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If.... (1968)
Stand up, stand up
For College Each manly voice upraise Clasp each the hand In brotherhood And raise the roof With praise And when these days of school Are past Though we'll be near or far We'll stand again for College Who made us what we are - Get that trunk out of the wayl - Hey! Hey! Machin, you bloody shag! Where's my hockey stick? Oil Where's my hockey stick? Run in the corridor! Run! Biles, you freak, where are you? Excuse me. I can't see my name. I'm new. You don't speak to us. You're a scum, aren't you? - I don't know. - Of course he's a scum. You're blocking my view, scum. Scuml Biles, Markland. Biles, take these to my study. And this. And watch those eggs. Markland, warm a lavatory seat for me. I'll be ready in three minutes. - And who are you? - Please, sir, I'm Jute. Are you indeed? Brunning! This is Jute. You'reJute's bumf tutor. Take him to the sweat room. And, Jute. You don't call me "sir. " Run! Run in the corridor! No! Mercy! Plead mercy! Jutel Here. Jute. This is your place. Books and magazines here. Food in the locker. Pinups over here, okay? Silence in the sweat room! I would like to remind the sweat room that no tinned or potted foods are allowed... except tinned fruit and baked beans without meat. Shut up! Duty scumming list now up. Junior table and exercise list up in five minutes. Get on with it. - Come on up, Bobby. - We want to stroke you. You twol Get upstairs and behave yourselves. And you, Philips, stop tarting. I'm not tarting. You need a haircut. Right! Get a move on. You've got 30 minutes to get out and get your trunks up into the loft. God. It's Guy Fawkes back again. - Hello, Michael. - Hello, Mick. You've got 29 minutes left. Oh, can it, bog face. Lay off it, Stephans. You're monotonous already. Being lippy, Knightly? Tidy this disgusting mess. What the hell's that? Hey! Peanuts has come back with a bloody ray gun. It's a bloody ray gun. God, Stephans, you're so ignorant. Anyone can see it's a shag spot burner. Clear your face up in a couple of seconds. Actually, it's a six-inch standard reflecting telescope. Well, get it out of here. Knightly, stop preening yourself in that mirror. Preen, preen, preen and pride. Travis, you're in the house. Take that crap off! Go onl Catch him. - Travis! - Sorry, Denson. God, you're ugly. You look evil. Yeah. My face is a never-fading source of wonder to me. What did you grow it for? To hide my sins. Scuml What do you think ofhim? Fantastic. Put him right in the middle. Fantastic. Do you know what I did this summer? Built a hut in the woods. Lived there for three weeks by myself, till I ran out of food. It was an experiment in asceticism. Penetrating the inner core of my being. You do anything good? I... met this fantastic bird in the East End, went round all the pubs. You ever been to those pubs? You should see those old loves dancing... showing their knickers. Take 'em off near the end. She had a weird religion - only kiss on Thursdays. Took me home to meet her mum and dad. Well, that finished it. Practically married us off, they did, over the Sunday joint. When do we live? That's what I want to know. - Wally! - Hey, Wallace! Wally-Bum, come with us. Come on. We're gonna have our tiny parts inspected. Here, he's not wearing a vest already, is he? Pass the message down to Biles: Biles, why are you a freak? Biles, why are you a freak? Biles, why are you a freak? Shag off, you creeps! Shhl Now listen. You've got to know all the seniors' names. Ask me who someone is. Brunning, damn you! Stop talking! This term I've just one thing to say to you. One rule. Follow it, and you won't go wrong. And it is this: Work... play... but don't mix the two. Perhaps some of you new boys are a little bewildered... by the rapid succession of events which has overtaken you since your arrival. But you'll soon find your way about. Just remember that life here is a matter of give and take. We are your new family... and you must expect the rough-and-tumble that goes with any family life. We're all here to help each other. You will find here in College House... a discipline not only to help others, but also to help yourselves. Help the house, and you will be helped by the house. Now I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new undermaster, Mr. Thomas. I'm sure you'll all help him to find his feet. Last summer... this house got itself a reputation for being disgustingly slack. This term, things are going to be different. If there's any repetition of that deplorable lack of spirit... I shall come crashing down on offenders. We don't intend to carry passengers. I'd like to remind the house that it's winter term... and that lockup is at 5:00 p. m. Anyone leaving