as they wait for Steiner.
KERN
I bet this is the only dry spot
for miles around. Why don't we
just stay here?
ANSELM
Don't be silly. They won't know
where to send our pay. Ah --
For Steiner has dropped out of the tree.
SCHNURRBART
Well -- ?
STEINER
Reeds, swamp, open water, more reeds,
more swamp. Worse than I thought
it would be.
Steiner spreads the map on the ground. The men look over
his shoulders. Steiner points to something on the map.
STEINER
(nods)
Tomorrow morning we'll start
before dawn.
KRUGER
(querulously)
Straight into the creek?
STEINER
Shut up! We'll march north to the
road.
KERN
How far is that?
STEINER
About thirty miles.
KRUGER
Thirty miles! It's crazy! This
way we're no more than eight miles
from Krimskaya!
STEINER
Sure. If we could cross that
swamp, and we can't!
KRUGER
Before I march thirty miles I need
something to eat.
STEINER
If you've got to have something
to eat, try tree bark. Boiled in
soft water it's supposed to be
edible. Damn it all, don't act
like a bunch of children.
They look shame-faced, but Kruger growls...
KRUGER
You've seen what the water looks
like. Like a hundred cows have
been scheissing in it.
STEINER
Then boil it and skim it. You
won't mind the filth -- you've got
a pig's stomach anyway.
The men grin.
STEINER
We'll make a soup. Put the meat
and bread right in it. Kruger
and Schnurrbart fetch water. But
don't anybody try drinking the
muck before it's boiled. The rest
of us can gather wood.
The men make a movement to start.
STEINER
Wait a minute -- we may as well
settle this now. We'll need a
volunteer for sentry duty tonight.
At least to start it off --
Nobody answers. The men don't look at each other.
STEINER
I know you're all tired, but --
KERN
Sergeant, I --
At this moment, a NOISE in the brush causes all heads to
turn. An exhausted Zoll, lugging the ammunition boxes'
struggles INTO the SCENE. Steiner looks at him, then turns
to Kern.
STEINER
That's all right. The problem is
solved.
The men laugh, start off. Zoll looks puzzled by the laughter.
DISSOLVE TO:
The CAMERA PULLS BACK to REVEAL Kruger, Schnurrbart, Kern
and Anselm asleep on the ground in various uncomfortable
postures. Pawn is breaking in the sky. The air is filled
with the croaking SOUND of FROGS.
as he slowly awakens. It is a moment before he is fully
awake. He reaches out and nudges Kern awake.
KERN
Huh? -- What? -- Oh -- what's up?
KRUGER
Where's Steiner, do you know?
KERN
He just got up sometime ago and
went off somewhere.
KRUGER
Did he say where?
By this time the conversation has awakened the other men.
KERN
I asked him, but you know Steiner
-- he just gave me a look and off
he went. I got the shits.
SCHNURRBART
(grimly)
Steiner goes -- and you get scared'
huh?
KRUGER
(looks around at all
the faces)
We're all scared the minute Rolf's
not around to hold our hands.
SCHNURRBART
(tosses a branch into
the fire, sending up
a shower of sparks)
He'll be back. Anselm, relieve Zoll.
ANSELM
(rebelliously)
Why me?
KRUGER
Hurry up and relieve Zoll. On the
double.
ANSELM
You and Schnurrbart -- big shots!
Lousy noncoms! You're all alike.
Rank goes right to your heads. It
stinks. The whole damned army
stinks. And you, Kruger, stink
worst of all!
Kruger picks up a dry stick of wood which is only partially
in the fire and tosses it at Anselm, who barely throws his
hand up in time. Then, with a cry of rage, he jumps across
the firs and onto Kruger's neck. The two men struggle on
the ground.
KERN, SCHNURRBART
(simultaneously)
Come on, now - stop it. Kruger!
Anselm!
Zoll comes running IN from his sentry post.
ZOLL
What's going on here?
