Time Limit (1957)

[bunniefuu]

I'm sorry to bother you again.

I must be slow.
I got a quarter after.

No, lieutenant. 4:15. Right on the nose.

You got a cigarette?
I'm all out.

Oh, here. Right there. Help yourself.

Lieutenant,
you want something to read?

I got a nice esquire, right
in the bottom drawer there.

You sure?

You looking for camp
gee gee, lieutenant?

Huh? Looking for camp gee gee?

Why, is it on here? Oh, sure.

We got all the red prison camps
marked with pins. Now, let's see.

Gee gee. Gee gee.

Here we are. Forty-one degrees.

That ought to put it somewhere
around... let's see...

Forty... here we are.
Saman. No, no. Gee gee.

There you are. Gee gee.

Yeah.

Well, I guess you don't need a
map to remember that dump, huh?

Guess not.

The colonel will be along in a
couple of minutes, lieutenant.

That's what you said 20 minutes ago.

Lieutenant, this is just
a routine investigation.

There's nothing to be nervous
about. I'm not nervous.

I just wanna know the
story on all this business.

I got a leave coming up.

Are we all gonna have to hang around
here and testify at this court-martial?

Well, sir, there might not
even be a court-martial.

What does that mean?

Well, you see, sir, the colonel
is the investigating officer.

Now, he just gets the facts together and
makes a recommendation to the general.

Now, it's up to the general to
decide whether there's gonna be

a court-martial or not. Yeah,
but in a case like cargill's,

there can't be any
doubt, can there?

Well, I wouldn't think so.
You through with my cigarettes?

Thank you. I just wish
they'd get on with it.

Lieutenant, don't worry.

Colonel Edwards will give you
every break he can, believe me.

Now, you mustn't get the wrong idea about
him, just because he's a staff officer.

He wasn't always in the
chair-borne infantry.

You know, we were in the
bulge together, him and me.

A college man.

She's got looks, brains,
personality, everything.

Just got one blind spot,
can't go for sergeants.

Colonel Edwards, it's
a good thing you're back.

Yeah. I'm sorry
I kept Miller waiting.

Oh, it's not that,
sir. The general called.

Twice.

Oh.

Yes?

You sent for me, sir?

Oh, yes, bill. Come in, come
in. I've been waiting for you.

I'm sorry, sir. I had to interview
some people on the cargill case.

Off the post? Yes, sir.

That was the best way
to see them. Civilians.

Well, bill, you've been taking a lot
more time than usual on this case.

You've been on it
for several months.

Yes, I know.

We got a lot of
cases ahead of us.

They're after me
to get things moving.

I understand, sir.

Can't hold them up much longer.

Not fair to the people involved.

That's why I was hoping you'd wind
this one up as soon as possible, huh?

Well, I'll do my best, sir. I've got
my last witness waiting for me now.

Last one? Yes, sir.

Good. That's what I want to hear.

All right, sir.

Boy, that's some gadget
you got there, lieutenant.

Let's see, may 15, 1954.

Oh, full moon.

How do you tell time with these things?

That must have
set you back plenty.

I won it in a crap... baker.

Yeah? Take this over to cic, will you?

Yes, sir.

Sit down, lieutenant.
Sorry to keep you waiting.

I didn't realize I'd be gone
so long. That's all right, sir.

This won't take too much longer,
just a few routine questions.

Let's see, where were we yesterday?

Question, "had you known
major cargill before"

"you were prisoners
together in camp gee gee?"

Answer, "no, sir,
none of us did."

Thank you. All right.

Now, how long were you at this camp
before cargill was put into your shack?

About four months, sir. Uh-huh.

And that means you all lived together
for nine months before it happened?

Yes, sir, that's right.

Well, tell me, lieutenant,
how did it happen?

Well, sir, it happened very
suddenly. It took us all by surprise.

Yes, but just how?

Sir, you must know that.
You must have it in there.

I've got the testimony of 14 different
witnesses in here, lieutenant.

But I still need your own
version of it. Yes, sir.

Now let's hear it just
the way you remember it.

Yes, sir, just the way I remember it.

Well, I remember it was real
cold that day. It was cold.

Man, you don't know what cold is
till you've been cold in North Korea.

Like every day, they got us up at dawn.

Made us get out into the compound
for one of those lectures.

Just like any other day,
except for one thing.

Colonel Kim was late.

Here comes old baldy.

Yeah, the honorable colonel Kim.

Wonder what he's done
to cargill this time.

What he always does.
He's got him in the hole.

Yeah, but I'll bet you first he
tied old Kim up in knots again.

Don't worry about cargill.

You want to worry about
somebody, you worry about Kim.

Sit down, gentlemen.

Sit down.

Today we will review
the lecture of yesterday.

The history of all
previous societies

has been the history of class struggles.

Struggles between the
oppressors and oppressed.

Now, repeat after me.
"Communism is peace." Ready?

Communism is...

Well, comrades.

Since you don't choose
to listen to me, perhaps...

Comrade cargill,
the class is yours.

I know this will come as
a surprise to you, but...

But I hope you will
cooperate with me.

For our first session,

we'll approach the subject
from a historical point of view.

The...

As colonel Kim has said,
the history of all

previous existing
societies has been

the history of
the class struggle.

The bourgeoisie, which
owns and controls the means

and instruments
of production, has

exploited the working
class which depends upon it.

But thereby

the bourgeoisie has also forged the
weapons of its own destruction. It...

It...

You're doing very well, major.

He doesn't need me here.
Continue.

Oh, yes, a word of warning.

Any harm to this comrade will
bring reprisals on everyone.

Thereby the bourgeoisie has also forged
the weapons of its own destruction.

It has created the men
who are to wield the...

Okay, he's gone.

It has created the men who
are to wield those weapons.

These are the proletarians, the
standard-bearers of the new civilization...

He's gone.

The new utopia.

It is a cause to which all
men of goodwill everywhere...

Can dedicate their energies,
their talents and their lives.

In communism there is only one
class and it works for peace.

Communism is peace.

Wait... look...
Wait, listen to me.

Don't be such heroes.

This man means business now.
He's got to show results.

Miller,

you understand?

Miller! You do understand!

I don't understand.

Not even to this day, sir.
I just don't understand.

And that was the first indication
that cargill had gone over, huh?

Yes, sir, that's the
first indication we had.

After that one time, did
he continue these activities?

Yes, sir. Right up till the time
we left gee gee to be exchanged.

I see.

Well, Miller, uh...

What else did he do that
you'd consider collaboration?

Well, sir, we heard he made
radio broadcasts for them saying

the United States
had used germ warfare.

Of course,
we only heard about that.

I know he signed one of those
germ warfare confessions,

'cause I saw one of them.

Like this?

Yes, sir, that's it.

Did he also make newsreels
for the enemy?

Newsreels? Yes.

No, sir. No, he couldn't have.

Miller, can you think of
any reason why he went over?

Well, sir, I've been thinking.

Is it possible
maybe he was a plant?

You know, he was one
of them all the time?

You testified yesterday that
nobody ever suspected him.

Now do you want to
change your testimony?

No, sir. Now that
I think about it,

I guess he could
have been, could he?