the house after that time must have a leave signed by a whip. The town, of course, is out of bounds. Line up in the usual way for medical inspection! - Line up here! - Alphabetical order! - Stop talking! - Be quiet! - Health certificate? Ringworm? - No. - Ringworm? - Eye disease? V. D? - Eye disease? - Confirmation class? - Confirmation class? Next. - Next. - Next. - Confirmation class? Ringworm? - No. - Eye disease? V. D? - Confirmation class? - No. - Confirmation class? - Wake up, you! - Next. - Certificate. - Ringworm? Eye disease. - No. - V. D? Confirmation class? - Eye disease? V. D? Confirmation class? - Ringworm? - Right. Nextl Sit down, sit down forJesus The buggers at the back can't see - Quiet in the dormitory! - Sit down, sit down forJesus Quiet! Look at Fatso's blubber! It's disgusting. It's a disease. Christ! I'm infected. I've got "elephantitis"! Come on. Get out of it. Get out. Get - Come on. Move it. Come on, Keating. Get out! Fatso hasn't got elephantiasis. He's just a fatJew. Watch it, spotty. You're not a whip yet. Look, any more lip from you two, you'll be down for a cold shower. Dormitory inspection in three minutes! Central heating doesn't come this far, I'm afraid... but the room itself is quite warm. It's a little bare, but Mr. Britton made it very snug. The marvelous thing is, you're completely quiet up here. You can see the chapel spire when the leaves fall. Have you a shilling? Yes. Do come down and see us if you're at all lonely. Thank you so much, Mrs. Kemp. Junior dormitory inspection nowl - What's this? - My diary. Well, keep it downstairs in the sweat room. All right. Good standard, Machin. Keep it up. Good night. Good night. Come on, Travis. Stop showing off. Senior dormitory inspection nowl - Good evening. - Evening. Your hair's still long. Get it cut. Otherwise, very good, Stephans. Lights out in 30 seconds. - Good night. - No talking. Silence! Jolly, jolly good, Stephans. Jolly, jolly good, Stephans. Jolly, jolly good. Oh, jolly, jolly good, Stephans. Jolly, jolly good. You three had better watch it. Don't push us, Stephans. The day's coming. What day? One night we're gonna massacre you, Stephans. I'll do you for free. Townside windows and skylights open tonightl Lights outl Stephans. Whatever you're doing now, don't. Quiet. Hey, Peanuts. Peanuts. - Is it true you've become a Buddhist? - What? Christl Don't you know Buddhists believe in being immoral? They worship sex. You mean Hindus. Hindus worship sex. Shut up. Go to sleep. Paradise is for the blessed, not for the sex-obsessed. He who would True valor see Let him come hither Out here will constant be Come wind, come weather There's no discouragement Shall make him once relent His first avowed intent To be a pilgrim Since, Lord Thou dost defend us With thy spirit We know we at the end Shall life inherit Then fancies flee away I'll fear not what men say I'll labor night and day To be a pilgrim Let us pray. I'll do what I can. I can't promise anything. I'll see if there's a space for you. Ah, Rowntree! That'll be all. Thank you, Finchley. I want to see all whips in my study after break. - Right, sir. - Oh, how was India? Enjoy it? - Jolly good. - Bridges. Bridges, I shall be taking the modern sixth for business management this term. - I hope you don't mind. - Yes. Yes, of course, Headmaster. - Headmaster- - Just a moment, Kemp. I've made it late school Thursdays, okay? Yes, Kemp. Sorry. Headmaster, may the Dramatic Society use your study for their Monday readings? Oh, well, I'll have to come back to you on that one, Kemp. Padre, that was a super voluntary you gave us this morning. - What was it, 18th century? - Buxtehude, Headmaster. Really? Well, it was lovely. Ahl Here, you've heard what's happened to the orchestra this term. No girls from Springfield. Complete ban. Not fair. Why? Oh, their breasts were getting too big. Temptations of the devil. How will we survive? Excuse me. Do you mind not picking your shag spots in here? I think it best if we ignore each other this term. How the hell can we, with you spewing pus all over the room? You drips. Shut up, Travis. Then fancies flee away I'll fear not what men say I'll labor night and day To be a pilgrim Da-da-dum, da-da-da-da-dum Dum, dum Dum-dum-dum-dum Da-da-dum, da-da-da-da-dum Dum, dum Dum-dum-dum-dum Your holiday essays. Graves - charming. Keating - good. Making an effort at last. Denson - bad. Cox, Stephans - Distribute. I'm afraid, Michael Travis, I lost your essay somewhere in the Mont Blanc Tunnel... but I'm sure it was good. Right. Europe in the 19th century and the growth of nationalism. In studying the 19th century, one thing will be clear: That the growth of technology- telegraph, cheap newspapers, railways, transport - is matched by a