Zoll, assisted by Kern, tries to separate the two men who
are locked together on the ground.
KERN
Watch out -- somebody's going to get
burned in the fire!
Suddenly, Steiner's voice is heard.
STEINER'S VOICE
Zoll -- Kern! Let them fight it out.
His gun is in the back of an elderly RUSSIAN. The others
are in the b.g.
STEINER
Why shouldn't they kill each
other? Why should the Russians
have to do it?
SCHNURRBART
Who the hell is that?
The old man sinks to the ground.
STEINER
It's my guess he's a very old
Russian -- what's yours?
KRUGER
Where did you find him, Rolf?
STEINER
There's a dirt road about four
miles from here. The road leads
to a bridge. He was guarding it.
ZOLL
A bridge! A bridge that crosses
the swamp, you mean?
SCHNURRBART
Eureka, that means we don't have
to march thirty miles to the
highway, doesn't it?
KERN'S VOICE
Not to mention the forty more to
Krimskaya.
ANSELM
(feeling his
throat)
Doesn't anybody care that my neck
is broken?
STEINER
Not so fast. On the other side
of the bridge there's a house. and
there are Russians in the house.
Pause.
KRUGER
How do you know -- did you see any?
STEINER
No, but there was smoke coming out
of the chimney. You ask him how
many there are.
Kruger talks in Russian to the old man, who replies. Then!
KRUGER
He says there's two wagons and
two horses.
STEINER
To hell with that. Ask him how
many men there are in that house.
Kruger speaks in Russian, but the old man just shakes his
head.
STEINER
How many men are there in the
house?
Kruger speaks to the old man who closes his eyes and turns
his head aside.
KRUGER
He won't say.
STEINER
(putting the muzzle
of his gun against
the old man's head)
He has to. Ask him again.
Kruger expostulates with the Russian, illustrating his words
with unmistakable gestures. The Russian slowly opens his
eyes. Steiner is regarding him without expression. A
brief smile passes over the Russian's wrinkled, parchment-
like face, and he says a few words.
STEINER
What is he saying?
KRUGER
He says he is an old man.
STEINER
(calmly)
We can see that. I admire him, but
I'm going to have to shoot him.
SCHNURRBART
Isn't it dangerous, firing a shot?
There may be some of them around,
looking for him.
STEINER
You may be right. On the other
hand, we can't waste time hanging
him.
Pause.
ANSELM
Well, let's see -- there's strangu-
lation, drowning, stoning --
STEINER
If we had the time we'd let you
talk him to death.
Pause. Steiner takes a knife from his scabbard. The men
are very silent.
STEINER
Any volunteers?
ANSELM
(after a moment)
How about you, Zoll? You were a
butcher in civilian life, weren't
you?
The joke falls flat, even with Anselm.
ZOLL
(after a moment)
If everybody's scared, I might
have a try at it.
STEINER
No. I'll make it quick and clean.
(lifts the Russian
to his feet, to
Kruger)
We'll give him one more chance.
Tell him what I'm going to do.
Kruger speaks to the Russian who says nothing, doesn't
even shake his head.
STEINER
All right, then --
He pushes the Russian ahead of him toward a grove of small
trees, CAMERA TRUCKING with them.
They stand around in silence. A low GASP is HEARD O.S.
The men tense. Anselm ventures to look off.
Steiner is seen bent over, leaning against a tree.
ANSELM
I'll say this for Steiner. At
least he's throwing up.
All eyes are fixed o.s. After a few moments, Steiner
comes back IN. His knife and scabbard are both gone.
STEINER
All right, get your things together.
SCHNURRBART
I wonder how many Russians there
are in that house.
STEINER
Since we've got to cross that bridge,
it doesn't matter how many there are.
KERN
Aren't we too few for the job?
STEINER
No. There's only the front door
and one window on the side. We'll
smoke them out with grenades, then
mow them down as they come out.
(looks at Zoll)
And hang on to your ammunition boxes.