Well, I mean, I no more expected Harry
to go over than I would my own brother.

Were you and cargill
close friends?

Cargill and me? No, sir.

Well, the way you talk, I thought
you might be close buddies.

No, sir, we weren't any more
friends than anybody else.

Did he have any special
friend in the compound?

No, sir.

Why?

Well, in the 48 hours before
cargill broke, two men d*ed.

Captain Connors
and lieutenant...

Harvey, sir?

Yeah, that's right. Lieutenant Harvey.

Incidentally,
how did Harvey die?

Oh, I thought you knew that, sir. No.

Lieutenant Harvey d*ed following
an acute case of dysentery.

And captain Connors?
Same thing, sir.

That dysentery must have
been pretty rough, huh?

Yes, sir, it was a real k*ller.

In fact, sir, eight of the nine men
that d*ed in our shack d*ed of dysentery.

You see, sir, in cases
of bacillary dysentery,

the incidence of death
is pretty high.

Especially when there's
no medicine.

You see, what happens
is dehydration sets in

and the sick man suffers from a general
wasting away. And then he just dies.

I guess all of you got to be
amateur medics, didn't you?

Yes, sir. We had to be.

It's a pretty shocking thing to
see your friends die that way.

Well, that's exactly
what I meant, lieutenant.

Seeing something like this could
shock a man enough to cr*ck him.

Especially if the victim
were a close friend of his.

I see what you mean, sir, but I just told
you, cargill didn't have any close friends.

Why not? Well, sir, I...

Was he cold? Unfriendly?

No, sir, he was friendly enough.

We used to kid him all the
time. We called him professor.

Not that he really was a professor,
but he taught in some college.

He was an instructor.
Instructor, that's right.

And when we
called him professor,

we weren't riding him
or anything like that.

Because, you see, all the
men liked him, respected him.

Right from the time
he got to gee gee.

In fact, sir, that's one of
the most vivid memories I have

of the entire w*r.

What was that?

The first time that
cargill got to our shack.

You see, one of the men
had d*ed during the night

and we got permission
to bury him.

We stood around in the rain
and somebody read from a Bible.

And when we got ready
to cover up the body,

cargill steps to the edge
of the grave and he says,

From that time on, whenever
he talked, we listened.

You see, we trusted him,
we respected him, you know?

"My brother dies
that I may live."

That doesn't sound like their
philosophy to me, lieutenant.

Well, that's nine months
before he went over.

He had a lot of time to think.

Sir, don't you know
those guys like him,

these guys that think too much?

You know, they can kind of get
taken in by that kind of stuff.

Then you think cargill
was "taken in"? Sir?

Well, some of these men went over
for personal gain or physical comfort.

But you don't think it
was that way in his case?

No, sir, there's no
indication of that.

Then you think he really
embraced their philosophy?

Sir, I don't know.

There's only one person
who can tell you that.

As you were.

Bill, sergeant fleischacker told me
there was a boy here from camp gee gee.

Yes, sir. Lieutenant Miller,
this is general Connors.

Lieutenant, you must have
known my son, captain Connors.

Joe Connors. Oh, yes, sir.

I know I'm interrupting.
But I had to find out.

That's quite all right, sir.

Give me a minute, will
you, bill? Yes, sure.

Well.

Mint?

Thank you, sir.

Did you know my son
before gee gee?

Oh, yes, sir. We were in
the same outfit, you know.

A fine outfit, lieutenant.

You men made quite a
record for yourselves.

Thank you, sir.

But it wouldn't have
been the same without Joe.

Well, in fact, sir,

when Joe d*ed, every man in the camp
felt as though he'd lost a brother.

You must have known him well.

Well, sir, when you live together
in a small shack that long...

Yes, sir, I knew him very well, sir.

Lieutenant, how about joining
me for a drink at the club?

Well, sir... I want to
talk to you about Joe.

Bill? Yes, sir?

I asked for a minute,
now I need an hour.

Is that all right with you?

Well, I was...
Yes, of course, sir.

We'll go on with this
in the morning, Miller.

Come on, son.

How did fleischacker know
that Miller was in here?

Well, you know
fleischacker, sir.

He's a one-man radar system.

Yeah. Sir, these are finished.

Oh, thanks.

Okay, baker, what's up?

Why, nothing, sir. Nothing at all.

Now, don't kid me.
With you it's never nothing.

Oh, that's a very
unfriendly remark, sir.

Indicates a complete lack
of trust and confidence.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry I
hurt your feelings, baker.

Now, what do you want?

May I take that as permission
to discuss this matter further?

All I have to do is breathe
and you take it as permission.

All I'm trying to do
is be cooperative, sir.

I'm just trying to suggest, sir,
that this case is so open-and-shut

we don't even need
a court-martial.

On, I see.

Look, sir. All we have to do is
take a card, punch holes in it,

one for each wrong thing
this major cargill did,

send it through an IBM machine
and come up with the right answer.

That's the kind of case this is.

So?

So the sooner
it's over the better.

Wh y? Sir?

Why? You've got to have a reason.

Well, if the colonel will forgive
me for saying so, you're wrong.

Look, sir, I'm no intellectual.
I don't need a reason.

But as long as the colonel has opened
up the subject for further discussion,

I would like to say that
I don't like the whole idea

of the colonel handling this
case. This is a hot potato, sir.

Baker, is there anything
else on your mind?

Yes, sir, as long...
Just answer yes or no.

Anything else on your mind?
Yes, sir.

Then shut up.

Yes, sir.

Well, wait. Wait a minute.

If you really want to
do something for me,

go out to the machine
and get us some coffee.

Coffee, Evans? Yes, sir.

Never mind, it's on me.

Yeah, the colonel's throwing
a farewell party.

What's the matter
with him today?

Maybe it isn't baker.

What?

Well, sir, perhaps
you're a bit touchy today.

After all, it is possible.

Oh, is it?

Well, sir, if you'd really
like my opinion, yes.

Evans, I'm tired of
being analyzed today.

I'm tired of being told...

I'm tired of being told
how to do my job.

And if I'm touchy and why.

Sir, what are
extenuating circumstances?

Oh, I don't mean that.

I mean, couldn't something
be extenuating circumstances

to one person and
not to another, sir?

That's always
a matter of opinion, baker.

Well,

let's say that there's a general who
had a son who d*ed in a prison camp.

That's just for
the sake of argument.

Let's say there's a major who's at this
same camp who went over to the enemy

to save his own neck and comes
out of the whole deal alive.

Baker,

there is a prescribed routine in all cases
involving possible court-martial, right?

And if it takes a certain amount of
time, we'll take that time, right?

Right.

But when it's done, it'll have been
done with full regard for his rights

under the uniform code of
m*llitary justice. You understand?

Mmm-hmm.

That's very good, sir, as
far as the book is concerned.

Where the general
is concerned...

The general happens
to be a friend of mine.

Oh, but, sir, I happen to be a
friend of sergeant fleischacker,

who works in the
general's office.

It is sergeant fleischacker's
opinion that...

Baker, knock it off, will you?

Okay. No more advice for you, though.

Good. Sir...

Major cargill is at
the reception desk.

Okay, have him come up.

You can go up now, major.

This way, major.

Major cargill, sir.