failure of imagination, Denson... a fatal inability to understand the meaning and consequences... of all these levers, wires and railways. Climaxing in 1914 when the German kaiser is told by his generals... that he cannot stop the war he has started... because it would spoil the railway timetables... upon which victory depended. Or perhaps you fashionably and happily believe... that it's all a simple matter of evil dictators... rather than whole populations of evil people like... ourselves? Do you disagree? Don't you find this view of history facile? No? Do you have a view? Well, if you insist on staring at me like a load of Christmas puddings... you can at least write. Perhaps you'll allow me to teach you, Travis, to make drudgery divine. It has been said of George the Third... that he was a mollusk who never found his rock. Said by whom, uh, Travis? Plumb. J.H. Plumb? Possibly. What were the failures of the British constitution and the political parties... that prevented the mollusk king from finding his rock? A 20- minute essay, uh, without notes. What's a mollusk, for God's sake? Two triangles are congruent when one fits exactly over the other. The sides of the one equal the sides of the other. The angles of the one equal the angles of the other. - Understand, Brunning? - Yes, sir. Good! Sine "A" equals B-C over A-B... equals the perpendicular over the hypotenuse. - Right, Jute? - Yes, sir. College is a symbol of many things - scholarship, integrity in public office... high standards in the television and entertainment worlds... huge sacrifice in Britain's wars. Eyes left! Of course, some of our customs are silly. You could say we were middle class. But a large part of the population is in the process of becoming middle class... and many of the middle class's moral values are values that the country cannot do without. We must not expect to be thanked. Education in Britain is a nubile Cinderella... sparsely clad and much interfered with. Britain today is a powerhouse... of ideas, experiment, imagination - on everything from pop music to pig breeding... from atom power stations to miniskirts. And that's the challenge we've got to meet. There are boys in college... in whom the muscles of creativeness are flexing... the pinions of imagination twitching. That's what makes my job worth doing. That's what makes college an exciting place. - John Thomas. - Tom Thomas. - The headmaster? - Flossie. - The chaplain? - Um, Chippy Wood. - No, it isn't, "Um, Chippy Wood. " - It's Chippy Wood. When Rowntree tests you, you've got to be word-perfect. Any "um-ing"and "er-ing,"and you're done for. Now, the town, and no mistakes. - Town girls. - Town tarts. - Grammar school? - Smudges. - All others? - Bloody oiks. Oiksl Listen. You do realize it's not just a matter of knowing the answers. It's how you say it. - One word wrong, and you fail the whole test. - And we get beaten. And you have to take the test all over again. Right. Raising boaters? Boaters must be raised to masters, wives and friends of College. No! Masters, their wives and the friends of College. Masters, their wives and the friends of College. I'm sorry, Brunning. Say it! Say it! - Come on! To the loo! - Ready? Up. - You love this. You love it. - Little shit! - All right. Get his trousers. - Get his trousers! I'm eating him. I'm eating him. Hold him! - Oh, dirty! You've been dirty! - Dirty habits. - All right! Let's wash him! - Wash him! Come on. Upsy-daisy. Up we go. - No! - Oh, turn it up! - We got it, Biles. - We're gonna clean him. How do you like that, Biles? - Come on. - There we are. - You love it. - You like it. You're loving this, aren't you? Love it, Bilesl You love itl - Shut up! - You like it, don't you? Enjoying it. - Like that? - No! No! Come on. Let's go! Whoo! For God's sake, Biles. Excuse me, please. You're standing on my clothes. Stand up. Fortissimo. All together. Onel Twol Threel Stand up, stand up for College Each manly voice upraise - Clasp each the hand in brotherhood - I keep having them, sir- these thoughts. - And raise the roof with praise - What kind of thoughts? - And when these days of school are past - Dirty thoughts. - We all have temptations to withstand. - Though we'll be near or far It's too strong for me, sir. We'll stand again for College Fight the good fight, Stephans. - Who made us - Yes, sir. What we are On, on, on, on, on, on, onl Feet, feet, feetl Balll Ball, Jutel On, on, on, on, on, onl Feet, feetl Get it out, lad! Better. Forward pass! Forward pass! Go low! Go low! Go low! Go low! Go low - Oh! Travis, Cox, Graves. Jackson, Pearce and Keating. I've told all the boys it's going to be a white Christmas... and I'm always right. It's my seaweed. Fisher. Page. A bit closer. Thank you, Philips. - What