What happens then? Suppose they use the old-fashioned methods. Suppose your ventriloquist's dummy just won't talk... because he's a very good man; he won't be easy to break. He may take a lot of punishment... before he tells them what you want him to tell them. He may even die on them and tell them nothing at all. Have you considered that, Captain? Yes, I've considered it. I'll bet you have. I'll bet you've considered that as far back as the cliff. You and your three choices. I'll bet that's why you ordered us to drag... that poor, dying, one-legged man around with us all this time. Even if he lives, he'll never be the same again. Do you know what you've done? You've used up an important human being. Oh, I misjudged you. You're rather a ruthless character... Captain Mallory. I didn't think of it back on the cliff... but if I had, I'd have done exactly the same thing. It's the only chance we've got to get the job done. Well, right now, I say the hell with the job! I've been on a hundred jobs. Not one of them's altered the course of the war. There've been a thousand wars, and there'll be a thousand more... until we all kill each other off completely. I don't care about the war anymore. I care about Roy. And if Turkey comes into the war on the wrong side? So what? Let the whole bloody world come in and blow itself to pieces. That's what it deserves. And what about the 2,000 men on Kheros? I don't know the men on Kheros, but I do know the man on Navarone! Mr. Miller... the man was finished when he fell. That's easy for you to say, sitting there, drinking coffee. You know, it's funny. I was grateful to you when you left him behind today. I just hope, before this job's over... that I get the chance to use you the way you've used him. I'm sorry, but I couldn't think of any other way. Everybody, get a good night's sleep. No matter how it goes tomorrow, you're gonna need it. I'll take the first watch. Hello. Tell me, schoolteacher... from a purely moral point of view... bearing in mind that we represent the side of goodness and civilization... do you think that what I did to Franklin was a civilized thing to do? They are burning Mandrakos... in punishment. This part of the town has been evacuated... because the vibration of the guns has weakened the houses. Where will the attacks come? On the Turkish side. What time? Is the timetable clear? Any questions? Good luck. I won't be needing this. You take it. Everybody stay exactly where you are. The party's over. Somebody's stepped on the cake. Exhibit "A": a clockwork fuse. Elementary and archaic, but they work. Only this one won't work anymore. Do you know why? The clock's okay, but the contact arm's been broken off. This clock could tick until Christmas, and it wouldn't set off a firecracker. Exhibit "B"-- Exhibit "B" is missing. All my slow-burning fuses are gone, disappeared, vanished. Exhibit "C": my time pencils. Seventy-five grains of fulminate of mercury in each one of them. Enough to blow my hand off... and very unstable, very delicate. Which means that there is a traitor in this room. You're crazy. It must've happened back at base. No, I'm not that crazy. I checked it all before I left the base. No. Here. Here! Someone here. But who? Who? There've only been two times when this stuff's been out of my sight. Once was when Andrea and Maria took it away to hide it. But it was all right when we picked it up again. The only other time was when we left it in the back of the truck... and all of us went to scout the gates. All of us... except her. We left her on guard in the truck alone. You are crazy. Let me just think for a moment. Since we came here, we've been jumping out of one frying pan into another. Just think. We're hiding in the Carob Grove... and she's up in a tree, remember? Now, anybody can signal to an airplane with a piece of tin or a hand mirror. They found us there, didn't they? And then in the tunnel... she's lagging far behind with a shocking limp. Anybody seen her limping lately? But being way back behind us, she could leave some messages, couldn't she? So that when you take Roy to the doctor... the Germans are waiting there for you. And then when she takes us to her place, they come right there for us. But she got us out of there. Of course. That house would've been a shambles... and she'd have got hers along with the rest of us. So what does she do? She disappears into the bedroom to change her clothes... and to leave a little note. And then she takes us to the wedding party... and we're caught like rats in a trap because we can't get to our guns. Even if we can, it means slaughtering half the population of Mandrakos. You are an insane man! Am I? Maybe I am. Nothing would surprise me anymore. But we can settle this thing very easily. Let's see those scars the Germans made on her back. Those terrible scars. How about it, Maria? Don't you want to see those scars you've never seen? Q.E.D. You cannot believe it. Believe it. I cannot stand pain. It's easy to be brave when you're free, when you're with your friends. But I was caught. The others were free, but they didn't help me. I was alone. I was alone in their hands. They said they would put me into their brothels. They said they would torture me. I saw what they did to other people. I'm sorry. I cannot stand pain. When we got here... why didn't you put