Come in, major.

Sit down.

Word certainly gets around,
doesn't it?

Well, I'm sure you're aware of the
seriousness of the charges against you,

aren't you, major?

Now, first, let me review your rights
under the uniform code of m*llitary justice.

You don't have to answer...

I don't have to answer any
incriminating questions.

I don't have to make any statements. I have
the right to be represented by counsel.

Article 31 of the code.
I'm familiar with it.

I'm willing to answer
all questions

and I don't want to be around
when you question witnesses.

Okay.

Let's get on with it.
Name. Rank. Serial number.

Harry cargill, major.
a*tillery. 09432305.

You're the same
major Harry cargill

who was imprisoned at
camp gee gee in Korea?

Yes, sir.

You were captured during the breakthrough
along the yalu river in North Korea?

Yes, sir.

You were hospitalized for two
months and you were transferred

to this camp gee gee?

That's right.

Well, major, certain charges
have been made against you.

I'll recite them,

then you'll have the opportunity
of making a statement.

Now, first, it's alleged...
May I smoke?

First, it's alleged that
during November, 1951,

you made a radio broadcast
for the enemy

in which you admitted
taking part in germ warfare.

Well?

Huh? Oh, I'm sorry.

Would you repeat that, please?

It's alleged that during November, 1951,
you made a radio broadcast for the enemy

in which you falsely admitted taking
part in germ warfare. Is that true?

Yes.

It is further charged that you gave
indoctrination lectures favorable to the enemy

to your fellow prisoners.
Is that true?

Yes, sir.

I have a statement here
confessing to germ warfare

which supposedly
carries your signature.

It's my signature.

Well, look at it first, major.

Mmm-hmm. Yeah,
that's my signature.

Did you ever make propaganda
newsreels for the enemy?

Yes. Yes, I did.

Look, major. I've already advised
you of your rights to counsel,

so I suggest you get a lawyer
before we proceed any further.

I don't want a lawyer. I just want to
get this over with as quickly as possible.

Don't you realize you're
being accused of treason?

Yes, I realize that.

And you still want to confess
without consulting a lawyer?

Why not? I'm guilty.
Of everything?

Yes, of everything. Including
making newsreels for the enemy?

Major, why are you
trying to hang yourself?

Why do you confess to
something that you didn't do?

Because, as I told you before, I want to
get this over with as quickly as possible.

Now, will that be all?
No, not quite.

The army not only wants to
know if you did these things,

but also why. So sit down.

Well, major?

Well what? Why'd you
make those broadcasts,

give those lectures?
Because I had no choice.

That mean you were tortured?
Yes.

How? Just tortured.

Well, they must have done
certain things to you. What?

Well, they put me in the hole.
What was it like?

Just a hole scooped
out of the ground,

covered over with boards,
like solitary confinement.

How many times did
they put you in the hole?

I don't know. Nine, ten times,
maybe. I don't remember exactly.

That's what made you break?

Yes.

The day you broke,

they put you in the hole that day? Yes.

And the day before? Yes.

And the day before that? Yes.

That's a lie, major, and you know it.

I've got the testimony of 14 witnesses
here who deny you were in the hole

on any one of those days.
Now, what are you trying to do?

What do all these details
matter? I told you I'm guilty.

That's the important thing,
isn't it?

Do you want to make any statement
at all in your own defense?

I do not.

Well, in that case, there's no
point in prolonging this, is there?

None whatsoever.

Oh, just one more thing, major.

Today on our english-language
news broadcast

we have an interview with an
officer of the United States army.

The truth he speaks will be of
interest to all asiatic peoples.

I will now ask questions.
Who are you?

I'm major Harry cargill.

What's the point of this?

I want you to identify
these voices for me.

Those who listen will
know that this is the truth,

tell us your serial number.

My serial number is 09432309.
That's my voice. Okay?

Who's the interrogator?

Now, major, before
you were captured...

Colonel Kim, commandant of camp gee gee.

Now, if that's all...
No, that's not all.

I thought you'd like to listen
to the entire transcript, major.

So you were with
a bombing squadron.

What was purpose of squadron?

To drop bombs. Look, uh,

couldn't we do this some other
time? We've got to do it now.

What kind of bombs?

Bacteriological.

You mean germs? Deadly germs?

Yes, germs. Deadly germs.

American airplanes have dropped deadly
germs on innocent, helpless asiatic...

Turn it off.

Peoples of Korea.
United States has engaged...

Turn it off.

In germ warfare
against the people of Asia.

That is so? Please turn it off.

Was it so, major?
The United States has...

Turn it off!

You swear on your honor
that American bombers...

That will be all, major.

But you'll be called
back tomorrow.

Your testimony is
interesting, but incomplete.

You'll find that simply saying
you're guilty is not enough.

You don't understand.

I am guilty.

Hey, there's no pay for
overtime in the army.

Well, I thought you'd want cargill's
testimony as soon as possible, sir.

Yeah, I do. Come on.
Let's get out of here.

Baker been putting the
pressure on you, too?

What do you mean? About
what a special case this is.

Oh, no, sir.

No lectures about what baker thinks
fleischacker thinks the general thinks?

No, sir. Why? Nothing.

But just understand one thing, Evans.

This is no different than
any other case in this office.

Yes, sir.

What's the matter?

I'm sorry, but
I can't go with you.

I've got to go back.

That overtime?
Yeah. Good night, Evans.

Did you see this?

What's the matter, you've
been here all night, or what?

What's the matter?
What happened?

What's the matter?
Nothing's the matter.

Take a look at that.
What about it?

What about it? That is
an order from the general.

Well, one thing's for certain, it's not
an order from any sergeant, sergeant.

Oh, come on now, no jokes. Look
at that signature, will you?

"Signed, Joseph Connors,
lieutenant general commanding."

Now, just any order would
be signed by his adjutant.

But when the general
signs the order himself,

that is significant,
that is really significant.

"In view of the backlog of work"

"which has been observed in some
divisions of this headquarters,"

"it is directed that
all accumulated work"

"be completed with
efficiency and dispatch."

"With efficiency and dispatch.”

Now, I'm telling you,
the colonel is in trouble.

You think this is really
directed at the colonel?

The only way the old man
could make it any plainer

would be to put up
a neon sign saying,

"don't waste time
on the cargill case."

Sergeant, I think you're
jumping to conclusions.

Am I?

Hey, wait a minute, you can't do that.

I know.

That's an official
document. I'll bring it back.

I'm just gonna check
it with fleischacker...

Check what with fleischacker?

Good morning, sir. Good morning.

Just wanted to make sure it didn't
get mislaid, sir, that's all.

I'll bet.

Maybe now you'll believe me when
I tell you that the general...

Baker, uh, will you
get me some coffee?

Sir, what about the memo?
Just coffee, baker.

One or two donuts?
Just coffee, baker!

Coffee. Just coffee,
baker. Coffee, baker.

Baker says the general really
meant that memo for you.

Baker says?

Baker and confucius seem to enjoy
the same standing around here.

We will proceed on the assumption
that this memo is exactly

what it appears to be, a general
order to spruce up the entire post.

Yes, sir. We will
proceed on the assumption.