We're going to need them.
Steiner picks up his pack.
It is made of massive logs. Smoke is pouring from one of
the chimneys. The CAMERA STARTS PULLING BACK and we see
that a creek flows parallel to the house. Its bank is
overgrown with shoulder-high reeds which sway gently in
the wind. Two unhitched wagons, their contents concealed
under dark brown canvas' stand by the side of the house.
Then we see a primitive but wide wooden bridge with rails
on both sides. In the center, leaning against the narrow
slats of the railing, stands a GUARD -- an elderly man with
a yellow, wrinkled face. His cap is pushed back on his
head and he is staring dully at the dirty surface of the
water. His tommy gun is slung diagonally across his back.
The CAMERA CONTINUES BACKWARD across the bridge into the
reeds. Finally, it comes to rest on the flattened shapes
of Steiner and his platoon who are gazing intently at the
sight. The men speak in whispers.
STEINER
You realize how important it is
that no one -- not a single one --
escapes?
KERN
We won't be able to get them all.
STEINER
We have to get them all. Once the
Russians find out there are Germans
behind their lines there'll be
hundreds of them beating the bushes
for us.
He looks at the men significantly. They nod grimly.
STEINER
Anselm -- you and Kruger stay here.
Set up the machine gun -- see that no
one gets past this way. The rest
will come with me. Keep your heads
behind the trees -- and remember, if
one of them gets away we're sunk.
with bent back, he moves forward, the men following.
Anselm starts setting up the machine gun.
walking cautiously through the woods to get on the other
side of the house. The CAMERA FOCUSES on Zoll, who is
last in line. His eyes are fixed on the ground, on small
patches of SUNLIGHT on the ground. They change shape,
expand and contract each time the leaves stir overhead.
Suddenly Zoll takes mincing little steps, now jumping or
skipping to avoid a band of SUNLIGHT. He becomes so
absorbed in this that he is oblivious to everything else.
He doesn't notice that Steiner is standing in his path,
watching him curiously. Zoll is on the point of jumping
over a broad s trip of LIGHT when his eyes meet Steiner's.
His intended jump becomes a halting step that carries him
right into the middle of the SUNLIT band. Zoll stands
still, looking into Steiner's face.
ZOLL
(weak smile)
Just a game --
STEINER
(incredulously)
A what? A game?
ZOLL
(apologetically)
When we were kids -- a came -- we'd
race through the woods. No one
was allowed to step on a spot of
sunlight --
STEINER
I see. And would you like us to
join you in the game? Perhaps we
could find the time.
ZOLL
I only thought -- silly idea -- if I
don't step on a spot of sunlight
now I'd come through this all right.
He smiles an abject, apologetic smile. Steiner's face
is expressionless. He turns to the men, motions them to
the ground. Zoll is the last to obey.
The men behind him.
STEINER
I'll take care of the gentleman
on the bridge. When I run -- you
follow me --
(looks at Zoll)
-- taking special care to avoid
the spots of sunlight.
Zoll flashes a look of hatred at Steiner, but remains quiet.
Steiner lifts his tommy gun, sights it at the man on the
bridge. He takes his time. Beside him, Kern is trembling
visibly.
He has not changed his position.
SHOOTING TOWARD the Guard in the b.g. Steiner is still
aiming.
Then he FIRES -- a whipping round of SHOTS. In the b.g., we
SEE the man on the bridge start to move as though he stood
on a whirling disc. Then his hands grip the wooden railing
for support. His legs sag, and he slides, knees first,
underneath the railing and into the dirty water. Steiner
jumps to his feet, runs madly for the bridge, the men
following.
as Steiner comes across, throws himself flat on the ground.
The others, close behind, do the same. They all SHOOT
round after round at the doors of the hut. Then --
STEINER
(holding up his hand)
Stop!
A FINAL BURST from Kern and then there is stillness. The
men look toward the house.
There is not a sound from the house. Not a single sign
of any activity.