in with us? You could have come with us! It was your only chance to get free of them! There was never any chance. You never had any chance. It was hopeless from the beginning. You'll never get out of here! Never! I tried to tell you last night. Can you do anything at all? I don't know. There's always some way to blow up explosives. The trick is not to be around when they go off. But aren't you forgetting something, Captain? The lady. As I see it, we have three choices. One: We can leave her here, but there's no guarantee she won't be found. And, in her case, they won't need a truth drug. Two: We could take her with us. But that would just make things a lot more difficult than they are already. And three-- Well, that's Andrea's choice. Remember? You really want your pound of flesh, don't you? Yes. Yes, I do. You see, somehow I just couldn't manage to get off to sleep last night. If you're so anxious to kill her, go ahead! Oh, I'm not anxious to kill her. I'm not anxious to kill anyone. See, I'm not a born soldier. I got trapped. You may find me facetious from time to time... but if I didn't make some rather bad jokes every now and then... I'd go out of my mind. No, I prefer to leave the killing to someone like you... an officer and a gentleman, a leader of men, a hero. If you think I enjoy this, you're out of your mind! I never wanted it. I was trapped into it just like you. Just like anybody else in a uniform. Of course you wanted it. You're an officer, aren't you? I never let them make me an officer. I don't want the responsibility. Then you've had a free ride all this time. Someone's got to take responsibility if the job's going to get done. Think that's easy? I don't know! I'm wondering who really is responsible when it comes to the dirty work. Who really is guilty: The man who gives the order, or the one who does it? - We've no time for this. - Now just a minute! If we're going to get this job done, she has got to be killed. And we all know how keen you are on getting the job done. I can't speak for the others... but I've never killed a woman before, traitor or not, and I'm finicky. So why don't you do it? Why don't you let us off for once? Come on, be a pal. Be a father to your men. Come down off that cross of yours, close your eyes... think of England and pull the trigger. What do you say, sir? You all know what you're supposed to do. Get started. Brown, you go with Maria. Now Miller, you know that when you put on a uniform and learn how to do it... it's not hard to kill someone, anyone. Sometimes it's harder not to. Now you think that you've been getting away with it all this time, standing by. Well, son, your bystanding days are over. You're in it now, up to your neck. They told me that you're a genius with explosives. Start proving it. You got me in the mood to use this thing... and by God, if you don't think of something, I'll use it on you. I mean it. Go on. You stay here. - I'll call you if I need you. - Whatever you say, sir. Detonator, sir, please. I'll be finished here in about 30 seconds. Yes, what is it? What are you doing? The first place they're going to search are those guns. They'll probably find my stuff. They're not stupid, you know. If they should be the slightest bit careless when they're removing it... they could bring about exactly the same result. Just the same, this is the job I'm banking on. This is our insurance. - What happens? - Would you mind bringing down the hoist? Whoa, that's enough! Now, you see this bottom runner? The first time they send this hoist down for shells or charges... this runner should come to here. The moment it does, it'll hit these two wires, and we get a circuit. A circuit that will send up all my plastic explosives here... plus this little item... that I borrowed here. Of course, they won't see these wires when I slap on some more grease. Are you sure it'll work? No guarantee, but the theory's perfectly feasible. But if this stuff does go up... then everything else in this place is going to go right up with it. Suppose you don't get a contact. Then I shall be responsible for sinking one of His Majesty's destroyers. Maybe the whole lot of 'em. I'm sorry, sir. It's the only way I know to get the job done. As you said, I'm in it now. Up to my neck. Hurry up. - Go ahead. - After you, sir. Remember, I can't swim. You won't let me drown, will you? I can't make it! My arm-- Come on, man, take it! Grab it! Spiro is dead, isn't he? What happened? He forgot why we came here. Fire! And now you're going back to Crete? Yes. - Come with us. - With "us"? - With me. - I must go back. You saw what the Germans did to Mandrakos. Navarone will pay heavily for your success tonight. I'll give you a hand. I'm going back. - The job is finished. - No. Your job is finished. What chance do you think you have of staying alive back there? I'm not so easy to kill. Well, the boys on Kheros will be happy soon. It'll be a bit crowded, but there's nothing like an ocean voyage. Fresh air, good food, deck sports, pretty girls. I'd like to offer you my apologies, sir... and my congratulations. To tell you the truth, I didn't think we could do it. To tell you the truth, neither did I. To the gallant men Mission accomplished Farewell, my friends And so the legend ends Farewell Miller, Brown and Mallory Young Pappadimos Franklin and Stavrou Maria