Well, if the general had
wanted to say something,

I'm sure he'd have come
right out and said it.

Yes, sir.

Excuse me.

It's all right, sir. I
know you must be tired.

I'm sorry, Evans.

They didn't have any donuts.

Are you finished with
these, sir? Thanks. Yeah.

Baker, will you take
these to the library? Yeah.

"Techniques used by north Koreans to
indoctrinate United States personnel.”

Well...

"Psychology of brainwashing
methods." All right, baker.

I didn't say anything.
Just take them back,

then go down to
car pool and get a car.

Are we going somewhere?
Yep, we're going somewhere.

Mrs. cargill? Yes?

I'm colonel Edwards,
investigating officer...

My husband's on his
way to your office.

Yes, I know.
That's why I'm here.

I'd like to talk to you.

May I come in?

Well, you're much younger
than I expected.

I'm 32. You don't look it.

I look it.

Mrs. cargill, I...

I know how painful all
this must be for you,

but unfortunately,
it's necessary.

I'm here because I'm trying very
hard to be fair to your husband,

to give him every chance, but I
can't do it alone. I need help.

How do you expect me to help?

Believe me, I'm not your enemy.

Or your husband's.

But you must know he's facing serious
charges and he refuses to defend himself.

He refuses to defend himself?

Didn't you know?

No.

You really didn't know, did you?

No.

Well, can you think of any reason
why he won't defend himself?

Have you come here to ask
me to appear as a witness?

Yes, I have. Because I think there's
more to this case than we can see.

Now, if you're afraid
you might betray him

or might hurt his
chances in any way,

just let me say that things
couldn't be any worse for him

than they are right now.

What're you going to do to him?

On the strength of
what we've learned,

I'm afraid he'll get the limit.

So, you see, Mrs. cargill,

you can only help him by
telling everything you know.

I don't know anything.

Well, what has he said about
his life in the prison camp?

He hasn't said a thing.

In all the months he's been
back, he's said nothing?

Maybe there are some things a
man doesn't want to talk about.

Or can't talk about.

Even to his own wife?

Especially to his own wife.

Well, didn't you ask?
Weren't you curious?

He was gone two years, eight
months and seventeen days.

Yes, I was curious.

Oh, I thought it would come in time.

That if he wanted
to tell me, he would.

But he never has.
What does he talk about?

Oh, what do people talk about
when they don't want to talk?

Little things, meaningless
things. Nothing worth remembering.

Well, since he's been back, hasn't he...

Hasn't he revealed
something accidentally?

No.
You know, a slip of some kind?

A story he started to
tell and didn't finish,

anything like that?

No.

He's told you
absolutely nothing?

Well, I remember something that
he said on his first day back.

He said, "why is it that
most people can only belong to"

“a family, a country,
a religion?"

"Why can't they all belong to
just one thing, the human race?"

Mrs. cargill, a man who felt that
way might be ripe for a cause,

and if it were the
wrong cause, I'm afraid...

So you really think
he went over to them?

No, no, no. I didn't say that.

But you think it's possible? Isn't it?

Is that what they've done?

Have they twisted our thinking
so that a man has to be afraid

of a decent instinct?

So that he has to be ashamed to
show some concern for his fellow man?

I'm sorry, Mrs. cargill,
but it's an old trick to

hide an ugly reality
behind a beautiful phrase.

He's been through so much.
Why don't you let him go?

The fact that he's been
through so much is no defense.

For his own sake,
we've got to make him talk.

But can't you understand
how he feels?

He's a very sensitive man
and he's been deeply hurt.

Nobody wants him.

His own men have
turned against him.

He's nobody.
He has no place to stand.

Oh, colonel,
please give him a place.

Give him a place!

I can't do a thing, Mrs.
Cargill, until I know his story.

He's got to talk.

And you want me to make
him talk. Is that all?

Yes.

Colonel...

Colonel, he's been home
five months. Five months.

And in all that time, we haven't
even been to bed together.

And you want me
to make him talk.

Mrs. cargill, please.

Please, please, Mrs. cargill.

Colonel, somebody's got to help him.

There must be a way. There must!

I'm trying, Mrs. cargill.
Believe me, I'm trying.

I'm sorry.

No, no, no,
that's quite all right.

Before I go, I've got to ask
you just one more question.

Yes.

Was there any particular thing
of which your husband was afraid?

Afraid? Yes, did he have any experiences

during the w*r or even before
that might have given him

a strong fear, an anxiety of some kind?

A fear? Mmm-hmm.

No, I don't think so.

No, the only time I remember
him even mentioning the word was

once in a letter and I don't
suppose that's what you mean.

No, no, no, go on. You tell me.

Well, he just said, "I
have finally become afraid."

Yes?

I remember it because he'd never
written anything like that before.

Why was he afraid? Did he say why?

No, I don't think so.

It's been such a long time.
Nine years.

Please. Whatever you can
remember might be of some help.

I remember how
he ended the letter.

It was a quotation of some sort.

Mmm-hmm.

He said, "who kills one
man kills the whole world."

And then he added, "how
many worlds have I k*lled?"

"Who kills one man
kills the whole world."

"How many worlds have I k*lled?"

Does that help you in some way?

I don't know, Mrs. cargill.

I'm not sure, but it might.

Well, thank you very much
for talking to me.

I'm sorry I had to bother you.
Thank you.

Goodbye.

Colonel. Yes?

Colonel, if you
do find out anything,

I mean, if he tells you anything,

you will let me know, won't you?

Yes, of course I will.

Thank you.

I'll be waiting.

Goodbye, Mrs. cargill.

Bye.

I'll call for you when
I'm ready.

Major cargill's waiting, sir. I know.

Evans, he's two different men. Sir?

The man we saw here yesterday
and the man his wife described.

Two different men. His wife?

Yeah, I was just talking to her.

And I'm glad I did, too, because
that man out there and her cargill...

Well, her cargill just
doesn't commit treason.

Well, maybe her cargill changed, sir.

Of course he changed.
But how? Why?

Well, perhaps it was a
causative factor that...

"Causative factor"? Evans, where'd you
ever dig up a dusty phrase like that?

Well, my father was a lawyer.

Really?

It's not so unusual, sir.

There are about 200,000
lawyers in this country.

So it shouldn't surprise you so.

Everything about you
surprises me, Evans.

Sir, we were talking
about a causative factor.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, we were.

What I was going to say is that
something happened to change cargill.

Something big and obviously
rather sudden because...

Hey, wait a minute. Yes, sir?

Miller's testimony yesterday. Yes, sir.

There was something in there when he
was describing how cargill went over.

Didn't he say something
like, "somebody..."

"Somebody means business now."
Wasn't that it?

Well, if he said it, I can find it.

Good.

You got it? Here it is, sir.

I can't read this. I'm sorry.

"Don't be such heroes,
this man means business now."

That's it. That's it. That's it.

"This man means business now."

And this man has
got to be colonel Kim.

Colonel Kim means business now.

And it happened suddenly. They
all said suddenly, didn't they?

I think so, sir. I'll check.

And the important word is now.

Not a month ago or a week ago, but now.

That's the word. You got it?

"The thing happened very suddenly,
it took us all by surprise."

"It happened suddenly.
It took us all by surprise."