are these? - Muffins. I thought I specifically ordered crumpets. I couldn't get any. I thought these would do. - It's not up to you to think. - Sorry, Rowntree. Oh, go away. Lazy sod. - He gets a little lovelier each day. - Lazy little bugger. I'll swap you. Ah, muffins. I like muffins. You and your wholesome Bobby Philips - you're driving us all mad with jealousy. Do you know what Partridge in Haig House said to me? He said, " Why don't you send Bobby Philips on a scum call to us one night... and we'll send you our Taylor?" - Which one's Taylor? - You know, that little blond. - Oh, don't be disgusting. - What's the matter, Denson? Aren't you keen? Denson's not like the rest of us. He's got standards. Purity, Denson. It's just a matter of setting an example. If we can't set an example, who can? That's why we're given our privileges. Admirable sentiments. Anyway, this homosexual flirtatiousness is so adolescent. Let's just see. - Philips! - Oh, for God's sake, Rowntree. Come on, Machin. We're waiting. Right. Biles's is ready. Here. Both sides done. Okay. Okay, freak? Mmm. Lovely. Hey, watch mine. Big one in the middle. Hey. Philips. Philips, you're wanted. Rowntree. Yeah. Go, Philips. Mmm. Here. Here. I'll have some more then. Come in. Well? You'll be scumming for Denson from now on. All right with you, Richard? Very well. You may go. Say "thank you. " Aries. That's Mick. "No matter how strong the urge... "resist any temptation to go into battle this month. "Otherwise, you run the risk of not only being on the wrong side... but possibly in the wrong war. " So now you know. The whole world will end very soon - black, brittle bodies peeling into ash. I'm going bald. Must be something they put in the soup. I'll look senile before I even leave this dump. "My husband seems to feel it's all right... "to make love anywhere in the house. "I cannot agree. Surely the bedroom is the right and only place for this very private happening. " Have I got bad breath? There's no such thing as a wrong war. Violence and revolution... are the only pure acts. Do you know, in Calcutta... somebody dies of starvation every eight minutes? Eight minutes is a long time. Every morning I wake up dreaming I've got bad breath. My whole body's rotting. War is the last possible creative act. Isn't she beautiful? Hello, sweetheart. There's only one thing you can do with a girl like this. Walk naked into the sea together as the sun sets... make love once... then die. Fantastic. What makes me nervous about girls is you never know what they're thinking. I don't think they do think. Hey! Quick! You've been drinking alcohol. No, we haven't. - Where's the bottle? - What bottle? Breathe. Stand up when a whip's in your study. Get your hands out of your pockets. Your hair's too long, all of you. You'll have a two-minute cold shower tomorrow morning. What in hell are those? They're my teeth. They're my good luck. There's still blood on them. They're a breeding ground for bacteria. I'm confiscating them. You're a degenerate, Travis. Rightl Knightly, out. Wallace, get under. Right. Wallace, out. Travis, get in. Go on. In the middle. Back a bit. Forward a bit. My time's up, you bastard. Stay there till I get back. Glory be to the Father And to the Son And to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning Is now and ever shall be World without end Amen The book of Deuteronomy... chapter four, the first verse. "Now, therefore... "hearken, O Israel... "unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you... "that ye may live and go in and possess the land... "which the Lord God of your fathers giveth unto you. "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you... "neither shall ye diminish aught from it... "that ye keep the commandments of the Lord, your God... "which I command you. "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments... "even as the Lord, my God, commanded me. "Keep, therefore, and do them... "for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations... "which shall hear all these statutes and say... 'Surely this nation is a wise and understanding people. "' Here endeth the lesson. Right! Through vault. Biles! Feet together! Right. Good, good! It's a through vault, Machin. Right! Come on, keep your head up! Head up! Come on. More effort. More effort, Philips. Come on. Need more push up. Good. Jute, come on! Come on, Jute. Jutel Come onl All right. Right! All of you on your toes! Get your sweaters. Get your sweaters. Back to the housel Hupl Hupl Out you gol Hup, hup, hup, hupl Come on, Philips. Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl Hupl War! War. Even to the knife! England, awakel Give me another horse! We are not commons to you at alll - Some love England and have only yet- - Doomsday is near! Die, all, die! Death to tyrants! What stands, if freedom falls? Who dies, if England lives? Aha! Blood. Real blood! Water, Mrs. Kemp? Lovely day, Mrs. Kemp. Salt, Mrs. Kemp? Spring greens, Mrs. Kemp? Dead man's leg today, Mrs. Kemp. Do you need this, Mrs. Kemp? No, thank you. Quietl Cheering at College matches has degenerated completely. This will cease. The house will attend the match this afternoon and cheer... loudly. Fight! Fight, fight! Fight, College! Fight! Fight! Stopl Bring it back nowl Stop! Yes? Two coffees, please. Black or white? White. Black. Sugar. Go on. Look at me. I'll kill you. Look at my eyes. Sometimes I stand in front of the mirror... and my eyes get bigger and bigger. And I'm like a tiger. I like tigers. I likeJohnny. Scissors. Stone. Paper. Scissors. Stone. Paper. - Anything wrong? - No. It's all right, sir. Just duty rounds. - You won't be long, will you, sir? - Sorry, Denson. I didn't know it was so late. Good night, sir. Good night, Denson. You know, if I pass all the tests, I'm definitely going to California. I'm going to be a criminal lawyer. Of course, it all takes about 20 years. - We'll all be dead by then. - Well, I believe in having a goal. That way you succeed. Actually, that's your trouble. You have no ambition. Oh, I know. Is your mum coming for Founder's Day? Yes. She's bringing her new husband. My new dad. - What's he like? - Actually, I don't think they're married. I don't care. I don't mind at all about that sort of thing. I shouldn't mind, should I? No. Oh, hell. I don't know. Quick! Out the back. That way. Can you explain yourself? - What are you up to? - Nothing. Who was with you? No one. - What did it feel like? - Like drowning. What's the most horrible way to die? Getting a moth caught in your eardrum. You can hear it as it eats into your brain. Being flayed alive. That's what the Crusaders did to their enemies. Used to send the neatly folded skins back to their victims' wives. Cancer's worse. My mother took six months. The night's dead. You can hardly breathe outside. The thing I'd really hate... is to have a nail bang through the back of my neck. Slowly. I don't see what difference the speed makes. The speed of the nail. The -The -The nail's speed! The nail's speed. The s-speed. Thank you, my dear. Of course, there's - there's always a lunatic fringe. There's a certain hard core in the studies. - Oh, dear. - Yes. I will have to deal firmly with it in certain instances. It may be necessary to make a few examples. The headmaster doesn't like too much thrashing. He wouldn't like College to get a reputation for decadence. - Hear! Hear! - Of course. Of course. And the juniors. How are the juniors? On the whole, dull. - Oh, dear. - Of course, it's just a matter of proportion. Unruly elements threaten the stability of the house. It's best to nip them in the bud. Yes. Well, you -you must do what you think best. - Thank you, sir. - Thank you, sir. Love so amazing So divine Demands my heart My life My all The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ... the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost... be with us all evermore. - Amen. - Amen. Senior table. Quiet. As soon as you've finished... juniors to the sweat room and seniors to their studies. And wait in silence. Carry on. Fisher. That's your second bun! I saw you. Put it back! Travisl Wallacel Knightlyl Come in. Good evening. I imagine you know why you're here. No. For being a nuisance. A general nuisance in the house. What do you mean, being a nuisance? What have we done? Done? It's your general attitude. You know exactly what I mean. Attitude? And we've decided to beat you for it. Stand up properly when the head of house addresses you. There's something indecent about you, Travis. The way you slouch about. You think we don't notice you with your hands in your pockets. The way you just sit there looking at everyone. You three have become a danger to the morale of the whole house. You can take that cheap little grin off your mouthl I serve the nation. You haven't the slightest idea what it means, have you? To you it's just one bloody joke. You mean that bit of wool on your tit? - Christ. - You're in the sixth form now. You should be prepared to set an example of responsibility. - You're a nuisance. - You're pathetic. And as such, you must be punished. Well, have you anything to say? Any of you? Yes. I have. The thing I hate about you, Rowntree... is the way you give Coca-Cola to your scum... and your best teddy bear to Oxfam... and expect us to lick your frigid fingers... for the rest of your frigid life. Go down to the gym. Wait outside. Wallace. Get up. Thank you, Rowntree. - Only four. - Knightly. Done. Christ, that was a bit