Captain Conan (Capitaine Conan)

BULGARIAN BORDER' 10 SEPT. 1918

Relax! Coffee's on the way.

It's nothing! Stay put' Ferrandière.

It's just the 9 o'clock mail. Sleep' sleep!

Who ordered that flare?

Something moved' sir.

Just a rat.

I could've wiped you and your slackers out.

My boys never sniffle' cough' or get snagged on the wire.

Warn us next time' or you may get shot Iike rabbits.

20 minutes to get up before the moon clears the ridge.

You mucked up the ravine with your patrols again.

I've got to use the Ieft gully now.

Going up Socrates?

I sent a runner over to Hill 915 yesterday.

He never arrived. If you spot the body' Iet me know.

Send up as many flares as usual tonight.

If any man fires a shot too many' he answers to me!

You making that racket?

Malaria' sir. It'II pass.

Stay here.

Stay here!

That's rotten!

De Scève...

Where's Conan?

Went up 20 minutes ago.

He forgot me!

He Iikes you. He didn't want to turn you down.

- I Iook dumb. - You Iook dumb.

Did the mess get any mutton in?

My men got dysentery from that frozen Aussie rabbit.

What's Conan up to?

Takes time to get up there' sir.

The Senegalese moan they eat too much mutton.

And us' nothing since Christmas!

The niggers have it better than us!

Where are the prisoners?

You'II pay for this! C'mon' you bastards!

What? We're going back?

You took a while' but bravo!

Yeah' congratulate 'em... The buzzards!

I'd Iike to re-arrange a few mugs!

Fuckin' bastards!

We forgot to take prisoners!

Aren't those two there Bulgars?

Sure. We went back for 'em.

He'II chew me out!

You Iucky. War over.

Drink this.

I don't get you' but I can guess...

Shut up!

Here' Rouzic... It's his Ioss.

A bit Iate for guinine' Mahut!

We got our wires crossed.

Watch how you clods hold him!

Keep his head up!

Easy' son! We'II take care of you. I'II see to it.

Carry him Iike the Holy Grail.

How do you say "disinfectant"?

Really' it's the same?

And "antiseptic"?

Rouzic can bring your mail.

Thanks' sir.

Don't thank me. Mail doesn't automatically mean good news.

Why' only Iast week I got dumped by a fiancee.

Only got six Ieft now!

Here's to you' old man!

I can't use him now. He'II be soldiering in a month.

So?

My job's not fighting' it's butchery.

A bum shoulder and you're out.

You go to staff college?

No Ioss. A Iot of shirkers who bust your chops!

If our hours don't suit you' gentlemen' please Iet us know.

We'II be honored to conform to yours.

Sir' I...

My fault' sir. I was visiting my wounded.

But our young friend wasn't.

I took him along.

He's good with words. I get into a muddle.

You don't do so badly.

Well' sit down.

Your wounded...?

OK' but Perrin's got to transfer.

Good soldier?

Try him. First-rate.

Major?

Work it out between you.

Don't Iet it get cold.

Ageing potatoes' Iike bashful virgins'

need to be warmed up for consumption.

Sorry' sir' but the hospital visit upset our stomachs.

Smell of ether' Iikely.

Sure' he knows I'm riding him'

but I won't pretend their glop tastes Iike chocolate.

We're getting eggs.

When they grow wings.

That's just Iike you' sir!

Watch the wire.

It either rings or it explodes.

No scream. It's rabbit stew tonight!

And a scream?

Depends... Boche or Bulgar.

I've got the runs' sir!

Try some Pernod.

Ass down' Rabier!

Come eat now' sir' before it's overcooked.

Be right in. We have a guest.

Hey' boys' this is Lt. Norbert!

I added stuffing: olives and onions' breadcrumbs and bacon.

Some wine! Don't speak Breton with our friend here.

Rouzic...

If they were all Iike him' we'd still be Iiving in caves.

But he's a real fighter!

Know Hill 818? The Iittle stream?

He went to wash my socks and came back

nudging a Bulgar! He wanted to give him a drink. Took him for a Greek!

How could I tell he wasn't Greek?

Cushy' no?

Not for all tastes' though.

De Scève calls this place... the barbarian's cave.

Bordeaux. Real Bordeaux!

Courtesy of the Brits. I wanted to buy a case... No way.

So I swiped two without paying.

There's a nibble of stew Ieft...

Let's have it.

No' it's too much.

It's venison!

Big fat General Berthelot would give

his kepi just to suck the bones!

A taste' then.

How do you manage? The army's starved.

Special diet' you mean?

But our work's special.

You'd find it hard to stomach.

My father said: "Use what God puts in your pack."

Me' I strike hard and fast. Always!

While you...

Say' Iet me see your pistol.

I'II take a Ieak.

The trigger's slack.

You go with that redhead?

Smart-ass! The farm near the Turks...

Oh' right! I think I've seen her.

Seen her? She gave two of my boys the clap.

The clap? Oh' yeah?

So maybe that's why...

Your nose runs. Get her treated before she sinks the division.

So that's why she's so cheap!

The one I really wanted was the Greek girl from the bar.

And...?

She threw my money in my face.

Leave this with me until tomorrow.

We may move out.

Lend him a gun. Anything beats a slingshot.

I've got a Mauser in perfect shape.

Perfect.

Speak any Greek?

Ancient Greek. Literary.

Better than nothing...

Tell her she resembles my sister.

It puts 'em at ease.

Nothing smutty' OK?

My Greek won't do.

Try English.

Skip it' sonny. If she can manage' so can I.

Midnight Ieave's up' Iads. Back to camp. On the double!

Sir' is it true about the big push?

Artillery's moving up and they're saying...

I get it! The usual rubbish.

Sorry to interrupt' sir...

Just a minute. I'm paying my respects to the Iady.

Sit your pretty Iittle ass down here.

Got a room here?

What happened?

An attack on De Scève's sector. Pretty nasty.

Shit! Conan!

Lt. Norbert' 2nd Company. Get me the attack group.

Send a man out to find Conan on the double!

You can hang up. That knocked you for a Ioop' eh?

They sent a motorbike while you were having kittens.

Just when I was Iearning Greek!

Better eguipped than us!

The Boche supplied 'em with new gear.

Half our privates have holes in their trousers. Not these guys!

There aren't only Buls... Must've been Boches too.

Nasty show!

De Scève didn't cop it with them.

Must be a prisoner. We Iooked all over for him.

You Iooked' but I'II find him.

Sorry' Conan' but you're no Ionger on your own.

The rumor was right: it's the big push.

- Matter of hours. - Meaning?

Your men join

a machine-gun unit. You fight with the buddies.

The buddies will have to adapt!

It's hell up there!

Your helmet!

Get that phone Iine up. Faster!

Keep going!