Suddenly, suddenly,
suddenly, suddenly...

Sir. What?

I don't want to interfere
with your train of thought...

No, don't worry about that,
go ahead. What've you got?

Well, sir, speaking of
repetitive wordage...

What do you mean,
repetitive wordage?

Well, sir, it's true they all
said it happened very suddenly.

But there's something else, too. What?

Well, when you were talking about...

When the men were
describing the...

The deaths of
Harvey and Connors,

they all used very similar phrases

in describing the disease
and its consequences

like bacillary dysentery
and dehydration...

Well, that's only natural.
They didn't have any doctors,

they had to be familiar
with all kinds of...

Repetitive wordage.

Did you make a note of those
places, Evans? Yes, sir, I did.

Captain Mike Stewart's
testimony, sir.

All right.

"Question. How did
lieutenant Harvey die?"

"Answer. He d*ed following
an acute case of dysentery."

Mmm-hmm.

"Bacillary dysentery,
dehydration."

You got another one, Evans?
Lieutenant poleska's.

"d*ed following an
acute case of dysentery."

"Bacillary dysentery."

What's this one? And here,
sir, lieutenant Harper's.

"d*ed following an
acute case of dysentery."

An acute case.

Never a bad case
or a violent case,

it's always an acute
case. Yes, sir, I know.

I think you're right, Evans. There are too
many witnesses using exactly the same words.

I thought it
was significant, sir.

You see, when you type the same phrase

over and over, it begins
to make an impression.

Corporal, any time you want to
interfere with my train of thought,

I mean, if you notice anything that
strikes you as being peculiar...

So your father was a lawyer, huh?

Yes, sir.

I hope I'm not interrupting anything,
bill, but I want to talk to you.

Yes, of course, sir.

Didn't you tell me that lieutenant
Miller was your last witness

on the cargill case?
That's right, sir.

Then why did you go
to see cargill's wife?

There's not much around this post
that escapes sergeant fleischacker,

you should know that.

Well, cargill refuses
to defend himself. I...

I thought his wife
might be helpful.

So now you're concerned
with his defense?

Well, sir, if I'm to
do my job fairly I...

Are you suggesting that I'm asking
you not to do your job fairly?

No, sir. Bill, we've
worked together for years.

You know me as well
as anyone does. I...

I try to be fair-minded.
You are.

I've let you take your
time even when I thought

you were taking more
time than was necessary.

But Mrs. cargill is hardly a competent
witness to something that happened

in a Korean prison camp
9,000 miles away.

Bill, I don't want to do this,

but now I feel compelled to ask
you officially for the first time,

what's going on in this case?

I just can't make any recommendation,
sir, until I have all the facts.

Then get 'em. Fast.

Finish your investigation and
let's have the court-martial.

General, we can't investigate
fairly if we start out by saying

there's going to
be a court-martial.

That's prejudging the evidence.

You mean there's even a possibility
you'll not recommend a court-martial?

Well, all I'm saying, sir, is
that it's too early to tell.

When there is clear
evidence of collaboration?

Photostats of his
signature on confessions,

recordings of his own voice
making broadcasts for them?

There are unexplained things, too, sir.

Insufficient motive, for one.
Insufficient motive?

Yes, sir.

Maybe the motive was so obvious
it hasn't occurred to you.

Maybe it was planned this way.

Sir? I think cargill
may have been one of them

before he ever
got to camp gee gee.

Well, there's nothing in the
records to indicate that, sir.

And I see nothing
to indicate otherwise.

They could make a big thing out
of an American officer, a major,

a mature, responsible
man going over to them.

Bill, this would be a lot easier
on both of us, certainly on me,

if this case had been
assigned to another post.

But the Pentagon assigned
it here and here it is.

We can't change that.

I know. I understand that, sir.

All right, then let's get it finished
up with efficiency and dispatch.

After all, bill, there's
a human side to this, too.

Those men,

after the hell they went
through in that prison camp,

now we keep it
hanging over them.

The knowledge that they'll have
to relive it all by testifying.

That's quite an ordeal.

Believe me, if you could have
seen that lieutenant Miller

yesterday at the officer's
club, you'd know what I mean.

Why, he almost broke down and...

He almost broke down and cried
when he talked about my boy.

Told me that one of the
men at the camp had d*ed.

At the funeral, when they...

When they were
covering up the body,

Joe stood there at the
grave site and said,

"my brother dies
that I may live."

"May I be worthy
of his sacrifice."

Yes, that's a...

That's a very fine sentiment, sir.

Well, I...

I don't mean to
talk about my son.

The only point I was making is

we can't keep these
innocent men sweating it out.

It isn't fair to them.

So let's get this over with fast

and let them pick up their lives
again. That's all I'm asking.

I'll try, sir. Good.

I knew you would.

But I still have to be thorough.

Thorough? I think you
better get cargill's file

and come to my
office immediately.

He said immediately, sir.

I know.

The cargill file, sir.

Yeah.

Hey, sir... get cargill in
here before Miller shows up.

I don't want those two meeting yet.

Sir, what about the general...

Look, baker, just this once,
let me handle it, will you?

Okay, sir.

What's going on here, huh?

The general's fanning
his tail, huh?

Hello, reception, Scotty?

Scotty, you got a major
cargill down there?

Yeah. Send him up, will you? Right.

What's happening?

Okay. All right, don't tell me.

You know, I don't have to be a
genius to figure this one out.

He's bucking a general.

He's sticking his neck out for a
traitor who won't even defend himself.

Won't even tell him
the truth, right?

Right.

I tell you, I've been in this
man's army a long time and when...

Well, excuse me, sir.

Sir, the colonel asked if you wouldn't
like to wait in his office, sir.

Baker...
Hey, you stay out of this.

Major, sit down, sir.
Make yourself comfortable.

Like a cigarette, sir?

Baker, would you file
these for me, please?

Oh, come on.
Outside, later, huh?

All right, all right,
have it your way.

Sir,

we have what is commonly known
as a situation around here.

As a matter of fact, the colonel
is down in the general's office

right this minute.

And he's in the act of what's described
in m*llitary language as getting...

He's being chewed out, as they
say, sir, severely chewed out.

Now, this doesn't seem to
bother you at all, does it?

Baker, please.
Now, half the army knows

the general is blowing
his top, why shouldn't he?

I beg your pardon, sir.

Sure you don't want a
cigarette? No, thank you.

King size? Filter top?
No, no. No, thank you.

Oh, you can't catch anything
from these things, major.

It's got 100%
purified cellulose,

it's got activated charcoal,

radioactive m3.

I mean, you positively couldn't
catch a thing from these.

After all, sir, I wouldn't want
to see you get cancer of the lungs.

That's very kind of
you to be so solicitous.

Oh, sir, this is the...

This is the most solicitous
branch in the army.

You know what we do around
here, sir? We worry, don't we?

Even about traitors.

Take the colonel, for
example. He worries about you.

He's knocking himself out
on your case and I mean out.

So, you know what
I was thinking, sir?

Well, you're obviously a
very deep thinker, sergeant.

I wouldn't even try to guess.

I was thinking, sir, that you
could show your appreciation for

what the colonel's
doing for you by talking,

you know, just start
to tell him the truth.