low. Hey, Mick. Blood? Yeah. Blood. Get up. Thank you, Rowntree. Travis. Get your coat off. Go to the bars. Bend over. Wait till you're told! Get down. Get up. - Thank you, Rowntree. - Thank you. Thank you, Fortinbras. Translate, please. "'And do you not remember, 'I said... "'that we also said that we must... "'conduct the children to war on horseback... "'to- to be spectators... "'and wherever it may be safe... "'bring them to the front and give them a taste of blood... as we do with, uh - "' Uh, "as we do with horses. " A creditable guess, but no. Anyone else? Ayoung she-goat? Look it up, Rowntree. "Ayoung dog. A whelp. Puppy. " For the first time in 13 years... College House has won the Bigley Memorial Marathon Chalice. This house has seen great days. It's going to see them again. We're back on the right track at last. But I don't want you to think you can relax. It's up to everyone to pull together. I want to see each one of you going all out. I know you've got it in you. So let's see College House back on top. All right. Right. House thump! College House! College House! College House! College House! We're on our own now. What are we going to do? Trust me? Of course. When are we going to do it? When I say. Death to the oppressor. The resistance. Liberty. One man can change the world with a bullet in the right place. Real bullets. Fairest isle All isles excelling Seat of pleasure And of love Venus here Shall choose her dwelling And forsake Her Cyprian groves Space, you see, Michael, is all expanding... at the speed of light. It's a mathematical certainty... that somewhere, among all those million of stars... there's another planet where they speak English. Have a look. "The Son of God goes forth to war... a kingly crown to gain. " We are all corrupt. We are all sinful. We are all meat to be punished. If a soldier doesn't do his duty, he expects to be punished. There are failures great and small... and there are punishments great and small. But there is one failure, one crime... one betrayal... that can never be forgiven. And that betrayal is called desertion. The deserter in the face of the enemy must expect to be shot. Jesus Christ is our commanding officer. And if we desert him, we can expect no mercy. And... we are all deserters. All right. Corporal, over here. That's our objective, where that tree is. Right. Listen, "D" Section. Come on. Listen. Hedge junction, 4:00, bushy top tree. We will attack and destroy that tree. Right. Bren gun left. Go on! Move! Single filel Single filel Come on, Peter. Keep it up. Well done, that man on the Brenl Rabbit crawl all the way back to basel Rabbit crawl, manl Stop. What are you doing? It's awful. You forgot to yell. The yell of hate. It's the yell that counts. Everybody back. At the double. Ready? Charge! Chargel Stop there. Get down! Get down! Get down! You're all dead. I've won. Sergeant's coming round. Re-form your men. "A"Company, get into line. Come onl Movel - All right, Denson. Bring your men over here. Hurry up. - Don't dawdle. Now march properly. - Left, right, left. - Left. Left. - That's right. Pick up a set. At the double. Get a move on. Don't hang around. - Hurry up. - Who left his rifle here? All right. Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up. "D" Section over here. This is an order. Put your rifles down and get over to the tea queue. Go on, you. Go on. Move. - All right, boy? - You keep going. That's the lad. Take coverl Take coverl Who's there? Who's there? Show yourself, whoever you are! Come out of there! Empty those rifles at once. Hand over those rifles instantly! Come on. Hand them over. For the love of God, don't shoot! No. No. No. I take this seriously. Very seriously indeed. Reverend Woods might have been quite badly hurt. Do you realize that? Now I want you to apologize to him. Is that clear? Now, you mustn't think that I don't understand. It's a natural characteristic of adolescence to want to proclaim individuality. There's nothing unhealthy about that. It's a quite blameless form of existentialism. This, for instance, is what lies at the heart of the great hair problem. I think you boys know that I keep an open mind on most things. And of one thing I am certain: Short hair is no indication of merit. So often I've noticed that... it's the hair rebels who step into the breach when there's a crisis... whether it be a fire in the house... or to sacrifice a week's holiday... in order to give a party of slum children seven days in the country. But, of course, there are limits. Scruffiness of any kind is deplorable. I think you'd go that far with me. Now, the fees here are at present... Which works out at about 15 guineas a week. This is no mean sum. It is the salary, for instance, of the average trainee