Of course, if you don't
feel like doing that, sir,

I've got another
suggestion for you.

What would you suggest?

Well, I'm very glad you asked
me because I'll tell you.

I'll tell you why I wouldn't want
you to get cancer of the lungs, sir.

It just takes too long.

Baker.
Leave him alone, corporal.

Thank you, sir. Now, if
you'd like my suggestion,

get a heart att*ck, get run
over, get lost, get something.

That's what you can do, sir.

Baker, that's insubordination.

Oh, is it?

You know what happens to
colonels who buck generals?

You let the general give
him one bad efficiency rating

and he's stuck at colonel
for the rest of his time.

Well, if that's the worst
thing that can happen...

Oh, but it isn't. Comes a time
when he's forced to retire.

So? Well, now, that might
be all right with you,

but it wouldn't be
all right with him.

I'm going to explain something
to you, miss phi beta kappa.

When one is retired by the army,

one does not put an ad in
the New York times saying,

"us army man with top experience
wants a job in another army."

There's only one
army in this country.

It's a monopoly.

It might be illegal
but it's true.

So for an ex-army man,
there's no other place to go.

Now, the army needs
guys like the colonel,

because he's fair, he listens

and he'll give a guy a break.

So for the army's sake, I wouldn't
want to see him get fouled up

and especially not because
of anybody like you.

You got it, sir?

You know, he's right about one thing.

If you talked, you'd make
it easier for the colonel.

Look, all he's asking you
to do is tell the truth,

so he can make
a fair recommendation.

Truth? It can only help you.

Why does everybody put
such store in the truth?

Why is truth considered to be so
bright and shining and wonderful?

Truth can be rotten and destructive
and more vicious than any lie.

Because a lie might die one
day, but the truth never dies.

So don't urge the truth
on me. I've seen it.

The filth, the t*rture, the misery,

what one man can do to another.

There's your truth.

But if it could save you or if
it could help you in some way...

You can take a piece of granite
and put it under pressure

until the heat that's created
will turn that stone to liquid.

Did you know that? Granite!

They call that
a scientific phenomenon.

Well, there's
another phenomenon.

It has to do with something
much less durable than granite.

It has to do
with the mind of man.

Now, you put that under enough
pressure and it turns to water.

When that happens, they don't
call that a scientific phenomenon.

They just say he's a
coward, no good, rotten.

They never understand.

Well, the colonel
wants to understand.

He wants to know what kind
of pressure was put on you.

Look, you can talk to him.

Why don't you defend yourself?
Why don't you care anymore?

It isn't any one thing that
makes a man not care anymore.

It isn't that simple. So nobody's
asking for any simple answers.

There aren't any answers!

Just let it go at that.

Sit down, cargill.

If I remember correctly,
you smoke, don't you, major?

No, thank you.

I want to apologize for yesterday.

I mean about running that
tape recording so long.

I didn't realize you were
so sensitive about it.

I only hope you've
recovered sufficiently

so that today you can
answer some questions.

I don't know any more
today than I did yesterday.

Then perhaps today you'll tell me
a little more of what you do know.

Look, I told you
yesterday, I'm guilty.

Now I don't see any point in
going over the same ground again.

Oh, we're not going over
the same ground, major.

I'd like to touch on some things
that we didn't even mention yesterday.

Like a certain sequence of events
which becomes very striking.

Sequence of events? A definite
pattern of life in that prison camp.

Brainwashing, starvation,
sickness, death.

For nine months.
Yet no man broke.

And there was a period of
three months when nobody d*ed.

And then suddenly,

very suddenly, as a matter
of fact, in a 48-hour period,

lieutenant Harvey d*ed,
captain Connors d*ed,

and you broke.

That's right.

Was there any connection between
the deaths of Harvey and Connors

and your breaking? None.

Your breaking followed
their deaths so closely,

I think there must be a connection.

I'm telling you there wasn't.

All right.

I accept it.

Incidentally,
how did Harvey die?

I don't remember.

You don't remember?

A man can't remember everything.

No, of course not.

Major, at whose burial did you say,
"my brother dies that I may live.

"May I be worthy
of his sacrifice"?

They told you that, did they?

There can't be any harm in
admitting you said it, can there?

I said it. Why?

If you were to give some
reason as to why you broke,

what would that reason be?

I suppose that some men
are weaker than others.

You mean then, that you were
the weakest man in your shack?

Evidently.
You signed confessions,

you made broadcasts, you gave lectures,

all because you were weak?

A man wants to stay alive.

And in your desire
to stay alive,

you didn't think of the
effect of what you did?

Effect? It didn't trouble you
that probably 200 million asiatics

were hanging in the balance?

That your words were
weapons against everything

you ever believed in.
That didn't matter?

No. It didn't matter.
It didn't matter

that you might be endangering the lives
of millions of your own countrymen,

because that's what it'll cost
if Asia falls to the enemy.

That didn't matter?
I told you before.

How many times do I have to
tell you? It didn't matter.

Well, tell me again, major Harry
cargill, specialist on germ warfare.

Shut up!

What's the matter, major?
Don't you like the sound of it?

Do you know what I think?

I think you were frightened
by that recording yesterday,

because it haunts you.

I think you're haunted by the ghosts
of dead minds as well as dead bodies.

Minds that you helped to
k*ll by your broadcast.

Minds that were pushed
over the brink by you.

Isn't that right, major?

I told you to shut up!
Answer me. Isn't that right?

I don't have to answer.
Answer me!

What kind of an
inquisition is this?

You'd like it to be
an inquisition, wouldn't you?

But it's not going to be.

You're going to be defended,
whether you like it or not,

because we've got a standard of
justice we'll follow in spite of you.

Standard of justice?

You poor fool. That's
ancient history, colonel.

You're out of style,
you and your standards.

You're obsolete.

It's a new kind of world.
k*ll, destroy, dog eat dog.

And maybe that's the way it ought to be,

because I don't think
mankind deserves any better.

You really believe that?
Yes, I believe that!

"Who kills one man
kills the whole world.

"How many worlds have I k*lled"?

Where did you hear that?

Your wife.

My wife?

You leave her out of this...

I'll get my information
any way I can, cargill.

Now get in here.

You had no right. I don't
care what you do to me,

but you've got no...
Now, that's an order!

Miller here yet? Yes, sir.

All right, get him in here.
Sir, here are the carbons

from Miller's testimony.
Okay, thanks.

Get baker, too. Yes, sir.

Come in, lieutenant.

Sit down.

There isn't much we have to cover today.

I was just going over
your testimony last night.

I'd like to clear up a few minor points.

Well, I'll do anything
I can to help, sir.

That's fine. I knew you would.

Now first, when cargill said,
"this man means business now,"

what was he referring to?

Cargill said that? That's
what you told me yesterday.

No, sir. I don't think
I said that. Oh, yes.

Yes, you did, lieutenant.
You said...

You said, "cargill said,"

"don't be such heroes.
This man means business now."

Well, if it's in there, I
guess I must have said it.

I'm sorry, sir.
I forgot, I guess.

What did he mean by that?

Well, that's pretty
obvious, isn't it? Is it?

Well, yes.

The way I figure, colonel Kim
must have been getting impatient.

You know, all that time had gone
by, nobody cracked or anything,

so he's getting ready for
his showdown. And was he?

I don't know, sir. It was
cargill that said it, not me.

Yes.

Speaking of things cargill said.

"My brother dies that I may live.
May I be worthy of his sacrifice."

Did cargill say that? Yes, sir.

Or did captain Connors say that?

No, sir. Cargill said it.

But you told the general
his son said it.

Sir, with all...

With all due respect to the general,

he must've misunderstood me,
because it was cargill that said it.

I see.

Now another thing, Miller.

In the 48 hours before
cargill broke, two men d*ed.

Lieutenant Harvey
and captain Connors.

That's right, sir. I told
you about that yesterday, sir.

Yes, I know you did. Now I wonder if
you'd mind telling me how Harvey d*ed.

I told you that, too. Yesterday.

You can tell me
again, can't you?

Yes, sir. Go ahead.

Lieutenant Harvey d*ed following
an acute case of dysentery.

And Connors? Same thing.

An acute case of dysentery?

Yes, sir. You're sure of this?

Yes, sir, I'm sure. I was there.

Come in.

By the door, baker.

All right, major, come in.

Stand over there.

Now, Miller,
I'd like you to tell me

how lieutenant Harvey
and captain Connors d*ed.

I told you.
I want to hear it again.

Not everyone seems to
have the same memory of it.

They d*ed of dysentery.

You see, sir, in cases
of bacillary dysentery,

the incidence of
death is pretty high.

Especially when
there's no medicine.

You see, what happens is...

Dehydration sets in.

Dehydration sets in.

And a sick man suffers.

He suffers from
a general wasting away.

Go ahead, lieutenant.

Well...

You see, sir, there wasn't
much anything we could do.

He's...

We didn't have any choice.

Well...

We had to...

We had to pool our rice...

And we had to pool
our water and we...

We tried to keep the
sick ones alive. We...

You told him, didn't you?

Didn't you?
You told him, didn't you?

I didn't tell him anything.

Yes, he did tell me. He
told me he doesn't remember

Harvey and Connors
dying of dysentery.

He doesn't remember that at all.

So, come on, Miller, the
truth! Come on, let's have it!

Talk. Don't!

Come on, the truth. No lies.

No memorized speeches,
just the truth. Spill it.

Don't say anything!
I told him nothing.

It wasn't only me.
You gotta believe that.

All right, it wasn't only
you. Now, come on, everything.

The rest of it. Everything.

We were all in it together. All
of us. I swear that's the truth!

We all voted for it!

We had to do it.

Everybody agreed to do
it. Everybody except him!

You can't do it!

Now, this is it.

You can't draw
lots for a man's life.

Why not? He's guilty.

Now you had your say,
and you got outvoted.

Now shut up.

Whoever gets this one,
he's the man.

Now, we're all in this together.

Nobody talks. Ever.

That includes you, cargill.

Understand?

You better understand.

Come on.

Come on.

Hurry up. Hurry up, he's coming.

Take one.

Come on.

Miller.

Remember, we're all in this together.

Okay.

Who's got it?

Come on.

Harper.

Not me.

Miller.

Hurry up!

You know what to do.

Miller, no. You can't do this.

Don't do it...

Hi.

Hi, fellas.

Tough couple of days.

Really put me
through the wringer.

Connors, get out...

Hey, what's wrong?

Miss anybody?

No, nobody.

Well, take another look.

Take a good look.

Yeah, while you're looking around,
Connors, take a look in that corner.

Where's Harvey?

Where do you think he is,
Connors? He's dead.

Last night I told him
not to try to escape.

It was su1c1de.

It was just one chance
in a thousand.

You're wrong, Connors.
He didn't have any chance.

What do you mean?
You know what we mean.

Shut up!

You hear me? Shut up!

Will you?

How did they know that Harvey
planned to make a break for it?

I don't know.

I never mentioned his name.
What did you mention?

Nothing. Then how did they know?

I don't know.

Well, someone tipped them off.

And you're the only guy who's been out
of this shack since yesterday morning.

The only one, Connors.
That doesn't prove a thing.

Ten guys tried breaking out of
here, not one of them made it.

Harvey didn't have a chance.
You guys know that.

There's something
you ought to know.

Harvey never tried to escape.

What?

Harvey wasn't going to make a break
for it. We talked him out of it.

He'd be alive now
except for you.

No, no, no...

Shh!

You told them, Connors,
because when they came here,

they knew exactly
what to look for.

They were looking for a
guy with a Kn*fe on him.

They found the Kn*fe on Harvey
and they sh*t him in the back

because you tipped them off.

No, listen. Kim promised
he wouldn't do it.

He promised he wouldn't
k*ll him. He told...

Honest!

No, no!

Okay, hold him.

No, Miller!

Hold him.

No, no, no!

No, Miller!

No, no.

No, Miller. Miller, no. No! No!

I didn't want to. I
didn't want to. I didn't.

I had to do it.

I had to.
I swear that's the truth.

I'm sorry I had
to do this to you.

I don't care. I'm glad I told.

It's no rotten secret anymore.

Will they try me for m*rder?

No, I don't think so.

You sure?

Evans, the notes.

Miller, I want you to see this.

There'll be no
record in the file.

We'll just forget it. The
evidence is inadmissible.

Baker.

Come on, lieutenant.

Lieutenant, come on, sir.

George, I'm sorry.
Don't you touch me.

Lieutenant, lieutenant.
Come on, sir. Come on, sir.

Let me go.

All right, cargill, that's part of
the story. Now, what's the rest of it?

It wouldn't help.
It might help you.

You just take my word
for it. It wouldn't.

What happened after
Connors was k*lled?

There were no more
stool pigeons.

Don't stall.
The other men were there,

they know what happened.
They'll talk.

Will they? Oh, no, colonel.

Whatever Miller did,
they're accessories to it.

Now, what are you gonna do, force it
out of them, too, and then apologize?

Just talk. Fast.
There's no time anymore.

I just don't care. Well,
you're gonna have to care.

What happened after
Connors was k*lled?

You're wasting your time. Talk!

Please, colonel Edwards.
It wouldn't do any good.

Please, colonel Edwards.

Let me in there, please.
Colonel Edwards...

Lieutenant...

Only get them into trouble.

Believe me, they're
good men, decent men.

But when the pressure got too much for
them, they started k*lling each other.

Well, I can't condemn them for that.

I'm not condemning or condoning.
I'm only trying to help you.

All right, then tell me this.

What's gonna happen when they start
putting pressure on the whole human race?

Sergeant? Colonel Edwards! Now, look,

the only thing that counts
now is the truth. When we...

All right, take it easy. Take it easy.

They're gonna try me for
m*rder. All right. All right.

I'm not the only one.
We were all in it together.

Tell 'em. Tell 'em.

Knock that off, will you?

What's the matter with you? You
too good for the rest of the world?

Too good to k*ll
a lousy stool pigeon?

But in the end, you
were the traitor. Not us.

Now they're gonna try me
for m*rder, well, they won't.

What do you mean, m*rder?

m*rder...

Who was m*rder*d?

The lousy stool pigeon.