supermarket manager. But on the other hand, it's no more than the cost... of keeping a juvenile delinquent in Borstal. However, this is merely to look at the matter in terms of hard cash... which is not the only consideration. There is above all the question of service. Those who are given most also have most to give. Now you boys are intelligent. You're too intelligent to be rebels. That's too easy. And it would be easy to punish you in the normal way. But I'm going to give you a privilege. Work. Real work. And I want you to think of this not as a punishment... but as an opportunity to give... to serve. Guard ofhonor, 'shunl Guard, shoulder... armsl Guard, present... armsl Guard, shoulder... arms! Guard, order armsl - How do you do, sir? Nice to have you at College. - Yes. So nice. - You know the bishop. - Bishop! - General. How very nice to see you. - Nice to see you after all this time. - It's a long time. - Twenty-seven years? - Twenty-seven years it's been? - I've got to leave now. Yes. Right. Each manly voice upraise Clasp each the hand in brotherhood And raise the roof with praise And when these days of school are past Though we'll be near or far We'll cherish still her memory Gainst fire and flood and foe We'll serve her still through good and ill As through the world we'll go And when these days of school are past Though we'll be near or far We'll stand again for College Who made us what we are Your Royal Highness... my lord bishop... General Denson... my lords, ladies and gentlemen... today is a day for the future... and also a day for the past. Any institution which has half a thousand years - one-quarter of the Christian era stretching behind it- is bound to have a sense of the past. But in point of fact, there can be few places... where tradition is examined with such a critical eye as this college. A constant self-appraisal is going on. And indeed, changes are happening so fast... that even as I speak, these words are out of date. But first I want to introduce General Denson... who, of course, needs no introduction... either as a national hero or as an old boy. General Denson. Thank you, Headmaster. Your Royal Highness, my lord bishop... my lords, ladies and gentlemen. Men of College, now, you chaps are probably thinking... there's nothing much an old soldier like me can teach you. Well, you may be right. All the same, I'm going to have a shot at it. First thing, you're lucky. Yes. A lot of men would give their eyeteeth to be sitting where you're sitting now. You are privileged. Now, for heaven's sake, don't get me wrong. There is nothing the matter with privilege- as long as we're ready to pay for it. It's a very sad thing, but today it is fashionable... to belittle tradition. The old orders that made our nation a-a living force... are for the most part scorned... by modern psychiatrists, priests, pundits of all sorts. But what have they got to put in their place, hmm? Oh, politicians talk a lot about freedom. Well, freedom is the heritage of every Englishman... who speaks with the tongue that Shakespeare spoke. But, you know, we won't stay free unless we're ready to fight. And you won't be any good as fighters... unless you know something about discipline- the habit of obedience- how to give orders... and how to take them. Never mind the sneers of the cynics. Let us just be true to honor, duty, national pride. We still need loyalty. We still need tradition. If we look around us at the world today, what do we see? We see bloodshed, confusion, decay. I know the world has changed a great deal in the past 50 years - But England- our England doesn't change so easily. And back here in College today I feel - and it makes me jolly proud - that there is still a tradition here which has not changed... and by God, it isn't going to changel It's up to all of you chaps to give the world a lead. It is Britain's tradition that you have learnt here. Self-reliance, service, self-sacrifice. A tradition of College. And it's up to all of us to reassure the world by our unquestioning obedience... that we still hope - My God, we're on fire! Now don't panic. Don't panic. Women first. Break open the windows. Don't shout. Don't panic. Don't panic. Women and children- Oh, my God. Come on. Stand up. Stand up. Stand up for College. Each manly voice upraise. - Mum, where are you? - Outl God, let us outl Come on. Come on. Ammunition, quick! Break open the armory. Every man a rifle. Now keep low! Keep low! Rabbit crawl! Infiltrate their flank. Get a Bren gun on their flank. Come on. Jump to it. Bastards! Bastards! Bastards! Stop! Stop! Stop firing! Cease fire. Cease firing. Boys! Boys! I understand you! Listen to reason and trust me! Trust me! |
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