Miller, shut up. Let him talk.

Look, sir, the man's in no
condition to talk about anything.

We k*lled him,
that's what about.

He told on some poor guy
who was planning to escape

and so we k*lled him. And
your son, your wonderful son...

All right. All right, come on.

Come on, lieutenant. Come on.

All right, baker, get
him out of here. Yeah.

What was he going to say?

Sir, the man was hysterical.

Anything he was going to say would
have meant absolutely nothing.

You wouldn't have hit him if you
didn't know what he was going to say.

It was something about
my son planning to escape.

What was it?

It wouldn't do any good, sir.

Colonel, I'm ordering
you to give me information

relative to a case
under my jurisdiction.

Do you refuse?

No, sir. Very well, then.

The name of the man
who betrayed my son.

You see what I mean about the truth?

You keep your clever
remarks to yourself, major.

Believe me, sir, I was
not trying to be clever.

That's all for now, cargill.
You're excused.

Just a moment, major.

You feel pretty safe and
smug here, don't you, cargill?

Hiding behind due process
of law. Please, sir.

It galls me to see traitors
like you being coddled here.

Sir, I beg you to
leave this man alone.

Suppose you tell me who
betrayed my son, major?

I insist you leave him alone.

I'm interrogating him, colonel.

All right, major. Who was it?

Who betrayed my son?

I can't answer that, sir.

Can't you? Honor among
traitors, is that it?

One dirty swine protecting
another? One lousy collaborating...

Damn it, sir, stop it!

I'm sorry, sir. But I...

I just couldn't let you go on that
way. Not without knowing the truth.

Your son wasn't betrayed.

He wasn't k*lled by the enemy.

He was k*lled by his own men.

He was the stool pigeon.

It's a lie.
No, sir. It's the truth.

It's a lie you made
up to protect this man.

It's the truth, sir.

You have no proof. I have.

Conclusive proof.

Every man has his limit, sir.

There's no crime in being human.

He was my son.

He was raised to know
better, to be better.

I can't forgive cowardice,
especially in my own son.

Why?

That's right. Why?

Why are we always so much
quicker to blame those we love

rather than those we hate?

Is it because weakness in them
is somehow weakness in ourselves?

Is that it?

I didn't love your son, general,
but I didn't hate him, either.

So maybe I'll be allowed to
speak a few words on his behalf.

A man can be
a hero all his life,

but if in the last month of it or
the last week or even the last minute,

the pressure becomes too great and
he breaks, then he's branded for life.

You can't ask a man
to be a hero forever.

There ought to be a time limit.

There is no defense for treason.

I wouldn't use words like
treason if I were you.

And I would never set
myself up to judge anybody.

Just don't be a hero on
somebody else's time, general.

And don't ever hate a man for
what he does under pressure.

Your son was a hero.
I give you my word.

Hundreds of days he was a hero.
And only one day did he break.

Well, in the name of god, aren't
all those other days worth something?

Does he lose his
standing in the human race

because he broke
on that one last day?

They didn't understand,
so they k*lled him.

But at least they thought
they had a reason.

To save their lives.

But what reason have you got,
general? A set of rules, a code?

Well, it's not enough.

Because you don't have a code
that fits a man to face them.

Your code doesn't have all the
answers. Not all the answers.

All right, major,
you've said enough.

No, sir, I've not said enough.

Your son was a human being, and
somebody's going to speak for him.

My son is dead.

And there's a dignity in
that, no matter how he d*ed.

But you, major, are alive.

And I'll be damned if I'll stand
here and allow you to att*ck a code

that better men than you
have lived and d*ed by.

The code? The... how much
does the code ask of a man?

Everything, if the man
is a soldier. His life.

His life? You think that's
the most that a man can lose?

What are you talking about?

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you what
I'm talking about.

You're in a prison camp.
Nobody breaks.

Months and months of cold and t*rture
and starvation and nobody breaks.

And then one day, a man does break
and his own men k*ll him for it.

And the commander
of the camp is furious

because he's been robbed of the one
victory he's been able to achieve.

So he calls in the ranking
officer and he says to him,

"ll have reached the
limit of my Patience."

"Either you cooperate or
I k*ll all sixteen men."

What would you do, general, huh?

I want an answer.
What would you do?

Stand fast?
Let them all be k*lled?

That is a chance
you have to take.

Maybe. Maybe.

Maybe that's the answer,
for heroes.

But I was no hero.

I couldn't take that chance.

To me, those sixteen men,
the wives, the families,

they seemed important.

They still seem important.

How many lies for
a man's life, huh?

I don't know. I just gave
them everything they wanted.

Everything.

I had a feeling, sir.

On his record, he wasn't the kind
of man who'd do something like this

for a selfish reason.

He couldn't defend himself without
incriminating sixteen other men.

I'm sorry about this man and
everything that's happened to him.

And it's precisely because I'm sorry
that I know why we need the code.

I want your recommendation
at once.

General, this is an extremely
harsh application of the rule.

Is it? This man's had it.

No man's exempt.

Not this man,

not my son, no one.

Because after you've said
everything that could be said,

the fact would remain,
he did help the enemy.

Sir, I think it's only fair to tell you,

if he's brought to trial,
I'd like to defend him.

That's your privilege, bill.

Major cargill,

you asked me a question.

You at least deserve an answer.

The choice that you had to make in
that prison camp was no different

than the choice that confronts
every m*llitary leader.

The decision involving the
life or death of his men.

You're a sensitive man.
A humane man.

I sympathize with that man.
But you're also a soldier.

And as a soldier, you have
failed, just as my son failed.

You talk to me of sixteen men.

Multiply that by thousands. Try
carrying that weight on your shoulders.

Try sleeping with the cries of those
wives and children in your ears.

I've done that, major.

Every wartime commander
has done it.

Because until a better world
is built, it's got to be done.

That is why we have the code,
major.

The code is our Bible
and thank god for it.

I'll be waiting for your
recommendation, bill.

Under the circumstances,
I will, of course,

disqualify myself.

The general's right.

I was wrong and
I should be tried.

Reasons don't matter.

Reasons do matter.

When a man's mind is att*cked,
how does he protect himself?

How does he fight back?

You didn't tell the other men
why you went over, did you?

Part of your deal
with colonel Kim?

Evans, take this, will you?

Concerning the charges in the
case of major Harry cargill,

recommendation is as follows.

Considerable evidence
has been amassed

to prove that major cargill
willingly collaborated with the enemy.

There is now also evidence to
indicate that he did so unselfishly

and to preserve the lives
of his fellow prisoners.

Although he was
mistaken in his judgment,

he was surely no traitor.

Therefore, I personally recommend
that all charges be dropped

and no court-martial
be convened.

Now, don't let that
recommendation fool you.

There'll be a court-martial.

Oh, I expect that.

It's just good to know
that somebody understands.

Well, we've got
a long way to go.

Can you be here
tomorrow morning?

Yes, sir, I'll be here.
We free at 8:00, Evans?

Yes, sir, we're free.

8:00, then.

And, major,

give my regards to your wife.

Yes, sir.

Colonel, do you think we
can get the answers this way?

Well, I can promise
you one thing, major.

They'll know we asked the questions.